Diarrhoea

Does everyone with ibs get constipation?? I never have constipation I have the complete opposite problem. I’m new on here & was just wondering about the ‘I need to go’ cards for shops etc work, it’s just that I don’t get any warning. When I need to go I literally have a couple of minutes to make it to the loo!! Hence I never eat anything if I need to go out. I never eat in the mornings so I can go out without worrying!! Is it just me that has this issue?

[jjb1983]

Hi,

Yes I get this, mostly on a morning though not quite during the day. I have read posts that ppl are often like you are though and it stops them leaving the house.

You could have ibs-d.

Have you seen a doctor for this?

[Hidden in reply to jjb1983]

Ibs-d?? Never heard of it. I’m due back at the dr this week as my serum folate levels are low. Something to do with vitamin B12. Dr thinks because of my diarrhoea that I don’t absorb B12. I had an injection just before Xmas and take folic acid. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

[jjb1983 in reply to Hidden]

It's nice to see your doctor looking into it.

Ibs-d is ibs in the form as diarreah.

I've started keeping a stool diary.

Did the b12 injection make you feel any better?

[Hidden in reply to jjb1983]

Not to my bowels but I’m not as tired. I had a colonoscopy 2 weeks ago & go back for the report next week. The ‘quick’ initial report said diverticulosis but I’ve had that mildly for 5 years but hasn’t affected me unless it’s just got worse & that’s my problem!! I’ve been reading about Ibs-d & it does sound like ‘me’. I was particularly stressed during October November & December and out of those months I counted 5 days when I didn’t have diarrhoea all during the afternoon & evening and sometimes through the night. Very debilitating!!

[jjb1983 in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

Oh well that's great they can tell all sorts from a colonoscopy. Did you have biopsies?

You might just have a flare up of the condition you already have but it could also be ibs-d at least you've had the tests and get the results soon.

Me too I've had a tough few months which has lead to very bad anxiety and me staying in doors. I lost my job too and loosing that job made me feel low. Stress can kick off ibs-d.

[Hidden in reply to jjb1983]

Had biopsies, results next week. I’m sorry to hear about your job. Last thing you need!! Thank you for all the information. I’m going to look into ibs-d in more detail now. I’ve had diarrhoea on & off for years but never as bad as this, hence my visit to the dr.

[jjb1983 in reply to Hidden]

I hope you found some more info and hope it helped you.

[Hidden in reply to jjb1983]

Yes thank you. I feel more relieved than anything to know that I’m not the only one with this problem!!! You’ve been great. Thanks.

[AJNY]

Hi, After I eat breakfast(often) , I go. It's usually loose & sometimes it goes on for 2 more. I take the Generic Immodium. Usually 1 pill, sometimes 2. It usually stops then. This happens about 4 or 5 times a month.

[Hidden in reply to AJNY]

I’m just too scared to eat in the mornings. I go for a 2 hour walk every morning with my dog & ive been caught out so many times. I was away for a W/e with some friends a while ago & stupidly (in my opinion) ate breakfast with my friends. I took immodium but walking around the shops after I was so bad. It was horrible I was so panicked. My friends were really good, we were in a foreign country & I was so afraid I was going to get another attack we stayed close to where the loo was. I took more immodium after & I was ok but felt horribly bloated for the rest of the weekend. Maybe if I have time to wait before I go out it would be ok! Thanks for the advice.

[GirlAzooga]

Hi, yes I have IBS-D too (and low serum folate) - you are very much not alone! Great that you’re Dr is taking it seriously. I take a lot of Imodium too so tend to buy the generic Loperimide tablets in bulk from Amazon as they’re way cheaper! My GP also suggested the FODMAP diet which has improved things massively for me (I could bore you for ages about it 🙄) Good luck with the next stages in your process...

[Hidden in reply to GirlAzooga]

Thank you. I have ordered the Fodmap diet book. I’ve been doing a food diary and I’m hoping I will be able to control ‘things’ with diet. Although I do now think stress & anxiety did start me off on a downward spiral. Looking at my diary I’m wondering if raw tomatoes have a part and/or sesame seeds!! I had been on a gluten free diet since June last year & I thought I’d cracked it for a while. Then I couldn’t get the bread I’d had so ate a different brand & I’m thinking maybe the seeds in the bread?? I don’t know. Sorry I’m waffling, it’s just so good to be able to verbalise even if in writing. I’m just clutching at straws at the mo!!

[grufjones in reply to GirlAzooga]

Great to hear about the progress GirlAzooga! I am also doing fodmap, in the second month of it now and really seeing amazing progress. Much fewer flare-ups and even if I do get one I now have the food diary to help trace it back to a culprit. Much less stressed now too as I have a sense as to what had been causing these issues all along. On the complexity of fodmap, that is a challenge for sure. Perhaps we should have HealthUnlocked do a channel for Fodmap Bores!

[Hidden in reply to grufjones]

I’m hoping I can find a culprit or two. Don’t like the idea of tablets all the time. I will study the fodmap book when I receive it. It does help to know I’m not on my own. I really didn’t realise so many people suffered.

[GirlAzooga in reply to grufjones]

Thanks. Yep, agreed - it definitely helps with the catch-22 situation of stress and anxiety! It really is worth the effort...Glad it’s working for you too... Fully approve of ‘ fodmap bores’ channel 😂 I had no idea there were so many other sufferers either Squirrels777. Good to talk eh?!

[Hidden in reply to GirlAzooga]

Absolutely!!

[marie114]

I have diarrhoea type IBS personally. I often get an attack late night/early hours of the morning. I start by having wind and then pains in my tummy and lower under my tummy button area that get worse and worse till finally the diarrhoea kicks in. The pain gets so bad often I'm doubled up and crying with it. I then have quite a few bouts of diarrhoea till it finally stops. It takes hours sometimes for the whole process and all I can do is sit on the loo till it's finally over. Normally by that time hours have gone by and it's often gone 7am or later and I've been there all night. I then take Imodium or instants and buscopan for the pains.

I don't often go anywhere because it can also hit without warning when I'm out and then I have to make a dash for a toilet and when it can take a while it is very difficult to do in a public toilet. I also have severe OCD so that makes using public toilets extremely difficult too.

I never know when it will hit. Often it will hit the day after I have a bad day or if I get quite upset over something/Get stressed or anxious about something. It also seems to hit around the time I start my period each month quite often too.

It's very hard to live with it isn't it.

[Hidden]

Oh my God!! You poor thing!! Yes it is hard to live with. It’s the uncertainty that I find most difficult. I have some very good friends that understand my problem. If we go for lunch (maybe 2 or 3 times a year) I always say to them as a joke (sort of) ‘you’d better go to the loo before I eat’. I can guarantee literally 10 minutes or less after eating I’ll be in & out of the loo a good 2, 3 or 4 times!!! Very embarrassing!! Now I’m doing my diary maybe I can pinpoint something I’m eating or maybe the oil that pubs use for cooking or something!! Have you done a food diary? Maybe it’s something you are eating in the evening that starts you off? It’s very draining isn’t it!!

[Hidden]

I used to have a similar thing happen through my twenties and much of my 30s. I had diarrhea, and it made going out difficult because I would never know when it would strike, along with terrible cramping. It went away after I stopped eating gluten and refined sugars. You might want to experiment with foods. I used an elimination diet to figure out what was bothering my gut and it really worked! Another common problem food is dairy, but it doesn’t bother me. Hope you feel better soon!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I stopped eating gluten in June last year & it seemed to work for a while but it is almost like my body gets used to it and then decides to throw a wobbly again. Atm I’m back on plain white bread and most of this week I’ve been relatively ok.

[Supersamba]

Hi, just a quick suggestion if it turns out to be ibs-d, which I’ve suffered from for years, I’ve found Silocol Gel enormously helpful. Hope you get sorted out soon.

[Hidden]

Funnily enough I was talking about silicol to my aunt the other day!!! We used to use it as a hangover cure years ago (and it really does work). I go back to my consultant next week so I’m going to hold off on taking anything for now but thank you for your suggestion. I might well go down that route if diet doesn’t help. It used to make me gag taking it before!!

[Supersamba]

Try adding it to about half a glass of water, makes it more palatable. And I try not to look too closely as I measure it out-lol 😁 as it does look pretty disgusting

[Hidden]

Ok. Thank you. X

[graba]

Have been suffering from IBS-D the last 5 years. Every morning its my ritual to spend 20 minutes in the loo - sometimes diarrhea sometimes normal stool.

I think I got it because of a very stressed period in my work in 2014. Had a lot of examinations including colonoscopy to exclude cancer and other diseases like Crohn.

After plenty of depression and self pitying and home seclusion and bitterness (why me God? etc) I realized that I either control it or it would consume me.

So I did a lot of reading and experimentation and now I use a combination of careful eating habits, careful planning of out of house activities and medication (Imodium) and avoiding stress (not at all easy in my work). I can give you details on what I do but this post would be extremely long and bore everybody.

Unfortunately you are dealing with a very individualized problem. The rest of us can

only give tips and suggestions but at the end you only have two options. Either let it control you and live a miserable life or you control it and live a normal life. You are the only one who can take this decision and enforce it.

[Hidden]

Very sound advice!!! It does seem to be a very individualised condition. What works for someone doesn’t necessarily work for someone else!! I went out for lunch today which is normally a no no. I had a sandwich but took out the tomatoes!!! I was waiting for a reaction but I was fine!!! I can’t believe it!!! Eating out is usually filled with dread!! Maybe be it is uncooked tomatoes???? I guess more trial & error is needed!!! I know it is a small step but little steps & all that!!!! I truly believe that stress & anxiety is my biggest enemy though. Onwards & upwards, one day we may be able to lead a normal life without the worry of wondering if we’re going to be ‘ok’!! Xx

[Lilmo1]

I had the exact same problem myself for nearly a year GP said it was IBS but another GP on our panel referred me for a Colonoscopy a biopsy was taken as nothing showed up in my bowel which was brilliant but didn't give me answers as to why i had cronic diahorrea every day. Then I was referred for a Sehcat scan in Nuclear Medicine dept at hospital which involves taking a capsule which contains Mercury low dose go into the scanner then pass 3hrs and return back to that dept and be scanned again. Then 1 week later return once more for another scan, they then compare the results and I was then properly diagnosed with BAM Bile Acid Malsorbsion for which i was prescribed Bile Binders..brilliant result though its tricky to get the dosage correct as you can become constipated then cut them down and to little brings the diahorrea on again.

It's a life time medication but so long as it helps the problem who would mind.

I tell you this because I have read that many people are wrongly diagnosed with IBS when its not its BAM totally different altogether though mimics the IBS somewhat. Not all doctors are aware of BAM or also called BAD Bile Acid Disease. Look it up and if you think it sounds same as you then ask your doc would he refer you for a Sehcat Scan as you think its BAM that you have.

Hope all that helps you I really do as i can empathise with you I had many accidents where i never made it and had to get in the shower, had my hubby driving round a town for a public toilet while away for the day with his foot down. Had just pulled into our driveway busting to go as like yourself only a few mins notice but never made it out of the car. It's horrid go see your doc asap.

[Lilmo1]

Just a foot note..any meds i took to stop diahorrea never worked at all, i suppose if that's the result then it's more than IBS.

[Hidden]

I’ve just been reading about BAM!!! It does sound just like me but stuff I’ve read online seems to suggest you get it either after having an Ileal resection, crohns and a few other chronic diseases. I don’t have any of these. I’m back to get the results of my biopsies on Wednesday so I will certainly speak to the consultant. Thank you so much, you’ve been very helpful. Which country do you live in just out of interest?

[Hidden]

Saw my consultant today. He’s never heard of BAM (bile acid malabsorption). Told me to go back to my GP for medication for my ibs!!!! Not terribly helpful!!!