Change of symptoms

[Mrs_Mac16]

Hi, I’m new to this site although I have been an IBS sufferer for about 10 years. My symptoms always were bloating and flatulance and stomach cramps which were mainly triggered by eating white bread and missing meals. When I was pregnant all my symptoms disappeared! But the last 6/8 weeks my IBS has flared up but with completely different symptoms. I have excessive diarrhoea at least once a week, stomach cramps and the “sudden need” for the loo and when I improve a day or so later, I’m avoiding not only trigger foods but almost every food! My relationship with food has massively deteriorated and I have lost weight. I was wondering if people have experienced similar where their symptoms have completely changed and if so how do you manage? It’s making me more anxious which is clearly making me worse. Thanks I’m advance

[lillyofthevalley37]

Maybe your problem is to do with hormones possibly the loss of progesterone you can buy progesterone cream - I said progesterone bc estrogen domjnence can cause bother and you felt well during pregnancy which is probably bc of extra progesterone

The other thing is dopamine and serotonin if you are serotonin dominant look into dopamine suppliments or ask your doctor for an anti serotonin drug for IBS

[Mrs_Mac16 in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

🤔 I Gave birth 18 months ago so why would it take so long now?? I’m also taking a combined pill...although saying that, when I’ve had my week break I’ve not had any of these symptoms!

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to Mrs_Mac16]

Maybe estrogen is causing your problems try taking more time off the pill to see if the problem is estrogen

[Mrs_Mac16 in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

Thank you for your help! I think I might trial a couple weeks without it

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to Mrs_Mac16]

Great idea

[weegmack]

After I had my youngest, I went back on the pill and it gave me terrible diarrhoea. Once I stopped it, I felt a good bit better. I’ve tolerated the Mirena coil well, which is something that you could check out?

Hormone changes can really affect IBS. I’m 44 now, but I was 27 when I had my youngest and that was a difficult period for me. My IBS got progressively worse and I eventually cut out all wheat from my diet. That made a huge difference. The diarrhoea certainly abated, but I would still have bouts of it maybe once a week or so. Like you, I fell out with food completely and almost stopped eating altogether (I also have Generalised Anxiety Disorder, so I was in a bad way). Eventually, I found a lovely gastro who told me I was actually suffering with constipation. I was so backed up that I was having overflow diarrhoea. It took quite a few months to get the dosage right for me, but I was put on Fybogel and that made me more regular and the diarrhoea gradually lessened. As I’m getting older and my hormones rage away, I’ve had to change the Fybogel for Laxido and it works well.

Obviously everbody’s IBS story is different. But I would keep a food diary and see if there’s a pattern. Giving up wheat was the start of a road to recovery for me ❤️

[Mrs_Mac16 in reply to weegmack]

I just don’t know why this has started so long after having a baby. He’s 18 months old now but I’m struggling to find energy to play and interact because when I do get diarrhoea it’s knocking me for six. I’ve also just changed from microgynon to rigevidon so I don’t know if that’s affected me. But it’s so reassuring to hear that other people have had similar so I can now focus on making similar changes. Thank you for your advice and I’ll be booking an appointment with my GP xx

[weegmack in reply to Mrs_Mac16]

I have found hormones really upset my guts. I had my youngest when I was 27. When I turned 30, my IBS got worse, my skin was bad and I felt terrible. My GP told me a lot of women in their 30’s can have similar experiences. I know how exhausting it is to trying to be a mum at such a physical stage and you feel so grim 😕.

My eldest was on rigevidon for a while for very heavy periods and she became very depressed and anxious. She has episodes of IBS and was definitely suffering with ever-worsening constipation. She spoke to several of her friends who were also on rigevidon and they were all suffering in some way. So my daughter asked the GP to change it and now she’s on Loestrin 30 now and feeling a good deal better. I think you should try a different pill.

I really feel for you. Being a parent to a little one and feeling constantly grim is just so hard ❤️

[Mrs_Mac16 in reply to weegmack]

That’s really rotten to hear. I was initially put on cerezette but that made me depressed within several days of taking it so went back to taking microgynon. But most gps prefer rigevidon as it’s cheaper (it’s the same chemistry) so I wasn’t bothered about changing it. I think a lot of my symptoms are worsened by being anxious about what may or may not be causing it. I’m glad to hear your daughter found a solution. Hopefully I will too x

[weegmack in reply to Mrs_Mac16]

I really hope so. And anxiety won’t be helping. I can totally sympathise with you because I have Generalised Anxiety Disorder and it definitely aggravates my IBS.

Another thought. I have a healthy gallbladder, but three little stones in there. I was finding when I ate anything really fatty, especially cheese and ice-cream (not at the same time 😂), I would have diarrhoea. I’d been having some pain around that area, so I got my gb scanned, and they found the wee stones. I cut right back on my saturated fat and it helped loads. Xx

[Mrs_Mac16 in reply to weegmack]

I had an ultrasound at the weekend to rule out gallstones. I’ve been to the doctor this morning and I’m booked in for bloods and need to take a 💩 sample. Abdomen felt normal and my US results were normal. My doctor said it’s most likely stress that’s affecting it, and the more I worry about my symptoms, the worse they’re going to get. I’m also getting tested for h-pylori just to rule that out. Fingers crossed the news comes back that I’m just a hypochondriac because I can deal with that!!

[asbayford]

I can relate to the once a week urgent but of diarrhoea! I'm on a strict low fodmap diet and seen some incredible improvements, literally within 3 days on it. Wishing you well! X

[Fruitandnutcase]

I’ve had IBS for thirty years, diagnosed as that after I had all the usual poking around and a barium enema mostly the same symptoms but when I get a change of symptoms I always go speak to my doctor about iton the grounds that I’d hate to have something more sinister and think it was ‘just’ my IBS. I would go speak to your doctor just to be sure.

[Nuttycatlady]

I have had similar problems for the last 3 months, including weight loss, and am awaiting the results of tests. Very baffled and extremely uncomfortable ! I hope you get some answers from your doctor

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Nuttycatlady]

Hope it all goes well for you, it’s not much fun waiting for results.