Could this be IBS

[Alicelilly1]

I've had problems for over 2 years with very loose stools first thing on getting up every morning. Awful bloating and pain from about 3pm every day and my stomach makes lots of noises 24/7. After numerous tests I'm told it must be IBS as nothing else has shown up. Does anyone else have similar symptoms please?

[FRreedman]

It is unusual for IBS to be so consistent, that it starts at 3-00pm every day. Has your doctor done a Calprotectin test, to rule out IBD, or has he referred you to a GI consultant for further testing, as many GPs try not to spend too much money on testing as it may place a black mark against them or their practice?

[Alicelilly1 in reply to FRreedman]

Yes I've had calprotectin test earlier this year also had sigmoidoscopy and ct colonoscopy 2 years ago this month and silo breath test this year. September and December 2018 had 2 ultra sounds and blood tests for ovarian cancer due to the bloating but nothing was found except for a small cyst on left ovary that didn't change in 3 months. My doctor pulled up hospital results after calprotectin, silo breath test and blood tests done this year and said nothing had shown up so it must be IBS . Thank you for responding to my comment FReedman

[Maureen1958]

I don't think what you are experiencing is unusual for IBS. It's different for everyone and also our symptoms change quite often too. IBS is basically just a name for anything that isn't any of the three C's (ie chrohn's, colitis, or cancer).

[Alicelilly1 in reply to Maureen1958]

Thank you Maureen1958

[asbayford]

Hi! So sorry to hear you're going through this. Maybe it's worth asking your gp for a fodmap dietition? If you're getting loose stools in morn it could be from your dinners the evening before and bloating from breakfast/lunch? I only ask as I had diarrhoea everyday for 2 years and thought yep that's my life now, until I did fodmap and realised I have fructan and lactose intolerance, cut them out and now no diarrhoea unless I slip up and eat something naughty.

Hope this helps xx

[Alicelilly1 in reply to asbayford]

Thank you for your reply.

[jbrking]

I had similar symptoms for years and told IBS or what I ate. Anyway earlier this year got so bad I was being sick too. I wrote of diary of what I ate what times and what my bowels were like. Doctor finally referred me. Consultant said straight away it was bile acid malabsorption. I had a sehcat scan to confirm and now on meds. It’s a very undiagnosed disease. Look at bad-uk.org website and see what you think. Make a diary and ask for referral.

[Alicelilly1 in reply to jbrking]

Thank you for replying jbring - just looked at bad-uk.org website but don't think it's this as I'm only having one very loose BM first thing in the morning after getting up. However I will mention this when I next see my Dr.

[Alicelilly1 in reply to jbrking]

Sorry that should have said Thank you Jbrking

[jbrking in reply to Alicelilly1]

There are different degrees of it. Mine was mild as I don’t go multiple times a day as a norm. But sometimes I was up in the middle of the night. The week they did the sehcat test I only had a couple of normal bowel movements that week but it was still confirmed. Worth being tested. It’s not Invasive. Just take a tablet wait a couple of hours and be scanned. Only the middle bit not a massive machine like a mri or anything. Then you have another scan a week later. If you do have it, it will get worse over time and because of malabsorption I’m deficient in lots of vitamins. I wish I had pushed for it earlier because the rest of me has suffered due to not being diagnosed.

[Whitesugar]

You should still ask for the test for BAD. I don't suppose it presents the same way in everyone and if your symptoms are every day it sounds like a deficiency in the body. After all, we don't usually eat exactly the same food every day. Your GP should be able to ask the consultant you saw 2 years ago. There is a system where GPs can ask for advice from hospital consultants via email and get a reply within a few days. That might save some time.

[johnguitarist]

Your symptoms sound exatly like i had, i was diagnosed with ibs in 2007 which changed to bile salt malabsorbtion after gall bladder removal in 2014.

Ask your g.p to try you on colestid that gave me my life back, i was unable to go far from my house due to frequent diarreah, colestid you take before a meal its a bile binder stops diarreah and you take 1 sachet in a glass of water before a meal.

Your g.p may also recommend a colonoscopy, when i had mine they found polyps which if left untreated can turn to cancer, polyps wasnt the cause of the diarreah tho may i add.. but i have to have a colonoscopy every 5 years now.

Hope my post may have been of help to you.

[Alicelilly1 in reply to johnguitarist]

Thank you for your reply.

[IBSNetwork Partner IBS Network]

Hi, sorry to hear you're struggling. If you need help and support, we are here theibsnetwork.org