Help 😣 Part 1

[bandicoot1987]

Hi everyone,

My first post in this particular group. I was diagnosed with IBS last summer after having 10 years of problems. I don't go to the doctor often as I have a huge anxiety issue with health.

So I've been suffering weight gain for the last 10 years, 8st to 12st and still gaining 😭 I suffer with anxiety also.

I have bloated tummies beyond belief on a very regular basis, to the point where I look pregnant and can not fit my clothes on to go to work which upsets me massively.

Frequently suffer with lower abdominal pain, I have to lie on my stomach as I cramp so bad I can hardly stand up. (which I have right now)

I also suffer with frequent rashes on my back neck arms. I have psoriasis (bumpy itchy skin all over my body)

Just started suffering with hayfever the last few years, quite bad as well. Breathing difficulties are due to this I believe. So I am on up to 6 antihistamines a day (piriton) which I swear contribute to the weight gain as I always gain more in hayfever season. I have been told to take these by my doctor as my hayfever got so bad and I do not want to go on steroids.

I also have post nasal drip, seriously bad sinuses and constantly a dry irritating cough every morning that turns chesty as the day goes on due to so much mucus. I'm so susceptible to catching a cold it is unbelievable, have atleast 5/6 a year, it's like I'm constantly ill.

I suffer with indigestion regularly and awful reflux if I don't take my meds (I'm on mepradec daily)

I feel really sluggish lately and have very little energy to do anything at all which gets me down. I just want to shift some weight, make the tummy pain go away and be able to wear my clothes without looking pregnant 😔

And don't even get me started on gas!!!!! Everyday!!!! And it's excessive, where is it coming from 😱 so I drink peppermint daily to try and help but it makes little difference

Would just like everyone to read this and see if they can relate at all, my problems are getting worse and I'm always in pain, I've had enough. I will be writing a part 2 to this post, keep an eye out 👀thank you in advance xxx

[FRreedman]

Well, I have read both your posts and must ponder the question, why are you eating cream?

Firstly, you should maintain a food diary (better to be bored than in pain).

I would initially cut out excessive dairy products (so fat-free milk), then make an appointment to see your GP in about two weeks time (with a completed food and symptom diary, as well as a start weight and one week and two-week comparison). This is not to annoy or make you feel bitter but will allow the doctor to see how serious you are about sorting yourself out.

I would suggest you do not eat peanuts, sweetcorn, Brussel sprouts or baked beans, also do not drink alcohol or any fizzy drinks and take only, small mouthfuls of food and chew them extremely well before swallowing. Good luck and stay safe, and please, let us know how you get on.

[bandicoot1987 in reply to FRreedman]

I have taken a food diary to my gp before and he gave me peppermint capsules and told me I maybe experiencing bowel spasms. There was no petter in my healthy eating which I do generally. But no harm in trying again.

And the cream was a summer dessert that we had with fresh fruit, it was only a drizzle I don't exactly drink single cream out of the pot. Probably the first time I've touched the stuff since Christmas on me pud.

Am I the only person that has ever drizzled cream on a pudding or something 😂😂😂

[FRreedman in reply to bandicoot1987]

I am sorry if my response offended you, that was, certainly, not my intention. However, if you have an intolerance to dairy, then even a tiny amount will set your body off. If your GP won't listen to you or is unable to treat you, then ask him/her for a referral to a GI (Gastro-Intestinal) consultant or Gastroenterologist.

[bandicoot1987 in reply to FRreedman]

Oh no it didn't offend me, I thought it was funny.

However if I new I had an intolerance then I wouldn't of had it in the first place. I'm just going to steer clear for a few weeks and see if it happens.

Just sorting out all dairy free meals ready for a shop ☺️ fingers crossed xx

[Linley]

Good suggestion from FReedman, I have one question for you are you male or female?

[bandicoot1987 in reply to Linley]

Female

[Linley in reply to bandicoot1987]

Have you had any Gyne problems in the past?

[bandicoot1987 in reply to Linley]

Never x

[Linley in reply to bandicoot1987]

Ok wish you well but if the bloating becomes a bigger prob maybe worth getting it checked out, keep safe

[RunningMum11]

Hello👋🏻 you poor poor thing. I haven’t seen your second post yet, so forgive me if I ask something you’ve already mentioned. Have you ever had a blood test for celiacs disease?xx

[bandicoot1987 in reply to RunningMum11]

Nothing, only told to keep a food diary which I had been doing for years, only just started seeing a pattern in it the last few weeks to be honest and it's so painful xx

[RunningMum11 in reply to bandicoot1987]

That’s not good bless you. I’d definitely push for some blood tests to rule out things like crohns and celiac disease. My Mums just been confirmed as a celiac. She was feeling tired all the time and bloated. And was suffering with pains in her tum etc. So now she’s on a gluten free diet she feels soooo much better. She said she hadn’t realised just how tired she was. She now has so much energy. Xx

[bandicoot1987 in reply to RunningMum11]

I think I'm going to have to as it's been getting me down, have also just weighed myself, first time in 6 months and have gained 2 stone 😭 I'm hoping a solution will help my weight too. It's not going very well xx

[RunningMum11 in reply to bandicoot1987]

I don’t mean to be personal, and please don’t answer if you don’t feel comfortable, but how old are you? I only ask because Im 46yr and experiencing peri menopausal symptoms, and I was just wondering if maybe you fitted the that age bracket as there are all sorts of symptoms that can be akinned to the peri menopause. Xx

[bandicoot1987 in reply to RunningMum11]

I'm 33 xx

[RunningMum11]

Far too young then😊👍🏻

[xjrs]

On the IBS front there is much that can be done to help you. Here is some information about IBS that I have shared with others in this group:

IBS can be due to a number or combination of factors - these can be stress (including stress from early life experiences) which impacts the communication between the brain and the digestive system. There are lots of free webinars online at the moment regarding mindfulness meditation which might help. Plus you can ask to be referred for CBT or something similar to reduce your anxiety - I would have thought online appointments are available. Exercise can play a major role in IBS in terms of reducing stress, helping your gut microbiome and regulating bowel movements.

There is also not absorbing certain types of carbohydrates called FODMAPs very well, the residue ending up in the colon and bacteria feeding off them causing symptoms. Ordinarily feeding gut bacteria is a really good thing - when you feed good gut bacteria these produce by-products that have great health effects in the gut and throughout the body. However, in some people with IBS bad bugs might have the upper hand over good - these bad bugs may cause symptoms such as pain or disordered bowel movements. There is an interesting infographic on this here: gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/.... This is why it’s worth trying probiotics such as Alflorex (which has been scientifically studied for IBS) or Symprove to crowd out the bad bugs and make their numbers die down. If that doesn't work you can try the FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet. This is normally under the guidance of a nutritionist via GP referral - this may not be possible at the moment so you can read about it online. If you download the Monash University FODMAP app it will tell you which foods contain FODMAPs and in what quantities. You can eliminate all FODMAPs for 2 weeks and then introduce each type of FODMAP one at a time starting in small quantities, increasing over a 3 day period and wait up to 4 days for symptoms. I go much slower than this - only introducing a small amount (1/4 to 1/3 of a normal portion size) of the same food for 3 days and then increase if tolerable or no symptoms and cut back to the previous amount if symptoms for longer and then try to increment again . I've read your microbiome can adapt to handling a new food if introduced very slowly and your bad bugs are under control with a good probiotic. Ideally you want to eat as many FODMAPs as you can since they are good for your health. Many people with IBS don't have diverse gut bacteria - it has been found that people who lack a diverse microbiome are more prone to diseases in general. In the long run, if you can get your symptoms under control, the ideal situation is to have a very varied diet - lots of different coloured fruits and vegetables, a variety of protein and carbohydrate sources including cereal fibres. This may seem a long way off, but with the right treatment all of this is possible. Last year all I could consume to control my IBS was white rice, protein and limited low fodmap veg. Using the approach above (particularly introducing Alflorex) I am now able to consume far more foods - more than I've ever dreamed of including wholewheat bread which is unheard of for me.

Since you are also suffering from pain, you may be suffering from visceral hypersensitivity (functional abdominal pain) - there is info about it here:

iffgd.org/lower-gi-disorder...

It is where the brain interprets the normal activity of the bowel as pain - this is due to a wearing down of neurons in pain control centres of the brain which can be caused by PTSD, neglect or abuse in childhood, extreme stressful events etc. The first line treatment is nerve pain agents such as low dose amitriptyline. There is a theory that being on something like amitriptyline for 6-12 months can help the pain control centre neurons to regenerate. Note that amitriptyline can cause constipation, but this can be helpful in people who are diarrhea dominant. Unfortunately I couldn't tolerate these. Linaclotide (for IBS-C only) & Alflorex have helped me with this intestinal pain.

You may also find assistance with anti-spasmodic medication such as mebeverine (Colofac) or enteric coated peppermint.

You can find some info on self management here:

theibsnetwork.org/the-self-...

[soregut]

That's a really accurate and informative post from xjrs , it can be irritating when folk suggest psychological input as some take that to suggest the pain isn't real but that is not the case, the pain and discomfort are very real but pain is a subjective mental phenomenon, it is your brain that perceives the pain emanating from the gut and there is good evidence for pain modifying drugs like amitryptilline making a difference in some sufferers, additionally there is no doubt anxiety exacerbates pain perception in IBS and leads to vicious cycles of pain increasing anxiety and vice versa, that can be very hard to accept but what would you have to lose by trying some relaxation, meditation or seeing a psychologist? Painful IBS is a terrible condition it can drain all the joy and quality out of life and many of us end up on anti-depressant treatment just trying to cope with it. You are not alone, millions suffer with it, every case as individual as the brain perceiving it, what works for some doesn't work for others and we all have to find our own patterns of what works and what worsens it, diet, drugs , psychological support and management are all important as well as what is going on in your life, it is a tough thing to live with.

SG

[Breathless1943]

What I’m about to say probably won’t be of no help at all to you,apart from your youth.

I was diagnosed with IBS about 13-14yrs ago. I suffer extreme pain every time I sit down to relax,the only time I don’t feel pain is when I’m on my feet.

I’ve had every test,seen no end of gastrointestinal professionals,from one end of the country to the other,tried every diet,and probably done everything xjrs suggested,and I’m still in pain. The only relief I get is sleep.

I know people try to be helpful,but I think you will have to learn for yourself.

I do agree with getting blood tests done to rule out anything,and ask for a colonoscopy,when this COVID-19 passed,that is probably the best test there is,for ruling out anything.

And I wish you well,your young question everything.👍🏻