Much worse during heatwave

[janke]

For a long time my IBS has mainly caused problems with constipation to the extent that I usually take Movicol daily and sometimes need a glycerin suppository as well. During this current heatwave I have switched right over to diarrhoea mode - lots of loose motions and cramps. I haven`t taken Movicol since it started and I hoped it would calm down on its own, but this morning I have taken loperamide as it was so bad. (I don`t want to take too many loperamide in case that triggers extreme constipation!)

I seem to remember having problems during very hot weather before. I don`t know if it is actually caused by the heat or because I have been drinking a lot of water. I wondered if anyone else is experiencing this?

[Maureen1958]

Hi, I consider myself to be IBS(D), but as I am getting older (62), it's not so D. But the hot weather has always made me feel like my poo is melting with the heat. Does that make any sense to you?! Is that what you are feeling?

[janke in reply to Maureen1958]

Not really. Yesterday I thought things were calming down after I took the loperamide but when I woke up today I had to hurry to the toilet and had really bad diarrhoea so I`ve taken another loperamide. The weather is much cooler today so I just hope I will start feeling better

[Gameofthrones]

I nearly made my own wiki about this subject. Its absolutely true, gastro experts recognise the link between heatwaves, very high humidity levels, and heat stress linked to people with IBS or other type of disorders. Its all about a chemical in the gut called Serotonin. Its found in the brain, bowels, and in the blood. For some reason the levels of it change during hot weather, or during thunderstorm activity. Certain people, like me are very affected by it. I have always been close to weather, and unsurprisingly became a knowledgeable amatuer meteorologist since my teens in 1963. As far back as primary school. I could smell rain hours away. I got sent home umpteen times for not only migraine headaches but stomach ace. 80% of the time a storm would break within 3-4 hours.

Many people find being too hot stressful as well, this adds to the problem without realising. Eat light foods and drink plenty through these periods, loose clothes and cool showers will help. Lack of sleep also affects natural rhythms, a large circulating fan on night time setting with just a sheet should help you relax enough to try and get at least 6 hours of sleep. Hope the tips help a bit 👍👍

[janke in reply to Gameofthrones]

Thanks for that. Since posting this I did find some information about a Swedish study which proved a link between heatwaves and worsening of bowel disorders. It is reassuring to know there is a "reason" for a bad flareup. Otherwise it is very distressing to suddenly feel so much worse when nothing else in your life has changed! I`m still feeling pretty fragile today but, so far, the loperamide seems to be helping

[sugarplumferry in reply to Gameofthrones]

This is interesting, I’ve been really bad this week. Never crossed my mind it could be the heat.

[janke]

I am just waking up this thread as I thought it might be of interest to others at the moment in the UK. I usually suffer from IBS - C caused by obstructive defecation but today have flipped right over to diarhoea - and the only change in my routine is that we are in the middle of a heatwave. I originally posted about this same problem 2 years ago and there does now seem to be some research that IBS is made worse by extreme heat.Hopefully things will calm down when the temperature drops. I`d be interested to know if others have found the same thing