Ibs and diabetes

[Gina130]

Hi all please please can someone help me. I have type 2 diabetes and have been suffering with lower right abdominal pain for at least 20 years on and off. After various visits to GP they just say o it’s proberbly ibs. I have had no tests at all and been told they can’t send me for a colonoscopy because there not doing referrals. I have not had any bloods done. I initially thought it was my appendix but the GP says they don’t think it is. Sometimes I get diarrhoea. I know something is not right but don’t know whether to ring my GP again but I feel like I’m pestering. I’m an anxious person as it is and really don’t know what to do. The pain has been bad recently and I don’t want to have to go to a&e as I feel fine in myself. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks

[Linley]

It does not fill you with confidence when your GP says he doesn't " think" its your appendix or its probably IBS. You know your own body so if you think there is a problem push for an answer.

My school mate has had type 2 for 20 years but she unlike you seems to have a GP that listens and acts. But she like you knows her own body. OK so your GP says there is no referrals but he can give you stool and blood tests. BTW has your insulin prescription changed recently?

[Gina130 in reply to Linley]

I’m on metformin not insulin it’s defo not that as I have had this pain since I was 19. I’m 45 now.

[Linley in reply to Gina130]

Heavens! I learn something new every day I have only heard of metformin with treatment for PSOS. Sorry I could not be of any help to you😊

[jbrking]

Hi. I’ve suffered with diarrhoea and pain since my 20s and I’m now 52. I was told for years it was IBS but no tests. When I was 38 I was diagnosed with non alcoholic fatty liver disease and they still didn’t mention my diarrhoea issue. Anyway at 50 pushed for a referral as I was going to the toilet so much and being sick and her not losing weight! Had a colonoscopy and that was clear, did many stool tests and blood tests, all ok, then had a sehcat scan which measures bile absorption and yes I have bile acid malabsorption- we call it bam for short. Also called bile acid diarrhoea or bile salt malabsorption. Look at bad-uk.org website for info. GPs don’t know much about this condition and mine apologised to me after as I had told them for so long I had issues. The malabsorption means I was severely deficient in many vitamins and now have to take B12, D, iron, folic, potassium and omega. Last year also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I only convinced mine by keeping a food diary and everything I ate, times, toilet habits eg how long I was sat on toilet, sometimes it was middle of the night for 2 hours and being sick. No fun when trying to also work fill time. I sat in their office crying and said I can’t live like this. I think that’s the only reason they sent me. And then apologised. Push for a referral.

[Vivb56]

Family experience suggests you Should ask you doctor To organise a colonoscopy to check to see if it isn’t a condition called Diverticular disease (which has flare ups known as Diverticulitis) . If it is this a high fibre diet needed when body working uk and during flare ups ease off the fibre.

[Gina130 in reply to Vivb56]

They say they can’t organise a colonoscopy because there are no referrals happening

[xjrs]

Are you in the UK? There is a set protocol for diagnosing IBS using blood and stool samples:

nhs.uk/conditions/irritable...

It absolutely cannot be diagnosed from symptoms. If you have a UK based GP and they are diagnosing you with IBS without tests they could be acting negligently.

You can make a complaint about a GP via PALs if you want to take it that far:

nhs.uk/common-health-questi...

[Gina130 in reply to xjrs]

Thankyou I just keep getting fobed of all the time and it’s stressing me out which isn’t any good.

[xjrs in reply to Gina130]

So sorry to hear that. You can ask the receptionist to see a different GP or make a formal complaint. It's so hard when you have a rubbish GP.