Could this really just be IBS?

[Absinthia]

I apologise in advance if this turns out to be a lengthy post, but I’m at my wits end and desperate for help.

My mother’s had IBS most of her life so I’ve always been familiar with the symptoms. I’ve experienced mild episodes of it throughout my adult life, usually connected to my anxiety episodes, but never to the point that is impacted my life all that much, although it had been gradually worsening over the past year or two.

Well, that all changed on the 13th of June, and I’ve been mostly bedridden since then. It started the day after my period, which I’d been having pretty bad, irregular and painful periods. After a night of severe cramping, I woke up feeling nauseous, having diarrhoea, and feeling just general malaise. I figured it was just another episode of IBS and/or related to the period, so I waited it out and expected it to pass in a few days like usual.

But this time it didn’t. For over a week I was suffering a complete loss of appetite, frequent feelings of nausea, diarrhoea and a complete and total feeling of fatigue exhaustion/weakness.

It was at this point I began going back and forth to the doctor, the gastroenterologist, ended up in the emergency room a few times with severe dehydration, and had a battery of tests; multiple blood tests for everything they could think of, urinalysis, a CT scan of my abdominal region, the hydrogen/methane breath test. All results were negative so they just kept saying IBS and sending me home with medication that didn’t help much.

At this point I was feeling frustrated and looking for answers anywhere. I decided to consult a Medical Intuitive. She seemed pretty legit, started telling me about my issues without even asking any questions.

She told me I was dealing with Epstein Barr, adrenal fatigue, and low stomach acid acid. Also that my hormones and all the fluctuations with my erratic periods were making things worse. She sent me a bunch of articles on natural ways to treat these conditions, and I began incorporating them. The real game changer (at least temporarily) was when I added a supplement for low stomach acid called Betaine HCL with Pepsin and Gentian Bitters. After just one day of taking this before each of my liquid meals (I had been unable to eat solid food for three weeks), I woke up the next day feeling almost normal; my appetite came back, I was able to eat normal food again, and my energy even seemed to be picking up again. This lasted for about two weeks.

I got a Depo-provera shot to bring the periods under control, and was sure I was on the road to recovery.

Until I had a complete and total relapse. I had a day of repeated severe bouts of diarrhoea that brought on such severe dehydration I ended up back in the emergency room, despite trying to keep taking in fluids to stay hydrated. And ever since then, I’m back to having a complete loss of appetite, when I do consume anything, even just a liquid meal I feel painful and bloated and get heart palpitations for over and hour afterwards. I feel nauseous throughout the day, especially first thing in the morning. And I feel constant extreme exhaustion and weakness. I’m basically completely disabled by this now.

I’m scheduled for an upper endoscopy on the 10th of September, which has me kind of terrified, but I at least hope I get some kind of answer from it. Otherwise, I don’t know what my next option is.

Has anyone with IBS experienced these kind of symptoms, or could this be something else entirely?

Thanks for reading, any help is appreciated.

[Linley]

Hi!

Even though there is no set of symptoms for IBS, as we are all different, I don't think you should presume it's all down to IBS. Wait for your endoscopy results. If your symptoms are more apparent around period time it maybe hormonal/Gynae related and should be considered.

BTW have you been offered a colonoscopy?

[Absinthia in reply to Linley]

No, they have not mentioned colonoscopy yet.