Ibs worse this year

[mal444]

I have always suffered from bad gas and loose bowels since i was young. I can remember sitting on the loo 3 to 4 times before i went out in the morning. I never lost weight so it wasnt effecting my life. Im 49 now and this year since march i have had more bloating and stomach noises than normal. I also am now suffering from wet flatulence once or twice a week then clears up in a few hrs and fine again till next bout. It sometimes is clear liquid not much size of a fingernail or slight explosive diarrhea but mostly gas say 95% gas so not losing fluids. I had bloods and stool sample done which all came back clear. My doctor said just keep taking mebeverine. Has anyone else suffered these symptoms as i cant think straight anymore with worry.

[xjrs]

I have found my IBS has got worse, the older I get. It can cause extreme gas, particularly if you have a gut bacterial imbalance and are reacting to foods as a result.

Have you been getting any help with your IBS other than mebeverine? Here is some information about IBS that I have shared with others in this group in case any of these tips are of interest to you:

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 excess gas, 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.

If 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 enteric coated peppermint.

You can find some info on self management here:

theibsnetwork.org/the-self-...

[mal444 in reply to xjrs]

Hi.

Thank you for the reply and all the information you gave me which is very helpful.

I have just got new bloods back and the doctor is putting me on folic acid for some reason which he never gave. I must be low in it.

I did read low folic acid can cause stomach issues and bowel problems also so this may be part of this ongoing issue for me.

[xjrs in reply to mal444]

You're welcome. Fingers crossed that will help you out.

[Crystal89]

Hey Mal444, firstly, don't worry. What you're experiencing is classic IBS symptoms. And whilst they are not pleasent, it's normal to experience what you are. I take mebeverine 3 times a day and have been on it 4 years. It works. But to be completely honest, the only thing that has really helped my ibs is helping my mental health. My ibs is linked to that. Other people's ibs is linked to foods and some foods can upset my ibs too. But 90% of the time mine is linked to my mental health. Only 5 weeks ago, when I started a new job, I had a lot of clear mucus in my bowels, it's awful, I know. My best advice for you would be to keep taking the mebeverine and if it is food related, maybe make a diary of what you eat for the next few weeks, see if there is any connection. If you think it could be linked to your mental health, look in to CBT. I swear by cbt, it has certainly helped me a lot over the years thust helping my ibs. But trust me when I say you're not alone and try not to worry. I hope this has helped.

[mal444 in reply to Crystal89]

Hi crystal. Thank you for the reply. Yes it hopefully is ibs but ive never been this bad before. The mucus is one thing but ive got constant stomach issues with noises and gurgling into the bowel then exploding gas with some clear or brown small amount of liquid then a normal bowel motion a hour or so after. Its so strange i cant figure out whats going on with myself. It really is a worry ive just had no bloods done again and they are looking at different markers. Ive always suffered from nerves in my stomach so maybe now im hitting 50 my body is changing and the symptoms have worsened. I do worry a lot and have a lot of stress at the moment with a relative with mixed dementia and the authority's are taking her house to pay for care so yea im stressed. I should try and calm myself and stop thinking its bowel cancer. Hope your having a nice weekend and thank you for your help.

[Viklou in reply to mal444]

Lots of people have wet gas, even those without IBS. Stomach noises are also part of normal digestion. If it's a constant churning which makes you feel nauseous or actually vomit I would go back to your doctor.

Full blown accidents are not normal and need investigation.

[mal444 in reply to Viklou]

Hi viklou

Thanks for the reply. Yes i know its normal to have these symptoms but ive never had these so bad before but maybe im getting old haha.. I dont have full blown accidents but it i have wet wind then i need to find a toilet when i find one and let it out and its 95% gas and some wetness either clear or brown. Really weird