New IBS sufferer

[dandelup]

I have just been diagnosed with IBS, my symptoms are constantly feeling sick, bloating,constipation and diarrhoea, this has been getting gradually worse over the last 4 months to the point of being woken in the early hours and spending hours in the loo waiting to be throwing up or waiting to poop, the Doctor has now prescribed Amitriptyline and I am wondering if others with similar symptoms have found it useful or found it a disaster

[RickyW]

Assume you've had all the tests done?

On Amitriptyline, everyone is different and you may find it useful. It didn't do much for me and I ended up on Mirtazapine, which worked wonders at the time. It's just about finding the right regime, unfortunately that involves trial and error!

[xjrs]

I couldn't tolerate Amitriptyline unfortunately. I understand it can take some time for it to start helping you.

There are also other measures that can help IBS. 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 and Kings College fodmap apps, they 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.

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-...

If all of the usual IBS remedies fail and you are experiencing diarrhea, it is worth getting tested for BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption), which can cause constant diarrhea - there is a separate test and treatment for that. Good luck.

[Maureen1958]

Hi, I tried it some years ago, but didn't take it for long. It just made me more constipated and at that time in my life my "go to" was to just keep going until I thought I had got eveything out!!

[Cimmy]

Have you started to take the Amitriptyline yet??, I’ve read a lot about this helping with IBS and interested in the results, I suffer from IBS and have all the tests and various medications but they are not helping, I’m at my wits ends and might ask the doctor about starting this medication but I always worry about new medications and their effects, just want to feel ok for a change, may I ask what your symptoms are

[Cimmy in reply to Cimmy]

Sorry just seen you listed your symptoms, brain fog is present I think🤦‍♀️

[Tstoods]

I take 30mg of codeine every 6 hours and it helps with the pain a lot but it does space you out

[dandelup]

Thank you all that have replied much appreciated