IBS OR NOT?

Hi, I’ve been suffering from constipation since December but a month later having been experiencing acute aching in my bowel on lower left side. Dr was going to refer me for a scan but blood & stool samples came back normal so cancelled. At night I don’t know what to do with myself, aching spasms keeping me awake, putting pressure on my bowel & bladder. Dr suggested Laxido so started with 2 a day. I’ve been having daily bowel movements since end of Jan in the morning after sitting up in bed with legs bent which seems to get things moving. Prior to taking Laxido I have 2 dessert spoon fulls of Linwoods milled Flaxseed sprinkled on breakfast and dinner and its brilliant for your bowels so I’d highly recommend using this instead of any medical remedy (my opinion). Since all Laxido seems to have done is make my stools even looser (they were perfectly soft with the flaxseed), and gives me lots of gas and churning in my bowel, I’ve stopped taking it and will see how it goes with just flaxseed. My doctor is trying to refer me for a scan again as I expressed how worried I am about the situation.

[Hidden]

Google h pylori also plenty on YouTube Then go bank to your doctor

[xjrs]

If you are also suffering from pain, you may wish to discuss with your doctor 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 (which isn't you). Unfortunately I couldn't tolerate these. Linaclotide (for IBS-C only) & Alflorex have helped me with this intestinal pain.

Alflorex probiotic has been scientifically studied for IBS. Linaclotide and Alflorex in combination have reduced the pain I am in considerably and I have been able to tolerate more foods so that I am able to consume the extra fibre I need to have a BM. Linaclotide is meant to increase transit time and help with pain. Linaclotide reduced my pain by 50%-60%. When I added in Alflorex, the pain reduced to zero and only comes back when I am reintroducing foods back into my diet and before my body adapts (or I have to give up on that food).

I certainly agree about the flaxseed. Here are some other dietary measures I have to help myself (note that I'd needed the Alflorex first to make me more tolerant to some of the FODMAPs in some of the foods mentioned):

This is what I have for breakfast: 75g oat bran, 50g of all (wheat) bran soaked overnight in water plus 10 almonds & 1 tablespoon flaxseed ground together, 2 tablespoon chia seeds and 9 prunes plus homemade oat milk - all soaked for a further 15 mins (so the chia seeds form a gel).

Note that any increases in fibre need to be performed on a gradual basis.

There is also Shredded wheat (or GF version: Nutribrex) .

Before lunch I have 1 orange (which contains a natural laxative).

Before dinner I have one of these high fibre fruits:

2 small hard pears

5 dried apricots

90g Raspberries

2 kiwi

I bulk buy fruit and freeze where necessary to allow me to have this variety.

At other meals I have:

Quinoa

Wholewheat bread

Whole grain pastas (Spelt or GF: Buckwheat)

If you eat potatoes, you can try sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes since they have much higher fibre content, plus they contain a natural osmotic laxative (mannitol).

I also take 30 drops of ginger extract in a little water before bedtime to aid motility. You may need to work up the dose to say 7 drop increments each night.

I have been giving Optifibre a go, which has been helping but I need to be careful with the amount since it gives me gas.

Exercise can help with BMs. The government recommends 150 mins of moderate exercise (e.g. walking as if you are late for an appointment) or 75 of intense exercise (e.g. jogging) per week. I also have a bit of a walk around straight after breakfast to get things moving.

You need to ensure that you are drinking enough fluids (2 litres of fluid per day).

There is some good advice about constipation here:

theibsnetwork.org/constipat...

theibsnetwork.org/constipat...

[Hidden in reply to xjrs]

Thankyou for your advice, I’ll read up on visceral hypersensitivity. I’ve actually been taking a 10mg dose of amitriptyline daily for years for my neck pain, but stopped taking it about a month ago to test whether I actually still needed it! I think I’ll restart it now as I’ve read a lot of suggestions that it can help in this instance too. I can tolerate it well, it’ll knock me out initially but my body gets used to it. My doctor has referred me for an urgent CT scan which will hopefully confirm the source of the problem, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried.

[xjrs in reply to Hidden]

You are doing all the right things. Good luck with it all.

[Hidden in reply to xjrs]

Thankyou!

[MOLLYMILO007 in reply to Hidden]

Hi did u have your scan x