Can anyone help please

[Julie267]

I suffered years with health anxiety, towards the end of 2020 I couldn’t stop running to the loo, spoke with my GP who organised a FIT test and full blood count, everything came back normal.

Been trying to keep it under control with Imodium but last week it was just getting worse, spoke to my GP again who has said it will be IBS and to change my diet and lifestyle.

Has anyone had any luck with changing their diet and seen any results.

I am constantly stressed with this issue and it’s taking over my life.

[b1b1b1]

Yes, try the FODMAP diet. There is info on the internet, however it works best with a dietician. Ask your doctor for a referral to one who is familiar with this diet. I has helped a lot of people.

[Julie267 in reply to b1b1b1]

Thank you, I did ask my doctor if I could get an appointment with a dietician but he actually said no

[b1b1b1 in reply to Julie267]

That is outrageous. Can you find one on your own? Otherwise, there are some very good books about the diet on Amazon. See especially Patty Catsos. You could also see a gastroenterologist. Very annoying that GPs don't understand the suffering this causes.

[Ley97 in reply to Julie267]

Doesn’t make sense. But try finding one. I actually was recommended a gluten free diet for 2 months. And I follow low fodmap. I managed without a dietician. Mine was triggered with anxiety-worrying about health-scared to go to a hospital-covid issues etc.

[Hidden in reply to Julie267]

Unbelievable, sorry to hear this but it does not surprise me.

[BabsyWabsy in reply to Julie267]

Has your GP suggested an alternative to seeing a nutritionist?

[Cats15]

For me, taking probiotics stopped my D and cutting out dairy also helped. I do the FODMAPs diet more or less now which steers away from wheat and a number of foods, that you can try to reintroduce at a later stage in tiny quantities.

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

Could you recommend probiotics?

[Cats15 in reply to Catatvet05]

Well I started on a very powerful and expensive one that incorporated prebiotics as well as probiotics for a month called Florarex and that sorted everything out. thefinchleyclinic.com/shop/... search for their Floratrex product.

After that I went onto Alflorex to maintain and have not had any D since. However, everyone is different so I cant guarantee it will sort your problem too. I hear Symprove is very good but also expensive!

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

Do they send to the UK? I’ve tried quite a lot of probiotics including Alforex. However, I may try Alforex again if I can’t get hold of the floratrex. I’m trying mebeverine and Landoprazole at the moment.

[Cats15 in reply to Catatvet05]

Floratrex is in the UK.

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

Best to use desktop rather than mobile to get full access.

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

It’s rather expensive but hopefully it should do the trick! Do you think your medication helped on it’s own or with the probiotic? Thanks

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

Can’t seem to order from this website

[Cats15 in reply to Catatvet05]

That’s really bizarre as they are based in London! Try their contact us on website to find out situation. If not, try a cheaper one but not too cheap that you waste your money.

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

I’ve gone onto desktop. I’ve tried other expensive brands. I’m not sure spending nearly 100 this probiotic. 😳

[Cats15 in reply to Catatvet05]

Totally get that. Sadly the other recommended Symprove is also expensive :/

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

I’ve read mixed reviews about that brand. Some good and some not helped.

[Catatvet05 in reply to Cats15]

Could it be just down to your meds that’s helped? How you finding Alforex? Not much changed when I used it.

[LittleMissK84 in reply to Cats15]

I’d be interested to hear this too as I’ve been exactly like you Catavet05 - awaiting results of one more test and hoping they come back clear 🤞🏻 I’ve been trying biokult having been on alflorex?

[MellowYel]

Hi. I was the same as you. I still have loose stools and go about three or four times a day but more control. My consultant recommended precision biotics - Alflorex. Very expensive but have changed my life. I also take Colpermin every day for a few weeks, then stop and repeat. Pharmacist told me it's safe to take both a few hours apart. I've just ordered Silicolgel which is recommended by others on this website. I'm hoping that will work better once I swop to Silicolgel. I do take Imodium every now and again but don't think that's the long term way to go, personally I'm ok for two days then it's bad for about five days. I also follow low fodmap diet. Good luck.

[amanda6168 in reply to MellowYel]

Hi. I was going about 6 times a day and it was always urgent, so very challenging for living a normal life. I have been taking Enterosgel for 2 weeks now and it has made a huge difference. I do avoid bread/pasta and all types of legumes as these tend to have a negative effect. Also vegetables like courgette/cauliflower etc.

[MellowYel in reply to amanda6168]

Glad you're feeling better. I'll Google Enterosgel. I too find it extremely hard to live a normal life. Thanks

[amanda6168 in reply to MellowYel]

I forgot, I also take 1 tablespoon of soluble fibre (Psyllium husk powder) in my breakfast every day. It helps to absorb moisture in the gut and adds fibre to your diet which you may be missing from not eating legumes etc.

[MellowYel in reply to amanda6168]

Thanks. I'll look into soluble fibre too.

[LittleMissK84 in reply to MellowYel]

Do you find the colpermin helps with the stools? I’ve tried silicolgel and found it really helpful 👍🏻

[MellowYel in reply to LittleMissK84]

Hi. Yes they've helped me. More like normal stools and more control. I usually take one, thirty minutes - a hour before breakfast and then Alforex around midday before lunch. It says three times a day but I find one a day for a few weeks helps to calm things down. Then back to just Alforex every day. I've never stopped taking it. Hope it works for you.

[JanetJAM]

I follow a gluten and dairy free diet. It has changed my life I now go to the toilet once a day and it’s normal. I appreciate it may not work for everyone but it’s worth a try hope your better soon x

[Boxroad]

Have had IBS for over 30 years and I am only now getting to grips with it after finding out about soluble and insoluble fibre due to seeing a you tube video about it, I also have started to have a small amount of prune juice after my main meal, I have been IBS d and c with terrible pains just under my ribs on the right hand side. I have had loads of tests, the firm I worked for sent me to a private hospital but no- one has ever told me about fibre, I can’t have dairy that was one of the first trigger when it all started in 1990 , I have also found I can’t have tap water as it triggers my IBS, the tap water was the hardest one to pick up on because your told to drink more if your going to the toilet a lot, at the worst I would be going to the toilet 20-30 times a day, the on day someone said why do you keep rushing to the toilet when you drink water from the tap but not if you drink the bottled water. I contacted the company that bottled the water and they said there are a lot of people who can’t tolerate tap water and each bottled water is different depending what part of the country it’s from, I am ok with the basic bottles water from Sainsbury but the volvic water gives me terrible pains. Everyone will have different triggers, the best you can do is cut right back to rice and water let things settle then re introduce different foods one at a time, if one affects you leave it out your diet. I hope this long winded reply helps, but the more you worry about it and get stressed the worse it will be, try to calm yourself down, turn off all screens and just sit wiping a quiet room and learn to relax.

[xjrs]

I will pm you with some tips.

[Duks]

Insist on referral. Your GP can't refuse.

[IBStired]

I used to take Imodium and then Lomotil, a prescription for diarrhea. It was explained to me that if you have IBS-C then you do get constipated and the body pulls fluids from what you take in to clear the constipation in the bowel, hence the cramping and diarrhea. I have had IBS for years and thought it was IBS-D. But thinking now it is just the opposite. What helps me is taking a Probiotic (can be expensive) which introduces many good bacteria into your bowel which does help in controlling the diarrhea. Good Luck. This sure aint' easy!

[Eastbourne11]

IBS is a minefield everyone is different. Download the LIVI app which is an online NHS doctor service. I found them very helpful. Ask then to recommend you to a nuitriounist . You are entitled to a second opinion. Don't be fobbed off with "no". Doctors are working for us. Low FODMAP diet worked for me for 2 years wonderfully well, then stopped working. No idea why. good luck