Does this sound like ibs?

I’m 33 year old female. I’ve been having stomach problems now since October 2020. It all started when I got lots of pain in my lower right abdomen, I lay on my tummy which made me be sick 3 times the pain subsided but didn’t go completely, but as well as that I started having diarrhoea and loose stools. When it didn’t go away I went to the drs, he did blood tests, stool tests all came back fine. Then something new started I began to get a weird feeling under my right rib cage sometimes towards the front sometimes to the side - never painful but just an odd feeling sometimes if I’m lying on my stomach it feels I’m lying on something, dr did examination and said all felt fine, - my stomach gurgles a lot usually focal under right ribs but can move around sometimes very loud like a creaky door or someone moving furniture about which sometimes mean diarrhoea is coming but sometimes means nothing! My tummy is so unpredictable it’s untrue but it’s not gone back to normal at all! Went back the drs recently who re did bloods which came back fine again currently waiting on abdominal ultrasound but going out my mind with worry in case it’s something more serious! Also get back ache! I’ve tried colofac which seemed to help a little but thinking of trying something else as well anyone had probiotics or colpermin? And can you take Imodium with them as well?

Thanks

[1absolutebeginner1]

Hi there and welcome to the forum! I have had a very very similar experience only in my case it all started in November of last year. What helped was change in diet (version of low FODMAP), introduction of probiotics (Alflorex) and medicines (Mebeverine). I am now taking mastic gum as I did not want to stay on meds long term and it seems to work well. I no longer have this awful gurgling sounds and gas has been greatly reduced. I am not back to normal though and still have the dull upper right hand pain. Check out 'hepatic flexure' regarding this.

Hope you get better soon.

[Hidden in reply to 1absolutebeginner1]

Thanks so much for your reply! It’s nice to know I’m not alone!! Dr thinks it’s stress / anxiety induced ibs and I keep convincing myself it’s cancer so my health anxiety is going through the roof and I jump to dr google which really is not helping ! Will try the probiotics ! Hope you feel better soon too!!!

[1absolutebeginner1 in reply to Hidden]

Yep, I know what you are going through, I also was/am seriously anxious regarding this. Bottomline, however, plenty of people with IBS have this upper right hand abdominal pain.

[Hidden in reply to 1absolutebeginner1]

It’s not so much pain though which is worrying it’s more like I don’t know an awareness - it’s hard to describe bit like if you break a bone and it’s healed but feels a bit fragile after cast comes off ....... just odd!!! Thanks for the help need to try and control the stress!

[b1b1b1 in reply to Hidden]

Have you tried the Fodmap diet? I understand your anxiety. Prior to being diagnosed I also remember being very anxious. It may help you to see a gastroenterologist instead of your regular doctor.

[Hidden in reply to b1b1b1]

Hi thanks for your reply no I’ve not tried that it doesn’t seem to be affected by diet at all though. Seems to just play up whenever !

[Princesspeach84]

Hi, do any of these pains flare worse with your periods? Please look into bowel endometriosis as it could be that. Feel free to message me if you need any more info xx

[Hidden in reply to Princesspeach84]

Hi thanks for you reply! No my periods are unaffected though I get bad ovulation pain in my right ovary which is new but possibly unrelated!

[xjrs]

I will pm you some tips.

[Hidden in reply to xjrs]

Thank you!

[ouch421]

A bloke here for comparison. For me Colon pain radiates everywhere. Even down my legs left and right torso and a cross the ribs. Consultant suspected Diverticular desease which terrified me but all tests including ct scan negative. The approach here has been to try varying diet with as many ingredients in small amounts as possible. A food log revealed an intolerance for oats. Pity that as oats were a huge part of my diet. I think the theory goes that removing the offending food for a few weeks reduces the related bad bacteria. The important bit is when feeling confident to reintroduce the offending food. Variety in long term should build gut resilience in long term. Hopefully ... Stress is a huge factor and especially for me over last year. My gad 7 score is and has been 21 for ever it seems. Working on that too and trying to be kinder to myself. There is hope. Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to ouch421]

Hi thanks for your reply!! It’s a bit horrible isn’t it get caught in a viscous circle as the the stress about the problems make the problems worse which the stresses you out more!! Arghhhh !!! Yea I can get twinges from time to time just this upper right thing that’s not actually painful but just feels wrong...... just need to hang on for ultrasound but it’s taking forever !!!

[Chockyuk]

Hello 👋 I’m sorry to hear of your troubles, but it’s interesting to me that your pain is lower right abdomen. I’ve been having exactly the same issues since March 2020, but mine was also accompanied by bloody mucus. I’ve had so far a Cat Scan as I ended up so bad I went to A&E, blood tests, stool and CalProtein tests and a colonoscopy with biopsies - all have come back normal. As it’s on the right hand side they originally suspected Crohn’s (which my mum had), I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis, so have a history of autoimmune, hence all the Crohn’s tests. But now, I’m at a loss and I’m thinking it might be IBS, but didn’t realise you could get pain lower right hand side and under ribs, I always thought IBS was the central area.

I’m hardly eating now, only kind of mushy food which is easy to digest and I’ve had periods when I feel ok, so I have no idea what the problem is, I still have the bloody mucus though.

Have you had a colonoscopy yet?

[Hidden in reply to Chockyuk]

Hi no not yet trying to avoid it if possible. If dr recommends it id go for it but they don’t think it’s necessary not yet anyway. Encouraged to know two blood tests are normal and waiting for abdominal ultrasound. The lower right pain went but it’s just left with weird feeling right side!! Well saying it went it comes back sometimes. Most issues always right sided based though! But then occasionally I’ll get pain over different parts, just twinges nothing major. It’s just so weird! I have had a bad episode of ibs before when I was 12 and would say my tummy has never been ‘normal’ so prob is just that.

[Chockyuk in reply to Hidden]

Well hang on in there 👍 keep us posted with your tests.These things are very difficult to diagnose aren’t they. 😔

[Hidden in reply to Chockyuk]

You too! Helps talking to others in a similar situation least your tests are normal! which can be a bit like well what’s going on then ? And rather annoying ! but least it’s nothing serious

[Chockyuk in reply to Hidden]

Exactly! As I was bleeding and have lost loads of weight I feared the worst, which is what sent me to hospital, but it was a relief when they said they couldn’t see anything sinister.I suppose IBS is just trial and error as to what works and what doesn’t by the sounds of it - it’s all new to me.

I’m going to check out the FODMAP diet as so many have mentioned on here. 👍

[Hidden]

Hi there my pain is lower right side too they suspected diverticula ct scan clear am waiting for ct colonoscopy , it’s interesting how most people have pain on the left and yet others have right side pain ! X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Isn’t it just! Just seems so weird !!!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I’ve had it for 18 months I’m still alive lol x

[Chockyuk in reply to Hidden]

Yes it’s weird, there are so many symptoms similar to IBD as well. Good luck with your CT and colonoscopy.

[Hidden in reply to Chockyuk]

Thankyou I’m more ibs c !x

[Meleber]

Pain in the lower right, yes I have. Pain in my back, right side, pain in my right knee, gas, bloating, inflamed skin, no restorative sleep, chronic fatigue, etc. What helps me for the moment is taking a laxative like Cascara Sagrada or bisacodyl although the latter contains lactose and try to eat smaller meals. Also avoiding lactose (no bisacodyl for me) and histamine releasing food. For a better digestion I take betaine HCl with my meals. Hopefully I can start with a course of antibiotics soon. Will have a stool test for H.Pylori too.