Looking for people to chat about ibs with only recently been diagnosed

[Youngben]

I have recently been diagnosed with ibs. am here to gather more information and help as I am only young and haven't got a clue of how to deal with It and just would like some people to talk to about it as gp well am not sure they are telling me to much or fully know what their on about

[Linley]

Welcome YoungbenWhat were your symptoms and what tests did your GP run to give the diagnosis?

[Youngben in reply to Linley]

I was having a cramping and tightening in my stomach. First off they said get buscopan and she also felt my belly them I got told I was to come back for them to take blood to test it for 8 different things I can't remember what it was. Comes back all clear but someone I was talking at work mentioned if I was allergic to gluten so went on gluten free diet after doctors tests me for it comes back clear. This point I was just taking buscopan and they started to not cut the pain and uncomfortableness so I called 111 spoken to them and said a out of hours gp will call you spoke to them and he looked through it all and said ibs am more than sure of it then got fresh medication which is mebeverine which has helped but not at times. Went back to my gp spoke to them told them about what the out of hours gp said and then they was like oh yeah more than likely it is. Now am dealing with pain day in day out with very little medication as am waiting for my referral to go through at the hospital which is 2 months. So I don't know if I have ibs fully but the out of hours gp is very sure it is from all the things I have had done and then my doctors are more than sure now but I feel like am walking around in circles as I have had all this for 6 months. Thanks for read and taking your time to talk

[Linley in reply to Youngben]

Well blood tests are a very good start so your GP is on the ball. But the only way to diagnose IBS is a colonoscopy. Only then can you find a routine to help you try to control it like diet, exercise, pain control and of course looking at stressful situations that may have kicked your tum into overdrive. Good luck and get back to this site when you have had your hospital appointment🤞

[Youngben in reply to Linley]

Thanks ever so much for your help I just hadn't a clue of how it all works or anything and I just felt a little bit alone but like I say thanks for helping I will keep you posted on what happenes and if it turns out to be something else then I don't know but atleast I know what am looking for now

[Bits1961 in reply to Youngben]

It sounds like you have the same GP as me 😜 Just wanting you out of the surgery to complete their daily quota ... Not all their fault but NHS short of more GP's is the cause which began long before this covid began.

[Youngben in reply to Bits1961]

I was thinking that covid hasn't helped as you don't get enough time to to say what you need to say with GP so don't think they understand too much. But then again everyone person is different so they have to look at it from all angles which takes time

[Batteria in reply to Youngben]

First of all buy or order from amazon

THE CLEVER GUTS DIET

By dr Michael Mosley

Read it carefully and take notes as you go along. Buy a jar of KIMCHI from your health shop. It smells ghastly and it tastes worse. Take one teaspoonful before every meal and this will settle your stomach.

I rarely have trouble now and I have had ibs for 43 years. Buona fortuna e tanto amore Bx

[Maureen1958]

Hi, I was just thinking as you are quite unfamiliar with IBS it might be worth taking a look at the IBS Network Website, if you haven't already. That might give you more of an idea about IBS. There is so much you can access without being a member, but if you feel you want to access more, you can become a member. It's £24 for a years members for the online version. I have been a member for about 25 years. They have experts who you can ask questions of, a helpline run by specialist IBS nurses and there are also support groups although they are few and far between at the moment due to COVID but some are operating on-line. I belong to the Forest Hill Group (on-line) but live in Surrey.

Are you more on the diarrhoea (IBSD) or the constipation (IBSC) side of things or is your IBS a bit of both which would be IBS(M) M for mixed or IBS(A) A for alternating.

Anyway welcome to the site. Most of us are a pretty friendly bunch! 😀

[Youngben]

I will check it out and I am more IBSC but rarely get diarrhea but its not proper diarrhoea though so probably mixed IBSM. Thank you for more help I have found out my referral is for the tube down my throat or up my bum u can't remember what it's called but you probably know so just gotta wait till July or August for that. Thanks for the heads up for more help and advice

[Epiphanies]

Hi there, I am in same position as you, have to fight my doctor for everything. Paid for private scans myself etc, the situation is stressful and I found taking buscopan helped at first then didn’t so I stopped. Biggest thing I have done is increase my water intake to 3 litres, kept a food diary even just in notes on your phone, shreddies with linseeds every other day help me, and exercising each day... even 5000 steps helps.. I have constipation and stomach pains.. yet to be diagnosed, found this site a great help too, finally have my gastroenterologist appointment in 2 weeks

[Youngben in reply to Epiphanies]

Well ill carry on pushing to find out and good luck to you hope everything is well and look after yourself

[xjrs]

The first stage in IBS diagnosis is blood and stool sample tests:nhs.uk/conditions/irritable...

In your stool they are looking for a marker for calprotectin. This indicates inflammation in the body. If the marker is in the normal range and your other tests come back fine, usually a diagnosis of IBS is made at this point.

If the calprotectin marker is elevated, they normally repeat the test to see if it comes down , if it is still elevated, then you are referred to gastroenterlogy for a colonoscopy. Even after colonoscopy you can still be diagnosed with IBS. In fact, this will be the case for more people than not.

Assuming you are diagnosed with IBS, I will pm you some tips.

[Epiphanies in reply to xjrs]

I have had the stool sample taken and all came back normal... it’s just been a fight to get the doctors to do anything else really, wasn’t given any advice other than to keep a food diary, however I feel I am always in a catch 22 situation, no having answers stresses me out which in turn makes the symptoms worse and a never ending cycle of worry

[xjrs in reply to Epiphanies]

Did you want me to pm you some tips on the IBS-C with pain side of things? From your post it looks like you are on the case already, so I might be repeating some stuff you already know.

[Epiphanies in reply to xjrs]

Yes please.... any info I have is all trial and error, it is only stumbling onto this forum and finding people in similar situations which has lessened myStress levels 😁😁

[xjrs in reply to Epiphanies]

Done

[Youngben]

Thanks for the help I will keep everyone informed of what happens and if its not ibs then am gonna feel bad as everyone is very helpful and I have calmed down worring about it too much rather than working myself up and getting stressed about it

[OSCARBOSCAR]

Hi YoungbenWhilst waiting for your tests/results you could try fasting between meals - leaving 4/5 hours between eating, definitely no snacking!! Also no dairy - a little cheese seems ok/caffeine even caffeine free stuff/alcohol & avoid heavily fried foods. I do this & have seen amazing results. I also take a multi digestive enzyme from holland & barrett with my lunch & dinner. If I do have a flare up I take senocalm & this has worked better than buscopan - good luck with it all. 😊

[Youngben]

Sorry for late reply I have cut down on meals already and I don't snack only when my belly is talking because if feel its hunger the buscopan doesn't cut it I have been upped on my mebeverine which has been a blessing at times but still I try my hardest not to set my tummy off it hasn't been as bad since my tablets been upped so I am just waiting for colonphy however you spell it this month should be or next waiting for them to contact me and then go from there but thanks for the advice if I start seeing a increase of pain I'll cut more food out but I have found out that peanuts set me off very badly yeah before all this they was like a treat for me to have and my favourite but oh well I have to sacrifice things for me to get better

[Gardenlover2020 in reply to Youngben]

Hi ,

My IBS suddenly got a whole lot worse too at the beginning of lockdown too , don’t know if it was related ?

I’m constipated too & found the FODMAP diet has helped , not a cure but a bit of an improvement, but make sure you keep up your fibre intake if you if you do start it or even if you don’t , try chia seeds of flaxseeds also google high fibre ideas it will help with the constipation.

Try macrogol or brand name Cosmocol laxative sachets , you can either buy these or get it on prescription from your doctor

[Youngben in reply to Gardenlover2020]

Well am more ibsA so it's like all over most of the time now it's type 2 in the Bristol stool chart so am unsure where I sit with this