Saying Hi and question about IBS changing after childbirth

[Blue_Dahlia]

Hi, I have recently joined.I am 38 and was diagnosed with IBS D when I was 19. Initially I was really ill but then I managed to control it by limiting eating fried/ spicy food and using loperamide.

However, after I gave birth to my son in 2018 it suddenly became worse and stopped responding to loperamide or any medication really.I now can have 3 or 4 episodes a day despite having several loperamide.The mornings are particularly bad and going out has become scary and dependant on toilets nearby.During my pregnancy no one mentioned my IBS could get worse.Dr's I consulted were not sympathetic or any help and fobbed me off saying it was just hormones and should get better in 6 months.Its now been 2 and a half years and still the same.

My questions are; has this happened tl anyone else- your IBS worsening after childbirth? And also for it to stop responding to Loperamide/ Loperamide no longer working for you? Any suggestions for an alternate medication that could help with Diarrhoea? Thankyou in advance and sorry for the rambling.

[Maureen1958]

Hi, first I will ask if you have looked into BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption), see link below.

gutscharity.org.uk/advice-a...

Secondly, yes my IBS got worse after my pregnancy.

I didn't take loperamide, I used to take kaolin and morphine but they don't make that now. I have recently tried pepto bismol, I thought it was better than loperamide myself, so that might be worth a try.

[Blue_Dahlia in reply to Maureen1958]

Thankyou.I will try the pepto bismol and ask my Dr about BAM.

[Batteria in reply to Blue_Dahlia]

My ibs started during my pregnancy and got worse afterwards. This may have been coincidence. How do I know? A teaspoonful of kimchi before every meal is far more effective than loperamide ever was. It tastes horrible but I don’t care. Also a couple of tablets of sea kelp at night when the intestine is in repose slows things down. Buona fortuna. Con amore Bx

[Batteria in reply to Batteria]

Yes. Check this out blue d because ibs and the menstrual cycle can be linked. They stopped my periods when I was 37 because of ibs and pudendal neuralgia. It only brought about a 25% improvement but it was worth doing. I remember many girlfriends who did not have ibs saying their bowels were very loose during a period. One or two said they were constipated while bleeding and went back to normal afterwards. Con amore Bx

[Princesspeach84]

Is your IBS worse before, during or after your period? If so you could have bowel endometriosis. It is a condition easily fobbed as IBS but it requires an operation to help

[Blue_Dahlia in reply to Princesspeach84]

It is usually worse during my periods.not heard of this, will look it up thanks.

[xjrs]

I can pm you some tips on the management of IBS in general if you want?

[Mommy_of_2]

My IBS started during pregnancy and never stopped. I wake up with an urgency to have a bowel movement and can go between 2 to 4 times every morning. Sometimes I'll be fine after that while other times I have a rather anxious stomach all day.