Flare up?!

[Coop20]

Hello, just a few general bits of info to accompany my question, I’m female, 32, have Hypothyroidism (take just 50mg a day)

I have been told I’m having an IBS flare up, had some stabbing pain on and off the past month in all of my stomach, felt very bloated, going to the toilet has been hard or easy varied days, just felt generally bleugh and full.

Doctor prescribed me busco pan to begin which did nothing now been prescribed mebeverine instead and i felt a lot better yesterday but today feel the same as before again.

I had this around 2015 for a few months, and nothing till now, anyone else have this for months on end?

[Maureen1958]

Hypothyroidism can cause constipation which would come under the umbrella of IBS. That would make you feel pretty bleugh.

You ask if anyone else has this for months on end. Yes they do. I have had it for 35+ years, daily for the last 30 years!

[Coop20 in reply to Maureen1958]

Thankyou for your reply, i think I’m clearly lucky that i haven’t suffered as much as some. Just when i have these severe flare ups. Not knowing what to do to help it is horrible.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Coop20]

Well I haven't figured it out yet, so don't beat yourself up! 😊

[Tess359]

Hi coop, I have spent a lifetime, and a lot of money, trying to get some relief from this dreadful condition. I have had it since the age of four and I am now 67. I have had problems with constipation and dizziness all of my life, but over the past 20 years I have suffered painful myalgia, headaches and vertigo along with the digestive problems. I take a probiotic and have to eat a low FODMAP, low histamine diet to reduce the severity of the symptoms, but the slightest bit of stress or even changing the timing of my meals, will make the symptoms worse. It doesn't mean that you will will suffer like this, the symptoms and severity are different for everyone. Hypothyroidism will slow your metabolism and cause constipation. Very often, even though your blood tests show that your TSH, free T3 AND free T4 are within range, you may still be slightly hypo.

[BlackIsleGirl]

I can go weeks or months with nothing and then suddenly find myself in flare-up, most of the time I can pinpoint a cause, either I've eaten the wrong thing or I'm stressed out, but sometimes there's no reason at all.Finding a way to live with IBS is a long and difficult process and honestly I don't think any of us ever find one thing that works all the time. And it'd trial and error until you find the right things for you. Best of luck x

[Coop20 in reply to BlackIsleGirl]

Thankyou, i think in the back of my mind i always stress it’s something more serious (probably increasing the stress and stomach pain) great vicious circle isn’t it.

[BlackIsleGirl in reply to Coop20]

Oh I know that so well! Trying to convince that little voice at the back of your mind that it's just flare-up and nothing worse can be so hard. You're not alone there and yes it makes it worse which makes you more anxious which makes you feel worse which makes you more anxious. It's the merry go round from hell!

[Hidden]

I changed from Buscopan to Meberverine. At first it seemed to help but not sure that it does much now. I also take Levothyroxine, 137.5 mg per day. Don't think it's related to the IBS personally. I go for a few weeks feeling OK. Then start to feel the need for the loo rather quickly and off we go again. Can never make out what starts it off. No different food, not particularly stressed (obviously, I am sometimes) but not often enough to start this off. No pains, normally, just nauseous and the need to stay very close to a toilet. Think I know that I will just have to live with it.

[Coop20 in reply to Hidden]

That’s interesting that sounds similar to me, i just don’t seem to see that I’ve eaten anything differently since this started, maybe it is stress, as I’d been having quite a bit within my job recently.

[Andann]

I think its a delicate combination of care over food and alcohol and water intake, exercise, lack of stress, feeling stable/happy/non pressured .... and therefore quite difficult to map or record or predict. So yes, there are going to be some uncomfortable times which just have to be endured and for some people its really horrible and exacerbated by other conditions.

I had a whole 18 mths of no urgent calls to get to a toilet and then 2 quite close together. 1 when in another town. Bloating and burping for weeks and then it disappears. Just a nuisance and no answer I can work out. I guess the best we can do is to eat and live as sensibly as we can and not stress about the rest.

[Coop20 in reply to Andann]

It’s just so frustrating as i don’t eat that bad, well didn’t think i did and I’m so up and down with it at the moment. Did a very annoyingly silly thing today though, nearly dropped my phone and inadvertently stabbed it into my stomach right where it’s been painful, so that’s been sore ever since 🙁