IBS-D consistency

[Junkjournal1]

Hi to everyone suffering right now as I am. I haven’t posted here for a while but I’m frequently reading everyone’s posts. I’ve suffered from IBS-D for over three years now. I’ve tried all the different diets and kept a food diary for a year all to no avail. My first two morning bowel movements aren’t great but not terrible then about an hour after lunch I’m rushing to the loo and the same after dinner. As well as being practically house bound the wide range in differences of my bowel movements (diarrhoea appearance )is beginning to quite worry me. If anyone else has experienced similar symptoms and or could shed any light in any way I would be greatly appreciative thanks Karen.

[Linley]

Hi. I have given up trying to understand why my bm's are so urgent after lunch, I accept it as to me this is what an irritable gut is all about. Don't happen all the time but if I am out for the day take my emergency kit with me and maybe a lopomide tab. If I am at home no probs as my loo is nearby. But I do keep up my sphincter exercises as they can give me a presious few mins to find a loo. 😁

[Maureen1958]

Did you ever look into BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption). gutscharity.org.uk/advice-a...?

Maureen

[bktk in reply to Maureen1958]

I have looked at this Maureen as having terrible flare ups and this week worst but luckily I week off. I really think this is my problem I am going to try low fat limit 40g couple of weeks before approaching gp which is not easy getting appointment at present. So thank you have you any advice x

[Maureen1958 in reply to bktk]

You could just ask your GP for a bile sequestrant to try. Questran (cholestyramine) is quite good as it's a powder so you can titrate the amount you use to suit you. My GP wouldn't give it to me, so had to go through the SeHCAT test but unfortnately I didn't quite meet their criteria, so they wouldn't give it to me. But others on here have been given it and not had to go through test, so you may be lucky.

[Junkjournal1 in reply to Maureen1958]

Hi thank you so much for that information at least if I do manage to get to see GP I know exactly what to ask for.

[Ishallwearmidnight in reply to Junkjournal1]

I was given cholestyramine on a trial basis back in November 2020 - partially because it was not possible to do the test for BAM due to lockdown at that time. There was also a shortage of the medication though, hope that's resolved now. I typically have a worse time in the morning and after lunch too. I recently had a positive lactose intolerance test though, so just starting on a lactose free diet to see if that will make any difference.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Ishallwearmidnight]

Hi, I was just wondering how your trial with cholestyramine went?!

[Ishallwearmidnight in reply to Maureen1958]

I was only on it for 10 days, I didn't notice much difference to be honest. Not sure if it would need a bit longer to regulate or if that isn't actually what's causing my symptoms. I couldn't stay on it for longer than that as I had to go on some other medication and it would have interfered with the uptake.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Ishallwearmidnight]

Oh okay, thanks for replying. Do you think you will be giving it another trial sometime in the future?

[Ishallwearmidnight in reply to Maureen1958]

I recently did a lactose intolerance test which was positive, and suspect I am having issues with gluten or wheat so just got tested again for coeliac this morning and waiting on the results. I think my next stop at this stage will be to see a nutritionist and would only reconsider BAM if I still have symptoms after making the necessary diet changes. I suspect also that I wouldn't be given a repeat prescription for cholestyramine without having the test for BAM first, which makes sense as that would indicate if that was actually the issue or not. The BAM test doesn't seem to be done very much, for some reason.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Ishallwearmidnight]

I had the BAM (SeHCAT) test about 4 years ago but didn't quite reach the criteria, so I couldn't try the bile sequestrant. Are you from the UK? They don't do the test in the US and not all hospitals in the UK have the facility to do the test. I just wanted to try the questran (especially as it was a powder), to see if it could help me at all. I have had IBS over 35 years and it was more runny and urgent when I was young but I think as your body gets older, it slows down. I feel a bit cheater that nobody suggested this years ago when I was in the toilet for hours a day! I discovered my cousin had it and asked my GP if I could just try some questran (like yourself) but my doctor was having none of it and said I had to do the test! I have only recently found out the percentage that I was diagnosed with by requesting my hospital records!

[Ishallwearmidnight in reply to Maureen1958]

Yes I'm in UK - in my case it was my GP who suggested I try the medication, after gall bladder polyps were found on my ultrasound scan - but I've changed to another GP since who didn't think it should have been prescribed without testing, so it seems to depend on who you get. I know what you mean re it slowing down a bit with age, in my 20s I had awful flare-ups of constant diarrhoea that could last for up to 6 weeks and left me exhausted, I had days where I spent over 3 hours on the toilet at a time, which was pretty miserable. These days it is more that my BMs are messy and difficult to pass, so I suspect I'm going multiple times for what might otherwise be just one BM in the morning, then after I eat it gets turbulent again.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Ishallwearmidnight]

Sounds quite similar to me. Mine started when I was 27/28, it was about every other day when I was working but when I had my son at 34, it was everday and relentless. At my worse I was in the toilet for about 8 hours a day. It was made more difficult as our son had ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and we had no family or friends on hand to help out! But we got through it, but I was hoping when my son left home for university 11 years ago, that I would figure out what I was doing wrong but, if anything, things have just got worse!

[juniepoonie]

Have you had any tests to rule out other conditions?

[Junkjournal1 in reply to juniepoonie]

Hi yes I had a colonoscopy three years ago that was all fine also a stool sample took that came back fine and numerous blood tests that were all fine too 🤷‍♀️

[Sunshineonmyshoulder]

Have you had a breath test for SIBO?

[juniepoonie]

That's good so you can rule out any nasties! I'm useing a probiotic called livespo colytis google it it really helps me also silicol gel in Holland an barret or on line is very good

[FerdyOne]

I was diagnosed with IBS-D quite a few decades ago. Was prescribed Codeine Phosphate which I have taken ever since. Additionally a GP suggested I eat soluble fibre foods (E.G Rye - Ryvita) and add some golden linseed (Holland & Barrett sell it) to my food, which I add to a bowl of cereal in the morning. The combination seems to serve me well.