No idea if this is a nonsensical question. I had a fairly stable pattern of IBS D for 50 years. Ive not felt well for a couple of years and last year my GP ran a whole series of tests. Luckily, all tests were clear but I was told I was very constipated-huge surprise as I was still going to the loo every day and to me, Id never been constipated in my life. I was given Senna and told to check my fibre. Senna gave me even more violent D and my fibre is routinely at the right level as Im veggie. Anyway, I settled down into the old routine, D every day, still feeling unwell. Now, Im full of painful, noisy wind rumbling along my colon and constantly with that feeling of needing to go. So the question is, how do I know if this is 'ordinary' D or whether it could possibly be overflow and Im in fact still constipated. Obviously if would be good to know as I dont want to treat the wrong thing! So D or C anyone got any thoughts as Im stuck. Thanks everyone.
D or C?: No idea if this is a nonsensical... - IBS Network
D or C?
Oh my gosh, I am wondering the same thing myself right now. Am I actually slightly constipated. even though my bm's are too soft quite frequently? I don't think I 'do enough' when I go, and seem to tighten up inside, probably with a bit of anxiety which sadly has become attached for me with bowel movements.
Some of my lower abdominal bloating (swelling) and slight discomfort about 3-4 hours after dinner in the evenings seems connected with 'did I go enough this morning? No, I don't think so, even if it was 5 on the Bristol scale'.
But like you, if I up my fibre intake I get a really TOO loose morning bm. I have experimented with that. When I get too loose, it can make me feel unwell and very uneasy. It can also make me wake up too early, and give me dreams I don't like.
I completely understand the dilemma. I am not sure myself what's going on. I don't think mine is literally overflow diarrhea, but I wonder if sometimes a flare (having to go 9 times with loose bm's in one day) is my body's revenge or common sense for too much stored up ?? Not sure to be honest.
Before IBS, I always had to eat pretty high fibre, or I could be inclined to be slightly constipated. My daily diet kept me healthy and regular, and sometimes I had at least '5 a day' veggies and fruits, often 7 or 8! Oh the good old days when things made more sense!
I wish I could be more helpful, but I feel in a bit of a quandary too.
I keep wondering this myself lately too!! It will be interesting to hear what others have to say. If only we had a little window in our tummies, to see what is actually going on in there. Perhaps in the future everyone will have a personal MRI scanner or something similar. 🙂
Im so old that when Im this stuck, I often wish for Bones from Star Trek and his hand held scanner that he just runs up and down 🤣 Mind you Im genuinely at a loss and have no idea what to do for the best.
Star trek !!!lovely one of my favorites , and yes bones and his scanner would be great , but getting back to the real world..... sadly , I too have a mix ,I've never been either C or D I never really know one day to the next how I'm gonna be , but my tummy is often loud and bloated ,and then can feel almost empty and flat for a while , then off I go again in a different direction , tbh I just put it all down to IBS in general and hope one day someone finds a cure all , wouldn't that be great ,well we can dream can't we .......back to Star trek days .......🤣😂
Theres another thing, IBS is actually an old syndrome, so how come IBS-M has only been recently recognised? I think its because medics just dont find it 'sexy' (well obviously it isnt 😂) so there just isnt enough research. I think if we had a lot more info, lots of these worries would be addressed. And of course Star Trek has the answer to everything, always will!
I have ibs c and take prescription laxative every day but occasionally have days when I go up to 10 times and could be quite loose. I used to stop the laxative for a few days but that just made the constipation much worse. I realised that I wasn’t doing much when I went to the loo so the next time I started going all the time I used a glycerin suppository to empty my bowels and this stopped the constant going to the loo. I’m not medically trained or anything, just a fellow sufferer.
I would say that is really interesting, but Im not sure if that could be viewed as a bit odd 😂 Seriously, I know nothing about constipation and everything I read when I was told I had it, did not cover what was happening to me. What you've written, Ive not seen, but sounds much more like me. Im scared to just throw caution to the winds and try Senna again as when they gave that to me last year, I took it on 2 evenings and then was ill for several days. Never heard of glycerin suppositories, but Im much more inclined to try them-thanks for this.
I am fed up with trying to work out what my gut is up too. IBS d has been with me for over 30 years so it won't disappear now. One thing I am aware of daily excerise is important when we get older as inactivity can slow transit. I love Maureen1958 idea of a personal MRI scanner wouldn't that be great! Sorry ValDee88 haven't got an answer for you but it does sound as if the dosage of Senna has upset your gut. Wish you good luck in your search for answers
Thanks Linley. No, it won't go away, but Im having a really fed up phase. I know the GP won't do more tests after last year and as Im fairly sure thats not the answer, thats ok. I do wish that if you have a chronic functional thing though, that you could have an appt occasionally when you can just say look, here's my Fitbit stats, waters fine, calories ok, steps ok, Im trying not to be stressed etc BUT my insides are now doing this and its having a huge impact. If its a total change from D to C or whatever, you then get real info and suggestions-as what's available on line is not good. Maybe a limited bloods panel, I dont know, Im rambling now, but right now Im stuck and dont know what to do for the best. Thanks again.
If this problem is still with the GP I would take it up a level and see a gastroenterologist. If necessary pay to see one privately. I did and had a CT scan and at least then knew they saw nothing sinister, or even any cause. I then saw a consultant dietician and she was marvellous. It settled after a couple of months on a regime that included pre and pro biotics. I had no IBS for months. It has come back now but I know I’m doing all the things wrong again mealtime-wise and stress-wise, Are you in the UK? I could recommend the practitioners.
I was told not to take Senna yesterday by the Pharmacist as the natural colouring can irritate the bowel and make matters worse. Obviously in your case, it has obviously not helped the situation. I wish you well and I hope you get some helpful answers.
Senna is pretty harsh. I can't imagine recommending it to an IBS sufferer, but somebody has obviously. Psyllium is more gentle.
"Senna may be unsafe when taken long-term or in high doses. Using this medicine for longer than 2 weeks may cause your bowels to stop functioning normally. Long-term use may also cause a serious electrolyte imbalance. Certain electrolyte imbalances can cause muscle weakness, heart problems, liver damage, and other harmful effects."
I was handed the Senna in hospital by the consultant that had viewed the image of my full bowel with me. I had told her Id had IBS-D for decades and was totally shocked, but thats what I was given. I knew no better-Im possibly my streets authority on IBS-D, but I know literally nothing about constipation and what I have read is all contradictory. Now, randomly my GP gave me a box of Psyllium and said-'just in case' 🤷♀️ Before this flare up Id started adding Chia seeds in small amounts, bearing in mind Im veggie, I have to be careful adding more fibre. Im going to go and read the Psyllium box now! Thanks for this.
I think part of the problem is that IBS is a dysfunction, and I’d always assumed that mine would behave similarly over time. In fact, it has altered 4 times in 40 years: firstly IBS-D (from a bowel infection), helped by reducing dietary fibre; then, after 25 years and another bowel infection, it corrected itself for 5 years; then another bowel infection caused it to become IBS-D again, but without being affected by fibre; now it’s more IBS-A/M (whatever the difference is!).
So you might have had a change in gut flora, for whatever reason (and you can get infections of the gut without necessarily knowing about it), and you might not be able to digest your usual food combinations as well as you have done in the past. The constipation issue seems a red herring - I’ve never heard of anyone with a daily bowel movement being diagnosed as constipated! Rather than take medication (which in both our cases causes more problems than it’s worth), it might be better to reduce the more obvious culprits like fibre, gluten, lactose and caffeine (and fizzy drinks, if you’re partial to them) and see if that makes any difference. When I had my original IBS-D, reducing fruit and veg to 3 portions a day (same as my friend with Crohn’s disease) definitely helped but, as a veggie, you would have to alter the balance (eg, by eating more cooked veg/fruit as that would break down the fibre).
Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution to IBS but, at the same time, a supposedly correct diet doesn’t necessarily suit everyone either. So whilst your diet might have served you well in the past, it might be necessary to make some alterations to take account of the new normal.
Anyway, I’ve said enough, and there is plenty of useful advice from others in response to your initial question, so I’ll shut up there and hope you find a solution soon.
Yes, you can suffer from chronic constipation and have to rush to the loo straight after a meal. The gut is our 'second brain' they say, and an under or over populated gut with the wrong balance of bacteria can cause havoc. It is a good idea to ask to be referred to a specialist, gp's these days know little of these things, or see a nutritional doctor. a food diary is essential though, it shows you are determined and organised in managing your gut problems and shows the GP you mean business and will not be palmed off with Senna or the like.
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