Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum.I've been dealing with ibs symptoms on and off for around 2 years now but recently my symptoms have lasted for 2 months everyday. I had a colonoscopy earlier this year around 6 months ago and everything was fine and got the all clear apart from a benign polyp which was removed. I also suffer with silent reflux which I found out from a camera down to the voice box around 3 weeks ago. The question I'm wanting to ask is, has anyone else suffered ibs symptoms for long periods of time? Also has anyone suffered from silent reflux? I have been suffering with really bad health anxiety issues for a few years now and I'm wondering if this has played a major part in creating these issues.
Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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I would suggest wandering around on the site, looking at some of the responses. I know somebody was asking the exact same thing about length of flares just a day or two ago. There's plenty of stuff out there about anxiety too (which I, personally, believe plays a huge role). Never heard of silent reflux, but just Googled it. I know there's a ton of posts about reflux in general. I'm guessing silent and "active" have a lot in common. By the way, the search function (upper right hand corner?) is super useful.
Thank you for your reply. I will take a look around on here and see what I can find. I agree with the whole anxiety situation making matters worse, I guess when we are in a constant state of worry it's possible to mess with bodily functions.
I think IBS symptoms can sometimes go on for a while. As can periods when there are no, or few symptoms, for some people.
I get both. I remember last year (2021) I had a horrible August and most of September and it started 3rd week of July. This year in summer and Autumn I had WEEKS of feeling moderately normal but for passing some wind and occasional slight distension in lower abdomen. Otherwise I was fine.
Not everyone gets times when it seems to go away. I do, and I hope you will too as time goes by.
But yes, flare ups can either come and go in a day or two, or they can recur every few days or so.
I get times when there are no actual bad flare ups, but nothing is really OK either. And that can go on for weeks.
May I ask...have you had a recent period of more stress than usual? If you have anxiety then that is a common trigger for IBS. Vice-versa too, as IBS itself can cause anxiety.
Also, have you tried finding your triggers, re: food? Some foods make things much worse, and others are easier to digest, but can be different depending if you have IBS with constipation (IBS-C) or with diarrhea (IBS-D) or mixed /alternating.
Have you tried the low Fodmap diet?
No, I don't have silent reflux, but hope someone else comments who may be able to help?
Hi luisa22. Yes it's a nasty one isn't it, I've had symptom constantly everyday for 2 months non stop. I dont really suffer from diarrhea but sometimes the feeling I'm about to. I just get the abdominal discomfort and it's the same with constipation discomfort aswel but when I open my bowels my stool is always loose. I'm currently taking mebeverine and omeprazole, the mebeverine seems to help to some degree for the abdominal discomfort and the omeprazole does work well for my acid reflux. The concern I'm having is the length of time this is lasting. I've had a fair few tests done in the past recently, colonoscopy, ultrasound ( gallbladder, liver) blood tests, stool sample and also had a ct scan last year and I've got an endoscope booked in for the end of this month. The tests I've had have all came back clear which is obviously very reassuring but I do suffer from health anxiety, so when something is going wrong in my body I always think the worst and then I have to deal with terrible thoughts going through my mind which puts massive amounts of emotional stress on me. I've have eliminated some foods but not everything, I haven't tried the fodmap diet yet but I'm thinking of giving it ago.
Thank you very much for ur reply and sorry for ranting on, it just feels good to talk about it.
Hey, you're not ranting on. It's good to tell us details and good to get what's happening off your chest.
It is a bit of a catch-22 situation with IBS and stress. IBS causes stress, stress makes IBS worse....
I would only eliminate foods that are obvious culprits, such as spicy food. some junk food, raw food, certain vegetables that might not suit you. And you can more or less test yourself for lactose intolerance by staying away from dairy for a few days maybe a week or so to see if you feel any better, then having a decent amount again and see what happens. If you narrow that down as a trigger, that would be a plus. If that happens ask your doctor to prescribe "Lactase", which might help you tolerate it.
Fats. How do you do with fats? Butter, oils, avocados etc.? I am fine with them, but if you have bile acid malabsorption of pancreatic insufficiency, they might not suit you.
Sometimes too much fibre can make things worse. I don't know with you, but I have to watch how much I eat. But if I get constipated (rarely) it can help to up my fibre ever so slightly. Fibre makes me "go", end of story.
Actually it's a long story, finding out what suits you and what doesn't and it's all about testing things out to hopefully settle on some kind of healthy-(ish at least) diet that you can manage. Unfortunately, you are the guinea pig and the experimenter both at the same time.
Take it steady, small amounts of some foods might be fine, but larger amounts not. I would say, take a good vitamin and mineral supplement during all this to be your safety net.
I have had IBS for over 30 years, I am now into a two year flare up, I have had FIT tests and have a colonoscopy booked for the end of the month, I have been referred to gastroenterologist as a stool test show up very hight protein levels. I have been suffering with IBS D mainly this time. I have found the only way I can get any sort of control over it is to eat only free from toast with very little spread for breakfast and lunch and just plain mashed potato for evening meal. I also can’t tolerate tap water, I have to have bottled spring water, luckily for me I can tolerate the cheap one from Sainsbury, where I live in Essex the water has a hight content of chloride and fluoride that is added to kill any germs, I have been off of tap water for about 10 years now, my dietitian said it’s common with people with IBS not to be able to tolerate tap water.
Hi boxroadI'm really sorry to here that you have suffered with ibs for that long. When you say 2 year flare up, does that mean everyday constantly for 2 years? As for the food side of things, if I'm honest I havnt really tried to eliminate much, only recently I've started to try doing it. My symptoms just seem to be abdominal cramps, tender lower abdomen, alot of stomachs gurgling and gas and the feeling of diarrhea but not actually having it, changed bowel habits and lose stools. I hope everything goes well with ur colonoscopy at the end of the month and I hope ur can get some answers for ur horrible ordeal.
not every day but nearly every other day to be honest, the lockdown suited me well with IBS symptoms I must say. In the first lockdown tho I had heart issues and ended up at the Essex coronary centre for a coronary angiogram, that was not fun while my IBS was playing up, six weeks ago I had to have an emergency op for a stuck in my tube kidney stone, the pain from that made me realise IBS pain is not to bad, I not have to self catheterise myself on a regular basis, I wonder how much IBS has played a part in my other health issues, my protein levels in a stool test were very high level of 450, so with a clear FIT test the GP suspect it could be crohn’s. But the colonoscopy should find out. I think mine all started after I had a crushing accident at work about a year before my IBS started, I has a ton of ply wood fall on me, it broke all my ribs punctured my lung dislocated my shoulder, I was black from just under my breast to my navel for three months, it looked like I had a car tire around me, I also became a diabetic not long after as well, maybe all related but I know one thing there are a lot of people a lot worse than I am, I am thankful to our wonderful NHS, when I was in Colchester hospital a few weeks back the care I received was just marvellous, the nurses doctors everyone was brilliant, I could see how short staffed they are but they keep smiling, they get a big thumbs up from me that’s for sure.
I always think things could be worse otherwise it’s to easy to give in to the illness, after the stone op I had a catheter in for two weeks with a bag strapped to my leg and a stent going from my kidney to my bladder, on the day I had to have then taken out my IBS decided to be a bugger to be honest lol, but the staff at urology were brilliant they got me sorted as soon as possible and booked me in for the following week to learn about self catheterisation at home. I have found if you tell the nurses your having a bad day most will try to make things go easier for you, the only thing with that was I had a week to stew on having to insert a catheter into myself, but it’s fine to be honest, the after care from urology is very good as well, they are going to call me on Monday to check in with me, they have me booked in for a CT scan of my kidneys and urinary track just to make sure all is ok.
hi I have had IBS for about 30 years… strangely enough after my first covid jab I developed silent acid reflux , thyroiditis my vocal chords are now damaged from the silent acid reflux which I have never had before and after obviously didn’t know I had …
Hi. I've had IBS all my life and it never got better only worse especially after having children. It is constant for me. Never knew what it is to wear tight clothes otherwise people asking me if I am pregnant again. Doctors always fobbed me off and they never actually bothered sending me to see a specialist or doing tests. The only thing they tell me is to eat more fibres. Well, we all know the answer to that. For the silent reflux, try the medic they give you and see if that works. Wish you all the best.
Hi, I have had IBS for getting on for 40 years now, everyday since my son was born 30 years ago! What I have found is that if you are constipated that can give you indigestion problems. When my IBS first started it always kept coming, as soon as I went to the toilet there would just be something else waiting to come out. But over the years it has changed and it is not as runny but still keeps coming, but with that comes indigestion type symptoms! I guess if you don't get everything out and you have stuff stuck inside you it give you symptoms up the top.
Thank you very much everyone for all ur replys, I really appreciate it. It's crazy how many people are actually suffering and living with this condition for many years. It's sad to hear that this is going on for everybody but it's nice to know that I'm not alone with it also. I suppose ive just got to wait and see what comes from this endoscope at the end of this month and then at least ive had every test possible. My health anxiety wont let me except that its just ibs and i feel im constantly living under this dark cloud of uncertainty. I wish everyone the very best and better health. Thank you.
Hi flyonawall Yes that is correct, I've only just recently started trying to eliminate things. As from yesterday I've started to use almond milk and I'm going to start cutting out gluten aswel. Can I ask do you suffer or have suffered from chest pain with ibs?
No,but have had arrhythmia, and although wasn't feeling particularly stressed ,it was stress related expressing itself.Stress that is essentially caused by things you cannot alter or fix has to be managed by your approach to it.
What I glean from your posts is that you're not very satisfied in your work,that you're significantly overweight and have developed fatty liver,that you're often depressed,you have gastrointestinal issues and likely IBS.
You're a young man,you've ended up in a rather deep hole.
Any one of those issues is going to stress you.All together a bit overwhelming,that stress could be causing your chest pains.
Seems difficult to find a good GP in uk?
If your GI tests are clear and any heart related tests are also clear
I feel you are both motivated and smart enough to adopt a new regime of self care.
You can't change everything at once.
Fodmap is actually very easy,just not familiar.
Some relaxation techniques would help you.
Some quiet reflection may also help identify sources of anxiety and depression.
Depression is most often reactive(past or present circumstances and loss)
Hi flyonawall,Yes I have been under a lot of stress for a very long time with the health anxiety, its been like a dark cloud over me. My mind just won't accept that I have ibs with the symptoms I'm getting. I know a few of these symptoms are to do with anxiety I.e neck tension, trembling and headaches but the internal issues I cant seem to pass them off easily.
I have had most tests done I.e ultrasound ( liver, gallbladder, bowel) colonoscopy, multiple blood tests, ct scan 12 months ago, stool sample, ecg, mobile ecg for a day, chest xray and a scope down to the voice box ( not sure what they call it) which silent reflux was diagnosed. Every test has come back clear apart from the reflux.
I weigh 13 stone and I normally go to the gym 5 days a week, so I'm not in to bad shape and before all this anxiety and health issue I'm normally fit and healthy.
I completely agree with you that I need to have a real look at this fodmap diet and try eliminating foods that I find that trigger these symptoms.
I have been depressed and anxious for a good while so maybe that is taking a toll on my body.
Thank you for ur reply and imput, it is very much appreciated 🙂
Well that paints a very different picture and you clearly actively care about your health.Anxiety, which you could call fear generated by the mind,creates the stress response,flight or fight...and that can create HAVOC
I understand your reluctance
to accept what may not be a correct diagnosis.
Think of trying the fodmap thing as another test albeit a lengthy one.If you do it carefully and thoroughly you should feel a difference within 2-3 weeks or less.
Did your symptoms suddenly appear or just creep up on you.Did they come after any particular event of any type.
Yes I always seem to have this feeling of doom and always jump to the worse case scenario all of the time. Its like my brain can't rationalise any health problem.
I will definitely been giving this fodmap diet a try and see where it gets me. Hopefully I can get some good results from it.
My symptoms crept up on me around 2 years ago and from that point onwards I've had digestive issues and bowel troubles but this is the longest it has been present and also new symptoms that I havnt had before, thats what's sent my mind I to a spin.
Don't expect a "cure" with fodmap but look for moderation of symptoms.I initially lost 10 kg and I'm not even chubby,weight loss has stopped now.
Similarly my symptoms just kind of crept up on me.
Fodmap has made things more bearable but symptoms persist at around 60% reduction.
It's an incredibly frustrating(WTF) condition and the causes are not fully understood.
I haven't taken probiotics for some years but am going to add some again and see how that goes.
Many people on here report Alflorex helps them.
You can probably get Blis products in UK too.
"Our" diets have become so based upon wheat,diary and sugar that simply removing those things becomes overwhelming. Then there's a few other things to avoid too.
Once you become familiar with it,it just becomes the new normal. It's also easier if your partner eats the same main meal or thereabouts.
I would just like to get it under control and relive some of these symptoms I'm experiencing.
60% reduction you say! That's awesome! If I can achieve that I would be very happy.
I have had a look in to alflorex and it's seems like a good supplement, so I will be buying some of that definitely.
Yes it definitely is a WTF condition, you couldn't have explained it any better! I'm struggling to believe that it is ibs, that's half my battle in my mind.
I do have trouble with sticking to certain foods but I am determined to nail this fodmap diet and hopefully have some success with it.
As you will have seen on this site there's a wide range of suffering,and quite extreme.What works for one doesn't work for another. The aim of fodmap is to get to a quiet place in your guts and then try introducing single ingredients. Watch the quantities. A generic fodmap list might for example say a thing is low fodmap , maybe 1/2 a cup is,but a whole cup isn't.
Over all just think simple,primitive and whole.
We generally have a baseline of symptoms but I wish more research was done on the cause,which is not known.
I believe it to be a microbiome issue...but how and why,why why?
I personally avoid medications for this as I think they blur the picture but accept that for some it is the only relief.
Hi,I also suffer with IBS for long periods of time.Have had severe bloating and distention everyday for the past 3 months.Currently off work due to this as it causes fatigue and generally feeling down about my tummy issues.GP has done a full MOT through blood test however nothing found.Have now been referred to a Gastroenterologist( 4 month waiting list) therefore now hoping to go down the private route.
Hi deerpark1966,Yes it's horrible dealing with it on a daily basis isn't, I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering also. I have the bloating and abdominal pain constantly, I have also had time off work in the past with it aswel. It's good to hear you're blood test came back OK, that's a good sign.
4 months seems a bit ridiculous to wait for a test dosnt it? I think you're doing the right thing by going private. I have an endoscopy scheduled at the end of this month, I have been waiting just over a month which isn't to bad. I hope you get to the bottom of you're problems soon and start to feel better.
Thank you for your reply.Yes it certainly is horrible. 4 months is a long time when it's chronic but its cos I have no red flag symptoms.Good luck with your planned endoscopy and I hope that your symptoms improve ASAP. Thank you for your kind words.
Can I ask what symptoms you have - been having? If you don't mind me asking? Also do you have these symptoms constantly everyday? Or do they come and go? My symptoms are constantly there everyday and night, I get abdominal cramps , loose stools, chest pain, lower back pain, bloating, sometimes excessive gas and bouts of upper abdominal pain. Funnily enough non of these symptoms disturb my sleep but the moment on waking they are back again for the day.
Of course....no problem! I have abdominal bloating and distention all day and wake in the morning with the same symptoms. This also makes me feel extremely fatigued. Can sleep during the day for a couple of hours and wake up feeling just as tired. Excessive gas is also a symptom. I also manage to sleep rather well with these symptoms.
Thank you for sharing, I appreciate it. Very similar to what I'm experiencing. Has you're doctor not prescribed you anything? Do you suffer from acid reflux by any chance?
I don't suffer with reflux actually. Have been prescribed Omepersol and Amatriplin in the past however no improvement. I have also had a colonoscopy after which I was diagnosed IBS. Have had tummy for years however things have certainly worsen over the past 6 months or so in regards to the frequency of the bloating and fatigue.
Thats good that you don't have reflux. This ibs is a very strange condition isn't it. I just can't seem to accept that it's ibs with the wide range of symptoms and how persistent it is. How long ago did you have you're colonoscopy? Mine was 6 months ago. I've had the same as you with the bloating constantly, its a nightmare isn't it!
Hi Macca yes that's my thoughts too. I would accept it's IBS it I had flare ups but this is chronic bloating and distention.It affects my quality of life in so many ways.I had my colonoscopy 6 years ago. Have you tried ommiting any foods out of you diet? I'm at the end of my tether tbh.
I agree with everything you're saying, my sympathy is with you. I nearly lost the plot this morning because its effecting me in every single way other than when I'm asleep. I'm going to start the fodmap diet. I've already removed dairy from my diet, still early days to notice any improvement yet though. How does your diet look? Have you tried to eliminate much foods?Thanks for ur reply 🙂
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