Tummy pains

[Tummyprobs]

my 17 year old daughter is having terrible tummy pains after eating and has to go to the loo almost 5 mins after food. She’s tired all the time the cramps can last for a few hours. We’ve kept a food diary and it doesn’t seem to be linked to allergy ? Blood tests and samples all been checked and came back negative ? We’ve been referred to gastroenterologist (not seen yet) . Does this sound like ibs ? It’s having a very negative affect on her, not going out due to worry and feeling very low 😞

[winfong]

It could be. But, then again, it could be almost anything as well. It's good that you've had some tests and are going to see a gastro. There are probably some more tests to be done as well, as IBS is usually diagnosed by process of elimination. Let us know how things go.

[Flyonawall]

After every meal?

[Tummyprobs in reply to Flyonawall]

it seems to be almost all ?

[Maureen1958]

You may want to look into BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption) in case it fits your daughter's symptoms. See link below.

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

Maureen

[Luisa22]

You are both going to have to wait until tests are done before IBS can be diagnosed. To make sure it's not something else There is the "Rome Criteria" to help diagnose IBS, but so many other things have symptoms in common, so no one is really 100% sure until tests come back negative.

Reactions to certain foods (for instance, high Fodmap foods) doesn't most of the time have anything to do with allergy. An allergy will cause an anaphylactic reaction which is dramatic and serious. It also might not have much to do with a general "food intolerance". It's just that some carbohydrates etc, in high Fodmap foods can make symptoms worse in IBS because they are harder to digest. Someone could have eaten those foods all their life and been fine and healthy, but when IBS develops, they can just make things feel worse.

A low Fodmap diet is definitely worth trying though. Can you talk to the doc. about that? They might give you a decent leaflet about it, or at best a referral to a dietician? I was given a little booklet by my doctor which definitely helped me. But no dietician unfortunately, so had to work at it myself.

Low Fodmap can definitely help symptoms with lots of people. It can even help if the cause turns out not to be IBS, but IBD.

It is par for the course unfortunately to feel low sometimes with IBS. I get that. If my gut is steady and OK, I feel generally okay, not anxious, strong and well. But when my gut starts a merry dance, I can feel depressed, anxious, lack sleep, etc.

Setotonin can be a culprit. Serotonin in the wrong place at the wrong time. Too much in the gut can cause tummy upset. Not enough in the brain can cause very low feelings. That can be very up and down, in the brain -gut connection.

You need a diagnosis, then hopefully (?) some support from your specialist and doctor too.