Hi everyone
I am new on the forum, I am not diagnosed with IBS but have food In tolerances which are long standing. I have developed insomnia and wake at least once a night, usually at the same, timeto have a bowel movement. Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone with IBS at all. Thank you
I have various digestive issues including IBS , there have been times when I have had night time waking to move the bowel which was unusual as I usually have constipation.IBS is a syndrome , so it is a chronic health problem which is diagnosed because the patient displays a specific set pattern if symptoms which are common together but other common illnesses or reasons have been ruled out.
Therefore , many people have IBS , with , or without, diarrhea, constipation or a bit of both because they have other health issues that effect how well the stomach , intestine or bowel works. Food intolerances can commonly be a cause of IBS , so can Stress , impact of infection , surgery and other illnesses , and not just those of the stomach but also illnesses of joints , connective tissue , hormones and the nervous system.
Therefore , people may need a bit more info to answer and help you , and when you think over the last few months you may find your own answer to why this began to happen.
Have you changed anything in your diet?
Have you changed the time if day you eat ?
Had you been busy or been up at night quite often which might have effected your body clock?
Have you had extra stress , and by this I mean , have you been doing more activity , physical or mental , fun or sad , that was just a bit too much for your brain and body to cope with at its current level if health?
Had you had some sort of infection or short term illness?
Are you having any other nerve activity changes like pain , headaches , fatigue , insomnia , brain fog?
Have you tried any new medication or supplements lately?
Have you been less physically active ?
All of these things can cause night time changes in bowel or bladder activity and changes in sleep patterns and IBS.
Hope that helps , if you reply with some answers people should be able to help with some tips that suit your problem.
Aw thank you so much for your reply. I wasn't sure how much to say but will have a go at answering some of the questions posed. Trouble started after a Covid jab but not sure if that was coincidence but I suffered from shortness of breath and extreme tiredness. Just one month before I was diagnosed with acute glaucoma and tablets given made me nauseous and I was unable to eat well. The tablets also caused a potassium deficiency and I also found out that I was very low on vit d. I suffered with insomnia too and still do although it improved briefly at one point. Stress is always there as I am a carer for a clinically vulnerable person and as such even though people think Covid has gone we are advised to always wear a mask when out in public places and shops. Even though vaccinated partner is immunocompromised and always will be and has very little protection from any viruses. I'm sure all this affects my stress levels. I do qigong and mindful meditations for digestive system. I do get tired around teatime and sometimes have a nap which is probably not helpful for sleep patterns etc. I do walk a lot and do other exercise. I wake lots in the night and BM is always around the same time. It doesn't seem to look abnormal just more of inconvenience as I can't get back to sleep.Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Do you have bowel movements in the day as well or just one at night?Do you have other IBS symptoms?
I know it's annoying when you are prone to insomnia if you have to get up to go it can take hours to switch off again and then a vicious circle happens .... But obviously you can't just not go!
An answer on the number of times in a day will help me pinpoint some tips , if you don't mind
On average I need to go 2 to 3 times per day including the nightime
It could be a lot of things. In order to determine the nature of your particular problem, it is important to get advice from a medical professional. That said, I do empathise with your situation, as these things are worrying.
Thank you for your reply. If you are referring to a Dr, I have already spoken with one and had stool tests. All clear. Thanks again.
Sometimes I wake up early, like around 4:30 or 5:00 am, from a noise or because I need to pee. If I can’t get back to sleep right away and I start worrying about this or that, I’ll need to have a bowel movement. But the actual need to poo doesn’t wake me up. My damn brain!
Where's the reset button? Such a complex system to navigate! Apparently belly breathing is supposed to calm our nervous system and help our brain to feel safe which in theory helps us to switch off the worrying thoughts and drift off again. Hmm. So good to know that we are not the only one with a problem though 😊
We’re a crappy bunch, for sure. 😂
How many bowel movements? 
Colour of bowel movements
Incomplete bowel movements
What are "normal" bowel movements?
IBS with 7x bowel movements a day. 
