Being diagnosed with IBS 🙁

[Patchesnendusty1984]

Hi all I’m Danny 41 I’ve been suffering for about 4 months with dull gut ache which can get painful aswell and had doctors and was given bloods and stool sample tests and came back normal and have now been told I have what they say is IBS . I was taking Buscopan but after 3-4 weeks they stopped working , I did have 2 week stint were they stopped but they returned and I’ve now been prescribed Audmonal forte which I’ve taken one this morning after more dull aches first thing . I have had to this week start looking at what’s causing it i.e chocolate or something I’m eating more in the week I think during work as I seem to be ok ish at weekends other than this morning but I had veg pizza,chips,with ketchup for tea I’m wondering if it was that maybe the pastry or sauce , chips I don’t know . I’m finding it stressful with the daunting task of finding what it is and how to find it , so far my plan is to cancel chocolate for a week then another etc etc ….. There’s so many myths out there I’m confused as to what to believe and what not to aswell . 🙁 Anyways the 3 stool samples I took one didn’t get done due to paperwork so I have to do that this weekend (not nice especially handing it in to surgery! For a proud man that’s scary enough) anyways that’s to do with the bowel and I’m hoping it’ll show something so I can have a camera to see why as I think living with this is going to be challenging and awful . I don’t suffer diarrhoea or constipation just the dull aches with sharp occasional pains …… The diet of fish and stuff aswell I’m going to struggle with as I don’t like fish ….. Be great f I can talk with someone who’s going or gone through the same thing as I’m tired of searching google for hours with 100 different answers .

thanks guys 🙁

[stacem1987]

Hi and welcome,

I've had ibs for over 20 years and had many medications over the years. My ibs got significantly worse after my 1st successful pregnancy in 2015. It including bleeding and significant weight loss. I've seen gastroenterologists, pain management specialists, hypnotherapists, dieticians and nutritionalists over numerous years.

All I can say in my experience my triggers tend to be excessive fried food, spicy food, stress and extreme anxiety, too much diary and too much fibre. I'm ibs - m so have mixed symptoms. Your first step is working out your ibs, are you ibs m, c or d?

The next thing to do is keep a food and drink diary along with stool diary so you can find your triggers. After almost 23 years I still keep one! This should just be a standard notebook to write as much or as little as you need to each day. Include your mood and feelings too if you feel you need to. This will also help professionals you may see down the line.

Also I completely understand how hard it can be when you fall into that dark hole of pain...I've spent many, many years there and it's not a nice place. It's a very hard place to leave too, but in time once your symptoms are more under control and you feel more like yourself you will. You will still have good and bad days, weeks, months and years.

Dr Google is a very dangerous game and not one I would advise! Forums like this are much more helpful with people who have gone through and are going through what you are. There is always someone here to help in one way or another.

I know it's so hard to keep going but you can and you will and remember where we are!!

Stacey x

[Patchesnendusty1984 in reply to stacem1987]

Hi Stacey thank you for your kind words , I’ve not actually been given m,c,d yet just all tests I’ve had have come back ok and I’ve one more to do and they said it’s looking like it’s what I have . Yeah my wife is amazing and helping me a lot as I’m useless your typical bloke who’ll not do much to help myself but we’re working together to see what it is that’s causing it worse than others , mild I can deal with but not the big dull aches especially driving a wagon all day makes it worse . But I’ll definitely stay on here away from Google and talk more might help loads .

Thanks for the time to reply means a lot and I hope your doing good . Have a good weekend what’s left .

Dan

[Sunny222]

Hi there,

First, very sorry that you are in this situation. It can be very distressing.

I am no expert and, like you, I am just beginning to tackle this complaint, which affects me with sometimes acute and dull pain you mention. Having been down the GP and tests route, I am waiting for a referral to a dietitian. Given the stretched NHS, I am not relying on that to help in the short term.

As a helpful guide from professionals, a fellow-sufferer friend pointed me to PatientWebinars from the NHS. Type in that word into a search engine with "IBS". They are videos done by specialist dietitians and are measured, understanding and explain how exclusion diets work. This may be a good start to tracing what your trigger/s may be.

Also, perhaps worth listening to any BBC programmes. Type "bowel" into the BBC Sounds app and have a listen to the entry for Life Hacks.

Once I started to mention my problem to acquaintances (mainly because I am having to cancel activities through discomfort), several told me they had had similar problems. Some had been helped by dietitians, others by hypnotherapy and some by managing stress.

Speaking only for myself, the trigger appears to have been emotional, dealing with a person I find stressful. So in the long term, as well as trying medicines, I believe, I am going to have to find a way of managing my stress.

Perhaps the worst part of IBS is having to cancel things. This makes me feel I am letting people down and brings a sense of worthlessness and isolation. For me, this is the scariest bit and why I feel I have to try and find my way through the maze of advice to find the thing that works for me.

Just my thoughts but I wish you lots of luck.

[daisyw]

Hi there

Trial and error was the way I went and found it was chocolate that caused my problems, but it also helped if I didn't eat my evening meal too late and definitely no supper. Good luck