I have wrote on her before some of you might know my background however if you don’t I’m really hoping someone will understand or try to help,
I am 25 now and at the age of 15/16 I was really unwell and had stomach pains and sickness everyday, I was sent for numerous tests which were all ok and I was diagnosed with ibs and chronic stress.
I have dealt with this for 10 years now, ibs symptoms coming and going for a few days and I’ve just dealt with it by taking buscopan.
however in November last year I became really unwell again, I had really bad sickness, I was so bloated, constant bowel problems, lost weight from not eating. - I have had stool samples, blood tests, been given different medicines including mebeverine / anti sickness, acid tablets. I’ve got myself some peppermint tea and cbd oil, I’ve been prescribed diazepam and propanaol due to my extreme depression from it. I got referred to gastro as I requested a colonoscopy but that was denied due to my bloods and stools being ok, I have been referred to a nutritionist which I have a phone call next week for but I am just completely at a loose end, I have not gone 1 day since November without bloating, stomach pain, nausea, bowel issues and extreme sulphur farts, I’ve tried changing my diet and eating gut friendly things to try improve but I’ve just never ever suffered like this before in my life and it’s getting to the point I no longer want to be here if I have to live like this everyday.
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Ashleighjad2
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Sibo is small intestine bacterial overgrowth. The 3 types are methane, hydrogen and sulphide. Some ppl that are given an ibs diagnosis really have an overgrowth and need to treat it.
Another test you can ask for is h plyori if that hasnt been ruled out.
Hi, functional problems with our gut can lead to (severe) neuropsychiatric symptoms, amongst others. I know that by experience unfortunately. When our gut isn't working as it should our whole body suffers. Have you had a gut transit study yet?
I don’t think so, I’ve had on and off problems with my gut for years and always put it down to ibs but the last 3 months is different like I’ve not gone 1 single day without pain or bloating
I think, if you haven't seen a gastroenterologist yet, you definitely should ask your GP to be referred to one, based on all the gut related symptoms you mention.
Maybe he/she could refer you to an other gastroenterologist, just aks your GP. If there's a (functional) problem with your gut this needs to be examined. Do you have an official diagnosis of IBS or is it a working diagnosis?
Hi Ashleighjad I hear you and I'm so sorry your suffering. I can relate to your daily issues totally, even the sulphur facts. Imaaan has suggested getting tested for SIBO, it may be an issue for you so worth exploring. I went through the FODMAP programme with the dieticians, it's a great help and I still stick to it but I do have to be very strict otherwise an awful issue becomes dreadful. I've been recommended Duloxetine but am totally undecided because of side effects. At the moment I'm taking Holland & Barrett Peppermint Oil Capsules and they do actually help with the bloating, pain and the sulphur farts. I don't take them every day but they are totally safe to do so it may be something you might like to consider or ask your GP about as they can prescribe peppermint oil on prescription but I think it may be cheaper to buy.
Wishing you better days ahead, don't let it beat you
I have an appointment with the dietitians next week so I’m clinging onto some hope from them but it’s so upsetting, I haven’t thought about any peppermint capsules or anything but I can look into it for sure I just want to live a normal life you know?
Good luck with your dietician appointment next week, I'm sure they'll be able to give you some helpful advice. Do look into the peppermint capsules, they do work but don't cure.
Hi Ashleigh. I'm so sorry you're feeling so bad. As someone who's suffered from both IBS and depression, I can assure you that it will get better. Hang in there!
I was a little confused about your "antidepressants." You mention diazepam and propanolol. Both of these are for anxiety. Are you taking a true antidepressant (Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil ...)? They can help quite a bit. As can talk therapy.
I'm glad you reached out here. Be sure to update us on how're getting along.
consider the GAPS protocol. Put yourself on that immediately. There are many resources from people who healed themselves on it and now provide guidance via there websites or on YouTube… including myself Follow it strictly and be patient with yourself as your body heals and rids itself of the source of your illness. This video is a good start: youtu.be/v39FzFplEIM
Hi.....have you cut gluten out of your diet? I was exactly the same when eating gluten. No doctor told me too, it was an intolerance test I had done off my own back, came back intolerance to gluten & some other stuff. Ever since I've given it up, my stomach has healed.
There is a lot of emphasis on diet for IBS and I’ve only found it makes a moderate difference with a few exceptions. Reducing caffeine definitely helps, especially in the mornings. But IBS is more a mental condition. It’s your fight or flight instincts playing overdrive when they shouldn’t be.
Look up vagus nerve stimulation. It overrides your usually uncontrollable fight or flight reactions. Also cold showers. They take getting used to, start with just 30 seconds at the end of your shower. Your body goes into a short panic but control your breathing and stay with it until you breathe deeply again. This is forcing your body to override the fight or flight instinct which causes your gut to panic when we have an IBS attack.
Look up Wim Hof for further information. It all sounds very hippy and new age I know but I come from a science background and this is scientifically documented and works for me.
Absolutely. It's easier to focus on diet when in many cases it's the brain that needs to adapt.Talking therapies help many people and can be more effective than drugs.
I hear you (Ashleigh) are on a cocktail of antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication which may be helpful, but I do wonder if a comprehensive review of this mixture may show it's responsible for some of your gut issues.
I say this because, although Sertraline has helped me enormously, in the early stages of taking it I had dreadful gut pain and flatulence.
hi, you didn’t mention how much exercise you do. It’s important, even if you are feeling poorly, to try and exercise, even a 20 minute walk may help ease your anxiety and I understand may help with your IBS issues too. It does sound like all your issues may be linked. Stress caused by anxiety could be exasperating your IBS, and that in itself could be triggering your anxiety. This is a circle that’s needs breaking. Relaxing, walking can help here. Also drinking a regular glass of water because this will help if you do have a gastrointestinal issue (such as inflammation of your stomach lining). As a 25 year old, you have had numerous tests which have showed up negative - that’s a good thing (yes, I know frustrating at the same time). Do keep seeing your GP; I am surprised that you have not have not had a colonoscopy - have you had an endoscopy (a tube that looks at your stomach)? Both can unveil problems that cannot be diagnosed through the taking of bloods or stool tests. As for diets, try eating simple foods such as chicken or scrambled eggs for a week or so. Eaten slowly (ie, not gulping in air at the same time) that might help with the discomfort, the bloating and the wind. Good luck with everything.
hey there, there is a lot of useful information that comes at the problem from all angles. I think with IBS a lot of us come from different directions, some of us are more maladapted to stress than others, some people have IBS after and acute infection but for some people they don’t know when it started just that there life hasn’t been simple for a long time. This is why it is better to do different treatments systematically whilst waiting for your appointments.
I recommend a thiamine supplement and yeast flakes as these help with anxiety and also slippery elm tablets also, as these are ways to correct a vitamin imbalance and sooth the gut lining respectively and they do not have limit as to how long you should take them.
A few people had mentioned sibo and there is a protocol with different herbal microbial depending on your type of IBS and the symptoms. Message me if you want some more info as it is long to discuss. Xx
Good morning, so sorry to hear of your horrendous issues, especially with the sickness. I’ve suffered similar problems for 12 years after I had my gall bladder out. Like you, diagnosed with IBS and stress anxiety. I was put on Amitriptyline, 10mgs (one tablet) which I took at 7.30pm. If I was going through a particularly stressful time, I took another tablet. These tablets were a life saver for me.
Also, I found it beneficial to go privately to see a gastro consultant, £180 for first consultation then £85 if more visits required. Any tests required, I asked for them to be carried out on NHS as I would be unable to afford them. This avoided having to wait a long time to see a consultant (seen within a week) and able to have plenty of time to discuss my problems. Hope this helps.
It took me 12 years to control my problems as I had other issues but I’m glad to say I’m finally there so don’t give up - keep researching online to find other people that might have similar problems to your own. Take care.
I feel for you as I have been going through almost the same symptoms. I'm 75 and have had this for almost 25 years. I have IBS, can't take hardly any meds for my back pain as I get stomach ulcers, bloating, etc. I also had been diagnosed with SIBO. My doctor did a breath test a few weeks ago and it came back with high methane spikes. The medicine was $1000 for 2 weeks. And then went on their website and said if it didn't work try it again. They have a program where you can get it for almost nothing but since I'm on Medicare I'm not eligible. The doctor thinks the nerves in my stomach are over sensitive and might be causing the problems. I feel better if I don't eat during the day, which I know is not good, but I do eat a healthy dinner. It is so hard and I know about the bouts of feeling sick for days and then somehow it magically goes away for a few days. Just know you're not alone and that doesn't probably doesn't help but you have to be your own advocate for health care.
I am guessing that you have a form of IBS - pain in stomach after eating...ok so try this - go on a soup - fruit diet - ok veggie soup - make yourself - do not eat refined food soup - as they put salt and potatoes etc in that - cut out fried food- cut out salt sugar - cut out white bread - cut out wheat- cut out meat for now - you could try a little fish when you get better - look up low fodmap diet you want a low FOD Map food diet and avoid high FOD Map foods- look this up ok --you may have pain with gas - therefore get some anti gas/wind pills Wind-eze tablets - anything like these will do -don't worry about farting all over the house - you want to get Fibre into your diet - so try and get Fibre pills ok - take one a day - you don't want to get constipated at all - its painful - so get some Fibre pills amazon will sell these- or a chemist / drug store will have something similar ok --- and try and cut out tea coffee beer wine smoking ---you can have ginger tea - herbal tea - warm water-freezing water will shock your stomach ,it will not like that ok -- when you get a painful phase...get a hot water bottle- put it on your tummy . do not stretch out flat - sit down on the bed but bring your knees UP,do not lie flat in the day time ok ,knees up is better as it gives your tummy muscles a chance to relax🙂 also when you are in a painful phase ,try massaging your tummy softly,and do this at the same as you breathe in and out - watch your breath as you massage your tummy in rotating movements 0k -try also massaging your area below your tummy button -in circles - slowly - not just for a few seconds...do for a long time if you can possibly do that -you may fall asleep doing this - which is not a bad thing - Anyway if you have smoothies .make sure there is nothing too acidic in there - bananas are really good - and maple syrup can replace sugar ....anyway i hope you are not too bad at the moment - and try and give this kind of low fod map diet a go - all the best chris
Hi Ash, a bit late but I would say definitely get Sibo tested, I've had ibs for 24 years and in the last 17 months it changed to constant bloating and gas and dominate constipation went to my doctor oh suprise ibs which i already knew he didn't help at all, I have just seen a naturopath after putting up with it for so long I started to get really fatigued, she did a blood sample in her office looked at the red cells turns out I have a very unhealthy liver so put me on a herbal concoction for the liver and mix of magnesium for stress anxiety, a very strict diet, you might like to try a naturopath I'm glad I ditched the doctor I wasn't prepared to do the run around doctor to doctor, hope you get well soon 🙏💜
I am convinced my issues may relate to the Liver as a lot of the pain I get is in the upper right quadrant, which can often feel swollen. Can I ask what concoction your were put on for the liver and if you think it helped?
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Follow it strictly and be patient with yourself as your body heals and rids itself of the source of your illness. This video is a good start: 
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My IBS lasting over a couple of weeks. Worried.
Why has my Gastroenterologist diagnosed me with IBS when my Calprotectin level is 1700?
At my wits end with ibs.. 
