ibs flare up after COVID?

[moni85]

has anyone else experienced Ibs flare up after having covid?

[Luisa22]

I got what I believe was the Wuhan version of Covid early April 2020. I'd had a few very brief IBS like symptoms well before that, and then a bout of what I am sure was IBS at the time, about a month before I caught Covid. Weirdly, during Covid and for about 6 weeks or more after recovery I had no IBS symptoms at all.

However, about June 2020 IBS really set in and was at its worst during that summer.That's when the doctor diagnosed me with it.

It has been up and down ever since. But I am lucky to get periods without any symptoms when I feel quite normal and good, then periods with very mild symptoms. Flare ups happen but they're not as common as they were. I am able to extend my diet carefully now.

So looking back I have improved from 2020. Though I am sure it probably won't ever completely go away.

I really don't know if Covid had anything to do with it...made it worse? Or it was just coincidence.

I have not been vaccinated.

[Nuttycatlady]

My IBS certainly got worse after Covid back in 2021, and has remained less predictable since then. Have you seen a dietician about the FODMAP exclusion diet? It has been helpful to me, though I don't know if dieticians' appointments are difficult to get nowadays. I hope you are able to get some help.

[xjrs]

Not personally, but this might provide some explanation:

bmjopengastro.bmj.com/conte...

[Rafterman]

I've had IBS for 25 years and it got significantly worse after a bout of gastroenteritis around 7 years ago. Since then, I did FODMAP to identify lactose and oligosaccharides/fructans as triggers. Things were manageable but flared up last year after I had COVID in March. Last summer was bad and I'm currently about 6 weeks into a flare-up. So yes, I think COVID has had an impact.

[Sassie221]

I had a flare up DURING having Covid. It was more painful than the usual flare-up's. Since Covid has left my body, no more flare-up's have felt as bad as that one. Mind you, Covid chooses which parts of the body to pick on. I only had it for six days, but it felt like forever. I kept almost laughing when helpers ask me if I wanted my lunch or any other meal. I hardly had any appetite. It wasn't much use having a meal. Sometimes, a lot of food in a day, can make it feel worse.

[Gardenlover2020]

Hi ,

Yes , I’ve just had Covid for the first time & found it has made my IBS C worse , it may be a coincidence but it does seem to be the case . I’ve just tested negative a couple of days ago but I’ve got a very painful , crampy , gurgly tummy afterwards