I got diagnosed with IBS last year. It started with pretty mild symptoms. I’ve been quite unwell recently with pneumonia and have been on antibiotics for a while. It’s really unsettled me and I am having the most horrific symptoms since!
I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I can’t go out in public without fear of embarrassing symptoms- it’s giving me really bad anxiety and stress which doesn’t help symptoms either! I feel stuck in a vicious cycle and I’m really struggling with what to do to help!
Any advice or tips are welcome.
Thank you and my biggest sympathies with all the other IBS sufferers out there! ❤️
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IBSgirl90
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Hi, antibiotics are notorious for triggering IBS symptoms - I can recommend, if you can, eat a live yogurt every day or try a probiotic like Alforex. When I get a bad flare up the Brat diet can help (bananas, plain rice, cooked apple, dry toast etc, lots of information online) this might sound a bit odd but does work. I was on this diet after being in hospital with Sepsis for a month and on very high doses of antibiotics and it calmed everything down. I can also recommend trying hypnotherapy, it really does help with the stress, there are some good apps available or speak to a hypnotherapist. Also, planning ahead can help before going out - when my IBS is bad I check for availability of toilets and carry spare underwear and wet wipes etc for emergencies. Hope you feel better soon.
hi, thanks for responding, I have never heard of the brat diet before! But I will definitely be giving that a go! I think I will have to pack a bag for a while when I start going out again- it feels so degrading. Thanks so much for your advice, I really appreciate it!
I found the low fodmap monash app really helped me understand and aleviate many symptoms. I try to take plain kefir each day to boost gut flora. Good luck with whatever you decide to do to help your digestive system.
Hi IBSgirl90, I understand how you feel.Antibiotics do aggravate the stomach and cause more problems with people with IBS.
My advice is speak to your GP in regards to medication for the IBS, There is a tablet called Meberivin that helps with the cramps in the stomach, I also take a Peppermint oil capsule that also helps as well.
It may also be advisable to do a food map that actually rules out the foods that irritate you more than other foods.
As for the symptoms of the IBS if you feel you need to go to the toilet quickly D there's a tablet called Lopermide that slows it down.
If you go the other way C then take Laxido which you can buy over the counter or from the GP on prescription.
It just depends on how the IBS symptoms effects you.
This has been really helpful, thank you! I will definitely mention this to my GP, I have only been taking buscopan for the cramps but it really hasn’t been all that helpful recently! Thanks so much for your helpful advice, I appreciate it!
when I have a flareup I take Imodium. I had a bad flareup for about three months. I eat a yogurt every morning and watch my diet for triggers. Stress is a big trigger for me. Antibiotics will also cause me to have problems. Also, keep an eye out on what you eat some things will cause you to have worse IBS symptoms. I hope this helps you.
I haven’t tried Imodium, have only taken buscopan but hasn’t been helping lately! I will look into yoghurt too. I think stress makes my flare ups worse too, it just seems to be a vicious cycle!
hi. Antibiotics unfortunately have devastating effects for the gut. Just wanted to ask if the doctor treating your pneumonia knew you have IBS. Most doctors today don’t prescribe antibiotics without a round of probiotics any more. My IBS was triggered due to antibiotics and stress. And also bad eating habits. You didn’t mention do you have diarrhoea, constipation or are mixed. IBS is largely an elimination diagnosis. Meaning all other sinister reasons need to be eliminated before an IBS diagnosis is given. I hope your doctor has covered everything We as patients of IBS are always made to feel we are not being reasonable as alot of doctors don’t take IBS seriously.
In my experience IBS is treated differently for everyone and over time you will learn how to manage it with trail and error.
I started reading a lot about IBS after my diagnosis that helped me . if you can get professional help for trying the FODMAP diet that will definitely help and of course reduce stress better food habits etc
I completely agree with you saying that doctors don’t take it seriously. My GP told me I had IBS and then asked me to look it up online and try the FODMAP diet. That was it. Nothing about what it is/ how I can manage symptoms. Luckily I had looked a lot up online anyway but I feel as though I was left in the dark to struggle through!
I had already started probiotics when I was prescribed the antibiotics. I have always struggled with side effects so always take them alongside now- but no, the doctor didn’t mention anything about it.
I think, like you said, I need to look into seeing a professional that knows about IBS and have a look at the FODMAP diet!
Are you seeing a gastroenterologist. They can be helpful. Also, as mentioned before, check the Monash University FODMAP diet. It is pretty much the universal recommendation for IBS. Again, as mentioned before, always carry a bag with you. It should contain a fresh pair of slacks, underpants, facecloth for cleaning up, plastic bag for soiled items and anything that you think would be helpful in cleaning up after an accident. This can give you some peace of mind and enable you to go out.
Hey, there is an app you can try called mySymptoms (play.google.com/store/apps/... android. It allows you to log everything that is going on and then works out potential triggers with the data entered as well as times as to how quickly this may happen. I've been using it for a little while now on conjunction with the Monash FODMAP app. It's been useful for finding out about foods that could be triggers. In my cash pasta, I had no idea that was high in fructans.
The FODMAP exclusion diet has approx a 70% success rate and can be accessed through the NHS, assuming you are UK based.
Yoga is also being investigated as a complimentary therapy that has similar results to the FODMAP.
The NHS recommend taking a probiotic from a company called Optibac and the Everyday Max capsules. They have the most amount of heavily researched strains of good bacteria to add back in to the system. Essential after dropping metaphorical nuclear bombs in to the guts in the form of antibiotics. So pre and pro biotics are really useful after antibiotics.
Peppermint capsules are supposed to relive symptoms if you are prone to cramps etc. I've personally found eating much smaller meals a massive help.
Exercise is also really important. It helps with gut motility and so 30 mins a day is ideal for helping with that.
Ultimately accepting that this is a condition and being open and honest is the best thing I have found. Keeping up a front and pretending everything is okay helps noone.
Also a final point, for females this situation can be exacerbated during the menstrual cycle as there are huge increases in chemicals that naturally can cause upset stomach/bowels.
As others have said ultimately do what you need to in order to manage the situation. If that means taking clothes round with you (I do) and you don't miss out on life then so be it! Managing with tablets/clothes is much better than being confined to the same four walls.
Really hope some of these points help you feel even just a little bit more relaxed. It's tough but as you can see, you're not alone and there are an awful lot of people that suffer with IBS, although the subject remains rather taboo.
That app is a great idea, thank you! I have just downloaded it. I will also look into the Monash app as a lot of people have mentioned it. That’s very interesting about pasta, I had no idea! I eat a lot of pasta so that might be something for me to consider also!
I am from the UK, and I have heard of optibac- that’s the brand I was taking alongside the antibiotics I was on. Think I need to look into something long term though!
Thanks for the tip of peppermint capsules- I will look out for those!
I was doing exercise before I became unwell, but my recovery has been quite slow and so I can’t manage much at the moment, but it’s good to know that it helps for when I’m back to good health!
I really appreciate all of your tips and advice to help me. It’s really good to know I’m not alone. Obviously I knew when I was diagnosed that I wasn’t the only one- but you’re right, IBS does still seem to be very much a taboo subject and it does feel isolating. This forum has made me feel so much better already!
That's the link for the Monash app, it's paid for but worth it given the minefield that is FODMAPs.
Wheat Pasta has Fructans in it. So anything over 74g becomes an issue.
A simple traffic light rating exists for all the foods found in the app, making it quite easy to see what to be aware of. You can also filter by FODMAP, so if Fructan is an issue you can filter the foods like that.
Give yourself time with regards the recovery. Your body sounds like it needs a break. Really hoping things get better for you very soon.
Thank you so much for taking the time to send me links and explain! I really do appreciate it! I’ll download that too. I’ve had a brief look into FODMAPs before and it seems so complex so It’s good you can filter it- seems like that’d be easier!
It is so debilitating and frustrating isn't it. I'm sorry you're suffering so. I'm experimenting a flare-up currently myself which presents with cramps and more recently headaches too. The only soliace I can offer you is to know you are not alone! Everyone experiences different symptoms however, and unfortunately there is not a pill for all! I am on Amitriptyline which although an antidepressant is seen to help with IBS and fibromyalgia pain which is why I was prescribed it. I'm thinking about alternative therapy, in particular hypnotherapy. I'll let you know if this helps. Good luck x
It really is debilitating. I never realised before suffering myself, quite how awful it is!
I’m sorry you’re suffering a flare up too! Although I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, it is nice to know that there are others out there that can really sympathise with it- it’s very isolating!
Yes, please let me know how you get on with the hypnotherapy! I would love to know! Would that also help you with fibromyalgia?
I wish you all the best and thank you for commenting! X
Hi, 2 things you said and you might not have considered is gluten sensitivity which can cause ibs and headaches/migraines. This is because gluten can cross the blood brain barrier. Having had ibs most of my adult life, migraines and headaches too and now have cerebellar ataxia , which i can confirm is harder to live with. I have found out that these are associated with non coeliac gluten sensitivity. That is why the FODMAPDIET never helped me. All the time it was gluten and dairy. An obvious way to find out if you are effected is go gf for a few weeks, your body will tell you if this is your solution. Another thing is brain fog, which I'd had for so many years it was the normal for me so didn't realise I had it.It is a rare condition so can take years for a diagnosis. If only someone had told me about CA years ago!!!!
Hi, Penelope,. Thank you so much for replying and giving your thoughts and information. I do see an holistic therapist and she has recommended l cut down on gluten. I mostly have gluten bread, gluten free pasta and try to avoid it in other foods too although this can be tricky. I don't have any dairy products as l eat a plant based diet only. I've tried the fodmap diet too but like you didn't get any relief from doing so. So sorry you have CA, l hope symptoms ease for you and you can find some relief x
Hi I,ve had ibs for a while, I take loperamide which I buy online before I go out, I don,t like taking too many but it helps, gives me confidence to go out and saves any embarrassment, hope this tip helps x
hey, thanks so much for this! I will look into it. Would much rather prevent getting myself in an embarrassing situation, especially if I’m far from home! Thank you x
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