Bloated and sore tummy?

[tamari]

Hi everyone, I had an abcess in my Ileum 20 yrs ago, i had surgery after 6months of agony! Then diagnosed with IBS. I am now going through something very different to usual IBS symptoms. Started about 14 days ago, bloated sore intestine also sudden onset reflux, stools were soft and mucous. Going 3-4 times a day and am usually a once a day girl, now mucous only diahroea bown and yukky sorry TMI. I can't leave the house as glued to the loo! Ok if i don't eat but i am now weak as a kitten, i care for my 95yr old parents so need to get sorted. Has anyone suffered with this condition? Any help would be so much appreciated.

[Jackie1612]

hi tamari as this is a sudden change in your symptoms, you need to see your doctor. Good luck, I hope you improve

[tamari in reply to Jackie1612]

Hi Jackie, yes have been suffering with bowel problems for many years. This is very different, have an urgent appointment today with my gp 🙏 a couple of weeks ago discharged from Gastroenterologist who diagnosed Sibo had a course of Rifaxamin worked a treat but this is different. Thank you for your reply.

[jbrking]

sounds to me like you have bile acid malabsorption (bam for short). A lot of the time it is misdiagnosed as IBS. And quite common to get about gallbladder removal or surgery like yours. Look at bad-uk.org website where it explains what it is. I was misdiagnosed for 20 years. I was going to the toilet multiple times a day, spending hours on the toilet in the middle of the night, sometimes being sick at the same time due to bile. I am now on a drug called colesevelam which we call a binder medication. There is also a drug called colestyramine which is a sachet of powder you mix with water - your GP is able to prescribe the latter one as it’s used to reduce cholesterol and works for bam. Ask for a trial and if it helps then that is conclusive. The only other test is a sehcat scan but due to waiting lists they just tend to diagnose via a trial of meds now. Please get checked out because the nature is the condition means you’re not absorbing vitamins and long term that’s not good. I have to take many supplements because of this. Also what you eat will help. Low fat is a must but there are many other foods I cannot eat anymore. Anything raw, like salads, some fruits. No caffeine or alcohol. Artificial sweeteners cause diarrhoea too which are often found in diet foods and drinks.

[tamari in reply to jbrking]

Hi JRBking thank you for your reply, I have not heard od BAM. I do know with Hypothyroid you suffer with low acid. I think Sibo creates acid, last year gastro put me on Lansoprazole. Everything you have said is me, I struggle with salad, strawberries, apples coffee makes me feel nauseous and i am a caffeine junkie i drink one filter coffee a day. I will check out BAM. I have an urgent appointment with gp today 🙏

[jbrking in reply to tamari]

Good luck. If you go on to the web I mentioned there is some really good information about the condition that you could show your GP. I also had to take omeprazole for the acid for a few months and that sorted out my sickness. Basically there are foods that need more bile to digest - fats being the common one, so sticking to under 40grams a day helps, I don't like a lot of dairy anyway. But leaves, seeds and skins also need more bile, so having a healthy salad is actually a complete nightmare for me! I'm ok with bananas and small amounts of berries, but nothing citrus. I'm also ok with carrots and some greens, but I have to steam them as they're easier to digest. I don't drink tea/coffee but I know caffeine stimulates the bowel, plus as mentioned artificial sweeteners. So limiting/avoiding all those mentioned will help, along with binder meds. I lived on loperamide for many years before I got binders, and I still take them now.

[tamari in reply to jbrking]

Happy to report, gp took me seriously must say it makes a change progress ! And i have not been discharged from Gastro. I have two stool samples to do, one for cancer and prolactin ? that will be a challenge at the moment ! having blood test for cancer and inflammatory markers. 🤞 I will update when i get results. Thank you for your input.

[jbrking in reply to tamari]

that’s good. Yes it’s calprotectin checking for inflammatory issues like colitis, crohns and IBS. They have to rule everything out. I had those and a colonoscopy with biopsy. Still sounds like bam to me. Yes be interested to know the outcome. Good luck x

[tamari in reply to jbrking]

Hi Jbrking, results back Serum C Reactive protein normal and ESR normal does that rule out BAM?

[tamari in reply to jbrking]

Results finally back Calprotectin 895 mg/kg any thoughts much appreciated . Could it be BAM?

[jbrking in reply to tamari]

the only definitive test did bam is a sehcat scan. Sounds like you have some inflammation there with those high levels

[Bobb1e]

that sounds pretty horrible, sorry you’re having a tough time of it at the moment. It’s stressful when you’re also having to look after elderly relatives. I hope your dr can help. Take care 🫂

[tamari in reply to Bobb1e]

Thank you Bobb1e for your kind words.