does this sound like IBS??

7 weeks ago i went to the toilet and just happened to see the toilet before i flushed, it was pink, toilet roll on top of stool so couldn’t investigate,

next day i went to the toilet again and there was red mucus all over a darkish stool, i went docts straight away!

had a physical examination and was told no reason to be bleeding so i done tests two days later and blood tests 3 days later, everything came back clear,

3 days after i had the blood i started having severe diarrhoea multiple times a day! This went on for a month straight! By the third week i had constant cramping and shooting pains in my sides every so often!

Also worth mentioning while i had just diareah i took ONE imodium and i ended up constipated for 3 days until direah again!

The 5th 6th and now 7th week has been either diareah, constipation or just bubbly/stringy mucus of all colours, white, clear, yellow, orange!

I’ve had every blood test you can think of all clear!

I’m not coeliac

I haven’t been sick once but i made myself sick twice and it was a milky brown colour both times, very tacky almost!

On week 5 i ended up in hospital with a heart rate of 153 due to bad dehydration and had 2/3 drips overnight.

one consultant said it’s probably Ulcerative colitus and one doctor said it’s Probably Ibs with anxiety

i’ve also started getting Ulcers in my mouth and got a red lump thing on/ above my inner lip frenulum!

Throughout all this i’m super tired, fatigued and for someone who works a physical job, i can barely open a jam jar now

it’s been 7 weeks and i have to wait 4-6 weeks to see a gastroenterologist

sorry for the essay!

[Maureen1958]

Hi, I'm no expert, but am wondering if you may have overflow diarrhoea.

You may want to read through the attached article:

verywellhealth.com/paradoxi...

All the best, Maureen

[Hidden in reply to Maureen1958]

Hey! Thanks for getting back to me!

The doctor has ruled that out since i get mushy diareah not water (sorry for the deats)

I forgot to mention, tomorrow I’m getting my gallbladder felt as for 4 years I’ve had severe pains in my right rib (always thought it was indigestion) now I’m not so sure, I’ve tried every antacid and gaviscon, painkiller and nothing helps at all, i get this pain a few times a month and normally lasts 1-2 days

TIA

[Maureen1958 in reply to Hidden]

Let us know how you get on with that then.

[Hidden]

I assume you were checked for piles. If so then there has to be a wound in the stomach lining to get blood into the stomach/ colon. Not IBS although that doesn't mean there may be IBS present. IBS is not a disease, it is the label we are given when Dr's just don't know what else to diagnose. I wouldn't be at all surprised if anxiety is playing a part, you have every right to be concerned.

With blood in the stools there must be a reason, it is not normal. You're Dr may not see a reason but has the Doc performed a colonoscope, because blood doesn't just appear in the stools.

Check to see if there are any dark spots of blood in the stools or fresh red blood infused, for that matter both. May help the Dr's. reach a diagnosis.

Good luck

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your detailed reply!! Because it only started with blood and all blood in stool tests came back negative by the time i did them, they are not concerned about the bleeding anymore, they’re dumbfounded by 4 weeks of constant diareah and fatigue mainly,

Hoping thats the next step tbh, 4-6 weeks until my first gastroenterology appointment 😫

Also may seem unrelated but i think i broke my toe today just from stubbing it 🙈 is this a known thing for people with UC or Chron’s disease? To easily break bones? I must stub my toes a few times a month haha and never have a problem so i find it very strange timing, TIA

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It is possible with constipation that the stool or the exertion can produce blood scraping the colon walls.

Easy to break bones in the front of your foot. My wife did it going upstairs and tripped on a step. Not found for many months by her pediatrists, Dr completely missed it blaming arthritis!

I have been dealing with my gasto Dr's since Jan this year and am still waiting for a conclusion. If they had to endure the same problems as their patients I'm sure the treatment would be a lot quicker.

Heads up with IBS C, always make sure you take whatever action you need if you do not have a BM each day. It only gets worse with time.

Cheers

[Luisa22]

Going to see a GI specialist sounds like the best way forward. Your doc doesn't sound too bad, and seems willing to investigate properly and help.

Did they mention anything about bile acid malabsorption? That can cause diarrhea, and odd coloured stool. If it did happen to be that there is something you could take to help it. I think it's called Cholestyramine.

Your pancreas and liver sound basically ok if your blood results are fine.

How about parasitic infections or even another gut infection such as C-diff or others?

Maybe your doctor could do stool testing if they haven't already.

Anyone can get a parasitic infection, you don't have to have been abroad or drunk water from streams etc.

Those are things you could chat with your doctor about perhaps?

Have you adjusted your diet at all to help manage symptoms?...such as trying blander foods, just in case that might help you manage this while you are waiting for the appointment.

Regardless of the cause, your gut may be inflamed, and can't cope with digesting "normal" foods right now, and a bland diet is easier to digest.

If you do that though, it's restrictive and doesn't have enough nutrition which isn't good for you long term. Maybe taking some vitamin and mineral supplement at the same time would help prevent deficiencies

[Midge55]

Hi Randomers, It sound to me like Ulcerative Colitis. I had it about 30years ago. All your symptoms are the same as mine. I had it for 18months. My doctors were excellent in the end I went on steroids and that cured me. I lost a lot of weight. You must push your doctor even pay to see a gastro consultant. I lnow how debilitating it is. I was very lucky it can lead to having pity of the bowel removed. I have just ended up with mild IBS.I am sure it is stress related. You need rest and try to eat just Bland food little and often. Good luck keep nagging your doctor.

[Frasina]

It is likely to be IBD as in inflammatory bowel disease which is either some form of colitis (it can be ulcerative colitis, pancolitis, or various other types). However, the fact that you are now presenting with mouth ulcers and extreme fatigue means it could also be Crohns (still classed as IBD). I have both IBS and IBD (IBS 25 years, IBD 2 years) and my symptoms were not dissimilar(although I have patchy pancolitis so never had any mouth ulcers and actually don't have ulcers on my colon just inflammation). Because you have blood, extreme fatigue, ulcers etc it would point to IBD and you need a colonoscopy asap. Sadly the wait firstly to see gastro on the NHS is very long and secondly the colonoscopy wait is many months unless you are put on the 2 week pathway. Could you afford to pay to see a gastroenterologist as a one off privately? But make sure it is someone who also works on the NHS. This is what I had to do in summer of 2021 and I was put on the 2 week pathway because I had dropped a stone in weight in under a month. I was put back on the NHS for tests and at the colonoscopy they give you a report there and then - mine said likely to be some sort of pancolitis. They will always take biopsies and they come back in about 4-6 weeks later. Only then will they put you on the correct meds for your condition.

Sorry that I have also written an essay as a reply; I am not medical, but your symptoms are similar to others I know with different types of IBD. I wish you well and let us know if you managed to get your condition sorted.