Does your IBS cause a wide range of symptoms?
From gasses moving in the stomach, to weird anal sensation, to maybe indigestion to alternating between good solid poop to a mushy poop, to stomach gurgling
Has anyone been told it's anxiety or brain gut connection or visceral hypersensitivity?
Or just told it's IBS?
Yes, other symptoms can come along with my IBS feeling worse, and actually started before the IBS was oviously the main problem in 2018.
But the symptoms I get now are different to what I got then.
Now I get lower back ache, not sure if that's just my "bad back" I've had for 26 years, but bad IBS days bring it on worse. I also feel drained and exhausted sometimes, upset emotionally (feel like crying when my tummy feels upset), low stress tolerance, occasionally loss of appetite but that's quite rare, sleep maintenance insomnia (basically waking up too early) when my gut is not too good, sometimes slight dizziness which comes and goes, unusual "busy" dreams which don't feel like "my dreams" at all. And sometimes chest tightness just preceding a flare up, also missed heartbeats.
Thank you so much for sharing Luisa22 you are so kind and helpful!
And I'm sorry you've experienced soo much with IBS but I see your positive attitude and I appreciate it and I'm sure it's keeping you going strong. It comes across very clearly
Has your doctor confirmed it's IBS? Have you had a colonoscopy done?
Oh my goodness, the ectopic heart beats started for me 12 years ago . The lower back pain was 28 years ago and definitely associated with the bowel pressure on my lumbar 3 disc. The dizziness got me for three months over Christmas last year. The early morning waking in pain only relieved by a visit to the loo for number 2 has been a good two years nearly now and is getting worse. Lots of rectal aching. No loss of appetite unless the pain is making me feel sick. I can relate to everything you have mentioned. Even recently the severe chest pain which everyone is telling me is a panic attack!
I was once told by a surgeon that any operations where the bowel has to be disturbed / moved from it’s original location causes IBS in the future? So I have always believed my hernia repair in 1996 was the start of all this suffering. Anyone else ever been told that ?
It is reassuring to discuss everything on here because otherwise my mind runs riot.
Interesting what you say about what that surgeon told you, have never heard that before. I did have 2 haemorrhoidectomys years ago, not sure if that would have played a part
I had my left ovary and fallopian tube removed because of a huge benign cyst, 26 years ago, Apart from the start of my lower back problems, I was fine afterwards! The op seemed successful with no ongoing problems (except the backache started then and that flared up every few months or so, usually when I'd pulled something doing too much hard work or it was wet cold weather) And so I happily trundled on feeling quite well with no gut problems at all not even a tummy bug, until 2018 when I got one week of what in hindsight I now think was IBS, then 2 yearswith nothing, and started again with IBS (diagnosed that summer) in 2020
Have you had a colonoscopy done?
No, because my doctor said there was no need to unless things changed. I had 3 stool tests, and two follow ups, and blood test and physical exam .
What do they check for in your stool tests?
So I can ask my GI for them
I only had the basic ones from my doctor's, not a full comprehensive stool test where the microbiome is checked (couldn't afford that one on Genova diagnostics!) So the basic NHS ones are: The FIT test, where they check for any occult blood, and...a test for Calprotectin (which shows if there's any inflammation) I also had one for Lactoferrin, but not quite sure what that is about.
I had those tests run twice with a few weeks in between, and both times the results were negative. Thd doctor said I would be referred for a colonoscopy if there had been any red flags in them at all, and there weren't any. He also said I should come back if anything changed, but my IBS hasn't changed much over 3 years, except perhaps to be a teensy bit better than it was in 2020. I think that is because I now eat to accommodate it, whereas before I kept trying to eat all my usual foods (high fibre, lots of fruit and veg , lentil stews etc.) and hadn't faced that ny diet was making me much worse.
Such a similar experience. I had my right Ovary and fallopian tube removed in 1986 for exactly same reason . They definitely had to unstick things from bowels etc. I now have a diagnosis of IBS and suffered for a few years
I have been told it’s stress
Just before the IBS started I got migraine symptoms too. I was getting zig-zag scintillating lights in my vision, and a bit of nausea, plus feeling generally very weird. My doctor initially focused on that, and I was sent to a neurologist, when I was diagnosed in 2018 with an atypical form of migraine (i.e. not much in the way of headaches, but everything else.)
Then when those things started to mostly pass, and the IBS started instead, I went back to the doctor after putting up with it for a number of weeks. My doctor also mentioned that it might be a form of "abdominal migraine".
Actually I have no idea except I think it all has something to do with how serotonin is working (or not working correctly) in my body.
Interesting, I get all of those and I think it’s anxiety an as you say hypersensitivity..
I share your symptoms - sadly. I also have a weird anal sensation (I'm not sure though that we feel the same). Do you also have pain anywhere you press your belly?
Gut Heart Connection
IBS, Stomach bug, or both?
LEAky gut or IBS
IBS or not 
IBS or something more?
