Change in IBS symptoms

[Freefallin]

Hi, I have IBS and have suffered with constipation most of my life. At the age of 60, it’s switched to diarrhoea, I’m wondering how common this is, and if anybody else is experiencing the same thing?

[Linley]

Just my opinion 😁confirmed IBS can be D or C but if you had constipation most of your life and it's changed at the age of 60 a quick check up at your GP will put your mind at rest.

[Freefallin in reply to Linley]

Thank you for your reply. The GP has done the usual stool tests (all ok) and I’m waiting for a colonoscopy. Just wondering how common it is to change symptoms after all these years

[Luisa22]

IBS can change and often does. All my life I was more inclined to be slightly constipated. I didn't know about IBS then, and no one did that I knew. But I remember my mum giving me Senakot tablets. I also got bouts of what she called "colic", and she gave me peppermint oil in hot water.

I had what my doctor thought was gastritis age 12 then again age 18.

When I was an adult I didn;t pay much attention to bowel movements, so I gather I was partly constipated or normal.

Later in my adult life I found I was better if I ate high fibre foods, so continued to do that from about age 30 to age 65

It's only in hindsight I realise I may have had IBS a lot earlier than I thought.

Age 65, I suddenly and unexpectedly got diarrhea one morning from eating lentil stew the night before. I had to change my high fibre diet which wasn't easy, as I was so used to my diet.

My IBS seemed to start then, and I was diagnosed with IBS D in 2020. But I can still occasionally get a 2 day bout of constipation!

I seem to be a bit over sensitive to many things: sometimes weather changes, stresses (not always consciously recognised) and foods.

Yes, IBS can change and "about turns" can be typical. But if you're worried about a sudden change or something please do see the doctor.

[Freefallin in reply to Luisa22]

Thank you for your reply, think I’ll need to make some dietary adjustments.

[Luisa22 in reply to Freefallin]

I live with dietary adjustments daily. Sometimes it's low fibre, sometimes I have to eat more. Every day I adjust something I eat depending on what my gut is doing. I have got used to doing that now and it's just a way of life.

[Freefallin in reply to Luisa22]

Yes I’m much more conscious of what and when I eat now as so sensitive to many foods

[Misspomfrey]

I had IBS M for years but the last 3 months it has turned to more looser BMs but not diarrhea, apart from during a flare up when it's very loose. I've made one or two changes to diet and seem to be stable for the moment. I think IBS can skip back and forth and change long term. I'm not getting checked out, I'll take my chances but do let us know how your colonoscopy goes.

[Freefallin in reply to Misspomfrey]

Thank you for your reply, it’s helpful to know it can change long term.

[Luisa22 in reply to Misspomfrey]

Your situation sounds very much like mine Misspomfrey. My IBS does sometimes skip back and forth. And generally I don't have actual diarrhea either. Just a little bit too-loose stools mostly. But during this cold snap of weather I became slightly constipated. I didn't mind, as I could try out foods I like, such as cucumber, carrots, celery, sunflower seeds. I don't really mind a short slightly constipated event as I can eat foods I like and it usually resolves itself as a result. But the IBS ups and downs aren't always logical are they?

[Misspomfrey in reply to Luisa22]

Your absolutely right Luisa, there's no logic to any of it and when things start to be a bit different than normal, it causes worry and anxiousness which in turn makes everything worse. For a while recently mine has been up and down, then suddenly all was normal! I did make one or two changes and I'm waiting to see if that's why, I'll give it longer. I think as the years roll by, we get less worried when something happens, which is a good thing but can also be a bad thing because we might miss other things that could be happening. To be honest , I get fed up worrying about it don't you? You seem to have things under control and you know what your doing, that's great 👍 Celery has always been a culprit with me, I've tried and tried as I love it, but it's hopeless 😔.I'm having better success with sweet potato and cutting down on ordinary potato. Take care x

[Luisa22 in reply to Misspomfrey]

Yes it's weird! I have been fine on ANY amount of celery for a couple of weeks now. And I do love celery. I haven't eaten it every day, just sometimes (peeled and steamed to be on the safe side!) Perfect tum!

Yet I just know there will come a day when my gut will reject it. Just as it can do with potatoes, carrots or anything else, even those so-called "safe" foods!

So what I do then is just play the game. I go back to white rice and baked/steamed fish, and all my "crisis" foods for a couple of days, wait for things to balance out which they do, then start slowly re-introducing more veggies again. Then I can be fine forquite a time.

If I get slightly more constipated I eat brown rice, more veggies, more fibre, and it usually resolves in 24-48 hours to normal again. If I get too loose, I eat slightly more "binding" foods, and that almost always works to get the balance back.

But underneath it all, I wonder what it is about IBS that can be so up and down regarding foods. Why can we get away with them sometimes and not at other times??

[Misspomfrey in reply to Luisa22]

Now, that's a question 🤔 I think it's down to how your feeling at the time, whether your anxious or worried, stressed and what the brain is telling the gut when you eat your celery for example.

[BabsyWabsy]

Hello Freefallin, I too had constipation through childhood and into my adult life. In my 60's this changed to diarrhoea. Eventually, after many trips to the GP, I was referred for a colonoscopy. After a few biopsies, I was diagnosed with microscopic colitis in 2018. Apparently this is very common in ladies in our age group, but can only be diagnosed using a microscope.

[Freefallin in reply to BabsyWabsy]

Thank you for your reply, reassuring to hear it can change in later life. Hopefully you’re not suffering too much with the microscopic colitis.

[maccafan1954]

Yes mine has changed since being in my sixties. Mine started in my thirties when I was hit with a horrible Campylobacter bug & it triggered IBS. I still have D & cramping but now can also get it with C as well. My Mum had IBS too & hers changed in her sixties as well. It does tend to change as you age.

[Freefallin in reply to maccafan1954]

Many thanks for your reply, it’s reassuring to hear that other people are experiencing similar issues.

[bungi1961]

Hello to you I hope that you are feeling better? I have had this IBS/Diverticular Disease for the last 3/5 years and still trying to navigate my way through each day each month and year now and had 2 colonoscopies in a month following slight blood in my poop after each 1 just given a FODMAP diet shoved out the door in each time that was early 2021 after having 2 shield 4 a year COVID ( I had Breast Cancer 6 chemo's followed by 15 radio's in 2018 ETC) ( aged 62 very unlikely) had 2 do a FIT test again 2/3 months ago that was my 3rd/4th one since this all started as 4 food & drink that's all trial and error Doctor keeps giving me all kinds of meds Mebervine,Albervine,Buscopans,Pep/Colomint as if I know what I doing sometimes I feel like I need a Medical degree with all this tummy problems without being 2 graphic but even when standing and think it could be a fart it can just fall out of me!!! but that was when it all started OK now of as I have been constipated for the last few months as I am scared to go each time in case it unblocks me to that nasty watery stuff I just can't control been wearing Tena paper pants ever since I have had this awful stuff as it i bad enough having problems at home where I can clean myself up so now I don't go out anymore so online food shopping 4 me as my Husband goes out 2 get his stuff as he can eat what he likes well I could go on but I won't not when you got your own stuff going on but know I am just P***d OFF now so take care and try 2 keep well OK x

[Health650 in reply to bungi1961]

I'm really sorry I don't have any answers for you, but I was saying to my husband only a couple of hours ago, how there are a whole sea of people out there just trying to have a normal day, not have their waking hours scheduled round their digestion, their bowels, what dare they eat, what will happen if....what do I do now nothing is happening at the toilet, has it all blocked up, now its going crazy, the doctors aren't sure so they try this, or that.....and the list goes on .

None of that helps you but perhaps to know that at least one other person ....and perhaps many more people on here do at least understand how hard it is. I just wish I could fix it for all of us.

Take care and you are not moaning ...its really tough trying to daily life watching people take for granted all the normal things that you would love to do yourself.

[bungi1961 in reply to Health650]

Well thank you for your reply it is awful to think that there is so many people like us that have to put up with this NASTY stuff each day as when you are going through this you think that you are the only 1 that is!!! At least on this site no one is trying to sell you something or trying to push a "SO CALLED" product that costs a fortune as times are hard and money is tight and they think that we are made of money as this site gives you hints and tips and that is far more use than any potion or tablet that you or we try to take to make us better I hope you are OK today? as for myself I am on and off the toilet with every tummy niggle that I get that I feel the toilet should be stuck to me like glue again today even though nothing has come out "YET" but the days not over and this weather doesn't help either (No snow in Wilts thank you but this nasty fog ) One day these medical people may come up with a cure Oh I do hope so then we could get better ( ha ha) but I very much doubt it!!! Well I wish you all the best and take care x

[Luisa22 in reply to bungi1961]

bungi, I feel that weather affects me too. During this minus- whatever- Centigrade weather I got suddenly constipated a bit! Like my guts tightened up because I was so frozen, but somehow I could handle that better. In rainy murky warmish gloomy weather my guts get looser and I never feel 100% right.

[Health650 in reply to bungi1961]

Thank you, If I had one wish granted, it would be that all people with this problem did not have this life or the anxiety that goes with it. You take care.

[Freefallin in reply to bungi1961]

So sorry to hear you’ve been so unwell and life is so difficult, take care.