IBS meds not working....

[Kooks]

Hello,

I have been struggling with an IBS flare for 3 months, I'm taking Alverine and Peppermint capsules.

My GP has checked for celiac disease which thankfully was normal, had my poo checked twice, bloods are fine except for inflammation markers slightly raised, checked my thyroid but it's fine as I take Levothyroxine daily, full blood count normal. I take a probiotic drinks daily, don't smoke, minimal alcohol, healthy diet, drink plenty water etc.

Last year I had 3 bouts of severe pain in my tummy, I was sent for a scan on my Gall Bladder, kidneys etc but it was normal.

Made another appointment with my GP but can't get one until the end of January. I'm exhausted as I can't sleep due to how uncomfortable my tummy feels. Last month my pain was so bad I had to go to out of hours for help as I had severe pain upper right of tummy and bottom right of tummy. The GP I saw thought I might have an infection in my womb and gave me pretty strong antibiotics and swabbed me but that came back normal and I stopped the antibiotics, after having 50 toilets(yes 50!) within 8 days the pain started to subside.

Any advice on anything else I can do to help? I'm running out of ideas.

Thank you x

[Jackie1612]

sorry to hear you are going through this, Kooks.

I find that exercise helps me - swimming and walking. I also do meditation, there are lots on YouTube and Tara Brach is good.

[Kooks in reply to Jackie1612]

Jackie thanks for your reply. I have other illnesses which make it difficult for me but I do try my best to keep active at a lower level and yes I love meditation and I also use breathing techniques to help my nervous system. Xxxxxx

[Kooks in reply to Jackie1612]

Jackie yes meditation is so lovely to practice. Thank you x

[Pedrof1976]

When you get the pain, what does it feel like? Were you loose before the antibiotics? If no, which antibiotics were they?

[Kooks in reply to Pedrof1976]

Yes I had an upset tummy pre antibiotics. The pain is constant xxxx

[xjrs]

Have you ever tried Alflorex probiotic? It is the one that has helped me most with the pain.

[Kooks in reply to xjrs]

No I haven't. I will look it up, thank you x

[xjrs in reply to Kooks]

If you decide to give it a try, you might need to stop your daily probiotic drinks whilst on it, since the clinical study that was done for it in relation to helping IBS, was that probiotic on its own. I understand that sometimes individual probiotics can compete with one another and the manufacturer recommends it on its own.

[Hidden in reply to xjrs]

Could you please message the complete name as in Google it gives many options.. a photo of u could plz...

[xjrs in reply to Hidden]

Do you mean this?

precisionbiotics.co.uk/alfl...

[FerdyOne]

I am unclear whether you have IBS-D or IBS-C. I have the former for which I take Codeine Phosphate, Golden Linseed and Ground Flaxseed. The combination keeps it under control.

[Kooks in reply to FerdyOne]

At the moment I think its IBS, very painful though. Today I feel a little better but I have hardly eaten in 3 days, I will introduce porridge etc into my diet today. Its awful isn't it. X

[Parsnips1]

The IBS in all its forms is different for some people. However, I know that my diet is important e.g. any DRIED fruit needs to be soaked overnight and limit the intake of any fruit to one or two portions per day, plus eating any fruit in the morning helps to prevent that discomfiting bloating. Everything on your daily intake needs to be in moderation.

[Hidden]

Could you please let me know what worked for you.. as it seems my daughter also has similar symptoms and we are struggling to get it's sorted out.. thanks

[Kooks in reply to Hidden]

I'm so sorry your daughter is struggling so much, it's really difficult finding out why? I tend to stay on a basic diet whilst in a flare which consists of porridge, toast and banana, but then that works for me and might nit help your daughter. What I didn't say on my post was I suffer with extreme anxiety and I personally think when I'm stressed (which is alot) my tummy flares up. I do breathing exercises and a lovely mindfulness exercise for stomach issues. I hope you get some answers xxxxxx

[Pedrof1976 in reply to Kooks]

There is a huge link between anxiety and ibs symptoms. You can try hypnosis for it.When you say pain is constant is it dull sharp, burning nagging, stabbing, twisting, cramping?

Have you done fodmap?

[Patient49]

Hi. Like you, I was struggling to find something that would help my constant intestinal pains and I too was taking prescribed peppermint capsules for this. This may be a long shot for you, but I stopped taking these last January, after reading an article that stated they can make some people's symptoms worse - and , lo and behold, my pains have reduced significantly!! I'm now just able to take Buscopan tablets every now and again - usually if I've eaten foods I can't tolerate like onions, mushrooms, green leafy veg and fried foods etc. I really thought the peppermint capsules were helping me - but, obviously, not!