I have been suffering from IBS for 8 years now, but over the last year my condition has gotten much worse. My main symptoms are heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, bloating, and gut spasms. I am now at a stage where I can get through the first 9 hours of the day feeling fairly OK, but every night at around 9pm my IBS flares up and then I have to sit on the toilet for 6-7 hours, passing wind and mucus continuously. It does seem to me like my stomach simply can't digest anything at the moment, and every time I eat food it just sits in my stomach, and the food rots and ferments. The thing that worries me a lot at the moment is that I am consistently losing weight, and it doesn't matter how much I eat or how often I eat I just keep losing weight. I now weigh about 45kgs, which I know is not a safe body weight. I would be very grateful if there is anybody on this forum that has had very similar conditions and has found ways to improve their symptoms, and can give some advice and make some suggestions. My life is absolutely unbearable at the moment, and I'm desperate to find something to alleviate these symptoms. Thanks for reading my story.
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Crescendo251
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You didn't say if you were inclined to constipation, or looser stools? Maybe you don't have any problems in that dept. Just mainly the upper tummy ones, and gut spasms.
Have you seen the doctor at all over the past year while you have become worse?
It might be a good idea, just to get an "MOT" check and explain your symptoms.
My guess though is that they will just give you PPI medicines. Not saying those won't help or are useless, as they have a time and a place.
But there might be something else going on. Maybe you have gastroparesis (when the stomach empties too slowly and the whole gut motility is a bit too slow.)
There are also motility medications, and one of them is metaclopromide (is my spelling right?) which can encourage the digestion to keep on the move a bit more, which could possibly relieve the horrible feelings you get in the stomach (reflux, and feeling that food is just sitting there too long.)
I did take that once when I was a teenager and it didn't appear to do me any harm or have any side effects that bothered me.
Another possible issue is LOW stomach acid! Home tests for that are unreliable (such as the one where you drink baking soda in a little water and time how long it takes to burp.) Very unreliable results.
But if you notice that your problems are much worse after eating protein then that';s a sign stomach acid might be low.
Be careful because stomach issues (the actual stomach, I mean) can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, and that comes with its own symptoms which we can all do without.
So I think running this stuff past your doctor might be good?
Thank you for the advice in relation to gastroparesis. That is something that I had not considered before. I am definitely more inclined to constipation, and my bowel movements have always been very slow. In terms of seeing doctors, I think most people on here will tell you that GP doctors are absolutely useless when it comes to these kinds of disorders. I did see my doctors on a regular basis in the first few years, but they basically keep telling me that they can't help me. I do still keep regular contact with them just in case they have any new information they can give me.
I think there are natural methods to speed up GI motility, which would also help the stomach to empty as it should? I haven't researched that enough, but maybe you could look at a few ideas online?
Definitely something quite simple can help, and that is daily walking )preferably somewhere nice.) Not heavy exercise, just a daily walk.
I think you really need to see a gastroenterologist. You may need a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy as well as tests such as an esophogram to see what is going on with acid and heartburn. These tests are annoying, but it sounds like you are really suffering so I think it would be worthwhile to try to get to the bottom of the problem. While there are often not magic treatments for GI problems, there are a number of things that can help to calm things down.
Thanks for your advice, I really like your suggestions. I have never had a colonoscopy or an endoscopy before but I think it's a good idea to get them done ASAP. If there is anyone that lives in the UK and has had these procedures done, can you please tell me how I can book myself in for one of these test? Where do I need to go?
One thing people often don't consider, even doctors, is that a severe post-nasal drip, more common in the winter, can cause all these problems. I went through hell for years. None of the doctors I saw, or the drugs I was given, helped. Then I saw an ENT for an unrelated problem. Using a saline spray to relieve my sinus problems helped my stomach and other digestive troubles. A humidifier and an air purifier helped too.
Just an idea based on my experience. Run it past your doctor if it applies. I hope you're feeling better soon.
I too have had this experience with post nasal drip. I found it affected my digestive system and since dealing with it, mostly by steaming eucalyptus and a neti pot occasionally , I have felt less nausea and generally my digestive system has improved. Certainly worth considering when trying to find solutions to helping sort digestive problems out. I also use a humidifier central heating is not helpful.
I should maybe have said inhaling eucalyptus. Just the head over the bowl of steaming hot water with a drop of eucalyptus added. I do use a humidifier with eucalyptus added to the water one in the lounge and one in the bedroom. Bought off amazon about £25 or there about they do help keep moisture in the air.
Thanks for your concern. I contacted my GP just a few days ago but they told me that all the doctors there are too busy to see me at the moment. So now I'm trying to find a new GP that would allow me to meet them face-to-face. I would like to ask you about your experiences if you don't mind. Do you have similar symptoms as I do? Have you had procedures like colonoscopies and MRIs done before? If so, how did you get referred? How long did you have to wait to get it done?
No my symptoms aren't the same as yours, mine were diarrhoea,stomach pains, sometimes vomiting, joint pain and swelling, mouth ulcers. I did have some refux buy found out I have a hiatus hernia. A capsule endoscopy diagnosed me with small bowel crohn's disease. It did take over 6 years to get this diagnosis though
If your symptoms have changed and got worse, it's best to go back to your GP to have all the tests re-run. I have had IBS for 26 years and have had these tests multiple times over the years.
Here is my advice on constipation (IBS-C), which it seems that you have.
What is your fibre intake like? To improve constipation in the short term you can try ground flaxseed on your breakfast, starting at 1 teaspoon and increasing at 1 teaspoon every 2-3 days - you'll need to consume extra water with it.
These foods are also high fibre:
8-9 Prunes
2 tablespoon chia seeds (soaked for 10-15 mins in milk or non dairy milk with cereal or water)
Shredded wheat (or if GF: Nutribrex)
60g Quinoa
Wholewheat bread
75g Whole grain pastas (if GF: Buckwheat)
2 Hard pears
5 Dried apricots
90g Raspberries
1 orange (contain a natural laxative)
2 kiwi.
I find that I need to have 1 orange or 2 kiwi a day and then another high fibre fruit later in the day to help with BMs. Introduce new foods and any fibre increases slowly, starting with one new thing at a time, waiting for 2-3 days for a response and keep a food diary. You may not need to consume as much fibre as I do.
For breakfast I make a porridge of 4 tablespoon of oat bran and 4 tablespoon all bran (wheat bran), 2.5 small cups of water and microwave for 10 mins. I then mix in 2 tablespoon of chia seeds and 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and leave to stand for 15-20 mins since the chia seeds need to form a gel. On top of that I place 8 prunes and eat. The best thing to do is to start with normal oats in similar quantities and, if needed, replace one of the tablespoons of oats with oat bran for a couple of days, carrying on doing this every couple of days until you get to 4 tablespoon of oat bran and 4 tablespoon of oats. Then start replacing with wheat bran in the same manner. You can then add the other ingredients one at a time. You might find you do not need the complete 'recipe' to have a BM. All these individual components are down to tolerance e.g. you may not tolerate wheat (see later about Alflorex), so it is best to keep a food diary (I do this on a spreadsheet) recording symptoms for up to 2-3 days after each change.
I also take 30 drops of ginger extract before bedtime to aid motility. You may need to work up the dose to say 7 drop increments each night.
Exercise can help with BMs. The government recommends 150 mins of moderate exercise (e.g. walking as if you are late for an appointment) or 75 of intense exercise (e.g. jogging) per week. I also have a bit of a walk around straight after breakfast to get things moving.
You need to ensure that you are drinking enough fluids (2 litres of fluid per day).
There is some good advice about constipation here:
There are also medications that help IBS-C (constipation dominant IBS). I suffer from IBS-C and have been prescribed Linaclotide for it. I also take Alflorex probiotic which has made me more tolerant to taking in the extra fibre I need for a BM.
Failing dietary measures, you can try Optifibre, which needs to be worked up to a dose according to instructions. You may not need the full dose - watch out for gas and increment to a level that is acceptable for you.
Some people are more prone to constipation due to their intestinal anatomy. Through colonoscopies I have been told that I have a long loopy (redundant) colon. This means that food takes longer to pass through and in the mean time the intestines have more time to suck out water from the stool, drying them out and causing constipation. I have found that I need to consume much more fibre than other people to have regular BMs.
I have also found useful having most of my food at meal times, leaving 4-5 hours of not eating between meals, eating my fruit snack before a meal. This means that your digestive system has time to process each meal. It also allows something called the MMC (migrating motor complex) to run which sweeps food waste from your small intestine into your large intestine. This only happens when you have an empty stomach. When people snack regularly, it prevents the MMC from working properly. I also find the larger meals help to push things along better than drip feeding through snacking.
In terms of weight loss (obviously you'll need to urgently speak with your GP about this too):
If you are underweight, here are some tips to help you increase weight:
Try to eat more food, more often with less meal spacing. Ordinarily I would recommend spacing out meals to help the MMC (migratory motor complex) to run (see above). This sweeps food from the small intestine to the large intestine during fasting. However, this could be counter productive if you are trying to gain weight.
Eat carbohydrates that you are more able to tolerate such as:
White jasmine rice. This is pure calories and very easily digested. It gets completely digested in the small intestine leaving no residue for the colon. Note that some types of rice (such as Basmati) contain resistant starch some of which would be undigested and end up in your colon.
Low FODMAP and/or gluten free grains (if you are intolerant to wheat). This can include buckwheat pasta, gluten free pastas, quinoa and buckwheat flakes. Some of these are more fibrous than others, so you will need to test for your own tolerance. Some sufferers are more tolerant to oats than wheat, so porridge made with full fat or dairy free milks are good for breakfast and even as extra snack meals. Oat amazake is a form of highly digestible fermented oats. I mix this with buckwheat flakes and add in tolerated fruits as a snack.
Squash and pumpkin. There are different types of squash and pumpkin products listed on the Monash University FODMAP app with their various low FODMAP serving sizes.
Beans and pulses (thoroughly rinsed when canned) – see Monash University FODMAP app for low FODMAP quantities if necessary.
High fat varieties of dairy (e.g. hard cheeses) or lactose free dairy if necessary. Note that some sufferers will be intolerant to cheese due to the whey or casein protein content rather than lactose.
Semi-skimmed or whole milk or lactose free varieties.
Nuts. These can be ground in a coffee grinder to make them more digestible. Nuts add fibre, so gradually increase the amount.
Eggs.
Protein shakes as snacks.
Berry fruits (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries).
Healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil. This could make you more loose, so start with 1 teaspoon working up to 3 tablespoons (1 tablespoon with each meal) per day depending on tolerance. Note there are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon.
Thank you for providing me with so much useful information. 😍 I really like your porridge recipe, I'm eager to try that soon. I actually recently just bought some flaxseeds from the supermarket. Also, thanks for the tip about the ginger extract. I didn't know about that until now.
In terms of adding fruits to my diet, I tried that last year but after a couple of months my symptoms got worse. I did some searching online and I found that apparently my body finds it really hard to absorb fructose. I also spent the entire year last year trying to eat more and adding more meals but it actually made my digestion even worse, and by the end of the year I actually lost weight.
I'm very curious about the IBS medications (Linaclotide) you took, and the Alflorex probiotics. Did these actually work for you? How did you feel differently after you took them?
My IBS-C came with overnight/early morning back pain. The timing is due to the time of day that the bowel is at its most active preparing for a BM. At its worst the pain would be triggered by almost any food that I ate, even low FODMAP ones. When I started taking Linaclotide it reduced this pain by 50%-60%. It is supposed to help with BMs too, which it didn't for me, but it does for others. When I started taking Alflorex the pain reduced to zero and I began to be able to introduce far more foods gradually back into my diet (though there are still some foods I can't tolerate). This includes things like wholewheat bread and the bran which was unheard of for me for some time. I understand that the Bifidobacterium it contains helps to digest complex carbs, suppresses gas producing bacteria and also helps to kick bad bugs into touch which so often causes food intolerances. I've tried many probiotics in the past, but this worked best for me but everyone is different.
It's funny, I have the opposite problem in that I have become more tolerant to fruit, but I still struggle with some veggies.
Im certainly not recommending this but have noticed that at times my body gets into" habits" ... something comes along that changes all my routines and miraculously those awful symptoms can disappear. I observed this years ago when I was so bad with ibs, that I ended up living almost on rice for 2 months.and lost a mass of weight. one day I was so fed up I ate everything that I had excluded for that time... the worst stuff... curry, cake etc and suddenly its as if the habit was broken that my body had adopted and I was back to normal. im certainly not recommending this to anybody else but its something I do notice. its happened to me quite recently with a kind of acid reflux for weeks, a family crisis so all my routines have changed and its disappeared so Im back to normal eating.. I have wondered if this is something to do with the mind/gut axis... or that somehow as a result of change in routine the body resets in some way
I hope you have had a test for Coeliac. I was just you for 18 years. I was taking pills for IBS for 18yrs before I was diagnosed . I had seen different people and tests for everything but Coeliac. I insisted and tests came back positive.I hope you get some help.
It sounds as though your gut is rebelling. In the first instance I would eat only bland foods and don't add anything. If you're eating bread have wholemeal and use a substitute for milk.I was having many days like that. I changed my diet, changed to coconut milk and ate little and often. I also saw a gp. I was started on mebeverine three times a day. Gradually, every couple of days I introduced something new. If it set my gut off I avoided it. Gradually I learnt what was OK and what was not. Its time consuming but worth it in the end. I now have the odd flare up, usually when my fibromyalgia flares up.
It's also worth bearing in mind that ginger is good for upset tummys and peppermint is good for easing wind and bloating. Try to include these in your daily diet.
Thanks for all the advice. I have taken Mebeverine before as well, but unfortunately I did not notice any difference. Did it help you? I think it was about 6 months ago that I discovered that ginger is beneficial for digestion, so I have been drinking ginger tea on a regular basis, as it does make me feel slightly better afterwards.
Hi , so sorry you're suffering so much. I've had ibs c for 30 odd years. Took me a long time to figure out which foods made it worse. I also find stress can effect my guts. I also have acid reflux , flatulence and spasms. I now take flaxseed supplements my constipation has never been as good. Not perfect as I also have slight intolerance to dairy. So over Christmas I've eaten alsorts so constipation is a bit of a problem. Do look up flaxseed capsules and see what you think.
My IBS has improved since taking digestive enzymes. I had heartburn and acid reflux and started taking kefir. I’m lactose intolerant so take Chuckling Goat's kefir which is lactose free. I have now been able to stop PPI meds and no longer have heartburn nor acid reflux. Are you following the FODMAP diet?
Yes, I am currently on a gluten-free low-FODMAP diet. I do like your suggestion about digestive enzymes, it does feel as though my body needs it at the moment. Can you tell me how you feel differently after you take digestive enzymes? What actually changes in your body afterwards?
Digestive enzymes have helped to reduce bloating after meals and acid reflux, but mostly it’s stopped the discomfort after meals and has made it easier for me to eat a more varied diet. They help to break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats. And not just for people with IBS, they’re also essential for the over 50’s too, due to age-related slowing down of stomach acid and digestive enzyme production.
Yes, I've been taking them for forty years following a diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency and malabsorption. Originally Creon - pancreatin, from pigs - but I became allergic after twenty years and searched for vegetable alternatives. They're not as efficient and triple the amount is needed. Many varieties to try. I'd start with some from Holland and Barrett then try on-line if they don't improve things. I now buy from eBay.
They do work, but the difference is you get varieties of pancreatin on prescription, but plant-based ones you have to buy, and they can be expensive.
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Constipation and Rapid Weight Loss - DESPERATE For Help
PLEASE HELP I NEED ADVICE 
I am severely bloated EVERYDAY because of IBS...Please help!!!
Please help me, I need answers. 
Desperate for any help and advice please.
