appointment

[Poppyseed8]

I have had ibs for over 20 years I have been managing it but now in the last few Year’s since I retired it got worse I find going out to hospital dentist & doctors appointments do hard as I am frequently in the loo befor I go any suggestions on what I can take to ease this problem please

[Linley]

Hi Poppyseed8 if you have managed your IBS for 20 years what's changed? Would it be retirement? More time to think about everything? This was me when I retired. When working your mind is diverted. I have always been involved with volunteering so when retirement arrived I increased the volunteering. I take my tabs with me everywhere I go and there is a toilet in the area where I am. Know we are all different but it works for me. Good Luck🤞

[Poppyseed8 in reply to Linley]

Thanks for reply ido keep busy all day crafting sewing going out makes me anxious that’s when ibs kicks in

[Dollymae06 in reply to Poppyseed8]

I am exactly the same I try to go to toilet before I go out with no success then as I'm leaving the house I have to turn back and use the toilet. Appointments are very stressful for me and the worse part is sitting and waiting I feel queasy then the tummy pain starts it's awful. I do wear tenna pants now as I've had fecal accidents I can't control my bowels at times. I take Mebeverine and Loperamide and now have started Alflorex probiotics.

[Poppyseed8 in reply to Dollymae06]

Your story sounds like a mirror copy of mine once my appointment is over I can relax but by the time I’am home I feel washed out and need to sit and relax or sleep

[Dollymae06 in reply to Poppyseed8]

It's good to know we are not alone as it can be very isolating and depressing. I suffer with anxiety and depression too so times can be very hard I hope you feel better soon.x

[Luisa22]

It would probably help if you could always ask for an afternoon appointment. I know that doesn't always work, but I was surprised how frequently it does work. If you're anything like me, then mornings would be your most vulnerable time? With needing the loo etc?

You didn't say if you have IBS with diarrhea, or constipation.

If it's diarrhea, maybe you could experiment with taking Immodium, till you find a dosage that works to slow things down but doesn't completely block you up like concrete.

Or if you DO want to be completely blocked up just for the day, that's do-able with Immodium of course, but you pay the price over the next couple of days usually, with the opposite.

If you have constipation, maybe you could try taking a laxative the night before, get up early and use the loo (hopefully!) or maybe even a couple of times before you need to get ready to go out? And a coffee first thing can also help get the bowels moving.

I know IBS constipation doesn't always respond to those things, but it might be worth a try.

I am over 70 now, and I always find going out to appointments stressful. Not really because of IBS in my case, just some silly thing that's come over me as I got older! Today I had to just go out to town to a supermarket and get some petrol, and I was a bit shaky before I left! I didn't used to be like that. Yet I went to my friend's in town last Friday with no problem at all.

We can definitely get less stress tolerant and more sensitive as we get older. I feel it.

[Poppyseed8 in reply to Luisa22]

Thank you for your reply I will try Imodium tablets as I can take them in my handbag I’am also over 70’

[Misspomfrey]

This is exactly me , and I've always been like this but has got worse as I've got older. Any sort of appointment stresses me, dentist, hospital, doctor even the solicitors office last year. I've tried going later in the day, but this only makes me worse as I'm worried until I go. So, I just go in a morning to the dentist, around 9:30 - 10 and get it over with. Strangely enough, once I'm out of the house and in my way, I'm not too bad after. Try some deep breathing when ever you can before going out, it will help calm you down. Breath in slowly, hold it for 4 seconds and then breath out slowly and fully empty your lungs. I also do this on the way there 😉

[xjrs]

Have you tried any of the usual IBS remedies, such as probiotics? Alflorex worked best for me and has been scientifically studied for IBS - others get on with Symprove?

Also, if going out causes anxiety (which worsens IBS), there are things like the Nerva hypnotherapy app to help calm you down. In fact, any form of meditative or mindfulness practice may help.

[Poppyseed8 in reply to xjrs]

I’am going to I look at this App you mention as i’am not meant to try any herbal or health products without my GP’s approval as I also have kidney disease

[MPQ1863]

I suffer with IBS(d) and have done for many years, it's got much worse since COVID times and I have to always try and make afternoon appointments so that I can gauge how things are during the morning. I get particularly stressed with any appointments too. Recently I found an extremely interesting article about low dose amitriptyline helping people with IBS. I spoke to my GP who was happy to put me on 10mg a day (low dose) and I can definitely see a change for the better. I still have the anxiety and worry about appointments and especially when needing to travel anywhere, but for those I just take one imodium if necessary to slow things down. Maybe worth discussing the amitriptyline with your GP? Good luck, it's such a debilitating illness to live with.

[Poppyseed8 in reply to MPQ1863]

If this was s reply to me Poppyseed8 I am already on amitriptyline for panic attacks & anxiety I have spare 10mg so I think I might try them to get me out the house I think that would help me on long journeys as well as I dread them because of loo stops

[Gilwats]

Hi, I'm just the same. Since I've got older I have trouble going anywhere like doctors dentist even hairdressers. I have to rush to the loo all the time. I think it's the thought of an accident happening when I'm out as it's so silly to think like that now. If I take imodium I'm clogged up for days then my intestines fell swollen and very sore. I went to the dentist last Friday and managed to do breathing exercises and thankfully it did help me to calm down but I don't really know how to stop thing and go back to how it used to be.

[Frasina]

All the comments above are helpful; the mind does wonderful things like playing games when we don't want it to! The reality is when we are at home we have the comfort of knowing the loo is a short walk away should we need it. Going out becomes more problematic due to the 'what if's..' and that is when we let our anxiety get the better of us and actually need toilets much more than sometimes just being at home. Prepare yourself when going out and take meds to help. If it helps, locate nearest toilets en route to put your mind at rest more. I like the others have to do this - we'd all be recluses otherwise!

[Poppyseed8 in reply to Frasina]

You are spot on with your comment

[bluejourney]

Have you been tested for SIBO? With IBS D you are probably high in hydrogen producing bacteria. If you have a SIBO D diagnosis from the gastroenterologist you can get a course/ courses of Rifaximin to treat it. Look at the work done by Dr Mark Pimmental in the US. His work points to infection originally causing IBS D, and has developed a blood test for it and effective treatments. He seems to be at the forefront of IBS research. I have got both breath testing for SIBO and Rifaximin from the NHS.

I expect your anxiety got worse after retiring because your oestrogen levels have also gone down, and also cortisol (the stress hormone) rises as you age. I’m post menopausal, and my endocrinologist has just persuaded me to go on HRT. Recommended a book ‘Oestrogen Matters’ which puts a good case for it. I’m only on a low dose, but it has definitely lessened my anxiety. Also, magnesium can counter the rise in cortisol. Maybe do a saliva adrenal stress profile ( I’ve used Genova Diagnostics) to see what your cortisol levels are like. Hope this helps.

[Pumpkin2009 in reply to bluejourney]

Hi bluejourney, You mention that you take Rifaximin. I am undergoing tests and was given 2 weeks. I had a couple of encouraging days. The 2 weeks ended. I am wondering if results have to be definitively better in 2 weeks. I had stool samples. All are not back, but so far Calprotetin is high and Osmolality. I am waiting to hear from my doctor after the sample tests are all back. Thank you for the informaton on Dr.Pimmental. It was very interesting. The autoimmune connection is interesting to me as I have an autoimmune disease as well.

Healing hugs.

[bluejourney]

People with SIBO often need more than one course of antibiotics.