Gut hypersensitivity

[EnikoF]

Hi Everyone,

Do any of you were diagnosed with gut hypersensitivity in the UK? If so, can you recommend a doctor to me who has an idea about this issue and could give me sensible advice on it?

Thank you,

Eniko

[xjrs]

I am not sure how this diagnosis is meant to help you, since most people with IBS can be described as having 'gut senstivity'.

The brain and the gut are closely related. The gut communicates with the brain and the brain with the gut via the vagus nerve. In people with IBS, stress in the brain can sometimes 'speed up' or alter the digestion process or muscle contractions in the gut causing diarrhoea. Stress, PTSD, bad childhood experiences can reduce pain control neurons in the brain. This means that with some people with IBS, the brain erroneously picks up normal activity of the bowel as pain. At the other end, a dominance of bad bugs in the gut (also known as a gut bacterial imbalance or dysbiosis) can oversensitise nerves in the gut sending pain signals to the brain and/or altering the way the gut behaves.

The ways to try to tackle this sensitivity in the gut and IBS in general, is mentioned in one of my previous posts below:

healthunlocked.com/theibsne...

[Mutleyforever]

Hi Eniko, have you been diagnosed with this ? I wasn’t but since nothing abnormal was found, I realised it must be. It was not helpful to rule out foods as there was never a point that I had no pain, and I was sure some pains were not even food related.

To cut a long story short I was eventually tried on Imipramine but found it too constipating, I researched myself and requested to try an SNRI ( a different form of antidepressant) and after slowly increasing them, I am largely pain free, and can now distinguish food intolerances. My GP prescribed Duloxetine ( now taking 60mgs once a day. The pain clinic and gastroenterologist did not suggest this, your GP could help you without all the wait to see specialists.

Good luck

[EnikoF in reply to Mutleyforever]

Hi Mutleyforever,

Thank you for your very helpful message. I haven't been diagnosed with this but I went to a colonic hydrotherapy and the lady told me that she rarely meets people with this sensitive intestines. I felt horrible pain during and after the procedure. Others described it for me as pleasant experience.. I think my goal would be the same as yours - to find my sensitivities. I know that I have problems with nuts and there is no exception. I think it is because they are the mix of fat and fiber. I can tolerate fat better when the food is lacking in fiber - which is strange I know. My GP suggested that I get screened for ovarian cancer as I have all the symptoms and in an MRI last year, they saw a fibroma on my right ovary. (I don't know if it was really a fibroma.) I took Amitriptyline for a month, and apart from a little bit of happiness, I didn't feel any digestive benefits. (It is not an SNRI) But I will definitely give Duloxetine a go.

Thank you again. All the best for you!!

Eniko