Brian

[Korybut]

Hi, I’ve had stomach discomfort for more than 30 years. Had every test endoscopy twice, every medication and no change in fact it’s worse than it’s ever been. Wake every night at 2.30 with a stomach ache. Huge gas builds up like a blast. I feel it move, go back to bed and it builds again. I’ve tried every food FODMAP still the same. It changes how you are, irritated, exhausted depressed every day non stop. The consultant has clearly given up and referred be me to a dietitian, I’m not hopeful. I probably know more about how my inside works. Any help from anyone would be great

[BabblingBrooks]

Have you considered alternative medicine e.g acupuncture?

I’ve become rather weary of conventional medicine to treat IBS these days.

[Coachmanbythesea]

for trapped wind try Wind-Eze or similar branded products. Something that contains Simeticone

[xjrs]

You may find a previous post of mine on this useful:

healthunlocked.com/theibsne...

Also, Rennie Deflatine (containing Simeticone) works best for me regarding gas to get immediate relief. You may also want to give Alflorex probiotic a 3 month trial - it contains Bifidobacteria which can suppress gas producing bacteria, not produce gas itself and may make you more tolerant to different foods.

If all the usual IBS remedies fail you may want to talk to your GP/gastro about SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). It is a rare condition with a lot of contraversey, no accurate tests and you'll only have it if you have one of its causes, which would need treating to stop it coming back. I have the cause list if needed.

By the way did you do strict FODMAP elimination for 2 weeks and preferably under the guidance of a dieitian? Did this not reduce your symptoms? Having said this, the probiotic I mentioned is best first since it might increase food tolerance. If the probiotic makes your symptoms far far worse (after a settling in period of 2 weeks to 1 month), then this may be a SIBO indicator since you are adding bacteria to the small intestine. Never seek any advice on this from functional medicine/nutritional therapists - I did and they made my condition much worse and they are not properly medically trained.

By the way, gas and bloating can go hand in hand with constipation, so if you have that too might be worth trying to tackle the constipation (with diet if you can). I used to be far more gassy and bloaty when I had stool build up, which resolved when I managed to go regularly.

[Korybut in reply to xjrs]

Morning everyone, after so many years and every infestation possible I have decided that I have have to look at alternatives. I have found a new way of looking at stomach issues. Try looking up "visceral hypersensitivity syndrome" this seems to make sense as to why doctors can't find answers and why no medications seem to really work. good luck

[OldTimer74]

I know how you are feeling, I got up this morning, had a big explosion. Went down got on my computer and I can feel another explosion coming on. It`s not much fun for sure and so hard to get to grips with it. Stay Calm.

[DJK99]

Hey - I hear you... I get the same.. and also nausea... dreadful... the water that comes up from side of your mouth.. The agony at night starts in the lower stomach to the sides and then radiates throughout the who eGI tract.. but not GERD etc.. as no stomach acid.

I have been advised by an nHS Dietician to take peppermint oil 30mins before each meal - it works well... and I have noted that if I stop eating oily fish, fatty foods, then the attacks are far less.. So do look at your poo in the pan... is there any fat sitting on the water like an oil slick?? If yes, ask for a fecal elastase test... That showed I had severe pancreatic insufficiency so am now on the highest dose of Creon (pig enzymes).. but I still have the oil slick.. and the attacks in the night but only about 1-2 times every fortnight... hurrah!

I am having a BAM SehCAT test in September - that is for Bile Malabsorption... Do read up about these two things.. as it might be you have them...

Best thing you can do is drink 3 litres of water a day, remove oily and fatty, fried etc, crisps - anything with oil in it and see how things change.. oh, and don't eat from 3(or even 4) hours from bedtime... and no broccoli (awful reaction to that ), lamb, fatty pork, roast potatoes.. oranges.. really good to keep a notebook by your bed to write down what you had to eat in the day before your nightly attacks.

All the best to you.

D

[DJK99]

simplymedsonline.co.uk/ibsc...

Colpermin

[MatthewU]

HI Brian, after trying many things over many years I have found a product called Ferrocalm ( developed in the UK with Bristol Uni, it was designed from the onset to help with IBS issues and I have found it a game changer with not even travelling abroad on holiday upsetting the system even though I had other stressful medical issues whilst away which would previously have wiped me out with gut pain, fatigue etc