IBS/IBD sufferers...

[Woolmercardington]

Yup. Psyllium powder is a godsend. I guess you’ve already tried magnesium supps?

I took Psylium for 18 months and it was brilliant, but now has no effect

I'm very much aware of magnesium citrate, but I've not tried it yet due to the concern it will work great initially but then after a year or so, will lose impact.

 

[Lucyxxxx]

I find if I'm constipated a good dose of strawberries does the trick.

 

[Blahblah93]

A yoghurt? Any particular brands, and does it work for you?

Yeah i have the yoghurt drinks but you can also get in capsule forms from boots. Hmmm well I have IBS and Crohn's disease so hard to tell if actually does anything but trying anything at the moment to calm things down.

 

[Never in the World]

We’ll I saw the gp and he says it’s muscular twitching but he’s no idea why and he’s given me medication to take if the spasms are really doing my head in but warned they have side effects and booked me in for an aortic something scan and bloods as a belt and braces thing and just said come back if it gets worse so god knows

 

[sassylash]

Omg! thank god i found this thread i’ve wondering for ages whether i have IBS.
My father and cousin have Chrohns/IBD and have to inject.
My dad, grandad and uncle have all had their haemorrhoids removed too.
in 2016, i just randomly become constipated one day and i’m not even joking i was on there for about. an hour TMI**** the smallest thing came out of me and ever since that day i been constipated the gp gave me cream and lactulouse. lactulouse alone is really awful, dulcoease (not dulcax) i find works really well and also a combination of fybogel when things get REAL bad. however before i ever got constipated i was always known by everyone (my family) as suddenly getting the urge to go, it’s so bad i hate it. but if i don’t have constipation i get really stronge urges to go to the loo, i’ve had times i’ve literally had to run of the train before, out cars, feel like i’m going to pass out if i don’t make the toilet, never pains more discomforting, bleeding when wiping, and the sensation of not feeling completely empty sometimes i even feel full up, like i’ve had a whole meal that’s how unempty . i don’t want to inject like my cousin and my dad but i’m worried if i don’t tell the gp’s it’ll get worse. what do you think? does this sound like ibs? or anyone with likely symptoms also?

 

[GrannyGossip]

Thanks everyone, I was panicking and feeling a bit sorry for myself but feel a bit better after being on here. Just found this thread tonight and I’ll read back through

 

[ChiRie]

Hi all,

Have got a telephone appt with the GP for today. I absolutely live in fear of giving a stool sample. I know that’s really pathetic. I’m so squeamish and prone to dry-heaving when I have to do anything unpleasant. (Also, Mother DragName’s bowel cancer diagnosis always lingers in my mind when I think of a stool sample, too). I’m hoping for a miracle where the Doc can accurately diagnose me through the phone and I’ll get a prescription for a miracle cure sent to the pharmacy. Hahaha, dream on, right?!

I gave one, Just had to put a tub under me on the toilet it's that loose. Mine showed high calprotectin which led to needing the colonoscopy I never had after a reaction to moviprep. They wanted another sample when I recovered but I didn't bother because There was no way I was taking that prep again. I've just been put on antibiotics for something else (I had them once before years back) They are already setting my bowels off even worse. Non stop going to the toilet. Bloody horrible thing to have to live with. I feel for you all.
---

I’m really glad! Most people say the prep is the worst bit! Haven’t had one myself but supported a few people with the process before.

Taking it was easy for me but the after bit was hell. Seizures non stop the next day but I think it just drained me too much. I didn't find the clearing out part bad as I'm always on the toilet so it wasn't much different for me.

 

[Sleep_deprived]

Does anybody have flare ups that last over a week?

I’ve not had any issues for quite a while but suffering so badly with bloating for the past month. A week ago I was so bloated and I ended up vomiting after eating. Since then, my stomach has been in bits with cramping and griping pains. I look pregnant! I am so bloated. I’ve been taking buscopan and my GP has given me some Mebeverine now and requested stool sample to ensure nothing else going on. I just didn’t think a flare up would be so severe for this long and I feel awful.

I’m the same I’m suffering badly this past few weeks. Stool sample gone off (which traumatised me) and I’ve more bloods on Thursday - only got some in March but he wants them all done again and wouldn’t say why. There did come back an issue with my liver results the last time - hopefully it’s not that! But I’ve been so sick lately, way more than usual. So hopefully I get an answer at the end of it, and you too!

 

[WilmaHun]

I'm wondering if anyone else has had a very bad time with IBS since giving up the Christmas treats and going back on plan? I have been off plan for a long time and went quite overboard and felt rubbish, but since resetting a few days ago I've been terrible. Normal reaction to a sudden change in diet? Also wondering if anyone has tried taking l-glucosamine for IBS and if it helped them at all, I read about this somewhere and picked up a bottle of 500mg today from Holland and Barrett, hoping it helps.

I haven’t tried the glucosamine so can’t comment on that but I do notice that any change in my diet flares my IBS badly. I actually eat at very strict times everyday to try and combat this, so I’ll always have lunch between 12.30/1.30 and dinner will be between 5.30 and 6.30 everyday. I don’t eat breakfast as it doesn’t always agree with me. Sticking to specific times for meals really helps and if I eat later than normal I do find my symptoms flare. So changing what you’re eating might also have a similareffect,

have you been to the GP to get medication? I take mebeverine before every meal every single day and it really helps. Perhaps you could see your GP and see if they can offer something suitable to you?

 

[Penny for them]

Has anyone with IBS ever suffered from nocturnal attacks? I've been getting them randomly for the last couple of years. I get woken up by severe stomach pain and then I'm back and forth to the toilet for an hour or more. But it's only at night.

Consultant has me on the waiting list for a colonoscopy (which I really don't want) but he said if it doesn't show anything then it's just something I have to deal with.

Hi x I have ibs ,ulcerative colitis when younger, I suffered from night attacks,and I have a peppermint pill every night before bed,I also found I was better going to bed hungry,or exercising after my tea so
Everything is
Digesting. Soda water I take to bed. If my stomach is empty the attacks don't happen as much if at all.
I have allergies to certain foods ,so I have to be rather controlled with what i eat,and I have also tried digestive enzymes too which settle the stomach and bowel. Warmth around the stomach helps also. But the main thing is the empty stomach for sure x

 

[Carapop]

Hi all,

I have a colonoscopy scheduled the first week of June. I was given a prescription for Moviprep. I did it with Cleanprep ten years ago and it was horrid but I’ve been reassured that this one isn’t half as bad. Or maybe just half as bad! No horror stories please.

I’m looking for tips and tricks from any unfortunate experts with experience. But have folk followed particular diets in advance? Found ways to make the prep less uncomfortable? And again no horror stories please.

I know it’s not going to be pleasant, but I’ve had it before, I’ve had surgery involving intestinal resection, and at the moment am battling chronic diarrhoea so my threshold for discomfort has increased over the years!

I really just want to see if there’s anything I can do to make life a little easier on the days before, of and after.

no horror stories please!

 

[swimming]

Hope no one minds me dropping in on this!

So I was referred to a lower GI doctor on the NHS by my GP after I kept going to the doctors with stomach complaints and episodes of going to the loo a LOT! (At its worst, I went 36 times in a 24 hour period). This has happened 3 times at that amount in the past year. Awful tummy pain, extremely tender to press on stomach, violent cramps and a constant gnawing pain griping my whole abdomen area. Handful of occasions I’ve had lots of bright red blood too, like, lots!

Anyway, I have my first (telephone) appointment with this GI doctor which lasted 1 minute at 56 seconds. He wasn’t interested, just gave it all “yep yep ok yep ok I’ll do blood and stool tests”. So I had the tests and he called me last night with the results and that call lasted 2 minutes and 13 seconds; “results all fine, sounds like IBS, I’ll refer you to a dietician”. And that was that. Off his list. After 2 phone calls. He didn’t even want to physically see me to examine me when I explained how tender my tummy area is. Absolute bloody waste of my time.

What amazes me is that he also does private work. So I bet he’d show me a lot more interest if I was paying £220 consultation fee to get in front of him!!

Im just so fed up with this now. I cannot find a trigger for these pains and upset stomach/blood and I’ve just been what feels like abandoned by doctors.

 

[Olive16]

Did they test you for gallstones

I had my gallbladder removed about 10 years ago... that's typically the first thing they always suggest!

 

[Jas28]

Does anyone know whether chronic urticaria, hives is linked to ibs?

 

[Blahblah93]

Thank you! I'm not sure if I'll be getting much sleep with the second laxative being at 9pm? The procedure itself doesn't scare me but the sedation does. I don't think I'd be able to cope without it though.

They don't put you to sleep. They just give you a drug that makes you feel high and relaxes you.

 

[Steph’s]

update - he is being referred to a gastroenterologist which could be 6 week to 6 months. We have had to cancel so many social events last minute as he can’t face the pain or the worry he can’t be near a toilet in time.
just awful.

 

[Shoequeen91]

I’m glad I’ve found this thread as I was diagnosed with diverticular disease earlier this year. I feel everyone’s pain around flare ups. I feel like any digestion issues just get cast aside by doctors a lot of the time.

How have people found support from doctors in terms of their eating once being diagnosed? I’m almost afraid to eat and rotate the same foods daily at the minute because I don’t want to flare up.

 

[Blahblah93]

I've got my first colonoscopy on Wednesday and I've been told to only eat the "approved" foods from Sunday onwards.

Some colonoscopies are less invasive as they only want to look at the lower part of the colon meaning it doesn't need to be completely clear which I guess why the diet might not be as intense.

 

[EllaEm87]

hey all
i have IBS and wondering if anyone hs experienced bright yellow diarrhoea?

Fast transit, fat not absorbing properly. Perhaps you need some loperamide or similar?

 

[Mollyoscar_]

Hey - has everyone had a confirmed diagnosis of IBD? I went to my GP over a month ago and they did some bloods and I’ve not heard anything back since. I suffer from really bad bloating when I eat, to the point I don’t really want to eat anymore, and stomach pains. I’m a size 6-8 and look a good 4/5 months pregnant after eating! I’ve cancelled most food groups out of my diet to try and pinpoint it but not having an answer from my GP is frustrating. I’ve bought some SenoCalm today and hoping they help relieve some symptoms.

I have, diagnosed 2yrs ago. It took a long time to get answers, i was told ibs for many years and piles because of bleeding. If i was you, id request a referral to gastro. There are a number of tests they can do. Bloods, stool samples, sigmoid/colonoscopy.
I have found researching everything and being prepared helped massively! Crohns & colitis uk website has tons of info for you to read.
I ended up admitted in hospital via a&e from what i thought was a perculiar rash that had rapidly swelled and was painful to it being a side effect of my ibd and i was seriously anemic. I had rectal bleeding for years that was dismissed and became the "norm" ... its better to get it nipped in the bud if it is ibd, because it can be an absolute sod to get under control