IBS/IBD sufferers...

[Shimmering]

I had to go to my GP on Tuesday last week as having stomach cramps (extremely painful like labour pains) and diarrhoea for thirteen days at that point. Now on day 18 of this. I'm currently stuck in bed again crippled with pain. Taking buscopan and it eases it slightly. Don't know what else to do.

GP is testing for infection, blood and calprotectin.

Today no diarrhoea but soft poo and not a lot of it. Diarrhoea previously has been very urgent and very very watery, like no substance to it at all.

I've cut out dairy to see if that helps as i was having extreme cramps - like doubled over in pain level - and diarrhea in response to eating dairy. I wake up with dull, gnawing pain which actually eases if I eat or drink. However I then pay the price of crippling cramps later on.

Last night I had some salad, plain pasta and roast lamb and was absolutely fine.

Earlier today I had a pitta bread with baba ghanoush and feta cheese and the pain started an hour later. In response I took a buscopan and ate some ready salted crisps.

Pain is easing now after around an hour in bed.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[ChiRie]

Gosh, the prep sounded like hell for you! Mother DragName had to take prep with a permanent stoma for a colonoscopy and that was…. like something out of a horror movie for the poor woman. No seizures or anything, prep was fine for her before she got her stoma fashioned. Just, errr… an uncontrollable fountain of shit that she could do precisely nothing about. She’s refused any more colonoscopies on that basis alone. She’s my ultimate warrior.

I have indeed been given a stool sample bottle by the GP, as has Mr DragName so we have the ultimate couples activity to look forward to! The dread has already set in…

I don't blame your mother not wanting anymore after that. I think I had seizures because it drained me so much. I woke up hooked up to a banana bag.

 

[Blahblah93]

I need help, I have been back and forwards to the doctors for years now with on going stomach issues, brain fog, fatigue and generally being run down. I was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia in 2011 following the birth of my daughter & I’m prescribed B12 injections as I can’t absorb the B vitamin in my gut. Prior to lockdown they wanted to test me for coeliac by taking a biopsy of my gut (I attempted the camera twice and couldn’t do it) during lockdown my consultant advised all medical procedures like that had stopped and they were diagnosing via two blood tests. I had them and both tested positive. He then wanted a repeat and this one came back normal (prior to this second round I was very unwell and was eating hardly anything - I don’t feel like the results were acccurate) I followed up with a 3rd 6 months later and again tested positive. This wasn’t enough for a clear diagnosis, however i was given a prescription for gluten free products & referred to the dietitian (who I see every 6 months and still do) I was unable to stick to a gluten free diet. Early last year my consultant got back in touch & said they now have a camera you can swallow and it’ll take 80,000 images of your gut and that will help diagnose. I was unable to complete the prep or swallow the camera so I remain in limbo. I’m very aware of the damage I’m doing to my body but also just terrified. I suffer terribly with heart burn/acid reflux which I’m medicated for, I have episodes of extreme nausea, bloating, dizziness, brain fog, diarrhoea but also anxiety too. I so far haven’t pin pointed any foods that trigger me - it can happen at anytime (usually night) it’s extreme pains, I can’t sleep, usually a hot water or a bath is needed. It means I have quiet a bit of time off work & im now anxious about going out to eat. I don’t know what I hope to achieve from this post so thank you for reading it all. I dunno if I need to improve my gut health as my diet is shocking, try and lower my sugar intake, try and work out what’s causing me so much pain. I’m just sick of living like this and feeling so unwell all the time. I’m fed up of being poorly!

Can I ask why you couldn't complete the colonscopy? Was it the prep? I have them every 3 months at the moment if you want any tips. Xx

 

[Sleep_deprived]

Hey guys, didn’t realise this chat was here. I was diagnosed with IBS 10 years ago, but over the last few months I can’t eat a thing without getting horrific diarrhea (sorry) I even couldn’t control messing myself like a newborn. Has anyone’s gotten this bad over time? Or could it be something different? I’ve a second opinion GP appointment coming up because my other one got bloods done and it’s showing over the panic limits for GGT (liver I think) and typical - she said it’s fine, while I’m over here struggling and suffering with the symptoms. Is this normal for bowel problems over time? Thought someone on here might have an idea or dealt with this, while I wait for my GP appointment.

 

[Keet]

Anyone suffer with colitis?
what are the early symptoms please? My friends suffering atm, is it hereditary?

I have pan colitis (effects my whole colon) I wasn’t really ill beforehand then had a really bad flare up, was going to the GP each week for 6wks and being told I had IBS until I ended up in hospital severely ill.
At first I started going to the toilet more often, then urgently but laterally was I having frequent (as in teens) bloody stools and pain before and whilst going to the toilet. By the time I was in hospital I couldn’t eat or drink without either being sick or needing to rush to the toilet. I was asked regularly whilst in the hospital and just after I was diagnosed if I had any family members with bowel disease and it turns out my mum’s uncle suffered badly from crohn’s so they do seem think there is a genetic link with IBD . I’m sorry for your friend it’s really tough to get a diagnosis and having since spoken to others it sounds like I was lucky to have had such a bad flare up so early as it’s often misdiagnosed for a long time.

 

[MickeyMouseClubhouse]

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.

You'll be exhausted after the last prep so hopefully you'll sleep well!

The sedation is strange, you don't get put out, you know what's happening, but kind of feel a bit drunk and out of it.

 

[GrannyGossip]

I am really hoping there is someone still about here!

I have a colonoscopy tomorrow. Had my first dose of plenvu at 5 and was fine. Struggled a bit drinking it but it was grand. Started my second dose at 9 as instructed. Couldn’t even finish the drink before I started to feel sick and I’ve just been really sick is this normal? I feel so tired and can’t sleep because I need to drink the water. Not even attempting the last quarter of the drink

 

[EllaEm87]

You still need to prep with the capsule. The bowel needs to be clear to get good imaging.
Re working from home, yes that would be easy enough!

 

[Peggy5]

Hated it because you didn't like doing it, or because you dropped out of remission?

Simply because I didn’t like doing it! I don’t mind needles at all but I couldn’t stand it

 

[Shoequeen91]

Hi,

I have been having sulphur burps, heartburn excessive wind on/off soft stools or diarrhoea n now back pain ( may not be related) does anyone else have these my gp kinda just ignored me

I had really similar when I was diagnosed with Diverticular disease. Depending on how old you are it can be quite common and/or unheard of. I tend to have a lot of excessive trapped wind (mainly more so burping which makes me have chest pain and/or just general discomfort. Where is your back pain? Upper back or lower? (which I’m currently having quite a lot and then panicking thinking I’m having a heart attack)

Pain for diverticular is usually bottom left hand side. I usually have niggles in my lower left back too.

Hope you get it sorted x

 

[Blahblah93]

Has anyone had barbie but surgery?

 

[Olive16]

Are you sure it isn’t a bug this time @Olive16? D&V plus a fever sounds more like norovirus.

No bug Lovely - fine within an hour or two. No Sickness or Diarrhoea since. Been to Dr's this morning, another stool sample - talks of a possible Allergy or IBD - but he is reluctant to say or treat as unable to pin point a trigger! Got to keep a food diary.

 

[Sheva]

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.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Does anyone suffer with recurrent UTI's with IBD? I have Crohn's and just had my 4th UTI this year. I've read it's common with IBD. If so, other than the usual 3 day antibiotic course, have you been offered anything else?

 

[Keet]

I’ve already had my flu jab and got a letter yesterday with an apt for my Covid booster on Wed. I have mixed feelings about it as along with others from work I have had terrible fatigue since my original jabs in Jan. I work in social care and it seems too much of a coincidence that we’ve all had the same side effect. I suffer really bad with fatigue and have low b12 and iron as it is

 

[maytoseptember]

Hey, has anyone had the feeling that when they are finished going to the loo (pooping) that they aren’t finished or something goes back up. I also have quite loud stomach noises and back pain I have a gp appt booked but abit worried

In medical terms that’s known as “incomplete evacuation”. It’s definitely worth mentioning to the GP.

 

[Begborrowsteal]

Ive never been diagnosed but years of rushing to the loo with loose stools was obvious enough. Its settled down a little over the last few months, before that I was having a rotten flare up. I was fed up of rushing to the loo! Ive only noticed 1 definite food trigger, its hit and miss the rest of the time

 

[Mollyoscar_]

Oh I had EN years ago on my legs are it was agony when I'd knock any of the bumps. Never knew what the cause was

I thought i had a bug bite at first (it was summer time) my foot and ankle ballooned and i couldnt walk on it due to the pain. That same evening i noticed a blotchy red rash on my legs that spread scarily fast.

 

[ThisIsMyDragName]

I have no idea, everytime I vomit. I vomit with the prep and then the actual camera, I’ve had sedation and gas & air and I’m still so worked up that they have to give up xx

Would it be possible to take a short course of a benzodiazepine or something similar in the lead up to a procedure just to try and relax you a bit? I’ve never had an endoscopy or colonoscopy but I feel like I would really struggle with either of these too!
---

Just putting this out there.
I am a long-term IBS sufferer, whose condition is largely quiescent lately, which I attribute to taking a probiotic supplement .
I recently read about the possibilty of parasitic infection either causing IBS, of causing IBS-type symptoms wherein the sufferer gets incorrectly diagnosed. . It was interesting, if a tad stomach-churning.

Interesting! My guts haven’t been good for many years (went alongside when my anxiety started to flare up) but since I had E. coli last year they’ve definitely been worse. May I ask what probiotic you’re taking? I’ve been taking one, which I ramped up ahead of going to the country I ended up getting E. coli from anyway, but I am not convinced it makes me better, I just also don’t think it makes me worse if that makes any sense.

 

[lorballs]

Hey, has anyone had the feeling that when they are finished going to the loo (pooping) that they aren’t finished or something goes back up. I also have quite loud stomach noises and back pain I have a gp appt booked but abit worried