IBS / Pain in backside ???

[lass]

Let me apologise before I start, this may be a bit graphic, but I need to ask if anyone else has this!

I've been diagnosed with IBS, following various tummy pains, odd bowel habit etc. I had blood tests and sigmoidoscopy in the summer, and everything was normal.

I've actually been ok with these symptoms recently, although I've never completely got out of the habit of looking down the loo after I've been and worrying a bit about size, shape, quantity, etc! but for about a week now I've been aware of a bit of discomfort up my back passage. I can't say as it's a pain, it's just a feeling like there's something "there". But my bowel habit, for me, is pretty normal.

Obviously, in my overactive imagination, this is a lump of some kind! However, I do try to reassure myself that I'm sure I've had this feeling before (and in fact, before I had my sigmoidoscopy) - and because I've had checks previously then I'm starting to think that this could be in my head.

I'm also aware of having loads of wind at the moment. I'm thinking maybe my bowels are just a bit sluggish and although I'm going pretty regularly, maybe it's not enough?

Part of me wants to run to the doctor for reassurance - I also need to know WHAT it is and WHY I'm getting it - but I think with IBS there are loads of odd things that you feel and I don't really understand it all, and so I can't quite accept that it's ok.

Can anyone else relate to this at all?

Also, I wonder if I am just feeling it because I am slightly more anxious at the moment, and once I become aware of something I'm sure I can imagine what I'm feeling!

Please, if you experience anything like this, can you reply to me. Thanks!

[phoenix]

I would have hoped that if your doctor diagnosed you with IBS, they would have given you some information on what symptoms you could expect. Better to be safe than sorry, you doctor is there to help! if the discomfort is fairly 'near the exit' sorry - dont know how graphic i should be on here! the doctor can check very quickly in a usual appointment.
If you are generally anxious at the moment, as you well know, everything, every twinge is magnified to epic proportions!
i know its hard, but try not to worry. get a doctors appointment and get it checked. ask if these symptoms (and any others) are to be expected in future, then you wont have to worry about them, or worry about bothering the doctor unneccessarily in future!

let me know how it goes

Vix
xxx

[yorkylover]

Hi you can get a discompfort depending on your bowel movements.You could have piles,which can be painful,itchy,sore and uncompfortable(forgot how to spell).You are anxious and aware of it so its probably causing you more worry.;)

Ellen XX

[mick]

hi ckirby
my anxirty has comeback big time and so has my ibs your not alone i to am erm a stool gazer, i bet its not uncommon ive been 5 times today too much infomation i know but what im trying to say is i know its anxiety related so i dont freak out as much as i used to about this problem.Oh im also farting for england myself LOL[:o)]so dont worry m8 join the club and dont eat brussel sprouts! re- discomfort could be piles i get them as well lucky me! dont worry if you pass a bit of blood as well as this is normal if you suffer from the above symptoms i hope ive helped you with this reply i used to really get scared about these symptoms but its really typical anxiety induced
Mick

[peach]

hi!
i too have ibs.it suxs eh?! there is actually a very good ibs forum on the web..i suggest you search for it..its very similar to this furum but for ibs sufferers...it has helped me a lot!...all the 'wind' is very normal for us..as too all the odd bowel stuff..doc should have given you info on it...but mine didnt either..i found out on the web..ive learnt to live with it..and now only get upset when i have a particuly painful night..which thank god isnt very often...stress will definatly make your symptoms much worse..i found that anxiety is very common for ibs sufferers...any advise you need, pls feel free to ask me...

[lass]

Thank you all for your messages. I'm still in 2 minds whether to go to GP. I know in my heart of hearts that I've had this symptom before, and in fact I had it when I had my sigmoidoscopy, so if there was something to see there, they would have seen it.

But why can't I convince my negative mind that it isn't something awful??? I just keep picturing a huge blockage in my lower bowel - but I know there can't be one because I am going to the loo ok!

Problem for me is that, although I don't google any more, I used to and I've kept snippets of information in my head to bring out when I least need it. I've read so much on bowel cancer, rectal cancer, etc - and I won't give in to my urge to google my symptoms this time, so I can't even find out if it's a normal IBS thing!

I really can't even say if I'm actually feeling this, or if I'm just imagining I'm feeling it because I'm so focused on it - if that makes any sense.

Problem is, I'm away for a few days on Tuesday (to Thursday) - taking kids to Lapland (which they don't know about yet!). I should be feeling great, but I'm feeling crap at the moment and so scared this will spoil it for everyone (as I'm very easily irritated at the moment).

My dialemma - if I do manage to get a GP appointment on Monday and she is anything other than 100% reassuring it's nothing to worry about, I will go away feeling worse (especially - what if she does an examination and finds something???). If I don't go to GP, will I be able to put this to the back of my mind and enjoy myself, or will it ruin our trip?

I'm so sick of this today, I feel awful. I'm struggling to stay sane at the moment - plus something even worse has just cropped up in my life (last night) that is causing me more anxiety - I just don't really know where to turn right now.

Thanks again everyone
xx

[phoenix]

If you are still worried, my advice hasnt changed. get thee to a doctor!!!
you know your anxiety best, if you think you are better able to cope with not knowing, get an appointment for after your trip. if you think, which is the most likely after your sigmoidoscopy, that it isnt really anything, (which would work out well for both scenarios) get an appointment before your trip.
What happened last night to make everything worse?

Vix
xxx

[Jem27]

I am sure its your IBS hun, it comes hand in hand with anxiety it seems.

Have a fab holiday, you deserve it hun.

[lass]

Thanks for all your messages. I found the IBS forum suggested and this helped me a lot, as other people describe something similar.

However, me being me, can't quite accept this without a check up with the doctors so I've booked an appointment for Monday. Unfortunately my GPs on holiday now til after Xmas so I'm seeing someone different, but hopefully he will still be helpful.

We got back from 3 days in Lapland, which was wonderful, but I was quite uncomfortable with this and went through so real bouts of anxiety about it.

Thanks again for your help everyone!

[phoenix]

Well done indeed for going on the trip! If you can still have fun inbetween the anxiety, thats your light at the end of the tunnel!

Vix
xxx

p.s. very jealous... did you meet santa?

[Her Nibs]

Hi...another IBS sufferer here and I have this pain what I think you may be describing. It is very difficult to describe but here goes. It is inside my back passage and feels like something is stuck there but what it actually is ...is a spasm..causing the muscles inside the back passage to slightly twist..causing a pain that I liken to "as though a hard object is stuck there, or I am being squeezed from the inside...or nipped from the inside"....hope this makes sense cause it is really hard to describe. I have had all the checks done for my IBS....sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy etc etc..many times. My consultant was not in the least bit concerned when I told him of this pain...he told me the name..(cant member but very long)..My sister gets it too and sometimes it can be just an annoying niggly pain and at other times it can be excrutiating...I usually sit on a hot water bottle and take pain killers until it passes....I have piles inside and think this may be the trigger..not sure. Hope this helps..and if it is not the same as your pain ckirby25 sorry for the long post but may help some one else. Good luck tomorrow..and try not to worry......

[lass]

Well, I've been to doctors, but I don't really feel reassured at all :(. In fact, my anxiety is dreadful right now.

The doctor isn't my usual doctor, although I've seen him once before. He read my history about the tests I'd had this year. He examined me (rectal) and said he could feel nothing wrong, although my tail bone is slightly mobile. He asked if I'd had a fall or anything recently, which I haven't. He then got me a little model of the back and showed me that my tail bone is slightly mobile and this isn't uncommon. He thinks it is this that I can feel, and it's nothing to worry about.

He asked me if I was ok with that, and I said yes / no, as I feel my bowel habit comes into it too. And that I have been really constipated and I was wondering if that had anything to do with it. He said just to try to avoid constipation, but I explained I drink gallons of water, eat a really healthy diet, exercise regularly, take fibogel, etc. What more can I do???

Now I keep feeling like I need to go to the loo, but can't go when I try.

I understand what he says about my tail bone and I do agree this is where I feel the discomfort, but I'm not convinced this is the only problem going on here.

I'm really scared now, I don't know what to do. I'm thinking of getting another opinion from a doctor at work tomorrow as she's really nice and I've spoken to her lots of times in the past, but I don't want her to think I am taking advantage, if you know what I mean.

[roger power]

I think all IBS is triggered by food poisoning! I think if we treated people for this at time of contraction we could stop all these long term effects.

note the indians have a way of treating IBS by having to drink many pints of goats milk until you vom. This seems to have worked for me.

[roger power]

also would be interested in hearing from anyone who suffered food poisoning in the same year they experienced the symtoms first