Pain and fatigue with sporadic IBS?

[ankietyjoe]

I don't suffer continually with IBS, but unless I monitor my diet constantly I will often fall into easy habits of eating quick meals, ordering in a takeaway or relying on sandwiches etc. When I do this for a few days I will become incredibly bloated, gassy, stomach pains, reflux etc.

But, when I eat these kinds of foods (breads, fried foods, pizza, chips etc) after a few days of bloating I will become incredibly fatigued and achy. It almost feels like a bad cold, without any symptoms.

For example lately I have been doing pretty ok with being up and about, couple of school runs a day, shopping at the supermarket, cooking an evening meal for the family, 30 minutes of weight training almost every day. I was coping with this, but the last week or so we've relied on takeaways and faster meals like pasta as we've been really busy (I work from home and have a lot of jobs to finish off right now).

We went to the garden centre yesterday and I noticed my limbs were feeling really heavy, and I felt a bit short of breath (this often happens when I get reflux). By the time I got home I was just exhausted and didn't really do much for the rest of the day. I woke up today feeling exactly the same, just complete physical exhaustion.

Has anybody else noticed this kind of reaction with a bad bout of IBS? I know there's a strong link between IBS and inflammation, and between inflammation and fibromyalgia/fatigue.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Giving it a bump so hopefully someone can help.

What I did think of is how this is also quite common with sickness & diarrhoea bugs. Could it not be limited to IBS and be more a salt & hydration thing? Gluten? Issues with higher levels of saturated fats?

[Fishmanpa]

It's not quite the same circumstances but I can tell you that both my wife and I suffered similar issues. A few years ago, my wife developed similar symptoms, bad reflux, bloating, irregular stools etc. The doctor did a looksee from both ends and it was reflux related. Both of us take a PPI (Protonix) and were advised to look into the FODMAP (https://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/) diet.

We followed the diet and kept a food diary that helped us identify foods that aggravated us. If we eat foods that don't agree with us, we feel like poo! I have to say, after following the guidelines and eliminating foods that triggered symptoms, it worked wonderfully. Your post clearly illustrates the reasons why you're feeling the way you are. Take out/fast foods and such aren't really good for you.

Here's the solution. Do as we did. Within a month or so, you'll feel much better. And as far as your lifestyle and time? Prepare meals in advance. My work week can be hectic and I understand it's easier to just order out sometimes but having those meals prepared and carrying a lunch box or small cooler with the right foods will solve the problem. It also saves $$$

It's really not that hard nor time consuming to do. How hard is it to have a yogurt and some fresh fruit? We'll cook a few pieces of chicken and make sandwiches for lunch. At dinner, it's typically something light (a piece of fish and a small baked potato and veggies. Most importantly, nothing after 6 or 7pm.

A small amount of effort and planning can yield positive results.

Positive thoughts

[Mindprison]

Hi Joe

I've had bowel issues for most of my life, even as a kid. I also have severe GERD and an eroded esophageal sphincter.

The symptoms you're describing are familiar to me. During a bad flare up I get pain everywhere on my abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms. I often feel tired and dizzy as well if it's particularly bad.

For me, it's a case of finding out what makes it worse and just completely avoiding it, not even taking it in moderation.

I haven't drank alcohol for 7 years as it was causing pain bad enough to put me in hospital. I also have to avoid garlic as even a small amount gives me stomach cramps. I have other triggers too, but those are the two that were causing me agonizing pain.

I think it would be a good idea to perhaps get yourself tested for gluten intolerance as well if you haven't already. Simple blood test. If it comes back clear, you can pretty much be certain that the foods you're eating just don't agree with your IBS.

I saw a dietician for a while to help me work out what I should and shouldn't eat, after we made a plan together my IBS improved a fair bit. I do still get flare ups, but they don't last as long anymore.

Good luck!

[ankietyjoe]

Thanks all.

To clarify, my diet is pretty good most of the time. I eat organic meat, fruits and veg as much as possible, and all our meals are cooked from fresh (including some that are batch cooked and frozen) 90% of the time. The issue seems to come when I have a lot of work on, which can be incredibly time consuming and with heavy deadlines (I'm a self employed sound designer), and there can be a period of two or three days where I will do the 'grab a sandwich' thing and then end up ordering a takeaway or two over the period of a couple of days.

My worst habit is eating late, despite eating an evening meal with the kids about 5-6pm, I will often still find myself up at 1am, starving. I still don't think this is the main cause (although it doesn't help).

After reading your comments, it seems clear (and obvious :yesyes:) that I need to monitor these busy periods and try to pre-empt the ease of ordering a takeaway. I think once a week is fine, but relying on it a few days a week (which is very rare) is a complete no go.

I just it odd that stomach issues were potentially causing so much in the way of all over pain and fatigue, although it does seem to make sense given the mitochondria/energy cycle that stems from the stomach.

Thanks.