Scared in case it's not IBS

[LuSmith]

Hi..

I don't know if I'll be able to get much advice but here goes. My situation is a little longwinded so bare with me.

Seven months ago around my third trimester I started getting diarrhea and crampy type feelings. I would go up to 6 times a day sometimes.. and felt sick etc. I was told that the sick/being sick was acid reflux. I had a stool sample taken for the diarrhea but that came back negative for occult and infection. (I don't know if I did the stool sample right now though thinking about it.)

THey couldn't figure out what the problem was. I had my baby a couple of months after (he came a month early, not sure if this was due to the problem or if the problem contributed to stress etc...) and since then I had problems with my bowels ongoing. I had to push hard during labour and ended up with hemmorhoids, however my symptoms continued to bother me and have done to this day, they are--

My symptoms are as follows-
Full feeling in rectum
Bloating and gas
I go sometimes five times on a bad day!!
Sticky narrow stool
Sore abdomen
Feeling like I always need to go
Lower back/tailbone/coccyx pain
Rectum pain

My stools are weirdly Type 5 stool... and come out broken up. I find it difficult to go, I find myself straining despite them being softish.

The other day I had a small amount of bleeding with my stool. I got worried from then on about something more serious...

I've been to the doctor countless times who have turned me away saying its probably IBS. I've been given Mebeverine which I'm taking now for almost three days and it hasn't helped yet, but I don't know if this will help for the feeling in my tailbone or rectum. I have a sore abdomen today...

WEnt to the emergency doctor today and he felt my abdomen and said he couldn't feel anything (I have a small hernia probably from my laporoscopy is all). He then did a physical to my rectum (just with finger obviously) and said he couldn't feel anything except stool. No mass or blood evident. He said he wasn't worried but I have to speak to my normal GP.

However, I've been refused a colonoscopy about three-four different types when I've asked as I'm scared of my symptoms. My grandfather had bowel disease and my mum's mother (who died before I was born) had bowel cancer. My brother has colitis. My mum had diverticilitus and a polyp removed. I thought it best to get checked considering my family history but they don't think there's any point.

I'm only 27 btw but I know it's not unheard of and that scares me even more....

Is IBS typical of the symptoms above, even the tailbone pain? Could the tailbone pain be from something else like my IC problems or even pelvic floor dysfunction from giving birth 5 months ago?? Could it just be bruised? It doesn't seem to give me any relief when I pass gas. It hurts to sit/lie down.. sometimes feels better to walk though.

I feel constipated and I know there's stool there but how can I be constipated if the stool is soft?! I'm scared there's some restriction but surely if there was he would have felt it.....????

[PinkRoxy]

Hi Lusmith

Yes your symptoms do sound like typical IBS I get everything you described including the nausea and indigestion. My poos are all weird too they havent been normal for a month now nearly two months.

Unless you are having really unwell feelings to the point that you cant carry on in everyday life activities that you usually do then I would go back to your gp. But anyway I would go back anyway and see if there is a fibre supplement they can put you on that wont cost you alot of money.

I have found slight bleeding too when Im straining I think its just because you rip your bottom hole a little as it would feel sore afterwards.

Anyway all the best but honey try not to worry as I get those symptoms too and also they wouldve noticed anything serious when you gave them a poo sample well I would think so anyway.

[LuSmith]

Hi! Thanks its good to hear from someone with IBS too, I think I'm going crazy. Going to look into probiotics but wasn't sure if I can take them with meds I'm on. What do you find helps??

So you get the constant aching too and are unable to completely empty your bowels when you go?? I noticed lots of mucus today and that scares me too.

[capitalone]

Hi Lu,

Your symptoms are EXACTLY and I mean EXACTLY the same as mine.

I went to the Doctor on thursday about it.

He did not seem concerned.

He told me to come back if I start experiencing diarrhoea for more than 3/4 weeks, if I start to get heavy bleeding or blood is mixed with stool.

Without wanting to curse myself he did say it's very rare for it to be anything sinister if you're under 50.

My tailbone pain comes and go's and it does feel like it's bruised. I thought maybe when I'd been riding my scooter I could have bruised it somehow.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what it is. I go to the bathroom once a day. It can sometimes be a bit soft but not diarrhoea.

The scariest symptom is the rectum pain and pressure to be honest.

Anyone else on the forum having the same issues as Lu and I ?

[LuSmith]

Hey!

I suppose by diarrhea he meant watery type diarrhea. I don't really get diarrhea so much as I have softer stools and I have been on bad times up to five-six times a day!

Last few days I've been only once or twice a day which is strange, but could be the Mebeverine doing that, not sure as I'm only on the third day. Also my stools have been hardly anything, a small amount and then I feel like I can't evacuate anything else.

I haven't had any heavy bleeding as such, the only bleeding I noticed was that one time and then previously I think once or twice but not very much and not often. (as in barely anything). I did have hemmorhoids though.

I got some mucus today when I went and it's panicked me a little but I know it's prominent in IBS-D sufferers.

How old are you? My rectum pain has been since my baby was born to be honest, about 5 months, so I'm not sure if it's some muscle or pelvic floor issue. The tailbone pain probably the same amount of time, to be honest I can't remember if I had it when I was pregnant! It doesn't feel better if I fart but I can eleviate some of the pain with heat.

How long have you had these symptoms yourself capitalone??

[capitalone]

Hey Lu,

I'm 34. As I was saying my pain down there comes and go's it's not constant. I get some mucus sometimes too but that doesn't freak me as much as the weird rectum pains !!!

I get a bit of abdominal pain but thats upper abdo not lower.

[LuSmith]

Ah okay. My pain is usually continuous, especially at the moment. I get upper abdo pains too but put that down to acid reflux which I'm on meds for.

Totally understand the freaking out about the rectum pains :(

[PinkRoxy]

Ok Im so glad I dont get watery diarrhoea but I do get loose stools alot.
I find helps a little is peppermint tea at night after your dinner as dinner is usually a big mean and can leave you feeling uncomfortable.

For me I do tend to get more pains when I over do it with the fibre though dont exactly know why but I know it happens more when I fuss too much with it and take alot of fibre stuff.

As for pain itself its hard to get rid of it but an anti inflammatory tablet like ibuprofen can help otherwise I would use a hot water bottle. The doctor may be able to prescribe yu with something though.

I know what you mean by that mucusy stuff like when you fart and you think its diarrhoea but then its all this mucusy stuff I find that so annoying.

Anyway all the best aye.

[LuSmith]

Yeah I think sometimes fibre does it to me too but then if I dont take it I feel constipated so can't win... my dr seems to think I'm constipated even though I'm going enough times! :( I know it can cause you to have looser stools going around the blockage or whatever but I'm a bit concerned about taking the Lactulose he's prescribed to me in case I go far far too much!!

[ibsk]

Hi All,

I got the same symptoms(from bloated tummy to weird poo). What helped me?
Wheat grass juice - in the morning on empty stomach
Aloevera juice - in the morning
Tea spoon of honey and cinnamon (preferable manukau honey)
avoid red meat, coffee, limit alcohol

I don't feel bloated anymore, I can eat a properly, bad breadth is gone, I still get pain on my tail bone, not all the time. If I drink excessive alcohol my routine is screwed up.
And yes YOGA/Mediation. Will releve the stress .

I'm bit annoyed with with my sore tail bone which comes and goes:(

Happy living and keep Smiling