How do you cope with IBS symptoms?

[little.miss.worry]

Hello, well I've been having a hard time with IBS at the moment..and it's scaring me all of a sudden and it hurts :( like at the moment I have abdominal cramps and bloatiness. Last night I didn't get to sleep until 5 this morning because you know when you have trapped gas? and it's that horrific pain? I had that and because it was that bad I started crying without even realizing :( so how do you cope with it all? because at this moment in time i'm not coping very well and i'm getting down in the dumps about it..

[Emphyrio]

Hello,

Have you noticed that the pain/cramps occur more after eating certain foods? Try keeping a food diary for a few days and see if it gets worse at certain times of the day. You can then cut out or limit the offending food item. Gas and cramps seem to occur around 5 hours after eating food that doesn't agree with you.

As to things that help - have you tried peppermint? Try peppermint tea first. If that doesn't work you can buy enteric coated peppermint capsules from somewhere like Holland and Barrett - make sure they're enteric coated though - they dissolve only once they reach the intestine.

Camomile tea is also worth a try. Its soothing and has mild laxative properties. Sometimes having a bowel movement can help with gas and abdominal pain.

[Annie0904]

The thing that helps me most (don't laugh!) is baby gripe water. Honestly it works really well

[Janine]

I suffer badly with IBS at times and have diverticulitus and it was an infecton which I ended up with in hospital that started all my anxiety off in August. they told me to take Buscapan for the cramps etc, peppermint tea, like Emphyrio said, also to make sure that you keep your bowels regular by taking something mild like sennokat if you are constipated.

Personally I find that the Buscopan helps and a hot water bottle on my tummy helps ease the pain.

xxx

[Magic]

Hi, I ama nervous wreck this morning, excuse this post, but I just wanted to ask if
anyone with ibs gets rectal pain. I have had it three times in the past month.
It can last from a couple of minuets up to 10 mins and it is excrutiating pain.
I am embarrased to go to GP about it.

[Janine]

Yes Magic, when I had a really bad attack in August I had really bad rectal pain on and off for a couple of weeks, I had never had it before and it was really really painful, it seemed to lead up to me having an infection but have had it since just for a couple of minutes since a few times.

Janine

[Annie0904]

Magic I have had that also. x

[Magic]

Thank you both I thought maybe i was the only one, not a very nice topic to talk about but i am so glad i asked. I am to see GP on 2nd jan about another
problem. I will mention it to her

[little.miss.worry]

You had an infection?! omg..what happens if i've got that..oh great

[Annie0904]

You had an infection?! omg..what happens if i've got that..oh great

I don't think that Janine was implying that you may have an infection. Yours just sounds like classic IBS symptoms.