IBS- really would love some advice from long term sufferers:(

[debs71]

Hi All,

I am really, really struggling and perplexed at the moment with my IBS. I just don't know which way to go with it.

A few weeks ago I started getting pain directly under my left ribs - stabbing, burning pains. I had a bad flare up of IBS together with gastritis last year, and it felt the same, so took some Patoprazole for a while, and it seemed to calm down. Together with this, I alo have all sorts of left side pain - the nagging spastic colon thing, the pains under my ribcage, constant belching, and up until recently, constipation. I normally have IBS-C, but can alternate at times with D.

I decided to try Fybogel again, as I know it does help me a lot when constipated. I have been taking it for around 4 days now, and it was certainly moving my bowels in the right direction, albeit just small amounts (sorry for TMI), but today I woke up with crampy pains low down in my abdo and that urgency again that I get when I have diarrhoea bouts. I didn't take any Fybogel this morning because of it.

I just don't know what to do for the best. I am so tired of this at the moment. I went years with my IBS not being much issue, and the past few years it has been a real problem. I don't know how to manage it when I am up to my eyes with constipation and treat it, but then I get cramps and diarrhoea. I have tried bucopan, mebeverine, heat pads, etc. all only to small effect. I know this flare up is stress related. The one last year was too. I just feel I am stuck in a vicious circle.

If any sufferers have any advice or suggestions as to how I can tackle this, I would really, really appreciate it. My anxiety and panic is starting to flare up again due to my frustration and worry about this. I am so fed up.

[AlexandriaUK]

Hi I am under one of the top gastroentologist in UK and for the IBS he tells me all the time to keep a check on diet, drink plenty of fluids and exercise.
Luckily we know IBS is not life threatening thank goodness so that's at least one thing you don't have to worry about.
I don't take anything for it just follow his guidelines, hope you feel better soon.
Just thought when I was first diagnosed it was called an over active bowel.

[Annie0904]

I feel your pain :( I am having another flare up this week due to stress and I am laid on the bed now feeling nauseous and in pain. I have been cutting out the most offending foods according to the fodmap diet and have felt better with it but I ate onions a couple of days ago thinking a small amount wouldn't harm. Obviously I was wrong!

[debs71]

Thanks for your replies.

It is really getting me down. I have tried the usual meds, the Fybogel, lots of water, avoiding trigger foods, and I am lying here with cramps and nausea too, Annie. I avoid laxatives with my constipation, as I react badly to them and have profuse diarrhoea, so I thought I was going ok with the Fybogel, but it seems not.

Does anyone else gets stabbing, aching pains under their ribs and an aching back?

I am at a loss with it all. I have so many things to sort out and chores to do here, and I have zero energy and these cramps.

Sorry to moan.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Sorry to hear you are suffering Debs.

I don't know if its any use but when I was doing a fair bit of looking around on Amazon for probiotics & how they help, I noticed a decent number of reviews from IBS sufferers, some of which said they had got nowhere with meds but found probiotics worked for them, so perhaps worth a look?

[debs71]

Sorry to hear you are suffering Debs.

I don't know if its any use but when I was doing a fair bit of looking around on Amazon for probiotics & how they help, I noticed a decent number of reviews from IBS sufferers, some of which said they had got nowhere with meds but found probiotics worked for them, so perhaps worth a look?

That is so uncanny, MNIT!

I just literally started a probiotic a couple of days ago. I am at my wits end, and thought it was worth a try. I have tried the yoghurts with the 'good bacteria' but not much joy, but have just started Optibac which I am hoping I will have more joy with. I did a desperate Google search and also have noticed the many glowing reviews re. probiotics, and thought 'well, it is worth a go.'

Thanks so much for your reply. As always , you are very helpful.

[RubyToo]

I take probiotic tablets, not as much as they 'claim' in the yoghurt stuff. Many years ago when I was suffering from IBS I had one of those 'allergy' tests at the health shop, they were a bit cheaper than they are now - but I never looked back, I needed a large diet change which helped me so much. I take the probiotics now as I am an old bird and my digestion is not what it was, probiotics help with that too.

[debs71]

I take probiotic tablets, not as much as they 'claim' in the yoghurt stuff. Many years ago when I was suffering from IBS I had one of those 'allergy' tests at the health shop, they were a bit cheaper than they are now - but I never looked back, I needed a large diet change which helped me so much. I take the probiotics now as I am an old bird and my digestion is not what it was, probiotics help with that too.

Thanks for your reply, Ruby Too.

I have tried over the years to see if there was a pattern/any trigger foods by keeping a diary of what I eat, and I have never been able to pinpoint it. Last year, I decided to go gluten free....a huge diet change. I did see a vast improvement in my IBS and felt more energised, etc, but I had to stop the diet when I developed a cyst on my thyroid. I was sure there was some relation to having cut a lot of vitamins out in the process, so am reluctant to cut gluten again.

I am going to persevere with the probiotics I think!

[MyNameIsTerry]

That is so uncanny, MNIT!

I just literally started a probiotic a couple of days ago. I am at my wits end, and thought it was worth a try. I have tried the yoghurts with the 'good bacteria' but not much joy, but have just started Optibac which I am hoping I will have more joy with. I did a desperate Google search and also have noticed the many glowing reviews re. probiotics, and thought 'well, it is worth a go.'

Thanks so much for your reply. As always , you are very helpful.

Thanks Debs

Yeah, the yoghurts don't tend to have much in terms of billions although some have up to about 4-5 strains in them. Things like Actimel have 10 billion and Yakult are more 6-7 billion.

The supplement versions can have a wider spectrum in them as well as a higher number. Optibac are the ones in Tesco I think. They seem a good range with some intensive courses for those on antibiotics.

Have you been on antibiotics more recently?

Something else to consider in your diet is the health of your gut as well. You can switch diets but its going to take time to improve your digestion if years of preprocessed foods have caused it to weaken. Probiotics are the ideal way to go with this and some people take digestive enzymes too but I'm not sure if they take the latter for IBS so you would need to be check that.

If you ever decide to use probiotics full term or go for very high strength ones, its far cheaper to make your own. Its dead simple too from what I've read as I plan on doing this but haven't got the bits & bobs I need yet. If you make your own, you can expect more 1 trillion across a far wider spectrum per dose which is very expensive in supplements. If you make your own, your culture just grows indefinately so you only have to purchase it once and then you just need to keep buying the brewing ingredients i.e. sugar, flavouring elements, etc.

[Yogi]

Have you tried the apple cider vinegar yet? I have been using it to treat heartburn but not daily.. I'm pretty sure I'm now in the midst of a bout of IBS and someone said it's great for that too.
Take a tablespoon in a glass of water half an hour before meals 3 x a day. Just been reading up and loads of people reporting it makes a significant difference to their IBS!
Worth a try xx