IBS, stomach bug or something really bad?

[motherof3girlies]

Hello all,

I have suffered from IBS since I was really young (teens), I'm 35 now. I mainly suffer from IBS C and I have found ways to keep it under control. My main IBS symptoms are extreme bloating and bad gas (it's so embarrassing). About a month ago I started to get upper left abdominal pain and I thought maybe I had gastritis. Then I thought it was my medication (Dexilant for acid reflux) so I have stopped it and that upper pain has pretty much gone away, knock on wood. BUT for a week now I have the bad IBS symptoms and then on Wednesday I had some diarrhea and also on Friday. My bloating has been starting like clockwork in the evenings, which has always been my case. Then last night my stomach was so bad I ended up throwing up just once and now I have diarrhea type pain but cannot seem to go to the bathroom. I know this has happened to me before but I'm scared right now because I've been having issues for a month. I had an endoscope last month and it was clear and I had an sigmoidoscopy done two years ago and that was clear too. I see my internists on Tuesday so of course I will talk to her about it, but could this be a virus too? Thanks!!!

[PanickyGuy]

I couldn't tell you one way or the other for sure, based on my past experiences with IBS. It could be a virus, but it also sounds like you're heavily constipated as well. I mean if your backed up a lot and nothing is coming out the other end for a while and the more you eat, well it's eventually going to come back up the other way like a stopped up drain.

[ellzeena]

I've had IBS c and d my entire life so I know what you're going through! Bottom line IS: COLONOSCOPY IS OK. SO, it could be viral, it could be food related (have you ever been tested for sensitivity to certain foods?), it could be emotional, but worrying about it is unnecessary since you have just had a clear test result. Try staying away from dairy (especially milk products) for a few days and see what happens; then stay away from wheat products (and continue staying way from dairy) for a few days and see what happens. It's a process of elimination. Of course by then you will have calmed and the situation may have resolved, but testing your body's responses to things in your diet is one way to manage your IBS. I stay away from all medications and use fiber from food to manage my IBS C but the D part? that just happens, especially if I am stressed, so i rely upon my every-three-year colonoscopies to keep my colon polyp free.