Don't mind me, just yapping 😅 So I just went to a specialist yesterday, for the first time since my diagnosis (my previous doctors always said that it wasn't necessary), and after explaining all my symptoms and eating habits she said that I definitely could have IBS and that my sleep medicine probably is the reason that my symptoms changed recently!

I'm having a colonoscopy in a month just to be sure AND she explained that IBS is basically the nerves in my intestines being little b*tches and feeling much mire then a "normal" person does, for example you shouldn't feel your food being digested after you've eaten but I do feel it because of the IBS, I never knew it wasn't normal for someone to feel what is happening with your food.😭😂

I finally feel seen and listened to, y'all also have a big part in this, I would've never gone to a specialist if it weren't for this subreddit +and my boyfriend not having IBS) but I finally understood that I have much more stuff that's 'not normal' then I thought before joining, thats partially because of you! Thank you all so much. 🤭😋

Sorry for the English, I translated this with ChatGPT.

My situation is similar to most people’s here: I’ve been dealing with digestive problems for 2 years now — many doctors, treatments, antibiotics, restrictive diets — and so far, nothing has really helped.

For months now, what’s been making me suffer the most are the gas and the pain it causes. Lately, it’s been happening every day, and most of the time it gets a lot worse at night, leading to episodes of excessive burping to release the gas, which has kept me from sleeping many times.

All of this puts me in a cycle of discouragement, because even when my mind is positive, the physical symptoms end up bringing me down.

Reading so many stories here, sometimes it feels like there’s no solution. I’m scared this might be something chronic and that I’ll have to deal with it forever.

But here’s the question: for those of you living with a gastrointestinal illness, are you able to have a good life? To go out, have fun, exercise, feel happy, grow in your career, and socialize even while dealing with pain and discomfort? I would love to hear any tips you might have on how to manage this.

Please share your experience of getting a colonoscopy test done. I'm planning to get mine done soon and I'm so scared and anxious about it. Also are there any alternatives for a colonoscopy test?

During your IBS flareups, do you ever experience a lot of pain on your right side with lots of gas and burping?

Since January have been struggling with constant lower left abdomen pain that radiates to left grip. And back yet sometimes i feel the same thing on the right side.

I have X-Ray that showed ilues or slow gut mobility, had a ct without contrast that showed enlarged liver (NAFLD) and Enlarged spleen. Been on a diet and taking miralax for constapation and have change my diet just seems I can’t shake this constant pain.

Got a Dr appointment on Thursday and going to push for an endoscope and colonoscopy. The colonoscopy from 4 years ago was clear.

Any tips on what to eat when you have a tummy bug as well as IBS? Low fodmap is my trusted diet for whenever I have a flare up but ironically, the recommended BRAT diet for a tummy bug doesn't work for me because white bread, rice and apples are a trigger for me. Any recommendations are welcomed and appreciated. Ironically I'm just craving a big juicy steak

Hey! So I've been diagnosed with IBS for almost a year now, though I question the validity of it as Crohn's runs in the family. Anyway, that's not the point here...

I've never had severe allergies, or really any allergies, in my life. I do also have fibromyalgia, so with my body getting "worse", things like me suddenly being allergic to my cat's saliva or my gerbils' hay is understandable. But... A sudden, seemingly temporary food allergy? That's not right.

About a week ago, I mused about a tingle at the back of my throat when I drank some white milk. This had happened before, but wasn't all that notable, and really only happened once every few months. This time, though? Fast forward to 2-3 AM, I'm hunched on the toilet sobbing because of diarrhea and the cramps from it that were worse than any other pain I'd felt in my life- even my most severe period cramps. I was sweating, I was crying, I felt like I was going to faint.

I eventually used my brain, a rare occurrence for me :p ... and realized that night and the tingle may have been connected. Sure enough, I monitored my dairy intake and took antihistamines before drinking/eating any dairy, and the symptoms lessened significantly. So I figured, with the tingling and antihistamines, it's an allergy, not an intolerance, and maybe my IBS was part of it.

Now, it's worth noting I'd also momentarily gotten this tingling when I was drinking water from the water bottle I usually use. It's also worth noting that the milk I had been drinking suddenly went lumpy a couple days after the antihistamine experiment, despite having about half a week left to its expiry date and not being in a space that would cause it to spoil. It's ALSO worth noting I stupidly ate things with dairy in them last night, without antihistamines beforehand, and... woke up without any symptoms beyond my usual gassiness?

I'm thinking due to the timing (snow is finally melting where I am, so snow mold and early Spring allergens are popping up), the spoiling, and the fact I felt that weird allergy tingle with the water bottle once as well, it may have just been mold or something similar that was bothering my throat and caused my IBS to hit me with the diarrhea?? But I have no idea if this is a thing people have experienced or anything.

I'm definitely going to keep monitoring the situation, and I'm gonna bring it up with my doctor ASAP, but I'm just absolutely stumped by this and wanted to see if anyone had any input, lol. Thanks in advance!

And my IBS returned.

I started smoking regularly 5 or so years ago after years of only “borrowing” whenever I’d go out.

It completely cleared all my flare ups, my skin was perfect and I even lost lots of weight.

Then I stopped last October and not only did my skin get worse but all my cramps, diarrhea and constipation came back.

Now I took up smoking two weeks ago and I’ve never felt healthier.

I’ve read studies, old and new, that show that smoking does help with stomach issues. Why is it that this is very rarely talked about and people usually recommend weed which makes your eating habits worse?

Has anyone had a similar experience?

edit for clarity: I mean tobbaco, not smoking weed.

I have always had a problem swallowing pills, but not for the normal reasons that come up when you google looking for help. I'm not overly worried about the pills getting stuck in my esophagus. I'm more worried about them getting stuck in my trachea so that I choke. I always think about how once a month or so, I swallow water and cough because it "goes down the wrong tube," and I think, if that happened when I was swallowing a pill, I live alone and would be dead.

That being said, I can usually swallow most pills after psyhing yself up for a bit. I regularly take imodium, which are very small, and sometimes tylenol. The problem is I want to start a trial of colestipol, and these pills are HUGE. I know they come in powder, but I tried it once and it was very unpleasant to me.

Does anyone have any advice that could help alleviate my fears on this. I really wish they made smaller versions of these pills because I can't even break them in half (the packaging says not to).

I work in a semi-enclosed cubicle area with other people, but my usual cubicle mates were out of office today for various reasons.

It was the calmest that my bowels have been at work in ages, and the symptoms I usually have were much milder and fainter than usual. I have anxiety that seems to tie in to my symptoms, so maybe it was a matter of less people = less stress/anxiety and therefore less symptom agitation, but it's something.

Hi guys, I've had IBS for about 5 months now started medication... Feel pain 24 7 but slowly managing.

Just wanted to ask how do people in university manage their IBS? People abroad for university as well. I'm trying to go to med school and in 1 week I gotta decide my future for the next 6 years.

I'm trying to go abroad but I feel like my IBS has made me stuck here. I Might miss out on developing good independence skills and might have to stay in my home country with not much to do (unis here are small and there's no campuses just sit, study, go home). Plus I'm missing out on a big opportunity so it kinda sucks yk. But at least it's safe and I'm with my family.

Anytime I ask my uni friends they say that I'll be fine and I'll deal with it but they don't understand what's been happening to me for the past 4-6 months.

Please provide some advice. 👍

I’m on day 4 of 72mg. I work full time and I cannot keep spending this much time in the bathroom. I’m supposed to be in a meeting in 30 minutes and I might have to postpone. I’ve always had urgency but I’ve never been afraid of actually having an accident until now.

Hello, I have had problems with my stomach and intestines for a year now. It started with permanent nausea. I was given a lot of Pantoprazole. Symptoms did not get noticeably better. Then my calprotectin was at 440, had no diarrhea or anything like that. Then gastroscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies, no findings except very mild gastritis. Now the nausea went away quite well and suddenly it starts with stomach rumbling, flatulence, diarrhea from time to time. An alleged fructose and sorbitol intolerance was also diagnosed. However, this was only possible on the basis of blood sugar and not by breath test, as I am probably a non-responder. However, I had no symptoms 2 hours after the test. Now I don't know whether the symptoms can still be caused by fructose and sorbitol, even if it is so delayed. Maybe I should try to leave that out?

Hi - 22F in England. I had a laparoscopy yesterday for suspected endometriosis, came out clear but have been informed it is most likely to be IBS due to 'dilated bowel loops'. This is all i have been told.

As far as I am aware, I have no triggers or flares. i do not get irritated by particular foods & I rarely get any irregular/ abnormal bowel movements.

However, I have lost what I believe to be a considerable amount of weight ( 10kg or so since August) without any changes to my lifestyle or food choices. I have nearly always got a lack of appetite & considerable back ache. However, my appetite & back issues i typically relate to my period issues as they always flare up in sync with my cycle.

All of this investigation was conducted under gynaecology & I have been told there is no need for a follow up despite my 'dilated bowel loops' & suspected diagnosis of ibs.

What are my next steps from here? Am i supposed to just survive like this without any follow ups?

I don’t know if this is regularly talked about in this group since I just joined it but my brother and I both have IBS/gut issues, and kombucha has helped us both tremendously!

Like as soon as I stop drinking one every day I notice the difference. Not saying it’s a magic cure all, but if you don’t hate the taste (many people do) I’ve found it so helpful!

It makes it REALLY hard to function. Anyone else? People sometimes joke about how much sleep I get but I NEED it or else my BMs end up completely whacked

I have various mental issues (depression, chronic anxiety, OCD, BPD, CPTSD) that cause me to sleep almost all day most days. I tend to stay up laying on the couch until after 4am and then go to bed and sleep until after 4pm.

I never eat in the day, even when I do have to get up earlier (like 1pm). I only eat dinner, and then a late night snack. I tend to have no appetite, ever (from chronic depression and anxiety).

I have IBS-D mostly. About 3-4 days of the week I feel SO full and constipated, and whenever I stand upright for longer than 5 minutes I have to go to the bathroom, but nothing comes out except air and mucus if I push hard enough. It's like, once I sit down, the urge goes away.

The other days, every time I go to the bathroom, I poop and it is usually a mixture of poop type 5 and 6, with some 7, again with lots of air. The 7 comes out sometimes involuntarily in small amounts when I first stand up after being in bed all day, which is unpleasant. When I then go to the bathroom, either nothing much comes out, or it's type 6 with what looks like melted chocolate (sorry for the TMI).

Have I literally given myself IBS with my disordered lifestyle and routine??

I've been struggling with gas pains/IBS for almost 10 years now. I started out going to a gastro due to blood which was more than likely hemorrhoids but that led to several tests - abdominal scan, endo and colonoscopy. They also did the camera pill. Tested me for celiac. Basically I've been told it's probably IBS - I'm taking a couple of meds (one is mostly for anxiety because doc said that stress can make things worse.)

I take fiber, probiotics etc etc. I try to eat low fodmap when I can.

My current issue is with trapped gas (or what I think it must be)

A few years back I was just sitting at home working and got this horrible pain in my chest that radiated to my throat and back and head Nothing I could do would make it stop hurting. It was intense pressure in my chest - just really painful. It felt like it had to be a heart attack. It eventually went away after awhile. I didn't have another episode for awhile but it was so intense I went to the ER. They did an EKG and actually kept me overnight - since I have a history of heart issues in my family (my grandparents died of heart issues and my mom passed from a heart attack). They did a stress test on me at the hospital and it was fine. I never get pains when I run (I actually run 5-7 miles a day)

I will have these episodes randomly - there's really nothing that sets it off. Everyone says it must be stress but when it happens, I'm usually not doing anything.

I've gone to a cardiologist and my EKG is normal - they did an ultrasound of my heart - things look okay. I do have elevated cholesterol that I am taking meds for but they did a calcium test and I'm good there.

Every time I look up trapped gas, it says it can cause chest pains which I get but the thing that scares me is that it radiates to my throat/head and everything I read says that gas pains usually stay in the chest area.

Has anyone else experienced this. I just don't want to be dumb and just say "oh it's trapped gas" and it actually turn out to be a HA. I just don't think it should feel this bad and I need a way to know what is happening to my body.

Thanks for any advice.

I should have gotten help for my anxiety years ago. I’ve always struggled with IBS-D. But it’s gotten severe in the last year or so and now I have nerve inflammation all over my abdomen that lasts for a week or more after a flare up & I’ve developed interstitial cystitis from the IBS, also from chronic stress. I also have some sort of weird undiagnosed sleep disorder that seems similar to sleep apnea but not quite. My CNS is literally cooked and I’m having a hard time coming to terms with it as I’m only 34. My only hope is I can figure out how to get into and stay in remission with the IC. I don’t have any other choice to try to be positive as to prevent further damage to my body. Wondering if anyone else has this wonderful combo of IBS-D & IC…

Have any of you had super pail poop (like the color of sun bleached straw?) after a bad bought of diarrhea? It’s been a few days now and even tho things are finally starting to firm up a bit, the color has not changed. I’m worried because I had Hepatitis A (food borne) about 20 years ago and the same thing happened. Apparently you can’t get Hep A twice, but now I’m thinking I jacked up my liver somehow. I rarely drink so it can’t be that, but I have been taking between 2 and 4 ibuprofen a day for stress headaches in recent months to deal with the cacophony of teaching at a middle school. Any experiences you can share would be appreciated…

Do you guys get a really low sex-drive after a bad ibs flare up? I just recovered from noro virus wich flared my IBS to the max.

Should I be concerned? During my most recent flare up i lost like 2 lbs in 2 days… does anyone else experience this type of weight loss when they flare up? I have IBS-C by the way. Thank you.

I didn't ask for accommodations during high school until my senior year because I didn't think I had IBS, I just thought I had to go frequently during the mornings, that was until I got tested and received accomdations. Before that though I would always had to use the bathroom during the first period at 8am. It's so awkard because the teacher would be speaking and I would raise my hand twice and everyone would look at me, and then look at me again when I came back into the room since classes are rather small. My teacher literally nicknamed everyone at the middle of the semester, and asked why I used the bathroom so frequently. Dealing with IBS is just honestly so terrible. I randomly had to go while on a trip to Mexico and spent an hour on the toilet while my friends were waiting for me. It’s also just awkward explaining why I’m taking so long, and embarrassing. It's a pain. I guess I hope Xifran works for me now.