Suggestions for IBS sufferer please!

[buffymad]

I get bloated very very easily and also have trouble with constipation (quite frequently) and pains in my stomach through this and the bloating. Pretty sure I have IBS but last time I saw someone at my docs about this, the advice I was given was to take things to make me go and take things to make me stop. Helpful - not. So I haven't bothered asking again.

It doesn't seem to be related to anything I eat - I can get bloated simply through not having a walk at lunchtime (and being stuck at my desk) or not eating at my "usual" times. And of course, not going to the toilet makes it all the worse. I can sometimes be doubled up in pain. Deflatine seems to help! And although it sounds horrible, even when I do go to the toilet, I never have a feeling of being "empty" once I've been (even if I've been a lot). I also feel very gassy.

I went to Holland & Barrats and got some probiotic tablets (I think) - the good bacteria kind of stuff which I take every day. I was taking peppermint tea too and both seemed to help but not 100% and not all the time.

Does anyone else suffer with the same kind of symptoms (sure there'll be many) and if so, any suggestions on what else I could try?

I seem to have a good few weeks (hurrah) followed by some uncomfortable days/weeks and just wondered if there was anything else I could do to help.

[woofgang]

If at all possible change your GP. Not going into detail but please please if you aren't getting trustworthy service from your GP then move...I wish i had.

[gingejbee]

With these symptoms, any decent GP would refer you for investigation to hospital. Only when other more serious conditions have been ruled out do they then say you have IBS and then discuss treatment eg medication.

[Connemmara]

I have diverticulitis (same kind of family) and like that was given endoscopy (up the bum) and they confirmed. Have the same symptoms as yourself - I find I get an outpouring of you know what when I eat a heavy meal. Then other times I just comes on me for no reason - I do believe alcohol can play a part in it.

[Robinia]

When you say it isn't related to anything you eat how long are leaving any 'suspicious' food out of your diet? It needs to be several weeks to decide whether they're causing a problem. Things that make me worse are too much wholemeal bread (I alternate between white, whole meal & seeded types), too much raw food, I love salad but find it very irritating, broccoli (ugh, devil's food anyway, haha) and it's recommended by some that you don't eat any pork or pork products. Whether or not it's psychological I don't know but I really think activia yoghurts help and I like them anyway.
I have mebeverine for pain but only if it's really bad.

[woofgang]

I use colpermin and Buscopan, also really strong mint tea..3 bags in the mug and steep for about 5 mins. With me its definitely stress.

[LoftyLottie]

Me too. And I can't eat a lot of meat either or milk/cream (although yoghurt and cheese seem to be OK).

But first of all, you need to get this properly diagnosed.

[LoftyLottie]

Woofy, I read that wrong. " Three bags in the cup and then sleep for 15 minutes!!"

[Robinia]

lol, I like the sleep option! Actually 15 mins with a heat pack really helps...and yes, stress is a major factor.

[lynneylou]

hi there
im sure i suffer with ibs too
i look 6mths pregnant at the moment, its bad enough being bloated before my period (a whole wk b4) but this is painful and i hv lower back ache too. one minute my stomach seems nice and flat the next my clothes wont fit!!!!!!

[cazzz1975]

I used to suffer like that before removing all suspicious foods from my diet, the main culprits were the gas producing foods like beans, cabbage, onions, banana's, cucumbers. I have very small servings of broccoli which do not affect me as badly. its trial and error but I am certain your problems would be alieviated by avoiding certain foods.

I have a bad reaction to fizzy drinks and alcohol as well