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think i may havce irratble bowel syndrome

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
i cant stop going to the toilet and if i do i wanna go again about half an hour later,been like this for a week now and as well as going to the toilet frequently im always hungry but feeling a tad sick at the same time,whats all that about:confused:

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i cant say that it is irritable bowel syndrome, but it dont sound very healthy! make yourself a doctors appointment for as soon as you can+in the mean time keep drinking pletny of water, bcos if you're going the toilet that often you could become dehydrated :thumb:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It doesnt sound like ibs to me, just from that. Go to the doctors if your conserned. x
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it sounds exactly like IBS, but it's a possibility you should have ruled out by your GP if this persists.

    The main symptoms of IBS as I understand it, are abdominal bloating, cramp-like pain in the stomach area, painful stools...quite often diarrhea or constipation, mucus in the stool (not nice I know) and the feeling when you've been to the toilet that you haven't finished but you can't pass any more excrement. If you do have all or many of these symptoms, then as I said you should probably see the doc. If they think it's possibility they'll probably do a blood test or maybe an X-ray of the bowel, however hopefully you won't need to even think about these :)

    In the meantime, try and get as much fibre as you can through your diet...good for this is broccoli, raw cabbage (ick!), carrots, peas, apples, peaches, beans (assorted) and whole grains found in whole-grain cereals, breads etc. This could show a change in itself, and of course is good for clearing your bowels nontheless. Eat smaller meals rather than big meals, it should help. Also try and cut out rich, fatty and dairy-based foods.

    I hope you find out what it is, it's definitely a gastro-intestinal problem...but only your GP can tell you exactly what. Good luck!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know, doctor's do try and treat things every way possible before resorting to things such as medication. It's the way they're trained to do it...every other possible way has to be ruled out, because medication can't just be handed out like lollipops.

    I do understand where you're coming from though Groovaybaby, but it's a fact that even if you are officially diagnosed with IBS, the best and most common treatment for it is the right diet. There are trials of new medications etc, but it's not a curable defect, just controllable. After all, you need to realise that IBS isn't a disease or illness, it's just what I said - a malfunction of the bowel.

    That said, I can empathise because I've been to my GP before with several complaints which he hasn't taken seriously. Really if you're determined to get a better service then you need to go in there with the mind-set that you want to know: what is going on with your body and what are your options for making you feel better. At the end of the day it is their job and they should be doing it in such a way that their patients are satisfied. If this isn't the case, make your opinion known.

    Hope you (both) get it sorted, I know it must be really unpleasant :(
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by briggi
    it's a fact that even if you are officially diagnosed with IBS, the best and most common treatment for it is the right diet. There are trials of new medications etc, but it's not a curable defect, just controllable.

    there are a few drugs they can give you, but they don't help much. and they also try to force feed you fybogel, which is probably the most horrific thing known to man. (it's a fibre-rich orange drink with the consistency of sick). i'd rather eat more wholemeal bread and be on my way.

    If they think it's possibility they'll probably do a blood test or maybe an X-ray of the bowel

    x-ray? i wish. in my area, at least, they stick a camera up your arse. dignified it is not. not sure about other areas, but i know someone on here who had to have a barium enema to rule out anything nasty. that's even worse. barium is an explosive.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    thanks for the replys,today i have been feeling better so i will see what happens.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I went to the doctors yesterday 'cause I've not been quite right for a few months. I'd read up about IBS and self diagnosed myself with having that as what I read all seemed to be what I was experiencing.

    However, I ended up having a blood test to rule out celiac disease or a thyroid problem.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by kaffrin

    x-ray? i wish. in my area, at least, they stick a camera up your arse. dignified it is not. not sure about other areas, but i know someone on here who had to have a barium enema to rule out anything nasty. that's even worse. barium is an explosive.

    We were just at the hospital yesterday for my other half to have a barium meal and he's got to go back and do it all over again because it didn't show stuff up well enough. And he's just had an appointment letter for a colonoscopy - happy he is not! But if we find out what's wrong with him, hey.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Miffy
    We were just at the hospital yesterday for my other half to have a barium meal and he's got to go back and do it all over again because it didn't show stuff up well enough. And he's just had an appointment letter for a colonoscopy - happy he is not! But if we find out what's wrong with him, hey.

    poor guy. i totally sympathise. it can be a total nightmare. blood tests i don't mind at all, ditto ultrasounds and such things. but all the poking and prodding and swallowing and lube. urgh. it's just horrid.

    hope they do find out what's behind it and it's nowt too serious.

    you do feel a bit of a loony though, with all the symptoms, and all the tests come back normal.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks Kaff, but how about you? Are you any closer to finding out whats wrong? How did the gluten and lactose intolerance tests go?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Miffy
    Thanks Kaff, but how about you? Are you any closer to finding out whats wrong? How did the gluten and lactose intolerance tests go?

    wild goose chase, tbh. they have decided that i am not gluten intolerant, but may be gluten 'sensitive' which i am a little lost by, but think they mean that it's not necessarily bad for me, but may trigger my IBS that they're not entirely sure is IBS. i have since gradually started eating gluten again to no ill effects, which was the happiest day of my life (have decided gluten is what makes things taste nice). the doc says it's possible my system just needed a rest from it. my body apparently has no problems with lactose, but they think the symptoms of that one might be anxiety related, cause i have a thing about dairy products and sell-by dates. especially milk.

    either way, everything seems ok atm. have been taking multivitamins with probiotics and eating live yoghurt which my gut LOVES. seriously. if i forget them for a couple of days, i can really tell the difference.

    so yeah, am crossing fingers. but for now, it's not bad at all.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by kaffrin
    wild goose chase, tbh. they have decided that i am not gluten intolerant, but may be gluten 'sensitive' which i am a little lost by, but think they mean that it's not necessarily bad for me, but may trigger my IBS that they're not entirely sure is IBS. i have since gradually started eating gluten again to no ill effects, which was the happiest day of my life (have decided gluten is what makes things taste nice). the doc says it's possible my system just needed a rest from it.

    I believe what gluten sensitivity is, is that you can have some changes to the gut lining and have coeliac antibodies but not have the full blown clinical symptoms. It's possible if this is the case that laying off the gluten for a bit allowed your gut to regenerate it's lining.
    either way, everything seems ok atm. have been taking multivitamins with probiotics and eating live yoghurt which my gut LOVES. seriously. if i forget them for a couple of days, i can really tell the difference.

    so yeah, am crossing fingers. but for now, it's not bad at all.

    Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better, hope it lasts. Hmm, live yoghurt, never thought of that.... anythings worth a try I guess...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    watch this Video!

    Hi everyone.

    I think you should take a look at this video, which explains the difference between IBS and lactose intolerance. It helped me a lot when I thought I had IBS, and then found it that it was a (mild) intolerance to too much lactose.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V81uwYDa0Q

    If someone had explained it as simply and clearly as this when i was faffing around the surgery, I'd have had it sorted a lot sooner!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Really dead thread. As I said before, you could start your own. Also, there's little point posting the same video twice. If someone's interested, they'll see it the first time.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As piccolo points out this thread is from 2004 so I'm going to close it now :)
This discussion has been closed.