Could It Be The Milk?

Former Member

Hiya.

I was diagnosed with IBS about 5-6months ago. Though don't even know if that's official as he just checked my tummy by feeling my bowels then I told him what symptons I've been getting and he said it does sound like IBS so he give me a box of peppermint oil capsules. Saying he wanted to start me on a natural remedy first to see how I cope.

I still was constipated alot but cramps eased of to were I could ignore them.
Ever since last Wednesday, my cramps have got worse. T'is sooo badly at the moment, t'is sore to even breathe. I'm burping like mad and now I've got the bloody runs.

I've been trying to do research on google about IBS. But all I find is what it actually is and how it's not curable but can ease it.

I wish I didn't leave it so late in the week but I was just hoping it would ease as it usually does. But now it's getting unbarable. I feel soo sick and the cramps are pure agony. So bad it's bringing tears to my eyes

I'm going to try and phone the Docs tomorrow to try and get an Emergency Appt as I don't think I can survive the weekend if this doesn't stop. I can't sleep or anything cause the sharp pains keep wakening me up. And when I burp, you'd think it would ease it. But feels worse

Can anybody who suffers this or knows people who have suffered with IBS, tell me what I can do tonight to help ease it.

My mum have been given me stronger painkillers. But only eases it for like an hour or so. Popping pills like this can't be helping, surely?

Always the other thing, the last 2 weeks I have been drinking more milk than usual from a change of water. Could this be causing it?

Any advice would be much appreciated. God, I hope there's a lot of night owls on this board. Cheers in advance.

Former Member

My mate had IBS, and she changed to steralised milk and she said that helped as with ordinary pasteurised she got a lot of pain

Former Member

Dairy affects a lot of peoples digestive system so could well be it, my flat mate finds gluten is a nightmare for hers too.

Former Member

What about chocolate and all? Would I be best trying to cut that down as well?

Took more pain killers. T'is easing it. But what I hate is it doesn't last for long

Do ya think I'm wise to phone the docs tomorrow? I'm kinda worried I maybe wasting the docs time as there's nothing he can do for me. Though I am hoping he could put me on something different since the peppermint oil capsules aren't helping the Constipition.

Former Member

If you're in lots of pain ring the doctor! That's a simple one really.

Former Member

Definitely ring the doctor. I have anti-spasmodic drugs for my IBS that work much better for me than normal painkillers. You can discuss trying something else to manage your symptoms while you're there.

And it could quite possibly be the milk upsetting you. Quite a lot of people have some degree of lactose intolerance, which gets worse when your guts are having a sensitive time. An easy way to check is to cut out milk and everything containing it for a couple of weeks, then drink a few glasses of milk. If your symptoms get better without it, and then suddenly come back shortly after drinking the milk, it's that. You can discuss it with your doctor, anyway

Former Member

What you need to do is a few tests on yourself. For a week, cut out all dairy products. If you do not suffer any attacks, you know its probably okay to continue taking milk. If you do suffer problems, try using soya or goats milk as alternatives.

Then try cutting out bread. Bread is a common contributor to discomfort for people with IBS. If that improves things, you may need to use gluten free bread alternatives.

And so on ... and so on ...

Former Member

The only think that's ever helped my IBS is chinese medicine. I have really baf flare ups, I tell them my symptoms and they give me some mad little green pills, you have to take about 10 3 times day but they are great for flare ups.
Unfortunatley though, I have cramps and problems nearly every day and it's something I've learnt to live with. I alwats say I'm goign to cut food out 1 thing at a time but I can never be arsed so it may be my own fault.
My IBS started from when I had food poisoning years ago, I must still have a bug that my system just cannot get rid of.

Former Member

VinylVicky wrote:

My IBS started from when I had food poisoning years ago, I must still have a bug that my system just cannot get rid of.

thats weird coz my ex started with bad cramps when he was in barbados and he was still getting them a year later. its like he caught something over there and never got rid of it. he had a lot of different tests although they never diagnosed him as having ibs.

Former Member

Milk is full of bacteria, that's what makes it go off.

I'd suggest you try cravendale milk which is treated to get rid of a lot more bacteria.

Former Member

lipsy wrote:

thats weird coz my ex started with bad cramps when he was in barbados and he was still getting them a year later. its like he caught something over there and never got rid of it. he had a lot of different tests although they never diagnosed him as having ibs.

well that's what my doc/hospital came up with - though I think IBS is used a lot as a diagnose.
I've had this for 14 years nearly, it has got better with time but the patterns have changed now, it's weird.
I go mine from Morocco and I know a guy that live there years. He reckons it can take years and years for a bug to come out of your system....I'm still waiting

Former Member

DiamondGeezer wrote:

Milk is full of bacteria, that's what makes it go off.

I'd suggest you try cravendale milk which is treated to get rid of a lot more bacteria.

I do drink tonnes of the stuff, it's break my heart to have to stop!

Former Member

VinylVicky wrote:

well that's what my doc/hospital came up with - though I think IBS is used a lot as a diagnose.
I've had this for 14 years nearly, it has got better with time but the patterns have changed now, it's weird.
I go mine from Morocco and I know a guy that live there years. He reckons it can take years and years for a bug to come out of your system....I'm still waiting

do they not have any treatments over there for it? i presume you've tried antibiotics here?

Former Member

lipsy wrote:

do they not have any treatments over there for it? i presume you've tried antibiotics here?

no, my treatment when I got back to england was not eat for 24 hours and they put me on a drip. it did go completely. then a few months later, whenever I ate lamb I'd be double in pain, then as the years went on most food gave me cramps. Then it stopped for a while. Now I get cramps without having to eat. I had a big flare up about 8 months ago and had to go hospital, again they put me on a drip. Since then I wake in the night sometimes, with cramps up to 4-5 times. And randonmly through the day I get then. The last month I have had cramps every day, sometimes every 5 mins!!

Former Member

VinylVicky wrote:

no, my treatment when I got back to england was not eat for 24 hours and they put me on a drip. it did go completely. then a few months later, whenever I ate lamb I'd be double in pain, then as the years went on most food gave me cramps. Then it stopped for a while. Now I get cramps without having to eat. I had a big flare up about 8 months ago and had to go hospital, again they put me on a drip. Since then I wake in the night sometimes, with cramps up to 4-5 times. And randonmly through the day I get then. The last month I have had cramps every day, sometimes every 5 mins!!

surely you should go see a specialist or do some research it on the net. if its bacterial then there might be some antibiotic you could try. it sounds awful!!

Former Member

lipsy wrote:

surely you should go see a specialist or do some research it on the net. if its bacterial then there might be some antibiotic you could try. it sounds awful!!

it is, I have been to the hospital for tests and they said IBS, I've only done a little bit of research and didn't come up with much. I suppose I've lived with it this long I'm now used to it. I should do something about it, my family nag me loads.
I'd love it if there was something I could take. I think I iwll book a docs appt and have a look on the net.
but the net is so bloody big! where the hell do I start and how do I know what's reliable?!

Former Member

VinylVicky wrote:

it is, I have been to the hospital for tests and they said IBS, I've only done a little bit of research and didn't come up with much. I suppose I've lived with it this long I'm now used to it. I should do something about it, my family nag me loads.
I'd love it if there was something I could take. I think I iwll book a docs appt and have a look on the net.
but the net is so bloody big! where the hell do I start and how do I know what's reliable?!

what ever you do don't type in 'cure' or 'treatment' because you'll get thousands of miracle cures. maybe type in your symptoms or even morrocco AND illness, stomach.
also look into how you can improve the good bacteria in your tummy.

Former Member

thanks both of you!!
I'm going to have a look today and see what I come up with!

Former Member

xsazx wrote:

I'll go find you want mums BMJ says and come back to ya that should help though (she works in pharmacy advising docs on conditions and such like - normally boring me with technical talk though lol)

if it helps, thefood poisoning I had was campylobacter

Former Member

I've been looking and apparently there are antibiotics for what seems to be the symptons/disease I have but it needs to be followed by strong probiotics. I do have the yoghurt pot things but Idon't think they are strong enough.
I can't find any relation from food poisoning tunring into this though. Maybe it's not all that common, so trust me to have it!
Cheers peeps and sorry for hijacking.

Former Member

xsazx wrote:

and dogs

yep, it must have been that dog I ate

Former Member

xsazx wrote:

yea most probs, ill get mum onto it when she comes home from work (hehe she luvs me really) yea its all with balancing out your bacteria levels so i doubt the yoghurt drinks are enough.

that make any sense?

yes that does make a lot of sense, so maybe I don't have IBS but my symptoms are similar.
I have had bouts of Gastroentiritis too.
I think I shall defo go to my doctor with all of this. Since being diagnosed with IBS they have shrugged me off everytime I have been.

Former Member

VinylVicky wrote:

I do drink tonnes of the stuff, it's break my heart to have to stop!

What brand of milk are you drinking?

I'd seriously suggest you try cravendale milk, there's a special on it as well £2 for two 6 pint bottles

The UK farmers probabally screw with cows more then any other animal

look at what they did in the past feeding cows which are vegetarians animal products which many believe lead to mad cow diesease.

Then all the things they have to do to get cows producing milk year round.

The antibiotics they pump the cows with.

Organic milk is supposed to only use antibiotics when a cow really needs them and when given the cows are taken out of service for twice as long as recommended for normal milk so they can't pass into the milk for people.

Also when you buy milk you're not just drinking one cow's milk but hundreds of cow's milk all mixed together.

Things like IBS or allergies to peanuts, etc are things virtually unheard of in 3rd world countries where tihngs are more simple. I think perhaps in western countries they've taken a natural product and industrialised it too much and now we're seeing problems.

In the olden days it used to be one family, one cow. No hormones or genetically engineered bacteria to get the cow to produce more milk.

I like milk too, I just try and buy the brand which I think is safest.

http://members.cox.net/davehanson/weirdworld/milk.htm

Former Member

i tend to drink m&s milk

Former Member

Heya, thanks for all the replies.
Much appreciated. Thank you.

I could not see a doctor but got an appointment for Monday. I woke up this morning and I felt not too bad. My cramps were still there but I wasn't doubled in two. Though (And excuse the horrbile image) when I went to do my number two. It was like peeing out me backside. And that actually made my cramps worse

My sister actually brought to my attention I could be lactose intolerant. Though, has that got anything to do with IBS?

Former Member

I'd lay off the milk until you're feeling alright again, and talk to your doctor about if that could be the cause of your symptoms.

A really good thing to take for IBS is Slippery Elm... you can get it at Holland and Barratt and places like that. I got my mum to take it because she gets bad IBS sometimes, and it really helps her. It's worth a go anyway. Hope it helps.

Former Member

Yeah, I think I've no choice but to stay away from milk and other diary products for now. Just got back to drinking me water again.

No I gotta say, the cramps are still coming every 5mins and they hurt but not as bad as last night. Only thing is I'm running to the loo every half hour for me number twos which is like a water Yuck!! Sorry for sharing that with ya.

This is just horrible.

Will the doc have to do actual tests to find out if I am Lactose Intolerant?

Former Member

Yeah, I've been drinking loads of water. But haven't ate anything today. Don't have the appetite for it. Ya think I should eat something though?

Former Member

Interesting? article on IBS treatment of combined strict diet and therapy...
http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Colon%20Health/okefe59.htm

Former Member

i would ask for somthing like buscopan, it's really good and it's what i'm now taking. drinking peppermint tea after meals is really good though. exersive is really good as well. i bought myself some running shoes today...

get some rehydration salts from boots they will at least stop you loosing to much fluids...

Former Member

i was ill for around a month. every now and again after i ate my tea i'd get really bad tummy ache and really bad diarhhea. i only erm emptied my bowels when i had the diarhhea so i figure i was constipated but i wasn't really in any pain. i also had constant feelings of nausea or pains in my tummy. i went to the docs and she suggested i had some blood tests and prescribed me some gaviscon for the nausea. the tests (bar one) came back fine so she said perhaps it was ibs or i'd had gastroenteritis. i feel fine now but still wasn't going to the toilet - i am now but little and often! it's been suggested that i had ibs before - but it just seems weird that all of a sudden i got really bad and now i'm fine bar a few problems!

lots of sympathy i know it's horrible.