Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Ok so I have a huge question...I know that I cant diagnosed here, but since there are many people around here who suffer from IBS, Id like to know if these symptoms sound familiar, and I should consider talking to my doctor asap.

Here's what's happening. I first started noticing that I felt bloaty, specialy at night, and noticed that my cronic constipation (something Ive suffered from since I was a baby) had gotten worst. I had to literally take natural laxatives (made from a plant, that only stimulate the intestinal track to move, not really a laxative) every week. I also noticed slight chances in weight that were really weird..which I believe are because of the unfrequent bowel movements and water retentions. Also every morning, for about a month or more now, I've had this weird abdominal pain, like If I had diarrhea. I only feel this very early in the morning, say between 7am-9am..but whenever I decided to check if I just needed to go, nothing happened...

Thankfuly the constipation has ceased but I do remember that some time before I had real bad diarrhea for about 3 full days for no apparent reason ( I ate the same foods every day, and it just suddenly stopped.)

Does this sound like IBS?

I should really consider going to a doctor, but I was just curious.

It actually sounds more like constipation.  When the faeces are blocking up the intestines, it creates all the symptoms you describe including the diarrhoea i.e. all that can get past the blockage is liquid.   IBS, doesn't necessarily mean constipation or diarrhoea per se but sufferers get the stomach cramps and bloating. 

I expect you've been tested for milk and wheat allergies in the past?  And have you ever tried a short term exclusion diet to see if any particular foods make it worse?  There's one that is meant to alleviate 'Candida Albicans' (a slightly contentious condition) in which you eliminate all sugars, refined starches, yeast and fermented foods for a week or two.... so no fruit/fruit juice, no white flour/rice/pasta/cakes/,  no leavened bread or yeast extract, and no things like cheese, vinegar or alcohol.... until the symptoms have gone.   And then you gradually reintroduce the foods one at a time so that you can judge whether any of them is particularly causing the problem.

yeah thats the thing. I have been getting abdominal cramping every morning now for about a month or so (before having breakfast or having anything to drink). I searched for symptoms but every site gives me sort of different ones, which is why I decided to ask around. This was more out of curiosity than anything because Ive been surprised with health issues before (PCOS caught me off guard completely), so I wouldnt be too surprised to find out I have IBS, even more so when I have suffered from digestive problems since birth (I was born with my cardia opened - the valve between the stomach and the esophagus), so I basicly threw up anything I ate as a new born.

Thanks for your input.

oh and no I havent been tested of any allergies related to lactose intolarance or wheat.

What does that one about "candida albicans" allow you to eat?

I j sut wanna find out a way to alleviate my symtpms in general...but a doctor should know what to do (though doctors here in spain are a huge failure...)

I'd have thought a gluten/milk allergy test might be a good starting point.  I met a 60 year-old, newly diagnosed coeliac on holiday last year who had spent her entire life having mysterious stomach complaints, being underweight and generally not 'feeling well'.  It would help to eliminate milk/wheat allergies as possible causes if nothing else.

'Candida Albicans'.. is described as an 'overgrowth of yeast in the gut'.  The gut contains natural bacteria which keeps everything running smoothly but in some people certain bacteria are believed (and I stress 'believed' because it's by no means a mainstream view) to get too vigorous, upset the balance and cause problems!   The problems being bloating/gas, cravings for sugary foods, upset stomach, lack of energy, cramps.  Candida albicans is said to feed on sugar, starch, yeast and fermented foods.  Hence why it's recommended to exclude all of those categories for a time in an effort to regain some balance and then gradually reintroduce them.  Probiotic foods are another way of tackling it, possibly.

eek, I hope Im not allergic to either gluten or wheat :S lol those would really be hard to eliminate from my diet...I will consult my doctor and see what happens. Thanks again!

it sounds a lot like me, and i have IBS and a mild allergy to wheat gluten.

if i were you i would drink hot herbal tea in the mornings. it helps that crampy feeling feel better. also, i would take a fiber supplement every day.

both things have helped me a lot. i haven't cut back on wheat much and i'm doing much better.

bananee,

From reading your other posts, I gather you struggle with an ED.  Based on that, I'm guessing that sometimes you don't eat enough.

I have Ulcerative Colitis and IBS and some other digestive problems.  I will tell you, based on experience, that when I don't eat enough I don't go to the bathroom.  It's that simple, sometimes.

Also, be sure to eat enough Fiber - Fiber One cereal tastes good and is low in calories.  Also, metamucil (the fruity flavor) is not bad at all.  I have a portion of each every day.

And water is very important in maintaining regularity.

I'm not going to tell you not to go to the doctor.  However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to see how much you're eating and to monitor your fiber and water intake.  It could be easily fixable.

i don't want to scare you bananee, but a good friend of mine thought she had IBS for years and it turned out she had colon cancer.  see a doctor.

I also have IBS (IBS-C - the type that leads to consipation). When I was diagnosed (I went to see my doctor because I was able to go only once a week, and was passing blood - I wish I'd gone sooner though), my doctor said I should have 50g of fiber a day, and loads of water as well to help move things along.

I have increased my fiber intake to about 40g daily now, and drink only water, some tea (usually peppermint since it helps digestion), and very little coffee (it's not a great thing for people with IBS). I've found these things, along with taking flax (I take the cold-pressed oil caps) helps me a lot. If I have serious pain (which does still happen sometimes), I ask my boyfriend to rub my lower stomach with castor oil, which also helps a lot, as the pressure seems to move things along. I don't take fiber powders or pills - only fiber from food. I'd suggest having a doctor check things out though, as there are a number of really serious conditions that could also lead to what you've described.

Original Post by cavaliers:

bananee,

From reading your other posts, I gather you struggle with an ED.  Based on that, I'm guessing that sometimes you don't eat enough.

I have Ulcerative Colitis and IBS and some other digestive problems.  I will tell you, based on experience, that when I don't eat enough I don't go to the bathroom.  It's that simple, sometimes.

Also, be sure to eat enough Fiber - Fiber One cereal tastes good and is low in calories.  Also, metamucil (the fruity flavor) is not bad at all.  I have a portion of each every day.

And water is very important in maintaining regularity.

I'm not going to tell you not to go to the doctor.  However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to see how much you're eating and to monitor your fiber and water intake.  It could be easily fixable.

I no longer struggle withth eating phase of the ED. I eat plenty. 1,600 while completely sedentary ( I sit at home all day basicly, so yeah). I had thi shappend to me when I was having barely 500 calories at my worst (about a year ago for only two months) now I do go to the bathroom, tho sometimes it gets hard. Ive suffered from constipation since I was born, so Im pretty much used to it. I drink plenty of water (more than 2 liters a day), so it could just be the fiber intake.

dont worry...I will visit a doctor :) thanks for your concern though

Original Post by pgeorgian:

i don't want to scare you bananee, but a good friend of mine thought she had IBS for years and it turned out she had colon cancer.  see a doctor.

eek thats kind of extreme :S what type of symptoms did she have? Usualy people with colon cancer have blood in their stools and diarrhea...

i dunno.  she didn't really talk about her symptoms before the fact, but she was diagnosed with the cancer after a serious incident of bleeding.  she'd been treating IBS for quite awhile, but i don't think she'd had a colonoscopy until then.

she's fine (more than five years cancer free), but it was a very close call.  by the time they found the cancer in her colon (and removed a big piece of her lower intestine), it had already moved to her liver.  she was given only a 5% chance of survival initially.

Colon issues run in my fiance's family and he has just about the same symptoms as you (except with blood.) We went and got him tested and he turned out fine (thank god!) but they disagnosed him with IBS. Cutting out the extreme amount of beef he used to eat to just about nil has helped a lot (but he would literally eat like double cheese burgers every day.) However, especially with stress, he will get really badly constipated. I think fiber would really help his diet, but he has an extremely limited range of food options which I'm working on with him. However, you're not supposed to take fiber laxatives for an extended period of time without the guidance of a doctor.

Regardless, I would definitely got see a doctor.

Glad you'll be seeing a doctor, and congratulations on following your eating plan. That is a major accomplishment.

I think they diagnose IBS (at least they did with me) after ruling out all other maladies...although I wasn't tested for food allergies. My symptoms at the time were similar to yours. Since getting on CC, I have rigorously increased my water and that has made a huge difference in my regularity and comfort. Not total though. I still have episodes, but I have a lot of weight to lose and I need to learn some new living strategies, too.

You know what they say in recovery "this too shall pass." Let's hope so. Keep us posted on your progress and diagnosis.

I have IBS that changes from constipation to diarrhea and back again.  I can tell you when I have pains, sometimes so severe that I cannot stand, the pain doesn't go away until my bowels are relieved.  They have lasted for days before.  I've never had pain that was regular at the same time every day and then went away with no movement.  Sorry I can't help with that!

Like Charles_angel, I eat loads of fiber and take fiber supplements and my GI Doc advised me to take a stool softener several times a week.

It's not something you want to live with - so find out what it is!  It's taken me years to understand how to control this and only in the past year have I dramatically cut down on my episodes.  I have a sister with Crohn's and my best friend has UC.  I'm at least thankful that only IBS is my fate!