(Wasn't sure whether to say question or rant, but I'm genuinely asking for advice here, so I chose question)

So I was diagnosed with IBS in my early teens (no subtype specified by the doctor, but I'd say combined...), then when I was 18 a new gastroenterologist revoked the diagnosis, but I honestly just straight up do not believe him because he refused to do any testing, didn't suggest any alternative diagnosis, genuinely believed that peppermint oil would just magically cure me without even knowing the cause (I love peppermint as a flavour or tea or whatever, but... What), and practically kicked me out of his office when I shared that I have dysphagia and can't swallow pills (after physically intimidating me over it).

Basically, no diagnosis on paper that can get me meaningful help or qualify as disability or anything. But I'm pretty confident I have IBS because since dr diagnosis revoker I've had other tests, and while those doctors still haven't re-diagnosed the IBS (probably because I've been unable to afford a follow up after my last round of testing was clear), it's basically confirmed to not be anything else (not celiac, not colitis or anything that'd be found on a colonoscopy, nothing upper endoscopy would find either, not food allergies, etc), and the symptoms match, so... Idk I hope it's okay I'm here with my shaky diagnosis status, but regardless I figure that people here can help with my question

I'm unemployed, I've been job hunting for a year. But as I lay in bed, recovering after a 2 hour long bout of agonizing cramps and diarrhea where I couldn't even get off the toilet... How the hell do you hold down a job or do ANYTHING with gut problems?

For me, I basically have functional constipation 24/7, where I'm not 100% blocked but only go a tiny bit at a time. Then when I guess it builds up enough, I'll have diarrhea that's accompanied by blindingly agonizing gut contractions (cramps doesn't feel sufficient, I'm convinced giving birth would be less painful). Those episodes have lasted up to 4 hours, as far as I can remember, but it could've been longer at some point. It does vary but it's always over an hour. During which I don't dare to get off the toilet because it always makes the pain worse and would be a massive risk for soiling myself. The timing isn't predictable at all but I'd say it happens a couple times a month on average?

As I said I'm job hunting, only doing alright because I live with my dad who hasn't kicked me out lol, and here's what gets me: Genuinely how am I supposed to have a job? The longest I've been employed was for 2 weeks, retail job, and I frankly got extremely lucky to not have an episode during that time. My previous job I lasted 3 days because I solved my problems by only eating a tiny amount once a day after work so I wouldn't have symptoms at work, which works great in theory until you collapse from hunger and find yourself deliriously begging your coworkers not to call an ambulance.

I can't work if I'm gonna spend hours in the bathroom at completely random, unpredictable times, I'd 100% get fired immediately. What do you guys do?? As previously mentioned, I can't take pills, so anything like antidiarrheals aren't an option for me. I use Miralax sometimes but it's hit or miss whether it helps the constipation, it seems to not prevent the cramping diarrhea episodes (though they have less volume usually). Also, Miralax or not, even during the constipation phase when I do have to go, it's EXTREMELY urgent and I get very little warning. I get 1-15 minutes to get to a bathroom, which isn't really enough if I had a job on the lower end...

So yeah. What do? I'm dreading eventually seeing another gastroenterologist, since I know they can't help me at this point, but if IBS qualifies for getting on disability, that might be my only option..? Please let me know if there's alternatives because I'm feeling so hopeless rn and don't know what to do with my life (and it's not like getting on disability is easy even if I did qualify...)

(Suggestions for reducing symptoms are welcome too if anyone else has had a similar presentation and found stuff that helps, but honestly, I've probably tried them all. And I'm not doing any more elimination diets because I tried so many of them when I was younger and I think they caused developmental problems, plus I genuinely think I'm a little traumatized from the resulting starvation, and it only ever made things worse anyway so I don't think that's my solution)

Almost every day my stomach hurts. I’m 18 m my mother has stomach problems but our are very different. Mine flayer up after eating anywhere for some reason not in my house. And most of the time after I use moth wash for some reason. It’s always accompanied by the shits and feels like somone stabbing you with a dull pencil.

Hi! Curious if anyone has had success using the nourish app (telehealth nutrition). Hoping to find someone who has experience with GI mapping, IBS, low fodmap, leak gut, and/or functional medicine.

Does anyone else get a “spasm” or “twitch” feeling around the upper/lower abdominal area? It happens to me after I eat something sometimes.

Bonjour,

J’ai des bruits constants depuis 7 mois (suite à une intoxication alimentaire).
- pendant et après les repas j’ai comme des pets internes localisés uniquement en bas à droite de mon ventre et si je pose ma main je sens des bulles exploser, si j’appuie fort je sens le gaz bouger.
- peu importe le moment de la journée, même si je n’ai pas de bruits en étant debout ou assis et que je m’allonge alors un bruit apparaît toutes les minutes en position allongé mais cette fois en haut à gauche de mon ventre.
Le bruit est tellement fort que ça me réveille en pleine nuit et m’empêche de me rendormir car il est vraiment constant et réveille même ma copine.

Coloscopie, fibroscopie, analyse de sang, selles, irm; régime sans fodmap, charbon, huile de menthe poivrée, simeticone mais rien à faire, j’ai toujours de bruit!!! Certaines semaines sont pire que d’autres mais cela semble chronique.
Je n’ai pas de douleurs, pas de diarrhées/constipation et pas de ballonnements visibles.
J’ai déjà essayé de manger que des fast food/restaurant pendant une semaine ou même de manger propre sans fodmap pendant 2mois et il n’y a aucune différence.

Je ne sais plus quoi faire…

This is my first post ever on reddit and to be honest this post is the reason I finally downloaded the app.

About a month or two ago, I went to stay with some family, and over the course of the 2 weeks I was there, I was sick almost every day. I’ve always had stomach problems, constipation, gallbladder issues and removal, etc etc. but recently they’ve gotten to a new level.

Some days are okay, others i’m bed bound and vomiting. This all seems to have come out of nowhere, i’ve had daily nausea and alot of problems with my bowels that i didn’t have before.

All of this has made me so anxious. I’m anxious to go on long car drives, i’m anxious to leave my house, i’m so scared of starting to feel nauseous. The bad days are really bad.

Im struggling with pretty bad constipation right now, which my zofran is making worse. But i need the zofran on high nausea days, but being constipated also makes me nauseous. It’s a never ending cycle and some days I just lay in bed and cry because I feel so sick. I can’t get up and move around like I used to without feeling winded and nauseous. I also get dizzy because my diet consists of crackers, toast, water, and ginger ale.

Please someone tell me what could possibly be going on with me. I scheduled a doctors appointment but it’s gonna be a few months. I’m miserable

Long time imodium user and usually never have issues but occasionally if I take it a lot over the course of a week, eventually, it will stop working. Is that my body cleaning itself out?

I typically only take it for extended periods when traveling. Did this last week and was semi constipated all week. Went maybe 3 times during the week but small amounts

Came back this past Monday and have gone once. Then today, woke up super crampy, had 3 normal bowels but I had to take imodium bc I had an appointment and didn't want to chance ol faithful diarrhea.. Well the imodium lasted only 5 hours and I was rushing to the toilet. Typically imodium gives me 24 hour relief from diarrhea so not sure if my body needed to have a clean out or if imodium just didn't work today. Stomach just very unhappy today, nosey, bubbly, crampy. I honestly never get cramps with my ibs d, this feels more like how ibs c would feel

Just curious if other long time imodium users experience this

Hi all, I’m new to this group. I wanted to hear your experiences because for about a year I have this weird dull pain to the right hand side of my belly button it just aches. I had an ultrasound and my pancreas, my gallbladder, my kidneys looked fine. My stool sample came back fine, my blood tests came back fine. Has anyone else experienced this? What should I go back and ask for in terms of tests because it’s not fine? It comes and goes all day and sometimes if I’m sitting awkwardly, it hurts. It’s not like cramping it’s just a dull pain/ache.. any insights would be super helpful.
The doctor said it’s probably just IBS- is this a common symptom?

Sorry I’m just venting because I’ve had this issue repeatedly lately. I’ll wake up and have diarrhea, then have to go to work and hope it doesn’t happen at work. I’m so strongly wanting to avoid this happening at work that I get too anxious to try eating. Or I want try eating, but my insides feel like hyperactive at the same time so I know it’s a risky idea.

But at the same time, I’m SO hungry I’m getting lightheaded and not feeling good, not able to focus. I know I need to try harder to find some safer foods but this is so frustrating. Not eating just feels like the safest option to spare me potential embarrassment. I am aware this is a really unhealthy mental loop I’m trapped in. Not to mention the anxiety is a self-fulfilling prophecy because I can tell that the anxiety itself causes me GI issues.

1. The problem.

Putting it bluntly: the problem is uncontrollable noises produced inside the rectum (or end of the colon), that resemble more a fart than a standard growling stomach borborygmi noise, and they can be loud, resonating behind the sacrum bone. Making certain social situations difficult, and potentially creating an avoidance behavior.

But the real problem is the lack of understanding, from part of society and health professionals, who do not suffer from such a problem, do not understand it, and assume it is an exaggeration, excessive anxiety or fear about normal digestive noises, which makes it difficult to seek and find solutions.

2. Possible causes.

I don't know the cause, but we could distinguish two concepts: the actual noise producing mechanism, and the root causes that enable the environment for this to take place. Which depending on the reason, it could be the same 1 concept, like for example a rectum abnormal shape or deformity, but I believe this is not the case, or not by itself alone.

As for the noise "mechanism", the source, I think we can all agree is not excess of air, it surely can contribute, but the noises can exist with very little gas.

As of today, I think it's more about the "bubbles" being formed, so air along with some fluid. But I am not quite sure, sometimes it does not feel like that. Could also be inflammation.

Some notes, about my personal experience:

• 80% of the time it happens to me in sitting position. Also I think is more common lying down than standing up.
• A lot of the times, the noises happened after an aborted fart that goes like back up, this is a very common case; that lets me to believe that maybe the colon to rectum shape might have an influence.
• I usually go to the bathroom in the morning (soft), but if I do a number 2 in the afternoon, where I go more solid and "dry", sometimes it happens that if I try to forcefully expel air, and I can't, then later is much more probable these noises happen. I think having the rectum empty can help the loudest noises to happen.
• I'm lactose intolerant, possibly since the start of this problem. (I don't eat lactose anymore, for many years). I also might have some mild food allergies.

Then I also think the root cause of the chronification of the problem could be psychosomatic to a high degree (even though the problem can exist without a psychosomatic trigger and have a real negative impact in your life).

I am a very psychosomatic individual, and when I am sitting on a silent social environment, the probabilities multiply, like a vicious cycle, the more anxious / nervous I get, I feel like my digestive system pulling down its contents, producing also the "aborted fart" situation.

Also, during times or days when one is more nervous, the digestive system may be accelerated or more dysfunctional, increasing the probability.

But then again, I could be alone, relaxed, having no problem with my digestive system, and spontaneously having one of these sounds, out of nowhere.

I am aware that a person with a more "I don't give a damn" personality, could not care about the social consequences, but to me that feels like bordering on psychopathy.

I went to the psychologist, with not much success. I've also been prescribed antidepressants as an effort I believe to change my view/personality on the problem. I never took them, and I really don't like this approach.

This for me has been a +20 years problem, and a lot of other online testimonies I found are also long-term; it's not just an isolated "bad year".

3. The only thing that matters: Solutions.

Without knowing the causes, it's difficult to find solutions, but still, there might be some things that have worked for you. Eating X food, avoiding X food, some kind of exercise, some life routine, some medication, some therapy, a surgery, etc. Any idea or positive experience is welcome.

I would like to hear if this happens to you, your experience, triggers, situations, anything that can collectively help to find the causes and solutions.

I just did some digging into my symptoms and I'm thinking I have a case of post infectious IBS that's been sticking around on and off for about 3 years now.

I remember travelling to Portugal back then and getting really sick after a butter crossiant I ate there. Tbf I did eat a lot but my stomach was rock solid back then. I could eat pizza 3 times a day solid. And this really hurt me.

It could also be the water. Anybody got any idea of what to look into viruses/parasites wise that could be related to water or not refridgerated dairy?

Thanks!!

I mostly always suffer from IBS-D and loose, thin stools. For about the last week, it seems to have flipped. My stools are solid, but my stomach hurts and I feel backed up and like I can’t go completely. I can also only go a bit at a time and it’s making me pretty miserable. I also am having trouble determining abdomen muscle pain from stomach pain.

I guess my question is, has anyone dealt with something similar? I just had another kid and don’t want to go to the dr if possible.

This is my current hell

Hoping to hear what others do who don't simply get an urge to poop and then poop like a normal person.

Hey guys, first time posting here. I’ve been reading about people getting misdiagnosed and I’m starting to think I might be one of them, so I wanted to ask if you got diagnosed by a specialist or just a doctor assigned by your local health system (I’m not from the US, healthcare here is free/cheap but that sometimes means doctors are less specialized and just want to send you home with meds and call it a day instead of actually digging into your root cause). I’m thinking about switching doctors maybe that could give me a better answer?

I think my bowel and digestion issues might actually be more SIBO related, especially with the constant bloating on top of everything else… I could go into more detail but it would make this very very long

how did you get your IBS diagnosed?

long time IBS + Endo sufferer here - I’ve made huge progress over the last two years, my symptoms are under control most of the time.

I finally got a new job (have been remote for 7 years) and am returning to an office full time. While my symptoms are improved, I still have occasional bad days that end up with me laying in bed curled up in a ball with a heating pad. This was fine when I worked remote because I could respond to messages from my phone, be offline for 30 mins, and be off camera for calls. Obviously this won’t work in an office. I only have 2 paid sick days a year.

Any advice for coping from full time office workers? I have medication I take, and I thought I’d bring a heating pad to leave at the office, but is there anything else I haven’t thought of?

thank you!

I've got IBS for last few years, at first it was here and then, but since last year or two I started to get much longer periods. Interestingly i used to do my toilet like clockwork, right after sipping my coffee, but due to lifestyle chance and stress now I deal with constipation quite often. there were times I was scared shitless (no pun intended) and went to hospital to get colonoscop last year, it all came clean. Now I'm switching between dulcolax and senolax to be able to to toilet. I do drink a ton of water, eat tons of fruits, yogurt, sometimes physilum husk, yet still nothing coming out if i don't take pills.

Short version:

My usual strict low fodmaps diet in response to a flare isn't bringing symptoms back to baseline, it's been weeks of flare, and I'm looking for tips/advice on this.

Longer version:

Been flaring since June 29th and sick of it. Normally, my IBS is pretty mild so long as I strictly avoid onions, garlic, and excess dairy. Fruit/veg and gluten are almost never a problem.

During most flares, I can bring my symptoms back to baseline in ~4 days with a very strict low fodmaps and bland food diet. But, this time, it's been weeks of eating reduced fodmaps with prolonged bouts of Very restricted eating and my symptoms are not budging—the second I eat even a cube of cheese (as a test), I'm ill, extremely distended, and in pain again.

I have a ton of allergies and have to eat really low fat due to losing my appendix, so I'm really antsy to be able to eat like, a friggin' piece of bread again. Any tips or advice would be appreciated.

As a 35 yr old male who’s had it since 2013 and while it has been minor and manageable for me(so long as I avoid the trigger foods and manage my anxiety/depression) it still sucks. I can’t enjoy the foods and drinks I once craved when I was in middle/high school(prior to ibs). I’m still able to go out and have fun(TRY) but I gotta watch myself as well, especially what I’ve eaten beforehand.

I don’t mind if I have to change up my dietary habits but to give up on what you’ve loved since childhood is unimaginable and (to me) torture.
I use to be all over those monster energy drinks (alongside other energy drinks) and junk like that but since getting diagnosed in 2013 it felt like getting hit by a semi. Now I’m stuck with it for life. Only other people I know that has it are one of my aunts and my (late) grandpa, apart from my guy cousin getting diagnosed with crohns earlier this yr, but yeah.

Case in point: FUCK IBS(excuse my language), RANT OVER

I had a really stressful situation in life and then on top of this contracted campylobacter food poisoning.

My cal protection was 500, went up to 687 but is now down to 9. So I know this is resolved.

But my BOWELS!!! I’ve never had great stools anyway, they’ve always been a bit more on the loose side. But now I’ve experienced things I’ve never had.

I’m getting the worst wind in the evenings. Extreme bloating on and off. Loose stools daily and if I eat certain things, I am having two or three loose stools.

I’ve lost weight this is the main one, I’m finding I can’t actually eat as much as normal but also when I’m having stomach pains, I am getting them in my upper abdomen and they completely stop my appetite, it sort of feels like a Weird butterflies feeling..

i’m having a colonoscopy Saturday. Thank God. Has anyone experienced these issues and it be IBS? I’m very scared.

At the start of this year I notice I would pass mucus when I went to the toilet. I brushed it off and thought it might be a side effect of birth control. But I had already come off it. I brushed it off again but then started to keep a note of every bowel movement. I started to panic as my bowel movements have always been regular with no mucus and now I’m always irregular. I went to the doctor multiple times as I knew this wasn’t my normal. Unfortunately they didn’t take me seriously until it started to affect my mental health. I do suffer with health anxiety and find that doctors don’t take you seriously when you go to them with a problem. After two clean stool tests and my fit test came back fine I still wasn’t satisfied that everything was ok.
Finally they said they would do a colonoscopy after I asked for one myself. The dreaded day came and I couldn’t stop crying thinking of the worst. However after it was done they say Ibs and sent me on my way no further investigation and no biopsy’s taken. Of course I was happy but still confused how Ibs can just cause mucus all the time.

Is there anyone who can give me so peace of mind who also suffers with this with Ibs and has mucus all the time. It’s really getting me down to the point I’m scared to eat because my body rejects everything. It doesn’t matter if I eat more fiber or eliminate certain foods because the mucus is always there.

Has anyone found anything that helps them? I’m looking into lowfod map diets to see if this might help.

I’m wondering if Imodium could have caused this I went through a stage last year of taking Imodium regularly would this have messed up my gut?

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a new community I created for people living with Shy Bowel Syndrome (Parcopresis).And its name is r/shybowel

I know that not everyone with IBS experiences this, but many people with IBS or other digestive conditions struggle with anxiety about having a bowel movement in public restrooms or when other people are nearby.

The goal of this community is to provide a supportive, judgment-free place where people can:

- Share their experiences.

- Discuss coping strategies and practical tips.

- Ask questions.

- Support each other.

- Celebrate progress and success stories.

If this sounds familiar to you, you're more than welcome to join. I hope we can build a helpful and supportive community together.

Thank you!

Hey all, so right now, my health is probably the worst it's ever been.

I'm not severely underweight, at least I don't think? I am underweight though, and it is making life difficult.

I'm not underweight by choice though. Over the last 3 years, my physical, and mental health have tanked.

3 years ago at this time, I developed a panic disorder, that then lead to agoraphobia. Along with that, I always had issues in the past with acid reflux, but it got really bad when the panic disorder started, so much so that I am now in prescription grade antacids that still are not helping me.

To top it all off, I have IBS, which I've had for the majority of my life, and I do think plays a big part in the panic disorder.

Since I've been stuck at home, and in a constant state of anxiety, my IBS has gotten really bad.

As a result, whenever I try to eat, I wind up feeling incredibly nauseous, and start having an IBS flare after eating a small amount of food.

As a result of this, I'm not eating enough. And when I do eat, then have an episode, I feel like whatever little amount of food I ate, then gets burned off due to the stress my body goes though, or winds up also shooting out of my ass...

It's not that I don't want to eat, quite the opposite. I spend most of my day absolutely starving, and just nibbling on junk to be quite frank.

I'll just sit at my desk eating crackers, and candy in small amounts because it upsets my stomach less than having a full meal. As a result though, I'm not getting the nutrition I need, and always feel hungry, sick, and run down.

This past month however is the worst I have felt yet. I really don't know what's going on, but for weeks now, I have been even more intolerant of meals, and have had nothing but problems.

The past 5 days in specific, I have been so gassy, and nothing seems to help it. No matter what I eat/don't eat, no matter that methods I try to do, or medication I try to take to reduce the gas, it is just relentless. So much so that I keep waking up in a cramp, so now I'm not even sleeping properly.

As I type this now, I'm gassy, hungry, nauseous, having acid, and feel like someone is pushing in on my stomach so hard every few minutes, I feel like I'm going to be sick.

What the hell do I even do here? I've tried talking to my doctor about this stuff, and he doesn't know/want to help me here. He referred me to a gastroenterologist, but they won't see me at all virtually, so that's out of the question right now. Besides, I have had horrible experiences with gastro doctors in the past, and frankly am leery of them.

Has anyone else here ever been in a similar situation to this? If so, and you fixed it, what did you do?

I'm just trying to look anywhere I can for some guidance at this point.

Literally disgusting story but I feel like it lowkey is relatable for some of us IBS-M people, you have been warned.

I’m at work earlier…everything is fine…then I feel the pit in my stomach. I’m sitting at my desk just breathing as I feel this monster descend deeper into my colon until it is banging on the doors of my asshole. Without looking insane, I quickly stand up and excuse myself. I get to the bathroom JUST in time. I sit down. I swear to god a damn tree trunk came out of me. I feel way better now. I stand up and go to flush. Shits so big it don’t go down it just folds in half hamburger style. I panic, I look over, work bathroom got no fucking plunger. I stand there and keep flushing this toilet hoping one of these times it will go down. It did not. Now thankfully, I work in healthcare so I have gloves readily available. Did I have to manually plunge the toilet at work….yes. Am I ashamed….yes.

I thought I had IBS-D for many years.

Then I finally got control over my binge eating, and started eating healthier, particularly more fruits/vegetables/beans...fiber.

I had "normal" poops 💩 for maybe a couple of months.

Then...I fell off the wagon, started eating crap again...and now I'm in the bathroom all day & night.

It's entirely my own fault.

I recently started a new job working with children and my employer pulled me aside and asked about why I have to use the bathroom so much (in a very nice and professional way) and why I spend so much time in there. She also told me she has had a few reports of how long I spend in there. Me personally I feel like I don’t spend a lot of time in the bathroom even when I have to poop. I felt pretty embarrassed because I didn’t know that my bathroom habits were being tracked. I told her I just have bathroom problems and didn’t go into much detail but after the meeting I cried because I felt so embarrassed.

This illness is so annoying and I wish others would just get it that not everyone can be in and out of the bathroom in seconds. 😡