I felt off for a good few days and unable to eat, and while yes, I felt like shit because of that. For once, it wasn’t an issue related to my IBS. My mind actually feels clearer without the constant need to go to the bathroom with diarrhea or constipation or both.

I feel weak, and going for a walk takes energy. But I was actually able to go for a walk! And I could actually pay attention long enough to do some drawing which I love to do, but the constant mental fog ibs puts me into never lets me.

Like this feels so much better for the most part. I know it’s not great in the long run, but it’s so tempting to cut down on how much I eat in hopes this sticks. I’ve tried every other diet out there and ruled out seemingly everything else in the past seven years. It makes this so damned tempting.

Is this normal for anyone else?

I’m not sure if it is but I have a feeling it has to be IBS related!

I have days (usually before a stressful event like today I got a dentist appointment in one hour) where I get the urge to poo. Ok cool no problem I still got plenty of time. I go with no pain and good consistency. Then 15 minutes later I gotta go again, and again, and again, AND AGAIN! All in 15ish minute increments! Like wtf why can’t it all come out in one trip to the toilet?? And it’s not diarrhea. At least that would make more sense. But glad I don’t got diarrhea at the very least lol

I usually use to had constipation problem and would eat things that didn't make me feel constipated. I moved to UK and it got worst to the point where I started relying on Senna tablets. Tried stool softener and adding fiber, peppermint capsules, laprazole and a lot of different medicines. Nothing seemed to be working.

Then after sometime symptoms changed to passing stool too many times and constant gas production and passing of gases. After some research I thought maybe I have SIBO. Tried antibiotics after having breath test and things got better for sometime. But the symptoms came back where I started to feel constant gas production and passing where I couldn't sleep at all. Lost a lot of weight. Got recommend to start low food map diet which worked initially but as soon as I started reintroduction the flare came back. Now I'm in state of hypersensitivity where not matter even if i eat low foodmap diet my stomach is constantly irritated and gassy. Won't let me sleep and I've lost a lot of weight.

Can't seem to figure out why these changes and what's the solution. If anyone has been through something similar can you please help.

For context I'm 28f and have been diagnosed with ibs since around 2022. Mine presents as mixed, and has recently leaned more towards ibs-d.

In the beginning of September i noticed after I pooped (normal stool, at least my version of good normal stool, solid but soft and yellow-brown) there was also a red liquid mixed in at the bottom of the toilet. It wasn't thick like blood but also not thin like water. I wondered if it was maybe a toilet bacteria thing so I gave it a good scrub and waited til my next go to check again.

Sure enough it was there again. I had a mild bout of food poisoning about a week after that so I dont know if this continued during that week I was ill because it wasn't exactly on my mind. But once i got better i noticed it happening again and more frequently. Its now mid October. I was also wondering if it was maybe food coloring from a drink or something but i dont have those every day. It basically seems like red is seeping out of my poops and it happens with or without stomach pain.

So really I'm just wondering if this randomly started for anyone else and is someone elses normal. I haven't decided to go get it checked out yet because my gastro copay is around $165 and the last time i went to see my gastro about a different symptom (leaking clear liquid) she told me my symptom was "impossible" and asked what i wanted her to do about it. So im not exactly jumping at the thought of spending money to hear its normal.

Appreciate any help!

(Also sorry if there ends up being no paragraph breaks in this post, im posting from mobile and sometimes it doesnt take my enters as breaks)

Hi everyone I’m a Hgv driver and done the job for 5 years fine. Recently when in work i keep getting the urgency to go the toilet and feel sick in my stomach. Before I leave the house i can go the toilet and I will phone in sick but feel fine and not go again all day? Or I will get on the motorway and I will get that horrible feeling. I could drive my car anywhere and feel normal and not go the toilet as I drove to Manchester airport from my house (50 mins) but in a wagon I struggle? I also I’ve just been to Italy and I go the weird feeling on the plane but it managed to pass. Walking round in Italy for 5 days eating what I want totally fine! So I don’t know if it’s food related as I will eat good the day before and nothing late at night and next day can still happen in work.
Don’t really like the place i work at so could it be stress or would a change of job benefit my situation as I don’t really think it’s food related.
I don’t get payed for being off so can’t really afford taking time off but it’s horrible the feeling. I’ve already taken a full week unpayed, was fine Wednesday, went toilet 4 times yesterday but got through it and I’ve rang in sick today as went toilet soon as I got up and wasn’t going to put my self through it again!

I say I’m ibs D, but more often than not it’s more about the frequency and urgency of my bathroom trips, rather than them being watery.

I think I’d have a better shot at managing this if I didn’t have to go like 5 times a day on average and have about 30 seconds before a BM happens. And after the first BM, every one after gives me so much discomfort. It’s made me agoraphobic.

Does anyone have any experience with this specifically or success stories?

i have been experiencing tenesmus for 6 months now. I got diagnosed with IBS post covid. I was constipated at first but I changed my diet and nos I am not constipated anymore, I would say I have better BM tb. However, even when I have evacuated a lot (I usually go around the same time every day), I still have tenesmus. I honestly try to not push much but sometimes I do have like one or two more small pieces that come out when I push a bit. I am sling sitz bath, breathing exercises, stretching, everything you can think of, and it is not helping.

adding fiber to my diet and going in the morning two times is fantastic don’t get me wrong, but I still feel like something is there. I don’t really have the sources to go to a gastro right now, I already went to three this year and not that useful although they ran tests and everything was good.

I suspect I have PF issues like mild, and incomplete evacuation sometimes. Some days are better than others but the sensation is still there but it can vary. I am 23F. compared to how I felt when it all started I have made a lot of progress but I still feel gassy (not bloated), and the tenesmus. I think those two are my main symptoms.

i am also near my period so you can imagine my PMS are even making it worse.

if you have any advice please let me know. I also read somewhere that ignoring the feeling helps.

hey everyone i just sharted myself shorts, thank goodness i was at home but sharing a house with 7 other housemates isn’t the best when i have to put my shorts back on to get back to my room before i can wash them.. send help

I tried orange and hate the flavor, I was going to try flavorless, the pills or straight psyllium husk powder but learned there's berry and lemon metamucul??

Has anyone tried berry or lemon and thoughts on it?

I plan to mix it with just water but I suppose I could add some into my strawberry protein shake I make everyday with vanilla orgain powder and frozen strawberries

I have had IBS d for approximately the past 20 years with most of my issues occurring in the morning. I've been taking nortriptyline 25mg and Align since then and it has been mostly controlled with a bad day or two several times a year but nothing like what I am experiencing now. Since the end of July I've been having some kind of flare up with at least 4 days out of the week being bad with cramping and diarrhea but it is occurring after lunch or dinner instead of the morning. I've been tested for celiac, parasites and most recently had my colonoscopy to check for microscopic colitis. All came back clear aside from some white blood cells in the small intestine which they are saying is normal due to everything else coming back normal. I am still trying to find something to help as I am currently only eating breakfast and then nothing until I am home and in for the night so as to not risk being caught out. It is severely impacting my life at this point. Dr has just increased medication just wondering if anyone has had this happen and found anything to be helpful? TIA!

Hello to the good people of Reddit,

I am currently in the process of figuring out some
lifelong food allergies and a diagnosis of IBS-C. In the meantime I am on the FODMAP diet. I’m also apart of a powerlifting team and my coach is concerned that I am not getting enough calories or protein and she’s completely right I am not. Beans and soymilk were a huge part of my diet and now have been eliminated and I can’t eat eggs due to an allergy so most of my protein is coming from lactose free yogurt and hard cheeses.

I’m starting to get pretty burnt out on the foods I’m eating and want to make sure I’m fueling my body right. I’m meeting with a dietitian in the beginning of next month but the hopes aren’t high because it’s through my doctor and I feel like she’s just going to tell me I need to eat meat again, which if necessary I will do.

Anyways sorry for the rant, just feeling kind of down about it and want to see if anyone has any advice or recs (cookbooks, dietitians, etc.)

Thank you!

Ive been diagnosed with ibs-c for a couple years now. My main symptoms are really bad gas and constipation flairs that honestly made me strain a lot, especially all of last year. I tend to get a lot of left side discomfort and can feel the gas moving up and down my left side during flares.

But the past 2 weeks ive had what feels like lumpiness/sensitivity in that very region thats much more intense. I cant do my running at the moment or lift too heavy because om worried about it actually being a hernia. I feel the lumpiness internally but cant feel anything at all when i push on the spot with my hands. I also badly pulled the left side of my back recently so could be connected...

Im having a diagnostic keyhole surgery in 2 weeks but its to look for endometriosis. I am in the UK and having the surgery through Benenden, so they can only have an endo specialist to remove endo related stuff and nothing else like hernias as its not covered. I did ask her if she sees a hernia to document it though.

I think im just stressing out because i dont need a hernia on top of ibs issues and pelvic pain. I had a traumatic experience waiting at an A&E once and really really dont want to go back or have health issues never be treated...

I get quite a bit of burning pain when I have diarrhea, because of hemorrhoids. I need to do prep for a colonoscopy, and I’m terrified I’ll be in unbearable pain. I’m doing the prep with pico salax. Would appreciate hearing from people who have gone through this, in a similar situation🙏

I've had gut issues since I was a child, and ever since I was 16 I would get a yearly infection with diarrhea, vomiting and cramps at the same time every year. Sometimes it was twice a year, but it usually went away after 3-5 days with Flagyl. None of them were actually diagnosed, I usually ended up in the ER and went home after getting a saline solution.

When I was 20, I got the same infection except that the pain and diarrhoea didn't go away for 2 weeks after the vomiting was over, so I went to a doctor who prescribed me Rifaximin and it worked. So when I got the infection again, I took Rifaximin again, and it worked again and I thought that was over. Until I got the same infection the following year and I tried Rifaximin for the third time and it did nothing and I had cramps and diarrhoea for a month. So I went to the same doctor, and he told me I have IBS (he didn't really do any tests so I'm not completely sure I have it?) and to avoid onion, garlic, dairy, etc and I did, and I felt better for a while.

But the cramps and diarrhoea come back every once in a while, and Flagyl and Rifaximin don't work anymore, and all doctors I've been to told me not to stress too much and it'll go away (I'm a woman, so I'm sure that's why they think it's psychological), but looking back at my history with gut issues I find it highly unlikely.

Currently I've quit onion, garlic, dairy, and I eat a lot of yogurt as I found it helps, but it's hard to accept that this is my life now. I'm at college, and I can't just skip a week every 3 months because of my flare ups. They also seem to occur right around projects discussions season (another reason the doctors think it's psychological), but I think it's easier for them to dismiss me as an anxiety ridden college student than to find the root of the problem.

I'm having a flare up right now, with diarrhea and cramps so bad they keep on waking me up every 2 hours, and it looks like I'll be skipping lectures for the next few days. Is there any medication I can take long-term to fix this? Or something to take when I get a flare up? What about something for the pain? I don't really know what to do besides wait till it's over.

Spoiler alert: it might not have ever been IBS

I have suffered with IBS-C for 10 years. It has been the most intense and depressing thing in my life. I have had countless blood test, stool tests, breath tests, ultrasounds, MRIs, CT scans and an endoscopy. I was recently booked in for a colonoscopy but cancelled it as I was going on holiday. I was diagnosed with fructose and lactose malabsorption in 2021. I had largely been avoiding lactose for 5 years by that point and no matter how much I tried I never saw any difference in symptoms when avoiding fructose.

In the last 3 years I discovered a low fibre diet drastically reduced my symptoms, I wasn’t as bloated, wasn’t belching like Homer Simpson every 5 seconds and bathroom trips were bad but at least not painful. I kept talking to doctors about it and they advised it to be not ideal health wise. My diet consisted of a white bagel with jam, a relatively plain white bread sandwich, a low lactose chocolate bar, and a veg free pasta bake. I felt like crap, was asleep a lot, but I wasn’t in pain and that was enough.

Fast forward to a month ago and a blood test showed I needed to get my kidney and liver checked out. Turns out I might have an autoimmune disease that my specialist assures me is nothing to do with my diet. But he did advise that I maintain a healthy lifestyle while we wait to retake the tests in a few months.

So I did. I calculated my maintenance calories and started hitting them. With fruit and veg. I decided I’d rather be in digestive pain than do anything that could further damage these organs. The first 3 days, as has always happened whenever I go anywhere near fibre, I was unbelievably bloated and uncomfortable. Belching disappeared almost immediately though. Then on day 4, I went to the bathroom. Not well, and definitely still constipated on a stool scale but I went. And that gave me some hope. On day 5 I went brilliantly. Like jumping up and down in excitement well. Admittedly still bloated as hell. But going. And I continued going every day since. I’m eating 30-40g of fibre when I could barely take in 10. It isn’t low fodmap, it isn’t low fructose (it is low lactose because that is my lifestyle now and long has been). The bloating hasn’t disappeared but has drastically gone down and a lot of clothes I had long relegated to the back of my wardrobe are seeing some wear and it’s only week 2.

I must admit part of me just feels stupid. 10 years of doctors, gastros and dietitians and it never occurred to any of us to just try eating “well”. We jumped to IBS and intolerances. I remember on my very first doctors appt about constipation in 2016 being told to give up gluten and lactose. I didn’t eat gluten for years.

I’ve been in this community long enough to know that this won’t work for everyone and a lot of those intolerances and low fibre diets and avoiding high fat foods are really necessary. But I would suggest everyone asks themselves if their doctors have pushed them down the IBS route before even considering if your diet is “healthy enough” or not.

I hope this helps someone!

What else could be causing my ibs flare-ups besides FODMAPs? Because I feel like its not really one-to-one with me and food. Sometimes, like today, I just wakeup gassy with my stomach killing me, and I can't think of anything I had the night before that could've caused it. Other times I will eat a lot of things that are technically high FODMAP and be perfectly fine. I

'm still new to having this disorder and diagnosis so I guess I don't know what is normal yet or how to predict symptoms. How long does it usually take between eating trigger foods and starting a flare-up? What else causes your flare-ups that I might be overlooking?

There’s going to be a lot of TMI in this 😩

I got PI IBS and SIBO back in June and the summer was really bad - nausea, losing weight, mushy/yellowish poos, diarrhoea multiple times a week etc.

In mid-late August I took a course of rifaximin and swapped to nortriptyline. For a few weeks I had quite bad symptoms which I assume were die off related - bloating, flatulence etc. That settled and then my symptoms got a lot better - I could eat dairy again, I put weight on, got more energy, no diarrhoea, more solid brown poos etc.

I was feeling really positive and like I was on my way to being cured!

However, I started getting more urgency again and my poos started returning to the more yellow/mushy consistency. I have increased my nortriptyline dose and that has slowed my gut, but my poo is still yellowish and a bit mushy somehow! I just feel like food isn’t being properly digested in my gut.

What have other peoples experience with PI IBS been? I am feeling a bit disheartened now. I guess there have been a lot of improvements, but I feel like I’ve taken a step backwards.

My GI isn’t being very responsive atm so I am feeling a bit on my own.

Long term lurker, first time poster in this sub.

I feeling pretty miserable and just want to rant I guess.

I've had IBS symptoms most of my life. I've tried so many things and had so many tests. All the antispasmodics, peppermint oils, low Fodmap, low fat working on my MH, exercise, areas reduction, part time working, loose clothing. Medical tests show no IBD, no coeliac, no h pylori. No structural abnormalities, no issues with gallbladder or kidney stones. No known food allergies. UK based/ healthcare system for context (free but limited compared to private healthcare).

I think I'm just wired wrong. I have IBS, ADHD and synaesthesia, and have experienced a range of MH issues over the years. I had cyclic vomiting syndrome as a child. The hardware seems fine but the software is not working well!

To make matters worse, my GP thinks I need to reduce my MH meds to help my IBS, recognising that they can both help IBS through reducing anxiety/OCD symptoms but have the side effect of abdominal discomfort and dysfunction. I know it's about finding balance but it feels like I just can't win.

I think the only things I haven't tried are:

- motility or functional tests (Inc SIBO, BAD, slow transit etc) but my GP says my referral wouldn't be accepted until I've tried adjusting my meds first and even then they might not

- TCAs but my GP says avoid if possible as they are a 'dirty' med type, which I kinda get

- hypnotherapy which I'd consider at this point

I've had terrible spells of very severe abdominal pain too in the past too, possibly abdominal migraines or pseudo or sub acute bowl obstruction (due to other clear tests).

Not looking for any medical advice. I guess just venting to people who get it helps in some way. I spend my days in constant discomfort, usually looking 6 months pregnant and either running to and from the toilet, or wondering why I can't go at all.

Food is a huge chore and a minefield I can't avoid battling with everyday. In some ways I kind of wish I just have one 'proper' illness. I get that for, say, people with coeliac that it's hard but vital to avoid gluten but at least it's just one trigger to avoid (maybe that's oversimplified, apologies if so). IBS plagues every accept of my life and there is no treatment or avoidance or anything that seems to help. The only time I've not really suffered from IBS was when I was pregnant (when I have Hyperemesis Gravidarum instead)!

Did not plan on such a long rant but if you go this far thank you!!!

Had my first one yesterday not bad the worst part is the sore throat and the night before was AWFUL. My doctor said he takes micro biopsies to send off to see if anything is wrong even if it looks normal. Test for all the stuff etc. I had 8 total 4 upper, 4 lower. is that normal? I feel fine sore throat so just wanting to know for future lol

Hi everyone, this post sort of is a followup to my angry rant about 6 months ago.

To keep this post as short as possible, I spent 2.5 years with IBS just eating whatever I wanted and suffering, everyday was pain, discomfort and anger. I tried every medication under the sun, I tried every tablet and potion, I tried it all.

In June of this year I decided enough was enough and i finally accepted I have IBS, it is not going anywhere and I must adapt and stop this harmful loop. I started with a 'low fodmap' diet and over time have trimmed the fat to the point I am now following these rules:

1) Absolutely NO onions (especially white) under ANY circumstances

2) Absolutely NO garlic under ANY circumstances... but i douse almost every single meal i make or cook in garlic oil as this is OK (google it, its true)

3) Gluten free as much as possible but here and there I am ok

4) Avoid processed food, fast food, etc as much as possible. Eat 'real' food.

5) High quality ingredients speak for themselves. I used to drink 'BULK' and 'MYPROTEIN' protein shakes everyday and they would leave me horrendously bloated and exploding, but since swapping to a better ingredient fewer ingredient company (PER4M, not sponsored... I wish) I am able to get 1/2 shakes down me everyday with absolutely no side effects!!

I know this is perhaps very specific to me, and perhaps for others it will not be the case, but just a few months of tracking my food and tinkering has transformed my life from 24/7 pain to the occasional attack that I can often survive with a few buscopans.

I have personally found that white onions absolutely decimate me, garlic irritates me slightly and gluten isn't much of an issue unless it is constant. I can often get away with 2/3 days of gluten in a row before having a really bad day so it's just picking my battles.

Additional benefits?

I am now finally gaining weight! I'm having no issue getting 3000 calories down me a day as I am no longer finding myself at 2000 calories around 9pm in far too much pain to eat any more.

I am able to go to concerts, nights out, etc without fear

My skin is clearer and my health is better all around eating all these whole food real ingredient esc dishes.

This post may only help one person decide to give up their gung-ho approach to their IBS, but if that's one person I've helped drag out the mud I was stuck in for all that time then god damn it i am happy!

I would also like to thank those who commented on my previous post, it was much appreciated!

Ive had IBS for over 15 years and I accidently discovered that fermented foods were helping tremendously in terms of reducing inflammation. I should have measure my waist loss because it's incredible the reduction in size without losing one single pound.

I always feel like I have a sack of bricks instead of intestines. The only time I ever managed it lasted about 2 years when I completely cut off gluten, reduce carbs and increase meat intake. When I started that diet, it took about 6 weeks to start feeling a difference and after 2 months, I was a new man.

This time, believe it or not, after a few hours I started to feel a difference...

Here's what happened. The last few months, I was very inflamed and decided to start a strict diet again (moderate fodmap, no gluten, low carbs, high protein). Usually when I do that I buy probiotics for the first weeks to give a boost, no idea if it ever worked more than placebo. This time Ive decided to do something different and instead of getting a pill, I bought fermented foods.

I bought kefir, kimchi, kombucha and fermented pickles. When I went back home, my breakfast was a pickle, a couple bites of kimchi, some sips of kombucha, a few boiled eggs and a chicken salad. About an hour after my meal, for an instant I fell so good I forgot I ate. Usually, the moment I put food in my mouth, I start to feel like sh**. Not this time. Later during the day, I felt less pain than usual for that time of the day.

The next day I woke up with the same urge to poop than to pee. That never happens. I either poop 14 times in one day or none for 6 days, but never when I wake up. Then it happened the next day and the next one and it's been going on for 14 days. I have visible change, my body shape went back to normal. Everyday I feel improvement and Im hoping I'll see more changes.

To recap, I have a no gluten, moderate fodmap and high amounts of fermented food diet. The change are so noticeable and makes me feel so good I felt like sharing. No idea if it's going to work long time, but if it can help someone relief symptoms, Ill be happy.

Last december I started getting bowel problems, would get really bad cramps for a split second on random days, pass gas or go to the toilet and it would go away. That kept getting more and more frequent till around 4 months ago it started turning into a constant sharp pain 99% of the time on the left side of my bowels, those months were with nearly constant diarrhea and only recently started getting normal again.

I’ve been to the doctors and only have gotten a feces test and blood test which came out clean. The thing that I am unsure of is if it really ibs? I’ve researched alot and most of the symptoms are bloating and gassy and that getting triggered by specific foods (please do correct me if I am wrong I am still learning about all this) , I don’t have that at all. In the past months i’ve been bloated maybe once? And the only thing that has given me really bad cramps were fibre powder that my doctor prescribed for a while or spicy stuff. I’ve also been on a fod map diet for a week now and the sharp pains are still persistent. I also have an anxiety disorder and that always plays a lot on my bowels as well, I dont know if that can also have an impact on ibs?

Not here to ask if I have ibs because that diagnosis has been given, I just want to hear other peoples symptoms and share my experience to have a better view of it all because I am still unsure if this is the right diagnosis.

PCP suggested IBGard. I just got the generic version and added it to my daily pill regimen.

I had been using psyllium husk but mixing into water was not easy for me to stick to on a consistent basis.

ive been taking a peppermint oil capsule in the morning for like 4 days now and have started to have regular bowel movements the past 2 days in a row!

yay for success!

edit— just realized someone posted about negative experience yesterday. I believe enteric coated is the key

Hey everyone! Looking for any sort of advice or suggestions that I may have not thought about regarding taking an antibiotic that has a potential side effect of diarrhea and other GI discomfort.

I have a pneumonia and I was given amoxicillin to take 2x a day (500mg each pill).

I have taken some medications in the past and a child I’ve had pneumonias and taken antibiotics but I didn’t have IBS back then so I wasn’t stressed or worried.

I’m already going to take it with or after food rather than on an empty stomach but I’m looking for any other recommendations! Especially that I’ll need to navigate it while working an 8 hour shift with children 🫠

Thank you!!

The smell started almost 2 years ago when I was 14 . I had a bad diet back then and would rarely eat the correct nutrients. I tried using antibacterial soap and even that didn’t work so I thought it was internal problem to do with my body. A few months ago I started to make changes to my diet as I was constipated for months (tmi sorry). Even then I was still constipated and the doctor gave a laxative called movicol and laxido and told me to take those whenever I was constipated . I took those but my smell of farts got worse in a very bad way and it kept getting worse and worse. Sometimes it feels like I experience leakage from rectum and there are some residue even though I always make sure to clean well and shower twice a day. Recently I went to the doctors again to finally just get rid of the smell and do some tests to see if anything was going on in my body. From the tests I learnt I have Ibs c or ibd which makes sense as for some reason my belly rumbles a lot when im not hungry and I can feel the food breaking down in my body. However,with all these tests I still haven’t found a solution to this smell. The smell is very strong and keeps getting worse and worse . It affects my school and social life as now people just avoid me and don’t like my presence and I only have a 2 friends now. I really want this to be solved so if you have any ideas please help me I really don’t want to be like this. Thank you.