Is this IBS and what can i do to help it?

by Emma
(UK)

I have not yet been diagnosed with IBS however I am sure I do have it. I want to know whether it is IBS and not something different such as celiac/Crohns.

I have suffered from symptoms for 4 years since I started university in 2007. I do not remember the last time I had regular and normal bowel movements. I suffer from both diarrhea and constipation. Sometimes I have diarrhea and other times Im backed up. It also normally takes me at least 15 mins to go to the toilet every morning. If I do not go every morning I get terrible abdominal pains and have to relieve myself if I want the pain to go.

I am currently having a flare up where I ate pizza last night and had coffee this morning, within an hour of my coffee I became desperate for the toilet and had terrible pain however again took me 10 mins to go, yet did not feel like I had emptied my bowels properly. Since I have felt dizzy and faint and sick and having diarrhea often. I have found relief with a hot water bottle and lots of water, and peppermint tea.

I have not had any serious illnesses in my medical history; however I have asthma, eczema, hay fever etc.
.

I am taking hay fever tablets, multi vitamins and starflower oil; I also take inhalers for my asthma. I have tried to take Buscopan but this generally ends up in constipation.

I do not smoke and drink alcohol only once or twice a week in moderate to small consumption.

My mum also has bowel issues and has recently had a colonoscopy to check for IBS/Crohns etc.

Please can you tell me whether my symptoms are in line with IBS and what I can eat or drink to help with this flare up.


IBS type symptoms

Hi Emma, thanks for getting in touch. Your symptoms are compatible with IBS-A or alternating type Irritable Bowel Syndrome for sure although other bowel diseases can have similar symptoms including such conditions as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases, particularly Crohns disease. IBS is by far the most common condition and your gastroenterologist will be able to confirm the diagnosis with a few simple tests in general.

As far as foods and diet you can take, if you go to IBS diet you will be able to find further advice on this. For IBS–A you may find a high fibre diet helpful. If this makes symptoms worse then you should look at an exclusion diet and all this is outlined for you. Hope this helps.