bowel movements at 4-5am for 2 hours

[alicat2441]

Here we go.  I have been diagnosed with IBS, but the only time I have had problems for 20 years were after certain meals I would dump and if I was up and active after 2am without eating anything then I would wake up at 4-5am having stomach spasms and bowel movements.  Sometime diarrhea, sometimes normal.

Now for the past 3 months I have been waking up at 4-5am 6 night of every week with spasms and having to have a bowel movement-diarrhea or normal-that lasts for at least 2 hours.  I have seen my PCP and was told to take Metamucil and stop taking Nexium.  So the last 3 nights I haven't taken Nexium and the last week started taking Metamucil.  I am now worse than when I was taking Nexium.  I am extremely tired and don't know what else to do.  I have maybe 1 night each week where I sleep until 6am, but that is nowhere near my normal of 8 or 9am.

I have been under a lot of stress at work since March and I know that can flare up symptoms of bowel disease, but at this point I think I need to see a Gastroenterologist due to my PCP not really taking this seriously.  

Any help would be appreciated.

[had2share]

We sound the same had2share.com

[cnoevl21]

definitely see a GI specialist. IBS is just doctor speech for, "theres something wrong with your digestion, but i dont know what." There is something causing your IBS, whether its crohns, celiac, UC, food allergy, parasite, SIBO, or soemthing else. Seeing a GI should help.
What you can do to try and help yourself is to keep a food diary of everything you eat and drink to see if you notice any food in particular causing you trouble.
Also, dont eat after 7pm.
Metamucil is good, really any type of fiber supplement, but just like a medicine, there can be side effects. The trick is to keep trying a bunch of different ones til you find one that works for you. Also, you need to drink a lot of water (60oz a day).
I'd also stay away from stomach irritants. i.e. gluten, dairy, acids, etc.