Do I have IBS, or something else?

[jakeec]

Hi all,

I’m wondering if any of you IBS-sufferers can give me some help and advice. I’m 20 years old and I’ve been suffering with chronic constipation since I was around 12. I went to the doctors with the usual symptoms and, without any tests or questions, was told that I do have IBS. However, I’m not really sure that it is.

I’m tired of the same old cycle. I usually go about 7/10 days without going to the toilet. But it’s not like I need to go and can’t, I just never get the urge or feeling that I need to go. After this period, I seem to have three different possible scenarios.

A) Sometimes I’ll get diarrhoea (which I think is my bodies way of flushing me out). After about three trips to the toilet, I’m usually fine. Then I have to wait another week of constipation again for the same thing to happen again.

B) My body will just keep building and building up, until I tell myself that I need to make myself go, or I’ll get seriously ill. I’ve tried taking Senna and other natural softeners but they don’t do a thing. So I have to take those “gentle” Dulcolax Bisacodyl laxatives. These are great as they give me a full clean-out, but the cost is EXCRUCIATING stomach cramps and diarrhoea.
There is no in-between. I’ve nearly passed out from the pain.
I’m usually up all night when I have to take these, so I have to miss university the next day.

C) I’ll get nervous/anxious about something, and I’ll get diarrhoea in about 30 minutes. This ALWAYS happens when I have things like: dates, job interviews and first days of jobs, exams, etc.
This is definitely the worst of the three, as I’m usually not near a toilet and I cannot hold it in at all. To avoid this, I usually take something like Imodium beforehand. This stops the diarrhoea before it starts, but makes me even more constipated long-term.

I’m sick of being told to change my diet and eat more fiber. I completely cut out all bread and cheese/milk for a month or so, which didn't help at all. I eat as much fruit and veg/drink as much water as I can do in a single day. I don’t eat much processed/fried foods anymore.
My doctor put me on Fybogel a year or so ago, but the recommended 2 sachets a day didn’t do a thing. I started taking five sachets a day… still nothing.
I’ve taken Senokot… nothing. I’ve taken natural/herbal remedies… nothing. I started taking peppermint oil tablets a few weeks ago, and to no surprise... nothing. The only thing that will make me go is those awful Dulcolax laxatives.



Basically, I’m just tired of the same old thing and I’m starting to wonder myself whether it’s actually IBS or something else. I can’t do normal things a 20-year old should be able to do, like go on dates. It’s really making me depressed. Nothing I do ever helps. What do you guys think? Should I go back to the doctors, or just accept that it’s a part of my life and get over it? It might be worthing pointing out that I do not bloat and my belly doesn’t seem to get bigger when I don’t go.

Some other things:

I don’t pass wind much
There’s usually quite a lot of mucus in my stool
There’s sometimes blood, though I can’t work out if this is from my bowels or internal haemorrhoids from the straining
When I have diarrhoea it smells awful, and I mean awful. Not what normal stood should smell like
I’m usually very tired, even after only 8 hours of being awake
Alcohol seems to also give me diarrhoea (without cramps) the next day. This is something else which affects my social life, given that I’m a student
When I do get diarrhoea, it doesn’t look anything like enough to be a week’s worth of food

[Promiseamore]

Hi to all who suffer IBS, it is not endometriosis as men also suffer the same systems as IBS and
endometriosis is for women. I read the young guy’s story and he has given up dating and Jackeec
also please don’t give up you too. I know this is hard; my daughters mother in-law told me that she had plenty of bath tubs that I could use. I didn’t know what she was talking about at first, and I sure didn’t know that the diarrhea as started just as I walked in the kitchen with her. I had IBS when I was young also and the doctors were clueless also, one doctor even wrote me a prescription for tums. I wish I had known then what I know now; but keep searching give up all wheat, dairy and bad sugars. I can still have light ice cream as long as I make it myself. Find out what smoothies you can have, and Lax aide milk does not taste bad. It is not that all fiber is bad, but you’ll have to search with ones that you need for example Fennel seeds will help firm your stools. Become a vegan or listen to Dr. OZ there are Paleo Cookbooks out there, and remember knowledge is power.

[ipurr2]

I too had your same symptoms and the dr.'s were pretty clueless, went through a zillion tests with nothing wrong diagnosed with IBS-C but I finally figured out it was endometriosis after 13 years in the medical system and went in asked for laproscopy to confirm or deny...had to do ultrasounds first and they looked good...so dr. said I most likely did not have it but would do the lap and he did and my disease was so advanced he thought my appendix had burst...it hadn't but 7 years later (after my hsyterectomy/bso) I still had active endo and it was in the appendix and I also had to have a colon resection at this point...my disease was deeply infiltrated due to lack of proper diagnosis so I continue to struggle 25+ years later..and I just thought you might like to know this since you mentioned the periods and diarrhea as that is a symptom...good luck and if it is endometriosis please find an endometriosis excision specialist and save yourself alot of struggles down the road! You know your body best so don't be dismissed by the Dr. I have had to see 100's over the years and had I gotten into the right hands sooner my story would be a thousand times better!

[xxxPandoraxxx]

jakeec, Hi you still on here as your post was start of nov?