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