GP diagnosed IBS and I have been taking Mebeverine – which thankfully has helped with the gut noise, pain and toilet visits.

I started trying to do without the meds which worked ok for a time, but seems gut issues back again.

Unfortunately some days I feel pretty poo (excuse me…) is this par for the course – alternating periods of stability and flare ups being what I should expect?

It is not stopping me doing anything just that I don’t feel on top of my game.

In a positive frame of mind then it’s not terminal just inconvenient at times.

Any experiences or wisdom to share?

I had it 20 years ago.

Not a clue what caused it, but eventually it cleared up on its own.

I was told back then that veg and roughage was the way forward, I found that the opposite was the case.

Best advice is to identify your triggers (everyone’s different) and eliminate them. Caffeine and alcohol are common triggers.

I have it all day every day, without fail.

Have done for 4 years now.

You learn to get over it and how to predict “attacks” etc.

Alcohol is actually NOT a trigger – alcohol actually relaxes the gut and does the opposite.

In fact I find if I have a pint with dinner it almost completely negates it.

Caffeine, however, is the devil. I used to love my coffee, can’t drink a drop now. Jagerbombs are a no go unless you like bum gravey in the morning.

Eating regularly and having breakfast helps. Peppermint tea etc is good also.

You can read articles for days and learn that this helps, and porridge does that, and that might be a trigger, and write down this, etc – but in my experience (and I’m told I’m quite a bad sufferer) nothing truly helps other than regular meals, regular exercise, laying off caffeine.

Oddly enough the pink Gaviscon chewable things help me a TON when I get a sudden attack. There is peppermint in them which is what does it I guess.

I’ve managed to cut my “toilet visits” right down but I still get the pain/discomfort. You learn to block it out and get on with stuff. I find as long as I’m doing something or my mind is occupied all is fine.

My girlfriend introduced me to water bottles – if you’re comfortable in your sexuality (does not apply to women) and are at home trying to watch a film or something a hot water bottle works wonders – totally relaxes your gut by replacing the pain with the feeling of warm – just takes your mind off it all totally which then relaxes you 🙂

I was always told to avoid roughage.

Avoiding starchy carbs always helps, but ultimately stress was my trigger.

Stress for me as well
Been IBS free for 8 years now.
Hope yours clears up soon 🙂

What are the symptoms, out of interest?

Check your not gluten intolerant, my IBS of 20 years looks like it’s mainly down to a gluten intolerance.

Could also be due to lactose-intolerance.

I cut out wheat,alcohol and caffeine and mine went in 3 days.. Was a long time sufferer. But Alcohol was my main trigger.

Symptoms…..

Need to go to the loo more frequently and urgently than I used to. Not so ‘defined’…

Lots of wind.

Nausea.

Noisy gut.

Pain lower right and lower left of abdomen at times.

Bloating.

On the advice of my doctor I avoid anything with a high bran content as its harder to digest and will ferment in the stomach causing flare ups.

Basically brown is bad. I find I can eat white pasta, bread, rice etc with no ill effects.

Its also advisable to avoid any artificial sweetners as these have a laxative effect (as do cigarettes apparently 🙁 )

did the doctor send you for a blood test? many don’t bother but should (as the last doctor I saw for a mebevrine prescription told me…)

Symptoms…..

Noted, thanks. I think I’m in the clear.

had it for the last 15yrs and no amount of investigations/meds/diet control or cutting anything out has ever worked…in the last 2 months i have been placed on amitriptyline, its been for me a miracle cure, as pretty much within a week and for the 1st time since i was a kid ive had no cramps no diarrhoea at all, I feel ace!

Crikey. I’ve had IBS come and go over the last 8 years, can’t imagine what it would be like living with it constantly and not being able to do anything about it.

Happy for you dude! 😀

i’m so effing happy!! living with it is pretty awful, being free from it even for this short time is soooooo good though!

It is not stopping me doing anything just that I don’t feel on top of my game.

Yeah, that’s about it, most of the time.

I’ve had it most of my adult life, getting on for seventeen years now. It’s just a bit annoying and embarrassing usually, occasionally flaring up to seriously inconvenient and painful for a few days before dying back down. Tried all the antispasmodics and suchlike, been for various tests, and there’s not really been anything that’s worked properly for me yet, so I’ve just sort of resigned myself to it.

As you can see from the comments, everyone’s triggers are different, so you need to figure out what yours are and stick to avoiding them. Don’t be surprised if they change, or interact weirdly with each other, too, mine have altered over time.

in the last 2 months i have been placed on amitriptyline, its been for me a miracle cure

Very interesting. I’ve heard this elsewhere too, I may have to have a word with my doctor…

The trigger for mine was stress, but have since given up caffeine and try not to eat anything containing gluten, as that sets my tum off into turbo spasm..The Drs had a good old rootle around (definitely should NOT have read the Picolax thread before that ‘procedure’!), and couldn’t find anything untoward..worth getting it checked, even so you can have a peak at the camera kit they use (how the hell are you going to get THAT up THERE?!) Mebeverin worked for me too…either way, hope you get it sorted…..

benz – Member
Symptoms…..

Need to go to the loo more frequently and urgently than I used to. Not so ‘defined’…

Lots of wind.

Nausea.

Noisy gut.

Pain lower right and lower left of abdomen at times.

Bloating.

Hmmm, I seem to suffer from quite a few of these symptoms at times and I have often wondered what was causing it.

Is the pain like someone is squeezing parts of your gut or putting pressure on it?

Cereals like muesli give to me, avoid that & I am fine.

If I eat too much processed carbs I get a flare up, so I try to eat wholewheat and it’s much better