Hey everyone,
I’m 16 and I have IBS ( I was diagnosed recently a few weeks ago) and lately, the fatigue has been absolutely exhausting. I feel tired pretty much all the time, even when I get a good night’s sleep. I wake up feeling like I haven’t rested at all, and even if I take a nap, I can feel sleepy again just two hours later. It’s like I never have enough energy, no matter how much I sleep.

It’s starting to affect my everyday life, especially school I have a really important exam at the end of this school year, and I mean really IMPORTANT and I’m genuinely scared that this constant exhaustion is going to affect my grades. Like sometimes I have to study, but I’m just too tired to concentrate or get anything done, and it’s really frustrating. All i do is sleeping and it’s doesn’t even solve the problem :(

I wanted to ask if anyone else with IBS has experienced this kind of extreme, constant fatigue and, if so, what has actually helped you?
Are there any dietary changes, supplements, vitamins, or other things that have made a difference for you? Is there a particular diet that helped with your symptoms and energy levels?

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. I just want to feel like I have enough energy to get through the day and keep up with school without feeling exhausted all the time.

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to respond ! 🫶🏻

Okay, here goes.

I (F26) have been suffering with IBS-D for 6 years. It started in uni, and it took over a year to get a diagnosis. I tried going without gluten, without lactose, low FODMAP etc., and nothing really seemed to work.

What helped intially was to reduce stress (moved away from home), but just the worst cramps disappeared. I kind of gave up experimenting with my diet becuase I didn't have the mental bandwidth after years of trying, but I am trying to eat healthy.

A year ago I met my now boyfriend. He suggested an*l about four months ago, and I was obviously very skeptical. My pelvic floor is really tense, but ovee the span of like a month and a half we gradually got there.

And phew, folks.

I haven't been this regular and pain-free since my first symptoms 6 years ago. I also helped me destigmatize the whole issue (kind of insecure about the whole thing - farting, cramps, needing the toilet at inconvenient times etc.), becuase my boyfriend is a total sweetheart and doesn't mind dealing with this kind of stuff (a bit of poop etc.).

So, yeah. As the title says. My pelvic floor is in bliss, I poop normally and regularly and have only small flares from time to time.

15+ years of this crap. You'd think I'd just be used to it.

But every time I have a day like today, where I blow up the bathroom, and it drains all my energy for the rest of the day. I still feel so defeated.

Another day wasted, and I know it by 10am. I know I'll be in bed with a heating pad on. I know my muscles will ache all day. I know I'll feel exhausted and lightheaded. And if I'm lucky, I'll nap for an hour.

I know the brain fog will be fierce. And I know that anything I wanted or planned to do that day, isn't going to happen.

And this time, I'm a little more defeated than normal because the last month I only had 3 or 4 of these type of days. Which is pretty good, considering it's usually 2-4 times a week.

But this is now 2 days in a row. And having that "break" kinda makes it worse. There was that little bit of hope that maybe things were actually getting better. And now that hope is gone.

And I did it to myself. Rule #1: don't add multiple new things at once. But since I haven't been super bad recently, my dumb ass added 4 new things on the same friggin day! Rookie mistake.

What it must feel like to not even wonder if tomorrow will be good or bad.

Can anyone in this group even imagine going 24 hours without worrying about poop? 15 years since I didn't worry about it daily.

I'm just tired.

No worries, this will pass. And I'll go back to fighting to figure out how to get better. I'll fight that fight til the day I'm gone.

But today, I was defeated. Just needed to rant about that.

Hey all, I know it’s probably not that big of a deal but I am just anxious as this has only ever happened once maybe twice before.

I’ve been pretty constipated the last week or so and it got awful about yesterday when even standing made my whole GI attack ache. I went to the bathroom about half an hour ago and gave out relatively nothing. Felt the urge to go again just now and did. Finally had an okay bm and got some relief but when I wiped there was a little blood on the paper. No more than a drop or two and it was only in the first wipe but Its thrown me off and made me very anxious, should I worry?

The pain in my abdomen hasn’t gone just yet either so I’m also worried there will be more or something is wrong

Edit: thank you everyone! The blood was bright red so is most likely a strain issue, thank you for your help! My only worry now is some abdominal pain hasn’t budged still and I’m not too sure if that’s a concern or just potential pms 😅

Sorry I just need to vent as I keep this private in my day to day life.

IBS is controlling my life. I've just started dating but think I will call it quits as I can't plan anything and it's not the sexiest topic when dating!!

Mornings are pretty much a write off due to time spent on the toilet. Afternoons are generally ok but then late evenings can be a struggle.

Every test I've had has come back as fine. An elimination diet doesn't really help although not eating fibre makes things a little easier (not a long term solution).

My main symptom is infinite wipe / mushy stool / incomplete evacuation.

I've just purchased some Kijimea Pro tablets in the hope they may help.

Starting nortriptyline tomorrow cause pharm didn’t have any today. GI doc is fairly certain its some kind of functional GI issue so I’ll try the meds but i wanted to have another stool test just to make sure it is lower. If it is I’m all in on whatever they have to say, but if my calpro comes back high I’m pushing for additional testing and they’re up for that too. Anyways how have yall done with this med? Good, nothing? How fast did it start working for you?

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I'm 31 and I've always had vaginal discharge that looks like mucus or jelly, and it hasn't changed. Recently, I've noticed a small amount of similar-looking mucus when wiping my anal area.

Today, I used a separate piece of toilet paper to wipe the back area and noticed a little bit of this substance. I wipe from the anus toward the front, so I can't tell exactly where it's coming from.

I don't have any pain, itching, or blood in my stool. I also recently underwent two rounds of antibiotics for H. pylori and gastritis.

I'm feeling very anxious and scared that this could be a sign of a serious illness. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Could it be rectal mucus or vaginal discharge that spread to the area?

I know nobody can diagnose me online, but I'm really worried and would appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar.

My Diagnosis: IBS-C, functional dyspepsia & APD (abdomino-phrenic dysynergia).

For anyone who has been struggling for years.

This is just my experience of fighting IBS for the last 15 years.

I am 100% sure you haven’t come across this detailed information yet.

Long post; read it once. I am 100% sure you all can relate this, and it will be helpful for all.

I am 28 years old, and I have had irregular bowel movements since the time I could remember, let’s say since childhood.

But for the past 15 years I have suffered with severe gut problems that have taken over my life. I want to share my story because I know how hopeless it can feel.

My symptoms included:

• Chronic constipation for years, no natural urge, dependent on daily laxatives, Prucalopride, Duphalac, Lilac, Sena Powder, tonnes of psyllium husk, and almost every laxative available on this planet
• Severe bloating, stomach hard like a stone, present even on an empty stomach
• Incomplete evacuation
• Heartburn and belching
• Nutritional deficiencies from poor absorption
• Depression and severe anxiety
• Low energy and constant fatigue
• Very poor sleep
• Back pain
• Hair loss (alopecia areata)
• Grey hair at a young age
• Brain fog and poor concentration, severe difficulty focusing on anything
• Loss of appetite
• Low motivation and negativity consuming my thoughts all day
• Food sensitivities causing skin rash and skin allergies (eczema)
• Water sloshing sound in the stomach when walking
• Frequent urine urges
• Pain
• Weak eyesight
• Undigested food particles in stool
• Difficulty speaking and low confidence
• And so many more... that I used to get appointments with different doctors for each problem.

Every gut investigation came back clear: colonoscopy, endoscopy, ultrasound, coeliac, lactose, gluten, and blood work. Nothing structurally wrong.

I even tried homoeopathic, herbal medicines, vitamin D, B12 and all sorts of other supplements. Some doctors used to say drink more water and chew your food properly. all waste

After consulting multiple gastroenterologists and general doctors, I ended up consulting a psychopath nutritionist, and she is, by the way, a top/renowned one in my country.
She said you are not gluten allergic, but you are gluten sensitive, which cannot be detected in labs; you have low stomach acid, and you have Hashimoto’s thyroid. That’s why you had alopecia areata.
She put me on a fucking stupid diet: coconut water all day, L-glutamine powder, Betain HCL, magnesium supplements, digestive enzymes, chia seeds, basil seeds, no bread/gluten, no eggs, those expensive probiotics, bone broth, sweet potatoes and things I can’t even remember. Resulted in complete waste of money and time. This was an absolute hell, actually a blunder. I recently had a thyroid ultrasound and blood work, which also came back normal.

I also had multiple SIBO treatment attempts, including Rifaximin 550 mg x 3 times a day, combined with bismuth and Flagyl. None worked. Consumed tonnes of omeprazole, famotidine, and vonoprazan; other PPIs, nothing worked.

The only thing I found effective in my case is ginger tea, which I consume twice a day.
I tried the low FODMAP diet, the carnivore-only diet, the plant-based diet, and even the all-organic diet, and I tried imported water from the French Alps. All failed. I used to think that people eat a shitty diet, have the worst lifestyle, and are completely normal. Why me?

After years of failed gut medications, one day I saw a video on YT from a guy named Vishal from India; the symptoms he explained were exactly related to me. He got cured of IBS after having multiple piles surgeries (piles due to IBS-constipation), and now he is living a completely normal life with the help of a psychiatrist.

Given that info, I consulted a famous psychiatrist in my city, Karachi, Dr Aneel Kumar Keswani. As I am based in Karachi, Pakistan. I shared my complete history with him and gave him a list of my symptoms.
In our first session he said there is not such a disease called IBS. If your labs are normal, that means the problem is in your brain, but symptoms are in the GUT. May God bless him. An absolute gem.
My psychiatrist started meds with:

Paroxetine
Then he added the below-mentioned medication one by one after each month.
Trifluoperazine
Clonazepam
Olanzapine
Levosulpride

1 year of trials, These meds worked 25% only for me. I started feeling improvements, but this combination was not very effective, so my psychiatrist changed the medication/approach and put me only on:
Venlafaxine 75mg (Effexor)

After 6 weeks on venlafaxine, this was the point where I felt a big change in my overall health. I can say that I got 50% improved/recovered. But still some days were bad hell, and some were good.

Then one day I saw a video on fb from Dr Zia ul Mustafa, a gastroenterologist from Narowal, Pakistan. The way he was explaining IBS and its treatment was remarkable, and I could relate well to what he was saying in his videos.

I immediately consulted him and again gave him my complete history. In our first session he said you are already on good medication; I will just add one more only.
He added only one medication:
Mirtazapine

This combination together (venlafaxine + mirtazapine) is called California Rocket Fuel.
which is highly effective for severe depression and anxiety
This combination was life-changing for me and gave me exceptional results; he kept on increasing the dose each month until I reached maximum dosage (venlafaxine 300 mg + mirtazapine 45 mg) to get the full therapeutic effect of the meds.

It has been a year now; I am on these 2 meds only, and I can honestly say that each and every health issue mentioned above is resolved and actually gone.
I feel like I am operating on 2x. I no longer have to drink black coffee with ghee, don’t have to run, and don’t have to do breathing exercises just to have a bowel movement.

I have now started tapering off the meds. Dr Zia says slowly we have to taper in the next 2 more years. Advice: Never go cold turkey (sudden stop), and never miss the dose of psychiatrist medicines.
Life has become beautiful. Indeed, there are side effects of psychiatrist medicines, and I would suggest only taking these meds under the proper supervision of an experienced doctor.

I have massive weight gain, and I cannot skip the dose (tapering off slowly is a different mechanism).
The only problem I have right now is bloating, which is actually distention and called abdominal-phrenic dyssynergia (APD) as identified by my doctor, which is also a DGBI (disorder of gut-brain interaction).
Apart from medication, some exercises are required for APD. A YT video link is attached on how to perform those exercises, based on the research done in Spain.

I would say if you don’t have SIBO/gluten/lactose/allergy/coeliac/IBD or any other serious GUT disease and your labs are also clear and you cannot figure out the real culprit.

Then your IBS is nothing but stress, depression and anxiety.

And you need to find the best combination for yourself which suits you and gives you good results. There is no such guaranteed combination which will work for everyone.

Some people I know have recovered by sertraline only, and some by amitriptyline only. Maybe Nortriptyline only will work for you. Maybe you need to just increase the dosage of your current single medication; maybe you need a combination of 3 psychiatrist meds.

Furthermore, recovery is not linear; in this journey some weeks you will be completely normal, but some days will be really bad, but in the end I believe we can get out of this.
I cannot say if this is permanent relief, but with the relief I got, I am willing to take these meds for the rest of my life.

Your doctor will decide what’s best for you. Therefore, please don’t do it by yourself.
In my case I had a very difficult childhood and lost my mother at 4; therefore, I was experiencing these symptoms from childhood, which became severe in recent years.

I am sharing my difficult journey just to help you guys for the sake of Almighty. Maybe I could be the next Vishal for someone, somewhere on Earth. Maybe I could get benefit from this information in the afterlife.

Dr Zia ul Mustafa, Gastroenterologist, Narowal, Pakistan.
His FB page: IBS is Treatable

This is not a prom-o-tion post, nor am I getting any benefit. You can consult him, or you better go to your nearest psychiatrist/gastroenterologist who has in-depth knowledge about gut-brain interaction, DGBI (Disorder of Gut-Brain Interaction).

Vishal’s YT channel, where he shared his complete journey: ENDOFIBS

I have tried to explain and cover all the points. I have never thought that one day I would be able to write this.

May you all recover from this difficult life; may you all have a free IBS life.

I am posting this from my second account, as I am not comfortable disclosing my identity. and admin didn’t allow me to post anonymously.

All the best and kind regards,
Your Pakistani Bro.

Hey guys, im really really hoping you could help me please. So ive suffered with constipation since I was a child and got diagnosed with IBS C 15yrs ago. Now ive been advised by my Gastro to flush out my system using bisacodyl every month. I do and it works, however the next few days I feel like im backing up again. Im bloated, my stool is solid as a rock. Is there anything I can do to avoid this as its a reoccurring issue.

Before anyone says anything, I have always drunk enough water and since I was a child never had issues with consuming enough fibre and having a healthy diet.

Many thanks

Literally crying while sitting on the toilet. I have ibs-c. Decided it would be a great meal choice to eat some tacos, not even that spicy. My mistake! My bootyhole has never burned so bad and the nausea is like never before. Keeping a bucket nearby in case it decides to come out both ends. Of course this all happens while im on vacation trying to relax. Safe to say, I am nowhere near relaxed... anyone else been through this?

Anyone else get IBS/IBD symptoms even BEFORE they get a cold? My Crohn’s is not happy right now.

Sudden diarrhea/mucus-y stool on Thursday and then since last night I’ve had body aches, congestion, sore throat, etc.

The diarrhea still hasn’t cleared.

It almost like a warning…

F34. Diagnosed with ibs in 2014, before there were subcategories. Abdominal pain, constipation, bloating, excessive gas, inconsistent triggers. Sometimes I wouldn’t poop for days, other times I’d be pooping small amounts all day long. I was told back then there wasn’t much I could do medically to help, so I just tried to manage it on my own since then. Was recommended MiraLAX and magOx.
Fast forward to the beginning of this year. Finally decided to see what advances had been made in 12 years. Saw a provider, was told I have ibs-c, to switch from Metamucil to benefiber, was put on amitiza. Was relieved it was affordable. Started to have hope. Found out I’m allergic.
Was told to eat kiwis. Was put on linzess. Kind of worked. Insurance doesn’t cover, and no generic. I’ve spent $200 a month since April for a mediocre solution. Still had abdominal pain and bloating, and BMs still didn’t feel complete.
Provider ordered a hydrogen breath test in April. Was turned away after the first value was too high. Wasn’t told which value. Provider told me we needed to solve the constipation to do the test. I said good luck.
Started a masters program.
Continued on linzess. Switched to raw psyllium husk. Was given lactulose. Never tried it because of how rough I’ve heard it is. Not trying to make my life worse.
Got engaged.
Another attempt at the hydrogen breath test in july. Value was still too high. Found out it was methane. I could’ve told them that. Nurse proceeded with test anyway. Got intestinal methanogen overgrowth dx the next day. Was prescribed xifaxan and neomycin. Found out xifaxan is $3k. Can’t do that.
Choked down metronidazole and neomycin. Had perfect, complete, clean BMs for a few days while taking. Regressed immediately after abx were done. Provider told me to add in MiraLAX. Read about the migrating motor complex. Went to eating 3 distinct meals a day at least 4 hrs apart with no calories in between.
Started intentional stress management techniques.
Continued linzess. Decided it was time for a second opinion. Went to a new provider in September. He was surprised I hadn’t had a colonoscopy yet. Ordered one. Mentioned pelvic floor therapy as a next step.
Insurance told me colonoscopy would be covered 100%. It was not. Had colonoscopy anyway. Discovered I have an extra long colon. Doc said to continue linzess and try pelvic floor therapy.
Insurance requires prior auth for pelvic floor therapy. Doc said that will require a test. Anal manometry. After everything I’ve done this year, I reeeeally don’t want to do that.
Read about ibgard. Decided to try. Read about the squatty potty. Bought one of those. Looked up basic pelvic floor exercises on YouTube. Found out it’s basically just various kegels. Decided to try that until the new year and new insurance.
Hoping new insurance doesn’t require the anal manometry test.
So, currently, I am taking linzess and MiraLAX. I’m drinking psyllium husk powder daily. I’m eating kiwis. I’m taking ibgard 2-3 times a day. I’m waiting at least 4 hours between meals. Im taking magOx. I’m using a squatty potty. I’m doing YouTube pelvic floor exercises. I’m trying to manage my stress. And I am thinking about starting daily apple cider vinegar.
I’m going every day, but they still don’t feel complete. I still have pain, bloating, and excessive gas.
I’m desperate. I just want to find something that works. I’m getting married next year and don’t want to worry about a flare-up on my wedding day. Not to mention I’m just so sick of being uncomfortable all the time. It has become a quality of life thing.
But at this point, I feel like I have completely f*cked my system. Has anyone else felt like they are doing way too much in desperation for an answer? Am I doing way too much?
Also curious- anyone else dealing with depression, anxiety, adhd, raging perfectionism?
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. It’s been a challenging journey. 🫶

I've had moments when stuff has happened and I've managed to contain it all between the cheeks without really anyone changing their behaviour or anything but I'm scared I'm not prepared in case someone points it out?

I have chronic constipation, I started 145mcg linzess 4-5 days ago and still have type 6-7 stools.. when should I notice them start to go to type 3-4?

Hello Everyone kind of a long one here

Just wanted to share a quick story of my weekend and wondering if I did good or bad. I bought tickets to a show for october back in may before my symptoms got bad. They are to the point where I never feel incomplete, bloating all the time, constipated, stool feels stuck in my anus, and of course hemmroids. I spelt that wrong but whatever. The show was three hours away, and this condition has robbed me of a lot, and even led to me being unemployed so I made it a mission to go with my three friends.

I cooked chicken, blueberries and rice to take with me. I also was the driver bc I have the newest car, and I wanted to be distracted from my gut issues. I left the house after going to the rr 5 times over 5 hours but it felt like I was holding it. But it always feels that way now. We stopped, and I couldnt go so I pushed through. When we made it to the town we went out to the bars bc the show was the next day. I didnt drink, and that was hard bc Ive never been out to a bar or out of town not drinking. But since my condition was so bad lately I gave up liquor. We made it back in around 3. I hadnt ate since 9am that morning so I ate maybe two pieces of chicken and a handful of rice and blueberries.

The next morning I had a bm, and another, and another. They were all rabbit like dropplings but My stomach was feeling like it always does. They went out to the site see while I ate nothing so I could be ok for the show. The show went well and I had no issues. However I was scared to eat bc we had to check out before 11 and be on the road by 12. So I ate 10 blueberries, two spoons of rice, and half a chicken tender bc I didnt want to eat too much but was also feeling weak.

The next morning I had two bms but felt like I had to go again but nothing would come. So it was time to drive 3 hours back home. I decided to not stop at all. Not even to stretch our legs. When I got home I had a bm but again like rabbits.

I then had to start a new job, of course I dont want to lose this one so I have been waking up early to have bm but am also afraid to eat bc I dont wanna be late. I dont want to be in the bathroom 40 mins for the first week neither, but I do think I am making it worse. What should I do? Any comment will help. Thank you

Lots of posts here for a variety of diet changes helping. There could be another explanation for why changing the diet helps.

There’s a relatively new approach being studied that looks at whether some people with IBS may have delayed, Type IV food allergies, which are different from the immediate allergies (Type I food allergies—think peanuts) detected by standard skin-prick tests or blood tests. The idea is that certain foods might contribute to symptoms even when conventional allergy testing is negative.

A technique called food patch testing is being investigated for this purpose. There are ongoing clinical studies looking at whether identifying these possible reactions and modifying the diet accordingly might help people with IBS. The theory is that inflammation similar to that caused by the patch tests in the skin occurs in the intestinal lining when the culprit foods are eaten, causing the IBS symptoms. For transparency, I have a connection to the development of this testing approach.

I thought it was worth sharing because we still have a lot to learn about the relationship between food and IBS. More information about the ongoing research is available at ibsfoodstudy.com.

I've only recently become aware of the term hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction. And at a glance it seems like it would make sense to cause constipation.

But could it be the cause of diarrhea?

Even if it's not the cause, I imagine having diarrhea for my entire life would have caused this dysfunction. Spending decades every day of my life just holding everything in constantly doing kegels and tightening those muscles.

But can it cause or contribute to diarrhea?

Hace 6 meses comencé a tener diarreas constantes, heces pastosas, brillantes y amarillas. Llegando a tener hasta 25 deposiciones. Me ingresaron y me hicieron una gran batería de pruebas (Colonoscopias con biopsias, gastroscopias, ecoendoscopias digestivas, elastasa fecal, calprotectina, tac toracoabdominopélvico, coprocultivos, test de SIBO) siendo todas negativas y sin hayazgos. Al alta y en la siguiente consulta me hicieron el sehcat y descubrieron que tengo una malabsorción severa de ácidos biliares (4,6%). El caso es que durante estos meses he ido perdiendo masa muscular generalizada en cara, cuello, hombros, pecho, espalda, brazos, abdomen y piernas a pesar de que las analíticas muestran las proteínas normales. ¿Es posible haber perdido masa muscular de forma generalizada por esta afección? Agradecería que alguien pueda aclarármelo ya que la malabsorción está muy infradiagnosticada y queda mucho por estudiar. Comienzo ahora con resincolisteramina antes de las comidas pero me preocupa esta pérdida tan severa de masa muscular.

I have issues with IBS-D and awhile back was rejected at a CSL Plasma because of it.

I went through the whole process, didn’t even think to mention the IBS. It runs in my family so I’ve never really gotten much medical help for it. My primary doctor as a kid knew about it, and she just told me to take probiotics. Idek if I was even technically diagnosed, as she said something like “well there’s nothing to really test for, you kinda just have symptoms of it or you don’t”.

Anyway, the last thing they do to check you out is have a nurse give you a physical. She asked about my sweater that said “my tummy hurts” on it. I kinda laughed and said “oh I have IBS, so I just thought it was funny”. She got a really serious look on her face and started asking me about symptoms and stuff. Stating that IBS is “very serious” and that I should have mentioned I had a condition before. Like girl… idk this has never been considered that serious in my family. It’s just REALLY annoying.

Anyway she ended up telling me that I can’t sell plasma due to risk of dehydration because of how often I have diarrhea. Said I could come back if I get approved by a doctor first and came with a note. But now I’m some kind list that bans me from plasma centers lmao.

Anyone else been told this? Like I feel like she was being really dramatic. I drank like 3-4 16oz glasses of water right before I showed up and only ate super safe foods that day so I didn’t have diarrhea at all. Was sorta pissed off cuz I needed that money too.

Hey my fellow Redditors!

Wanted to share where I’m currently at with my gut issues and hopefully get some advice from people who have experienced something similar.

A little background:

I’m 21 years old and own a business, which naturally comes with a pretty high level of stress. I work a lot, have a lot of responsibilities, and definitely recognize that stress could be playing a role in all of this.

For a while now, I’ve been dealing with ongoing digestive issues that have been pretty frustrating, especially considering how young I am.

My main symptoms:

\* Inconsistent bowel movements. Some days my stools are semi-formed, other days they’re completely loose or unformed. Mainly always leans unformed and loose!

\* Abdominal discomfort, gurgling/popping, and bloating.

\* My stomach can feel pretty uncomfortable after eating certain foods. But my baseline has changed. Use to be able to eat fried foods, now not a chance I can. Same goes for alcohol use to be able to drink now can’t!

\* Alcohol absolutely DESTROYS my stomach. Even drinking seems to throw my digestive system completely out of whack.

\* Heartburn and acid reflux, although here’s something interesting I’ve noticed…

The weirdest part:

I’ve noticed that my stomach actually seems to feel the BEST when I’m experiencing heartburn.

When I have heartburn, my lower digestive symptoms seem to calm down. But when I don’t have heartburn, I often experience more stomach discomfort and bowel issues.

This isn’t a 100% consistent pattern, but it’s something I’ve noticed repeatedly and can’t really explain.

Has anyone experienced anything similar?

Testing I’ve had done:

I’ve pretty much gone through the full GI workup at this point.

✅ Bloodwork – Normal

✅ Stool testing – Normal

✅ Upper endoscopy – Normal

✅ Colonoscopy – Normal

✅ Biopsies – Normal

Basically, everything has come back completely normal, which is obviously reassuring, but also frustrating because I’m still experiencing symptoms.

Interestingly, since my colonoscopy, my stomach actually feels a little BETTER.

I’m not sure whether the bowel prep cleared something out, whether it’s just a coincidence, or whether there’s something else going on, but I’ve noticed a small improvement.

I’m starting to wonder whether this is IBS, something related to the gut-brain connection, stress, food sensitivities, or something else entirely.

Where I’m at now:

I’m trying to figure out what the next steps should be.

I know stress can have a massive impact on digestion, and running a business at 21 certainly comes with plenty of it. But at the same time, I don’t want to automatically blame everything on stress without understanding what’s actually happening.

I’d really love to hear from anyone who’s been through something similar.

A few questions:

1. Has anyone had completely normal GI testing but continued experiencing symptoms like these?

2. Has anyone noticed a strange relationship between heartburn and lower digestive symptoms?

3. Did anyone actually feel better after their colonoscopy or bowel prep?

4. What treatments, medications, dietary changes, or lifestyle adjustments ended up helping you?

5. Are there any other conditions or tests worth discussing with my gastroenterologist?

6. For those with IBS or stress-related gut issues, what actually made a meaningful difference?

I’m only 21, and I’d really like to get this under control rather than spend my twenties constantly worrying about my digestive system.

Appreciate any advice, experiences, or suggestions!

Do you sit with knees slightly elevated? Do you relax the muscle completely? Or do you push? After first movement do you then sit and wait in case there is more or do you just go back when needed?

I am wondering if I myself have gotten into a bad habit of not being patient enough and pushing too hard (and the knock-on affect that can have on piles).

buonasera, voglio condividere la mia storia in maniera più dettagliata, e sto cercando dei consigli/aiuti pratici da poter fare, ogni consiglio è ben accetto. Sono un ragazzo di 20 anni, quasi 21, convivo con problemi intestinali da ormai molti anni (10 anni circa), ma negli ultimi 2 anni e mezzo il tutto è peggiorato parecchio. Il primo episodio che io ricordi cè l'ho avuto alle scuole elementari, facevo colazione sempre con latte e biscotti, e da quando ho iniziato ad avere crampi forti a scuola, ho smesso di berlo, e più avanti di fare colazione la mattina. Si può dire che dalle elementari fino alla fine della scuola superiori i sintomi erano per lo più gestibili, avevo principalmente crampi e scariche, ma questi sintomi si manifestavano generalmente solo a scuola o in situazioni stressanti (interrogazioni, lezioni di scuola guida, viaggi, treno, aereo ecc...), per il resto riuscivo a vivere la mia vita, ad uscire con gli amici ecc... inoltre subito dopo una scarica in bagno stavo generalmente meglio e riuscivo a continuare ciò che dovevo fare.

La mia vita è cambiata con l'inizio dell'università, fuori-sede, a 1000km da casa circa. Non ero completamente solo perchè avevo gli zii e mia sorella, ma il primo periodo fu abbastanza brutto, come penso sia normale un po per tutti. Comunque da lì in poi (non so dire il momento preciso) i miei sintomi sono iniziati a essere ingestibili. Mal di pancia ogni qualvolta andavo a lezione all'università, mal di pancia nei laboratori, mal di pancia per andare a fare la spesa, ogni qualvolta dovevo uscire si manifestavano i sintomi (anche se ammetto che pure a casa, spesso ho sintomatologia). Ora sono al terzo anno di università, e sono stanco, davvero tanto stanco.

Premetto di aver fatto quasi tutti gli accertamenti indicati per il colon irritabile (esami feci, intolleranza al lattosio e glutine, coltura microbica ecc…), l’unica cosa ad non aver fatto è stata la colonscopia. Negli ultimi due anni sono andato da un gastroenterologo, che ha concluso dicendo che gli esami erano tutto ok, e che avrei dovuto fare la colonscopia.
Recentemente sono andato da uno psicologo, e mi ha detto che il problema secondo lui è somatico e non psicologico perché non cè alcun evento traumatico (a parer suo) che possa aver alimentato la cosa.

circa il 7/8 ottobre ho iniziato una nuova terapia con un altro gastroenterologo, il quale, mi ha consigliato Valpinax, un farmaco a base di un antispastico + diazepam (ansiolitico). La dose è comunque molto bassa, sono 2,5mg di diazepam al giorno (1 compressa). Oggi è 20 ottobre e posso dire che non sento alcun miglioramento, se non una maggior sonnolenza (al mattino soprattutto). Il gastroenterologo mi ha spiegato che secondo lui è tutto un problema di recettori nel mio intestino, proverebbe così, almeno per 1 mese, in seguito alla mia risposta (positiva o negativa che sia), stabilire una nuova terapia oppure continuare con questa. Mi ha già anticipato che la “nuova terapia” sarebbe l’utilizzo di antidepressivi a basso dosaggio, qualora il diazepam non dovrebbe funzionare. so solo che io sono stanco, davvero tanto stanco, oggi ho avuto nuovamente un crollo perché non sono riuscito ad andare a lezione all’università, né riesco ad allontanarmi più di tanto da casa ed uscire con gli amici… Non so quale sia l’origine del mio problema, probabilmente sia fisico che mentale, però al momento non mi sento meglio, mi sento uguale a prima, e questo mi porta ad ancora più disperazione perché pensavo finalmente di aver trovato una “cura” e di poter vivere serenamente. a quanto pare mi sbagliavo, a quanto pare sono destinato a vivere così, di m***a, non sono il solo, è vero, ma in questo momento mi sembra di esserlo, e mi sembra di non avere una via d’uscita. I pattern di quello che mangio sono del tutto irregolari (avvolte mangio un cibo e sto bene altre no), avvolte riesco a sopportare il dolore, altre volte no, pochi giorni alla settimana sono motivato, il restante perdo l’interesse in tutto. non so più a chi rivolgermi, ne voglio continuare a pesare ai miei genitori, ne posso lavorare per pagare io le spese mediche, perché sto così, ed è già tanto se riesco ad andare in una lezione non obbligatoria. Il 28 ottobre cè il Lucca Comics, ho preso i biglietti, ma in cuor mio so già che cè la possibilità che io non ci possa andare, nonostante abbia degli amici con cui farlo. Mi sono davvero stancato delle solite cavolate: “non mollare mai”, “è tutto nella tua testa”, “stai tranquillo”, io sto male, e con tutta la mia buona volontà che ci sto mettendo ad affrontare il problema, mi sento ancora più stanco di prima.

Merhabalar. Neredeyse beş yıl sonra yaşadığım nüks sürecinden bahsetmek istiyorum size.
2019-2022 yılları arasında, prostatımı iyileştirmek amacıyla bilinçsizce kullandığım birçok antibiyotik nedeniyle bağırsaklarım zaten bozulmuştu ve IBS (İrritabl Bağırsak Sendromu) geliştirmiştim. 2022 yılında prostat sorunumu nihayet atlattıktan sonra, geçtiğimiz aya kadar prostat açısından her şey yolundaydı. İçki de içsem, soğukta da kalsam, yeme içmeme hiç dikkat etmesem bile herhangi bir sorun yaşamıyordum.
Prostat sorunlarım düzeldikten sonra 2022 yılında evlendim ve hemen ardından yurt dışına taşındım. 2022-2026 yılları arasında yeni bir hayat kurmak için çok emek verdim. Güzel bir çevre edindim ve yurt dışında tutunmayı başardım. Her şeyi yeniden inşa etmişken şimdi yaşadığım sağlık sorunları nedeniyle bütün emeklerimin ve kurduğum hayatın ellerimden kayıp gidebileceği korkusuyla karşı karşıyayım.
Ancak bir süre önce SIBO diye bir şeyle karşılaştım. Geçmişte kullandığım antibiyotikler nedeniyle ince bağırsağımda bakteri artışı olduğunu düşündüm. Bunun üzerine YouTube’da fonksiyonel tıpla uğraşan bir doktor buldum ve sanırım hatayı burada yaptım.
Başlangıçta çok ağır olmayan ishal ve şişkinlik şikâyetlerim için 14 gün boyunca rifaksimin 550 mg kullandım. Antibiyotik tedavisi biter bitmez, sabah akşam olmak üzere 6 hafta boyunca bitkisel antimikrobiyal olarak berberin, tıbbi nane ve kekik yağı içeren Bovelax Duo ile sarımsak ekstraktı kullandım. Bunun yanında yaklaşık 3 ay boyunca Low FODMAP diyeti uyguladım ve düşük lifli beslendim. Oldukça kısıtlı bir diyet listesine bağlı kaldım.
Asıl sorun, bu sürecin üçüncü ayının sonunda başladı. Birdenbire günde 10 defaya varan ishal atakları yaşamaya başladım. Dışkımda yediğim yiyeceklerin sindirilmemiş parçalarını görüyordum. Sabahları tuvalet ihtiyacı nedeniyle uykumdan uyanıyordum. Üstelik uyandıktan sonra tekrar uykuya dalamıyordum. Bağırsaklarımdaki en ufak gaz hareketi bile beni uykumdan uyandırmaya başladı.
İshal atakları başlayınca dışkı testi yaptırdım ve Candida glabrata türü mantarın çoğaldığını gördüm. O dönem bu sonuç bana oldukça mantıklı gelmişti. Çünkü yaklaşık üç ay boyunca çok düşük lifli beslenmiş ve sürekli antimikrobiyal ajanlar kullanmıştım. Bağırsak floramın zarar görmesiyle mantarın çoğalmış olabileceğini düşündüm. Bu durum anksiyetemi daha da artırdı. Çünkü kandidiyazis şüphesi, zaten çok kısıtlı olan beslenmeme bir de yeni diyet kısıtlamaları eklenmesi anlamına geliyordu. Low FODMAP diyeti nedeniyle zaten çok fazla kilo vermiştim ve psikolojik olarak da iyice yıpranmıştım.
Neyse ki kullandığım Saccharomyces boulardii türü probiyotiği bıraktıktan sonra, yaklaşık bir ay sonra yeniden dışkı testi yaptırdım. Bu kez Candida mantarı negatif çıktı. Ancak o dönem yaşadığım korku nedeniyle içimde hâlâ bir şüphe kaldı.
Bağırsaklarımdaki faydalı florayı rifaksimin ve ardından kullandığım bitkisel antimikrobiyaller nedeniyle bozmuş olabileceğimi düşünüyorum. Bunun gerçekten böyle olup olmadığını bilmiyorum ama yaşadığım değişim beni oldukça endişelendiriyor.
Bağırsak sorunlarım başladıktan yaklaşık bir ay sonra prostat şikâyetlerim de yeniden alevlendi. İnanılmaz testis ağrıları ve makat ile testis arasındaki bölgede şiddetli ağrılar yaşamaya başladım. Kendimi yeniden en başa dönmüş gibi hissettim.
Bağırsaklarımın bu kadar hassaslaşması nedeniyle antibiyotik kullanmak artık benim için bir fobi hâline geldi. İhtiyaç duysam bile kullanmaya cesaret edemiyorum. bir türlü karar verip antibiyotik kullanamıyorum. Hâlâ da bu korkuyu aşabilmiş değilim.
Prostatımdaki ödemi azaltmak amacıyla haftada bir olmak üzere üç hafta boyunca prostat masajı yaptırdım. Maalesef herhangi bir faydasını göremedim. Boşalma sonrasında ağrım inanılmaz derecede artıyor. İdrar yaparken hafif bir yanma oluyor ancak özellikle makat ile testis arasındaki bölgede ve testislerimde ciddi ağrı hissediyorum. Ayrıca penisimin hem başında hem de kökünde ağrılar oluyor.
Bağırsak şikâyetlerim nedeniyle bir süre sonra ülkeme geri geldim. Sorunuma çare bulabilmek için gastroenteroloji doktoruna başvurdum. Dışkı testleri yapıldı ve dışkıda gizli kan pozitif çıktı. Bunun dışında kalprotektin seviyem 19 olarak ölçüldü. Ancak bitkisel antimikrobiyalleri kullandığım dönemde kalprotektin seviyem 80’in üzerindeydi. O dönemde de bir test yaptırmıştım.
Doktorum kaygı ve bağırsak şikâyetlerim için SSRI grubundan bir antidepresan olan Cipralex’i verdi. Bir hafta kullandım ancak çok fazla yan etki yaşadığım için bıraktım. Alışma sürecinin yaklaşık iki hafta sürebildiğini biliyorum ama bende uykusuzluk ve bağırsak hareketlerinde çok yoğun bir artış yaptığı için devam edemedim. Yine de yeniden başlamayı düşünüyorum. Çünkü beyin-bağırsak bağlantısının ne kadar önemli olduğunu biliyorum ve kaygı ile anksiyetem nedeniyle semptomlarımı yönetmekte oldukça zorlanıyorum. Sürekli yeni semptomlar ortaya çıkıyor ve bu durum beni psikolojik olarak da yıpratıyor.
Şu an hem bağırsak hem de prostat sorunlarıyla aynı anda mücadele ediyorum. Beslenmeme dikkat etmeme rağmen dışkım hâlâ çok düzensiz. Rengi bazen kırmızı, bazen yeşil oluyor. Sabahları düzenli olarak ishal yaşıyorum ve bazen arka arkaya 2-3 defa tuvalete gitmek zorunda kalıyorum.
Sanırım önümüzdeki ay, her şeyden emin olmak ve altta yatan başka bir sorun olup olmadığını anlamak adına kolonoskopi ve endoskopi yaptıracağım.
Açıkçası şu an kendimi çıkmazda hissediyorum. Bir yandan bağırsaklarımı daha da kötüleştirmekten korkuyorum, diğer yandan prostat ağrılarımla baş etmeye çalışıyorum. Eskiden o kadar antibiyotiği nasıl kullanıp tolere edebilmişim, inanın bilmiyorum.
Benzer süreçlerden geçen veya hem bağırsak sorunları hem de kronik prostatit şikâyetleri yaşayan arkadaşlar varsa deneyimlerini ve tavsiyelerini paylaşabilirler mi? Özellikle bu iki sorunu birlikte yönetebilenlerin tecrübelerini duymak benim için çok değerli olacak.
Biraz uzun oldu, kusura bakmayın. Okuyup cevap veren herkese şimdiden teşekkür ederim.

So im in the UK and ive just moved to a different gastroenterology department in a different hospital. He has recommended giving up ALL dairy even vegan " dairy " can anyone think of something to replace dairy ??? Because im completely stumped !.

I have IBS and my biggest food trigger is dairy. While i have cut out dairy, sometimes I eat vegan dairy or foods made to be vegan. Every time i eat vegan dairy or vegan “processed” anything, I get the same (if not worse) IBS symptoms (so I’m ultimately going to cut it out). Does anyone else have this experience? Is there a common ingredient put in vegan processed foods that could be an IBS Trigger so i can avoid it?