[Jimknightley]

Hello, I am new to this forum,
I would just really to set out my issues and symptoms, and see if anyone suffers the same sort of problems I do, or could even help.

I am in my mid-twenties. I started suffering from IBS type symptoms in my earlier twenties. I had problems initially with very bland chillis and such like, but also at differing times had issues with dairy and other food items (onion/spices) which came and went. However, over the course of last year I improved, and prior to last summer, could eat pretty much everything without adverse effects (apart from very occasional diarrhoea).
However, during the summer I went abroad and contracted gastroenteritis. Since then, I simply have not recovered. I was ill for in excess of a week, and when I returned to the country, continued to have diarrhoea. My stomach conditions began to improve during the end of the summer, but after I ate a pie, I was extremely ill and simply have not recovered since.
I cannot eat Diary or fried food. I cannot eat anything fibrous either without getting ill. I have to sit still after meals for around 45mins (is this normal?) and sometimes have pain in my lower right side (is this normal?). I get ill within an hour of eating meals, when I have to go to the toilet, and generally remain in there for one hour, before I am completely free of Diarrhoea.

I would be worried about something more serious if not for the fact my stomach problems were directly related to suffering from gastroenteritis. I have had blood in my stools on a couple of occasions, but it is a very unusual occurrence and I have suffered from it in the past.

I have lost two stone since the summer, and now am just over 9 stone (5 foot 10 and male). I am ill a few times a week, sometimes without obvious triggers, although I am susceptible to stress it seems. My diet is strange. Usually I have chicken or fish (breaded usually or plain) for dinner, with spaghetti/peas. I can also set potato waffles and Yorkshire puddings without getting regularly ill, although I am sometimes. I have either wraps with ham or chicken and salad for lunch, pasta with ham and sometimes chicken soup (although today I was ill with chicken soup, and have no idea why)
For breakfast I have scones or brioche and recently have introduced porridge. I also snack on Apple pies (which surely should make me ill but don’t?)
Is this all normal?

[jmc09]

If you have blood in your stools you may actually have an Inflammatory Bowel Disease like Crohn's or more likely some form of Colitis or simply hemorrhoids.

Either way go and see your doctor and ask to see a specialist.

[Jimknightley]

It's only happened on a couple occasions, and I've been tested for Inflammatory bowel issues. Thanks for the reply. Can anyone else comment on the rest?

[Kathleen M.]

Is the weight loss consistent with the change in diet. If you are losing weight all out of proportion to the calories you eat I would be checked again for the Inflammatory problems (unless that is since the weight loss) and maybe celiac as that can cause issues with maintaining weight.

IBS is common after a GI infection, so that doesn't say much about what is going on. If the blood was bright red and on the stool rather than in the stool it probably was an anal irritation as IBS stool issues can make those bleed.

You do sound pretty normal, IBSers often end up on odd diets as they try to avoid symptoms, but sometimes stress (both mental and physical things like not getting enough sleep any given night) can be more of a factor than food. It is pretty common for people with IBS to be eating less than they used to so some people do lose weight (or sometimes gain it) from the changing diet. But if the weight loss (or gain) is more than the food would explain you should get that checked out.