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IBS related to allergies?

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Loaded1001 
#1 ·
I finally went to the doctor for my "nervous stomach" after a particularly not fun reaction I had in SE Asia. I have always had a very unpredictable digestive system even when I was a kid. I remember having bouts of constipation and bouts of D and very painful gas and bloating. I am now in my 30's and things are somewhat OK but at times somewhat worse. I backpack a lot and travel for months at a time in places where maybe you have a squat toilet and maybe you go out in a field. Needless to say this causes some apprehension, as do the 4-5 hour bus trips on "chicken buses" with no toilets! However, I really enjoy traveling and just try to get by. So far my solutions are to not eat anything all day or just eat bananas/crackers which seem to help "stop me up" since my problem is mainly loose stools with mucus. I go on average about 2-3 times per day and my problems seem to be more apparent in the morning. I can no longer drink coffee or other high caffeine items like I used to. I am concerned that this will just continue to get worse with age, right now it is pretty tolerable for me and I don't take many meds except for the occasional bentyl or loperamide. I also take psyllium husk since I heard that can help "bulk up" your stools. Is that true? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from getting worse and is it related in any way to my allergies? I have fairly severe allergies to pollen, dust, mold and grass. I receive shots for it 2x per month. I have been tested for celiac and this has been ruled out. My HMO does not allow me to see a doctor for GI so I am constantly afraid that I might have something more severe like IBD or Crohn's although I would presume that my symptoms would be much worse. I am just looking for some advice, I know my case doesnt seem as extreme as some others on here but I worry that things might get worse over time. I am in my mid-30's and sometimes I will go months without a D attack while other times I will have 3-4 bouts per month. I especially seem to worry and make things worse on myself when traveling (psychological). Any advice appreciated!
 
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#2 ·
People are more likely to have IBS and allergies than you would expect by just chance alone. Both are pretty common so you expect a fair number of people to have both, but you see them together more often than that.The physical stress of the allergies (not sleeping well, being tired, etc.) will may any other health problem you have worse. That includes IBS.Worry definitely makes it worse. Having a good stress reduction practice (self-hypnotherapy or meditation and getting exercise regularly, etc) can help with that. If you can't control worry on your own talk to the doctor about it.Some people do well with fiber, others do not, but it is worth a try to see if it helps you.
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi,If it's of any help, my hayfever is vastly improved with no milk in my diet. I was having Steroid shots, it was that bad, but without milk I get by with a daily generic 99p (per box) tablet. I had hoped that the no milk diet would cure my toilet traumas but unfortunately it didn't.Mine started after a severe dose of food poisening and that's how it's been for about 5 years now. Can't remember the last time I walked to the toilet.
 
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