Surgery is more likely to set off IBS than one dose of senna, but senna can up cramping when you take it but I don't know of it causing any permanent increase in GI symptoms, especially from one dose. Now people who binge and purge with very high doses of senna over a period of years may be worse off than those that just binge, but any sort of disordered eating can be hard on the GI tract.Usually pain after meals is more about how you ate rather than what you ate. The colon is more active after every single meal every human eats every day of their life. Large, greasy meals or when you wait for as long as possible to eat will set of more colon activity than small frequent meals.You might try some peppermint tea or a couple of Altoids 30 minutes before a meal and see if that helps. Most of the antispasmodics are constipating, but peppermint doesn't seem to be. If the prescription antispasmodics seem OK also try taking them 30 minutes before a meal rather than trying them only after the pain hits.
New here (but not newly diagnosed)
Hello,I have been a longtime sufferer of IBS-C, but it was mild-moderate. My constant problem was constipation, especially during pregnancies. After I had my youngest I managed to get regular by natural means. It took me 2 years and I needed to be on top of it, but it was possible. Other than that, I was able to eat in moderation most foods and didn't have a problem. So a month ago I had a gallbladder surgery and they did some damage that resulted in a bile leak. I was discharged and almost immediately readmitted (I demanded another surgeon and another hospital) and some days later I had a surgery to remove the bile and repair the damage. During the stay at the other hospital I also ended up malnourished, anemic and with a cervical disk hernia! After the surgery I became very delicate, I had tachicardia and stayed a day at the ICU. 4 days after the surgery I had my first BM and I was surprised it was diarrhea. I was discharged and everything was going OK, I was eating everything, no pain an dregular BMs. 3 weeks after the surgery I stopped having BMs and I stupidly took some senna laxative. The next day I was in agony, after 2 hours of severe cramping, almost passing out, I had several BMs until I ended up having diarrhea. The next day again I didn't have a BM but I started having a pretty bad pain. Since then (this was 4 days ago) it has been agony. I am on an antispasmodic med, a mild laxative and still ahve pain. As soon as I start eating the pain begins. I am very confused about what to eat to help BMs AND not trigger pain, I keep finding contradictory information. In addition to the prescription and laxative, I take psyllium, tons of water, vitamin C, prunes and activia. I am desperate as I don't want to have to deal with yet another thing besides recovering from the surgery, and the spine surgery that probably awaits me. Is it possible for senna to trigger IBS symptoms? ThanksDIana
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There are different types of antispasmodics you could try if one does not help.I have never been told by my Doctor that they are constipating.I take 20mg Amitriptyline at night for pain.I do hope you feel a bit better soon.
Thanks for your replies. I didn't know antispasmodics were constipating (though it makes sense). I am on Dicetel, I have taken it in the past and find it to actually help me go back to regular BMs. Go figure. The reason why I was blaming senna for my present problems is that I was OK for the first 3 post-op weeks, I was actually surprised of the kinds of foods I was eating without any discomfort. But maybe it was the constipation rather than the senna what caused it. I have been feeling a lot less pain and cramps since I started the meds, but my BMs have been insignificant. I'll try the peppermint tea.
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