[Aberlaine]

Until about three weeks ago, I suffered from constipation all the time (at least five years). All of a sudden I was having cramps, diarrhea and very loose stools - daily.I've been trying to come up with a change that could have resulted in this. The only thing I can think of is too much vitamin C, addition of turmeric & bromelain at the suggestion of my chiropractor and glucosamine sulfate. My pain meds haven't changed. I take Ultracet, 600 mg Ibuprofen and an occasional Mobic for arthritis.I read last night about the symptoms of colorectal cancer and my symptoms are similar.Should I see my doctor or assume this IBS of mine has just changed?Thanks in advance.Nancy

 

[Kathleen M.]

When there is a big change in the pattern of the IBS symptoms (or severity even with the same symptoms) I think it is worth going to the doctor about it.Most of the time it ends up being IBS, but it never hurts to get at least a general check up to make sure nothing new has happened. A lot of diseases can upset the GI tract so it may be worth it to make sure it is just the IBS.Colon cancer usually has vague mild symptoms until it is very late, and it is quite rare in anyone under 50. That is why they are seeing a pretty decent increase in survival rate now they screen people over 50 whether they have symptoms or no and remove the polyps that are where the cancers usually start.

 

[blondeoverblue24]

I would go to the doctor - It's quite possible that your IBS is just switching gears, but it's always better to be safe.

 

[crstar]

ibs is ibs..........C or D, it's just 2 sides of the same coin.........it has to do with intestinal integrity............C is from slow muscle contraction, allowing the feces to sit too long & become dry & hard.............D is from a couple of things, 1 is too much muscle contraction & not enough absorption of liquids...........potassium helps this.........also, tryptophan might help, might.........look up on the net about all facets of the intestines, how they work & what they do, exactly..........the info is out there, u just have to b diligent..........

 

[BQ]

ibs is ibs

Well.. that may be... but it is always best to see a Dr whenever one experiences a vast change in symptoms.

 

[Kathleen M.]

It would be lovely if having IBS meant that nothing else in your body could possibly ever go wrong. At least there would be an upside to it if that were the case. Most people have a certain range of symptoms even if they have a lot of variation. If things change a lot from the usual pattern, it is worth getting checked out.Sometimes IBS does go from all constipation all the time to all diarrhea all the time or from mild symptoms to severe ones. However you don't know if you just had a huge shift in symptoms, or something new is causing the symptoms to be different. You probably don't need a full workup, but a few tests of the likely suspects based on your new symptoms and medical history are probably worth while.