[23453]

Several years ago I was told I may have mild IBS. I've done a lot of reading about it and some of the symptoms are similar, but I've never had the classic signs of IBS. Over the past 4 years, the only real problem I've had is a pinching feeling in my lower-right stomach. Now I'm starting to see some things resurface.What happens to me is when I get stressed out and exhausted I seem to have this lingering tummy trouble. What I see happening is first a lot of gas in my stomach, no matter what I eat. My stomach will feel really empty and just aches, sometimes it burns. I seem to process food very quickly. (After eating a banana and yogurt I am empty (starving) after an hour!) This causes my stomach to ache terribly, I eat something and sometimes it feels better, and sometimes it doesn't. I have had some issues with hard stool, but that is taken care of with a daily fiber supplement.I'm just wondering if there is anyone else out there that has had these problems or a mild case of IBS and what your symptoms are. I've never been on medication for IBS and am wondering if I should go to the doctor and have them check me out again. (I was there last year and was just fine, no problems)Also, lately I've just not felt like myself. I've been a little out of sorts. Stressed out about the holidays, not feeling well, not eating right, tired....could this have brought my IBS out again? Any ideas on how to get back to my "normal" self would be greatly appreciated. Also would be helpful to know if there are others out there that have this same problem.

 

[23453]

Wow, this is unbelievable. Every other post on this board has gotten a response, but I'm left hanging. If nothing else, a little reassurance would have been nice.

 

[eric]

NatalieP sorry no one responded to you. After the holidays things are usally a little slow.What your posting is consistent with IBS and it being aggravated by stressors, both mental and physical.You might ask your doc about medications perhaps.Do you have any upper gi symptoms, like heartburn. Peppermint can help and act like a antspasmatic if you don't have gerd or heratburn problems. There is lots to try.You might want to read these.Gut Feelings: The Mind-Body Connection http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/mindbodygu...AETVTWCYSYZSFEQandhttp://hopkins-gi.nts.jhu.edu/pages/latin/...se=43&lang_id=1Nutritional Intervention for IBS http://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/71210261/m/432103122Hope that helps some and ask any question you want

 

[cookies4marilyn]

Hi Natalie and welcome~First thing is to make sure you have IBS and nothing else is going on, of course. I didnt have a mild case, I had really bad IBS, but the mind-body thing worked best for me over all the many meds I was on - and it might be something for you to consider, especially since the holiday stressors seemed to have exacerbated your IBS symptoms - take a peek at the links below for more info if you are interested. I did this as a last resort at Eric's suggestion.If you have specific questions do let us know - you can rest assured that many folks have symptoms similar to yours, but IBS symptoms can mimic other symptoms to other disorders, so you have to make sure to rule out other possible causes.Hope this helps, and again welcome.

 

[23453]

Thank you so much for responding to me! It was very frustrating to visit the board and see that others had been responded to, but I hadn't. It makes you feel more alone than you are already feeling!I've been feeling a little better over the past few days. My stress level has gone down quite a bit and my "irrational" thinking has gotten better, which has helped with my tummy issues. I just have one lingering problem which is a pain in my right-lower quadrant. I have experienced this pain on and off for several years since I was ill and believe it to be something with my colon spamsing. My appendix was checked about 4 years ago, and it was fine, so I'm 98% certain it's not that. (I still have that glimmer of negative thinking in there!)I will definitely read through the articles that you suggested and appreciate your responses so much!

 

[cookies4marilyn]

You are very welcome,Natalie, and if you ever want to have a chat, let me know - all the best to you.

 

[evulienka]

Hey Natalie! Your symptoms seem to be similar to mine. I have had problems with gas for many years , stool is sometimes hard and sometimes loose but almost never normal. After big meals I feel bloated and I have this uncomfortable feeling.What helps in my case is eating smaller amounts of food more often and avoiding dairy products , especially yoghurts ( although sometimes they are considered to be a good help with digestion)And about holidays : I am always stressed ! When I travel I am regularly constipated and bloated. So far I discovered nothing that would help me with this problem

Good luck for everybody !

 

[MyOwnSavior]

Natalie,Your symptoms are very similiar to my own. I always feel hungry unless I eat a *huge* meal... and when I am hungry, it brings on the "pinching" feelings that you mentioned, as well as a lot of bloating and gas. I've suffered with that problem for about two years. Essentially the only thing I've found to do is to, well, eat bigger meals. I know that's not what they say to do for IBS, but it helps me. If you eat small meals you'll just be hungry all the time, and your IBS symptoms will be horrible. At first, my doctor told me to try to eat six small meals a day -- yeah right. That made me feel the worst I've ever felt in my life. Now I eat the usual three, although if I start feeling hungry at any point I'll usually eat a snack or something small just to get rid of the symptoms until I eat the next big meal. Also, what I've found that helps me (and gets rid of the "pinching" sensations that I feel -- well most of the time), is to take an anti-gas medication before lunch. For example, I take three beano's before lunch, and most of the time it gets me through the afternoon and prevents any of the severe pinching sensations that I get whenever I'm really hungry before dinner. Also I take a "Digestive Advantage: Crohn's and Colitis" tablet once a day; even though I don't have that ailment. I saw pictures of what colitis does to the bowel, and I figured that I probably have the same thing happening to me, because of the pain associated with gas and so on (in other words the gas gets stuck and causes the bowel to expand). So, I figured if I took suplements to prevent that from happening it might help me out... I think it does help a little, though I still have problems, I don't believe they are as severe.One last thing (sorry for making this so long). I've noticed that if I eat meals at the same time every day, then I tend to feel better. When I get "out of rhythm" then it throws my whole body out of sync, and makes my symptoms increase. So if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time every day, it might help... it's worth a try anyway (if you're not doing that already, that is).

 

[23111]

I am new here, but I have IBS-c and pain. I want to know if anyone feels the same things that I do and that I am not nuts! First of all, does IBS affect swallowing? I have had problems feeling like my food is coming up with the acid and gas in my stomach and I have a hard time swallowing. I have pains, cramps, bloating and rectal spasms.I have been taking 2-3 tbs of MOM every night for the past week and I get D from it but as soon as I dont take it for 1 night, I get bad cramps and pains in my lower stomach.I went to the GI Dr and he told me to eat a lot of fiber and thats it. I eat oatmeal, prune juice,raisin bran and nothing works for me. I feel like my intestines are not working and I feel like I have to go to the bathroom but pushing hurts and brings on more painful spasms.Does anyone out there feel this way? Please reply, I am at my wits end with this already

 

[14661]

I'm new here too. I was told I have some form of IBS years ago, but was never put on meds because I have IBS c and D. I never have normal BM's. Ever since I was a kid I can always remember having stomach pains, I realize I carry all of my stress in my stomach too. I recently went to the doctor this past week becasue the pain was constant for three days with two days of diareha. I felt so bloated that if I was popped, I would fly threw the air, the pain was so bad I thought I was going to throw up or pass out. My doctor put me on Hyoscyamine, it's only been two days so not sure if it's working since I still have pain (not as bad though). I understand when you say you push on your stomach and it sometimes feel worse. I wish I knew what to do with the pain. Laying on my stomach sometimes helps becasue it will release gas, but it always ends up coming back. I was also told it could be Diverticulitous, I have to see the doc in two weeks to see how an I am doing. What are you doing to help your situation?

 

[23111]

I wish I was doing more for the pain. But theres nothing I can do just yet. My Dr didnt put me on any meds so I take MOM at night and eat alot of fiber during the day. The gas DOES come back and thats the bad part, the bloating pain. Unfortumately, all the fiber I eat doesnt seem to help me go to the bathroom.Does anyone know if swallowing has anything to do with IBS? That was the first problem I had 10 months ago and it all went downhill from there.

 

[19598]

Myownsavoiur.I read with interest your post about having to eat at the same time each day. I have to do this or it makes a bad situation much worse.Even half an hour later causes big problems and then I don't want to eat.So I understand where you are coming from.