[Guest]

Sorry if weve been down this road before but...It seems for the past few months my bowel habits are constantly changing. I have been to the doc and he said this is more than likely IBS.My last complete physical of about a month ago was great. Occult stool test was good, blood and urinalysis were also both perfect (no signs of anything bad whatsoever). No weight loss or any oddball symptoms. I'm a 32 year old male BTW who feels in the best of health other than the problems below.I have had an intermittant (on and off) pinching pain in my upper right quad that can at times radiate to my back or right flank as a dull ache, but lately it's more off than on but it is still there.I also gag occasionally in the morning with a feeling like there's something caught in my throat. It's a very quick episode usually, but has resulted in my dry heaving and/or bringing out phlegm and bile. I am on Allegra for a chronic post nasal drip. This is a very come and go thing. I can go weeks without it, do it for a few days and then nothing again.Now, onto my real question (which I really don't want to bother the doctor again for unless I need to). My bowel habits seem to be constantly changing and I'm starting to really obsess about it, overly so I think. Usually my first morning movement is fine, although lately it can be loose or flaky, soft and unformed (breaks apart very easily). I always figured it depends on what I eat to make it this way.Each successive movement (I have a couple each day) gets either narrower or looser. They are not always pencil thin narrow, only from time to time. I can actually have thick and thin stools in the same movement. There can be undigested food in there as well. I almost NEVER have a movement past 10AM. I have also had mucous from time to time.Based on the blood, urine, occult blood and digital rectal exams (all fine) he thinks this is certainly IBS and did not feel the need to run any further tests at the time, especially considering my age.But, for some reason again, my anxiety is kicking in about the whole mess (seems to do that every time the stools get looser) and I cannot stop thinking about this no matter how hard I try.Any ideas? Should I just take his word for it on the IBS like everyone is telling me to do or should I push for tests anyways?Sorry for the long post and thanks for any response.

 

[Guest]

I have actually been diagnosed with IBS, and I also seem to have 'ever changing bowel habits'. However, mine seem to go in phases of a few days to a few weeks. I vary from mostly normal with some loose stool to mostly D. I think changing bowel habits is one of the symptoms of IBS.I also have trouble with chronic sinus infection sometimes. The drainage from the sinuses into the stomach and from there through the GI system might contribute to the IBS symptoms -- certainly can't help.Maybe try keeping track of your diet, how bad the post nasal drip is, and how the bowel habits are acting. It could be all inter-related.

 

[Guest]

Have you had a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy done ever? I hate to see over testing done (I have had 3 colonoscopies done this year), but I suffered with what the doctors were telling me was IBS for 5 years, finally had a colonoscopy done and figured out that I had Crohn's disease along with IBS. Was able to get Crohn's into remission and symptoms have improved somewhat overall.It might be worth checking into. Chris