IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

[richb14]

Just done some research on the net, as a few nights ago I posted about my diorreah for 9 months. Im sure i've got IBS now as I match almost all the symptoms for it. Im going to the doctors tomorrow or tuesday. But my question is what can I do to try and quell it?I know theres no cure, but theres stuff that can calm it down.Thanx Rich

[Clanad]

A friend who suffers from this diagnosed syndrome, reports that Peppermint Oil greatly relieves the cramping and pain associated with the syndrome. She says she uses it in capsule form or if in tablets make sure they are coated so they will reach the bowel. she quotes several studies indicating releif from this simple treatment...

Best of luck!

[Lollyhoney]

Indeed peppermint capsules work. I have IBS and use colpermin which has peppermint in it and available from boots. My triggers are alcohol, spicy foods and stress. I get terrible pains with these things and diarrhoea which isn't nice. I even spent two weeks in hospital with the agony- it was so bad they thought my appendix must have burst and rushed me to theatre! However I also get constipation if I'm not careful.

[mgba_78]

I have IBS and apart from the tablets my doctor prescribes, i have found when i feel a pain coming on before it gets any worse i take some Fybogel now called Senokot.. you mix it with water it is a fibre drink treatment.. if you read the instructions on the packet it says that it can help maintain a healthy bowel system..

Works for me and is no harm in trying, its not addictive so no harm of side effects in that way... the doctor will also put this on prescription for you.. which can be quite handy if you are eligible for free prescriptions!!

Good luck

[Robinia]

Immodium or Boots own diarrhoea tabs are ok if it is IBS but don't overdo them. It's probably best to have a diagnosis first.

[PhilBy]

I was put on a high fibre diet, I even have these sachets of what looks like crushed up weetabix which I have to sprinkle over my food.

[joko]

charcoal tablets can help. unfortunately people with ibs have two main problems constipation or diarrhoea, and some things are good for one or the other - not both.

i once paid �14 for a large jar of aloe vera juice, because the woman assured me it had helped her no end (she was a saleswoman but related to someone i know so i didn't think it was the hardsell)

just after i had paid she said "that'll get you going, no problem" - i was gobsmacked as i didn't want a laxative, i wanted it to do the opposite in fact - turns out aloe is no good for IBS in itself, just for constipation. i could have slapped her. she told me it was a remedy, a cure, it would soothe, calm, regulate, fix the imbalance etc etc when all it did was give you the runs - which is not what ibs is about. she just wanted a sale, and clearly knew nothing about IBS.

i know i should have been more cautious, but i'd also heard lots of good things about it too and believed her as she was a friend of a friend.

[joko]

mevebredine and loperamide are good - from the doc

[shaneystar2]

Not pleasant ..I suffer from IBS..hopefully your doctor will get you on the right track...there are loads of things that can cause it. As you get older the wall of the bowel gets thinner. . This can cause IBS and you find you are unable to tolerate certain foods.In a younger person stress may be the problem or food intolerance.The cause of mine is lactose..I can no longer drink milk and even overdoing it with cheese (which I love) and yoghurt ....in fact most dairy foods and anything containing milk starts it off.
Try not to worry.. I am sure your doctor will advise what is the best treatment.for you.Good luck.

[{Dakota}]

I suffer this condition too. I'm not all that great at taking regular tablets and usually my handbags are too small to be lugging medicines around on the offchance I will get an attack so I basically had to go through a process of elimination as to which foods were causing the attacks. Boiled eggs, fried foods, bananas, too much bread, too much coffee or even simply eating too much (eyes bigger than my belly syndrome!) sparked it off too. I'm not saying I *never* eat any of those foods (except fried and bananas which give me the worst attacks) I am just careful about how much of it I do eat. Oddly, I can eat a boiled egg later in the day, but give me one in the morning and I'll be curled up with IBS cramps.

[maimai]

I am a long-time sufferer and vary between diarrohea and constipation. Aloe Vera is excellent for the latter. Everyone is different - bread, beer and fries are the worst foods things for me. However, I know that the following combination has been worse than any food - Over work/stress/viral cold/anti-biotics. My last bad bout was after easter and I ended up having to give up my high-stress/long hour job in August (for different reasons). Since then, the IBS has subsided hugely and I can eat more of the things that trigger it. STRESS is the key thing for me! Some good books out there.

[Annie456]

My mum has IBS and when I was at uni, I was diagnosed too. I took colofoc and when i ran out of tablets the symptoms had dissapeared so i didnt go back for more. I have quite a high pain threshold and always play down the pain which is only every now and then and it doesn't seem to be worsewhen i eat certain foods etc so I kind of assume i dont have it anymore. But along with random cramps i also have quite bad wind. I can constantly feel "movements" and have LOTS of sometimes painful, wind. Anyone know if this is IBS or something else?

[PhilBy]

I find a tea spoon of Bi carb of soda stirred into a small glass of water works wonders for trapped wind .... Has you belching like a larger lout in no time at all :-o

[Honey pot]

Its trial and error! i have had IBS for 8 years. Diet is a major factor, you should NOT take Senokot as it is not the same a fibre gel, is does say on the packaging not to take if suffering with IBS,it is suppose to do the same thing ie make you go to the toilet but as your problem is going to the toilet to often then i would strongly suggest you DONT take it. Stress is also a major factor, fizzy drinks and alcohol. Bread does cause bloating. Try out certain foods and see how they effect you. Women tend to suffer more with IBS. Drink plenty of water as dehydration causes the same symtoms. Good Luck

[mgba_78]

Hi Honey Pot, didn't mean to imply that Senokot tablets which are for constipation is the same as Senokot Hi-Fibre drinks.

Fybogel no longer exists and has been taken over by Senokot (the brand name) and is now called Senokot Hi-Fibre.

[Altosruleok]

Find out (by keeping a diary) which foods make it worse. Then avoid them. I often feel sick with my IBS (not vomitous, but nauseous); ginger tea helps a lot with this. I also avoid fat and caffeine - both of these exacerbate my problem a lot, along with eating too much (several small meals are much more comfortable than one big one) and eating too quickly. "Too much" for me is what most people call a normal amount, so I just take a lot less and eat it more slowly.

[shaneystar2]

It amazes me that so many people suffer with this syndrome.You only have to look at message boards about it to see that it is very common.Is it a new thing common to the perhaps stressful lives we lead ? Mine used to be much worse when I was at work.Or has it always been around and not given a proper name as it is now.Or is it caused by the huge variety of foodstuffs available to us now which perhaps don't agree with everyone.

[mandy5775]

I suffer with bad IBS and it is extremely miserable. I have tried lots of drugs, and although some of them do relieve it, I can never get rid of the cramps. I've tried Peppermint Oil, but it doesn't seem to have any effect. Has anybody found a cure or something that relieves them?