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Hi there! I was diagnosed with IBS by my gastroenterologist following a colonoscopy in January 2022. I am 58 years old and my last colonoscopy was in 2010 When I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, or actually Proctitis since it was so localized. My symptoms in 2010 were bloody stool so it was very obvious when I was flaring. I was given a prescription for Canasa and found a support group that recommended a Paleo diet. This worked great for me for many years. I stayed (mostly) grain free and dairy free and felt that I had a very good handle on what foods could trigger an attack. In January, I had another colonoscopy because I was waking up with horrible cramping and abdominal pain. After my colonoscopy my doctor told me, " Good News! No UC, Bad News you have IBS." He also prescribed Dicyclomine for my cramping. Interestingly enough, my cramping usually happens in the middle of the night- not during the day. I also have not been able to find any correlation between my diet, abdominal pain and quality of my stool. In October, My daughter in law, who is a dietitian, gave me a blood test- believe it is called the Mediator Release Test. The results were very confusing to me. My number one and only "red" food was peanuts- something I rarely eat. I have a number of "yellow" foods- mushroom, celery and apple amongst others that I consumed on a regular basis. I was very surprised to also see almond as a yellow food- Since my UC diagnosis I mostly use almond flour, eat almond chips and avoid wheat! For the last few months I have avoided peanuts and most of my yellow foods. Yesterday I did something different! I ordered a rice bowl with chicken, steak and black beans from Chipotle. I enjoy spice but to say this was extremely spicy is an understatement! I was at work with nothing else to eat so I did have most of it. I woke up at 4AM with intense cramping and belly pain- a 9 on a scale of 1-10. I took a Dicyclomine and tried to sleep. Two hours later I had a normal formed stool but still intense pain. I started looking for support groups and found this one! I'm really at a loss-the only thing I can think of is that I was not tested for black beans- just pinto. I would appreciate any advice- I don't know if I have IBS-D or C, I feel that my main problem is pain. I am also HLA-B27 positive so I have the inflammatory marker. I would appreciate hearing from others that may have the same issues as I do. Thank you so much!

An investigation into the gastrointestinal complication relief properties of propolis supplementation on adult aged individuals that suffer from Rome IV diagnosed constipation related bowel/abdominal complications: an international study Dear participants of this forum, My name is Andrew Haffelder, I am a Dietetic Intern pursuing a Master of Science degree in Nutrition at the University of Saint Joseph located in Connecticut, USA. You are invited to participate in a brief online survey regarding propolis supplementation and its effect on bowel/abdominal complications. This survey is completely anonymous and voluntary. The survey is comprised of three sections. The first section utilizes multiple-choice/short answer questions to gather anthropometric, demographic, health related, and propolis related data. The second section contains a modified version of the Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 (PHQ-9) form which consists of all multiple-choice questions and is included to understand the impact bowel/abdominal complications have on your mental health. The third section contains a modified version of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Quality of Life Measure (IBS-QOL) form which consists of all multiple-choice answers and is included to understand the impact bowel/abdominal complications have on your outlook on life. The survey in total takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Eligibility: To be eligible for this survey you must first classify under Rome IV criteria for any of the following diagnosis: Irritable Bowel Syndrome Subtypes: Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Constipation (IBS-C) Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Mixed (IBS-M) Functional Constipation Functional Abdominal Bloating/Distension Opioid-Induced Constipation Centrally Mediated Abdominal Pain Syndrome Narcotic Bowel Syndrome/Opioid-induced GI Hyperalgesia *To see if you qualify for any of the above complications, follow this link to the Rome IV Foundation’s website to view the requirements: https://theromefoundation.org/rome-iv/rome-iv-criteria/ **Above listed diagnoses are found under sections “C. Bowel Disorders” and “D. Centrally Mediated Disorders of GI Pain”. Have consumed a form of Propolis supplementation at least once in your lifetime. Not allergic to bees or bee products. Above the age of 18. Do not have a history of a major GI surgery (ex. Billroth's operation, having an ostomy, any resection of any part of the digestive tract). Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding. This research tests a relatively new idea in the field of bowel/abdominal complication treatment which is why your participation in this survey could be the deciding factor that solidifies Propolis use as a treatment option for said complications. Your participation and input are extremely valuable, however, whether you decide now, or halfway through the survey, that you would not like to participate, this will not negatively impact your future relations with the University of Saint Joseph in any way. There will be no negative consequences if you decide to withdraw from the study. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact myself, Andrew Haffelder (920-723-610; [email protected]) and/or Kaneen Gomez-Hixson (860-231-5507; [email protected]) Thank you so very much for your time! Remember you are making a difference. Below is the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VNTBVHR

This past September I started feeling pain in the lower abdomen. Soon after, chronic constipation set in and never went away. The pain comes and goes, nothing excruciating yet. This month I reset my diet and began eating very simple clean foods, it helped some. The only way I can evacuate my bowels is by drinking magnesium citrate or castor oil, psyllium or pure Epsom salt does not work. I am a middle aged man who never had these health issues before. I saw an internal medicine doctor and she found nothing through abdominal ultrasound nor blood panels. A CT scan is scheduled in November. I know I need to see a Gastroenterologist who specializes in the digestion system. If anyone can walk me through the trials and errors of reaching there IBS conclusion, that would be greatly appreciated. Your insight is truly welcomed. Thanks

Hi, I am new to this group, but I am wondering if any one has insight. I have had an ongoing issue with what my PCP believes is IBS-D, but I never received a firm diagnosis so now I am seeing a GI. About 10 years ago I had a pretty intense bought with a virus which caused both vomitting and diarrhea for a week straight. Once I recovered, I noticed I had irregular stools. This problem has only gotten more irregular and now is to the point where I only have loose stools and diarrhea with urgency, but no incontinence. I have recently had blood work and stool samples ordered by my GI which to my surprise came back normal - negative for inflammation, cdif, parasite, blood, etc with enzymatic tests coming back normal. My GI advised me to abstain from eating foods with lactose and I have, but I'm still having problems. Due to covid I am highly anxious to go in for an appointment with my GI, but I know an endoscopy is the next step for me. I am wondering if any one might have similar experiences? Thank you

Wong: Ketotifen (inhibitor of allergic mediators) on GI visceral hypersensitivity and reduction of mast cells (MCs) in small study (n=48) of patients M/F with IBS-D had a positive outcome in GI symptoms and reduction of mast cells

Hi everyone! I'm Lin. I am a researcher in chronic abdominal pain, based in London. My research team is working on a project on chronic abdominal pain in collaboration with King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas NHS Trust in London. We understand that abdominal pain is complex, and can have significant physical, emotional, and social impact on your life. We are investigating the utility of a form of cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) for improving the wellbeing and quality of life for people with chronic abdominal pain. As part of the project, we would like to survey some abdominal pain sufferers to inform the development of such a treatment. If you have chronic abdominal pain and willing to support our research, please clink on the weblink below to participate in the survey. We truly appreciate your kind help. https://kcliop.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9RyIRIWgggFzeVT

Hi everyone! I'm Lin. I am a researcher in chronic abdominal pain, based in London. My research team is working on a project on chronic abdominal pain in collaboration with King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas NHS Trust in London. We understand that abdominal pain is complex, and can have significant physical, emotional, and social impact on your life. We are investigating the utility of a form of cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) for improving the wellbeing and quality of life for people with chronic abdominal pain. As part of the project, we would like to survey some abdominal pain sufferers to inform the development of such a treatment. If you have chronic abdominal pain and willing to support our research, please clink on the weblink below to participate in the survey. We truly appreciate your kind help. You participation will be completely anonymous. https://kcliop.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9RyIRIWgggFzeVT