Search the Community

I am a generally healthy and active 23 year old who has drawn the conclusion that I am suffering from IBS-C and I don’t know where to begin in terms of managing this/ healing myself. I believe my symptoms are related to stress and anxiety. (Especially as my dentist has recently noticed I am an intense teeth clencher ). I have never dealt with irregular bowel movements before. I first had a bout of terrible constipation and bloating in May of this year. I was terribly stressed and anxious over a final exam in my hardest course that would inevitably determine wether I’d make or break my Straight A streak. I had never felt more terrible. The bloating, the gas, the lack of appetite, the nausea. Though I still managed to pass at least one bowel movement a day I still didn’t feel great. Once the test was over, my grades came in and I walked across that stage excepting my diploma, all was well again. I dealt with mild bloating the months after but nothing Intense that weren’t self resolving very quickly. However, when august rolled around and I found myself under immense stress and anxiety once again my bowels locked up. I am preparing to move abroad to the UK to begin law school and the visa process was severely stressing me out. I had the same symptoms I did last may. Within a little over a week my ailments dissipated. And here I am again….almost exactly a month later. A week and a half out from making my big move to the UK and im dealing with this constipation, bloating, gas, nausea, and lack of appetite again. I don’t know what to do or where to begin to manage this. I don’t want to feel sick anymore. I have a bowel movement once a day but its never a complete elimination and I can feel as stressful events come up my body stops working. My mom has urged me to join these types of forums and groups just as she’s done to help heal her own gut health and thyroid. I also have a really great boyfriend, who I’m about be living with in the UK, who also deals with IBS, more specifically IBS-D, that he was diagnosed with back in our early teen years. I want to know where to begin in terms of diet and supplements and healing. I know I first and foremost need to manage my stress and anxiety and if anyone has any good tips on how to do this I would greatly appreciate it. I’m 23, I feel far too young to be dealing with the level of stress and anxiety I am enduring. I am crying out into the void of an uncertain world, I’m about to make a huge move across the globe, and I feel under immense pressure to “make it” in my adult life. I WANT TO FEEL GOOD AND HEALTHY AND NORMAL!!! This was a long post and probably more of a ramble than anything useful but I just need to break into a space where maybe I can seek out and find help. What I’m Currently doing to manage this all now: 1. Taking 2 types of magnesium supplements together 2. Peppermint tea 3. Beginning a process of elimination diet.

I have just been prescribed Linzess for my chronic C, it is so bad right now I can't eat without pain, seriously impacted throughout my colon. I do not want to take it during the day due to my work schedule. I am thinking I could take it when I get off work at 4pm since we don't eat till the earliest 5 but sometimes as late as 7. My stomach should be empty since I won't eat since lunch. I don't go to bed till around 10pm so should have plenty of time to clean out. Thoughts on whether this would be ok to do or not?

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; AHaffelder@usj.edu) and/or Kaneen Gomez-Hixson (860-231-5507; kgomezhixson@usj.edu) 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 is super embarrassing, but I feel like I have a constant stream of gas leaving my rear. I can minimize it by not eating/ eating very little and taking ginger capsules. I’m 24 turning 25 but have had this symptom for years now and I don’t think it’s age related. My diagnosis is IBS-C with gastritis. This makes socializing very hard at times. All I want to do is barricade myself in my room. I noticed when I’m nervous it’s worse.... but even when I’m alone it happens also.

Hi everyone, I'm really grateful to have found this community, and hope I can be supportive to everyone else struggling in here. I've had a long road with IBS-C (as have many folks here it seems) and my boyfriend finally suggested I look for a support group, as so much of the suffering with this condition comes from feeling like you're the ONLY one who can't eat normal food, and live a normal life among your friends and family. I've moved back and forth between the U.S. and the Middle East since college, and with one bout of food poisoning and another, picked up an IBS-C problem that I just can't seem to heal. After two colonoscopies, upper endoscopies, and a pill camera, my gastroenterologist in the U.S. finally caught an image of several large worms living in my Ileum in 2018. Unfortunately they misdiagnosed the type of parasite, and it took another year or so to finally get treated for hookworm, which seemed to eliminate my really severe symptoms (constant exhaustion, exercise intolerance, severe stomach pain, etc). Now I'm just dealing with the post-infectious IBS and am happy to say that at least linzesse has helped (i way over-did it on the sennosides for years, so stimulant laxatives are an absolute non-starter at this point). The thing I think is hard, and I'd love to know if other people struggle with this, is that I also deal with depression/anxiety and the digestive problems have launched a really vicious cycle with those. In the years that I had to stop exercising because of the hookworm, I got really depressed (exercise had been a really important part of mental health maintenance). Now I'm doing better, but on days when I'm really bloated or constipated, it can be really hard to get the exercise in. And of course, you don't feel like going out and socializing when your stomach is acting up, and that can also be isolating. Would really like to hear how others have coped with the back and forth between mental health issues and their gut. I'm trying my best with the medications, yoga, meditation, running whenever I can, and diet, but sometimes it feels like nothing you do is ever enough to prevent a flare up. Just feeling pretty discouraged, but hopeful about joining this support group. Thank you for listening and take care!

I was prescribed Linzess for my IBS-related constipation, but after having read the possible side effects and the reported incidence, I am worried about taking it. Particularly because I am about to embark on a road trip. I would love to hear some first-hand feedback (positive and negative) from those of you who have taken it. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

New report reveals that more than one-third of IBS Patients surveyed state it has been more challenging to manage their symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Salix released a report of survey results that offers perspectives from U.S. adults living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Entitled, Patient Perspectives: Living with IBS in a Pandemic, the report provides insights about the symptoms and behaviors of IBS patients over the past year (March 2020 – March 2021). Most notably, more than one-third (37%) of those surveyed acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more challenging to manage their IBS symptoms. The report, which was developed based on a survey conducted by The Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll, also finds concerns about post-pandemic life and insights about the way patients are communicating with their health care providers. “It’s been just over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic upended lives across the nation. Salix is committed to helping patients with GI conditions, and we believe it is important to gain an understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic may impact people living with IBS, a common gastrointestinal disorder that is estimated to affect more than 12 million Americans1,” said Robert Spurr, president, Salix Pharmaceuticals. “We believe these new insights may foster important dialogue between health care providers and their patients.” Key findings from the report include: The pandemic is impacting the wellbeing of IBS patients with 49% reporting that their mental health has worsened. Of the respondents, 51% report worse physical activity and 34% state worse eating habits. Many respondents report deteriorating IBS symptoms. According to the survey, 33% report worsened diarrhea, 31% report worsened constipation, 39% report worsened abdominal pain or discomfort, and 42% report worsened bloating. Fewer than 15% of patients surveyed living with these symptoms report experiencing an improvement over the past year. 35% of respondents have not discussed their IBS symptoms with a health care provider at all since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Respondents express concerns about post-pandemic life, including lack of access to restrooms (55%) and being able to attend social gatherings (48%). >> To view the complete findings from the Patient Perspectives: Living with IBS in a Pandemic report, visit here. References 1. Palsson OS, Whitehead W, Törnblom H, Sperber AD, Simren M. Prevalence of Rome IV Functional Bowel Disorders Among Adults in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Gastroenterology. 2020 Apr;158(5):1262-1273.e3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.12.021. Epub 2020 Jan 7. PMID: 31917991.

First off, im gonna be very transparent and to the point, some strong language. Hi, first of, im a guy, im 20 now, my IBS and stomach issues as a whole started when i was 16 going through a very stresfull period for a few months. At first, my GP diagnosed it as just mild acute gastritis and got me on some pills. The stomach issues just keept getting worse, after a year i went to a gastrologist, got a an endoscopy which showed quite severe gastritis with an ulcer. They took a sample which showed presence of H pylori bacteria which was treated with antibiotics. As my gastritis related symptoms improved (the burning and bloating sensation in my upper stomach), the lower stomach symptoms just got worse, i had sharp pain, bad flatulence, it was mostly gas related pain, bad constipation... And it was constant, i'd be in school and my stomach was killing me, i was sweating, looked pale as fuck, it was horrible. There was a period where i was pretty sure i han cancer or IBD, there was no way that IBS could cause so much pain... But yeah, it very much can. So i realised, not only was i dealing with chronic gastritis but also quite severe IBS at the same time, not fun So how did i go about improving it: 1. As much as it is repeated, yes,stress and anxiety are a HUGE cause of IBS and stomach issues as a whole, the gut brain conection is very much a real thing. Think about taking a test or getting your results back, something really important, you always get that feeling in your stomach, especially if you have IBS, which is just basically a sensative stomach. 2. Food. Make a fucking list of foods that mess you up, dont listen to the general bullshit advice everyone gives, its not the same for everyone, high fiber foods for me are death, Beans will literally make me have the worst gas pains ever, going vegan for my stomach would destroy me, i have no problem with meat or gluten, actually eating slow digesting food for me is better, so i balance it out, i eat more slow digesting food and add bit of fiber in there, eat an apple, some carrots... Just not beans, fuck that. 3. Which brings me to the constipation, not everyone has the same stomach function, some people shit 3 times a day, other's shit 3 times a week. I remember getting stressed about not shitting enough and buying lactolose... holy fuck was that a bad idea... That shit literally gave me the worst gas pains in existance. Dont mess with your digestive time, dont try to speed or slow it down with supplaments, leave it alone for a while, let it adjust on its own. Sometimes i shit every day, sometimes i dont shit for 3 days and then have a day where i do it 5 times... I have a some pills for emergencys but i havent used anything in well over 2 years now, just let it be, dont worry about it. 4. Probiotics for me are not good at all, again, get gas pains, horrible flatulence... Coming back to the whole, dont listen to the general BS, not everyone is the same, some people love theme, my stomach hates theme. 5. The amount of food you eat, for me i noticed then when it was at its worst, i was eating small amounts of food thinking it was gonna make it better, it didnt. The trick is to not eat too much but also not be hungry, a good balance will do it. To wrap things up, my stomach isnt perfect but it sure as hell isnt as bad as it used to be. Maybe once in a while, like every 2 months i get a period of like 3-4 days where my stomach is being really sensative and stuff, but nothing like before, i stick to my "diet" i really wouldnt even call it that, just dont eat things that mess me up. With time and doing the right things it does get better.

Hello! I am a university student, just finished my final year of Journalism studies, which has been odd considering the current situation. I suffer from IBS-C, and have done so for a while now. I went gluten and wheat free over a year ago and now have cut out any flour products completely. Recently my IBS has gotten so bad, not so much constipation since that is just tempermental, but just severe persistent bloating that will not go away. I have been diagnosed with IBS at the docs, but has been difficult to get any form of treatment since coronavirus situation... I have done an intolerance and allergy test privately out of my own pocket, so I'm hopeful that the results will come back showing anything I can eliminate from my diet to hopefully reduce symptoms and get things under control. Currently, everyday is just suffering and mentally troubling. Just feel so self-concious about the way the bloating looks and how I feel inside. :-(

I am looking for a quote to use in my presentation at the FDA as to what it is like for a patient to live with the burden of IBS-C (constipation). Would you please write a sentence about what your quality of life is like living with this? I'm only looking for a sentence although I know many of us could write a novel! I will not use any names or contact information. Thank you.

Hi fellow sufferers. I googled IBS support group. I was looking for others who deal with symptoms I have. I don't have a formal diagnosis but I'm planning to see my Gastro doctor (who has done my colonoscopy and upper endoscopy in the past year.) He's very nice. I've messaged him often and he communicates well. SO I do plan to get some answers because I know gut issues can be a variety of things. I'm keeping a little pocket calendar with some notes on what happens each day to show him. I seem to go from constipated to then diarrhea and it's so unpredictable and frustrating. I will try a little Miralax when I'm constipated and then it starts to help.. then a couple days later I'll start to go and go 6 times in one morning! Then it becomes too soft and watery and I'm empty again.. then I don't go for 3 days. This happens a lot. I saw a nutritionist and have gone GF for 3 years. That seemed to totally help that AND acid reflux but now both are back. I am healthy weight and a lifetime WW member. I walk a mile+ daily. I am age 68 and very active.. do yoga once a week, ride my bike 4 miles 4xweek in summer... drink lots of water... grow a veg garden and eat healthy and I also like fruit. I try a probiotic daily.. sometimes a little Kefur and take Magnesium Aren't I doing all the right things? I consider myself really healthy and take pride in taking care of myself. I'm happily married and busy all the time. I sleep well. This is the only thing, other than a few orthopedic issues such as back surgery once that is my biggest health problem. I have great Blood pressure at 115 and never smoked. I only take Omeprazole 20 mg and a small dose of simvastin because I never could get my "good cholesterol" high enough. That's it for medications. Questions: Can you have IBS C AND D interchangeably? Does IBS also go hand in hand with acid reflux? Which is better.. Benefiber or Metamucil. I have used both and have both. I had my first diverticulitis last year day after my colposcopy.. they figured the test irritated the colon. Did not like the 10 days of antibiotics.. then it returned 3 weeks later and another round of antibiotics!!! SO that's my story and some of my questions. I like forums with others who share... but there's always the worry that people can sometimes share horror stories and make a person more scared. I DO like to learn from others! I really want to know what this is called for sure... IBS or something else! AND do those of you who know for sure you have IBS just have to experiment like I'm doing and "live with it?" Thanks for taking time to read this.

What is the difference between IBS classifications? I see some people say they have different ones with letters after them, what does that mean? am very new at this so just learning, thanks

We recently became aware of a delay that has occurred with the decision at the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as to whether to re-approve Zelnorm (tegaserod) following the meeting of the FDA Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee to discuss the reintroduction of Zelnorm (tegaserod) for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and our testimony on October 17, 2018. On November 21, 2018 a Citizen Petition was submitted from Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P. C. to the FDA requesting that the FDA "refrain from approving any new drug application (NDA) supplement (5NDA) to allow Zelnorm (tegaserod maleate) (“Zelnorm” or “tegaserod”) to be marketed unless the sNDA contains substantial evidence of safety and effectiveness for the proposed use in the proposed population under current applicable standards.". The FDA acknowledged the citizen petition on November 26, 2018. We have read through the Citizen Petition and our impression is that it is asking for Zelnorm to be re-submitted as a new medication under a NDA (New Drug Application) because the patient group has now changed from women to women who do not have a risk for a cardiovascular event. We have also read that pharmaceuticals have used a Citizen Petition to hinder a medication to enter the marketplace by slowing down the FDA decision process. This tactic had become so severe that in October 2018 the FDA cracked down on the "loophole" by issuing draft guidance to stop the use of the Citizen Petition. Where does this leave Zelnorm? We fully support access to Zelnorm (tegaserod) for patents with IBS-C and intend to submit a comment to the Citizen Petition to inform the FDA that patients are still demanding access to this medication and accept the risks associated with it. If you are inclined to submit your own comment, please follow this link at Regulations Gov for docket#FDA-2018-P-4490, https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FDA-2018-P-4490

I want to thank everyone again for their comments and support for my testimony at the FDA in Washington mid-October for two constipation medications namely Zelnorm and Prucalopride. The IBS Patient Support Group was the only patient voice at the meetings. While there was some excellent testimony by some doctors and medical associations, I was the only patient speaking about the patient perspective. My primary reason for going was not specifically to have drugs approved. Rather, it was for the FDA and industry reps to see that at the end of the day, a patient is looking for treatment options in order to live a better quality of life with IBS. The FDA advisory panel was not aware of how difficult it can be living with IBS. Your comments went a long way to inform and educate the panel. I would even go so far as to say that the patient voice moved the decision in a positive way. I believe that more treatment options help more people and encourage researchers and industry to keep working at solving the cause for IBS. This helps IBS patients all over the world. Thanks again. Jeff

Hi All, I'm new to this group, having just left another one that scared the hell out of me. I do have mental health issues, which I'm sure contribute to my daily struggles with IBS-C, and I do have a story, but will let you know for now I suffer from debilitating anxiety, equally debilitating IBS-C, have very little medical support, am on Constella (or Linzess, as it's know in the US), don't use stimulate laxatives, and am wondering what your views of long-term use of Constella happen to be? It's not classified as a laxative, and has no stimulant properties, and I've been on it for two years as max dose. Can anyone provide their own experiences with Constella, along with their idea about its safety for long-term use, and perhaps offer any suggestions about how I may manage IBS-C, which I've had for years and has destroyed my life (along with many other things -- I'll provide a bio later, but since the other group was not very supportive and kept telling me Constella/Linzess is a laxative, will fail, and I'd better be prepared to suffer ever more unless I did this, this, and that, I'm tentative about share too much. I will tell you' I'm 43, posted this in the IBS-C forum but didn't realize there was an introduction process, and I apologize. I am a supportive person, very sensitive, and incredibly empathetic. Any replies that are kind and not combative or dismissive would be incredible. Thank you, Seroquelled

Hi All, I'm new to this group, having just left another one that scared the hell out of me. I do have mental health issues, which I'm sure contribute to my daily struggles with IBS-C, and I do have a story, but will let you know for now I suffer from debilitating anxiety, equally debilitating IBS-C, have very little medical support, am on Constella (or Linzess, as it's know in the US), don't use stimulate laxatives, and am wondering what your views of long-term use of Constella happen to be? It's not classified as a laxative, and has no stimulant properties, and I've been on it for two years as max dose. Can anyone provide their own experiences with Constella, along with their idea about its safety for long-term use, and perhaps offer any suggestions about how I may manage IBS-C, which I've had for years and has destroyed my life (along with many other things -- I'll provide a bio later, but since the other group was not very supportive and kept telling me Constella/Linzess is a laxative, will fail, and I'd better be prepared to suffer ever more unless I did this, this, and that, I'm tentative about share too much. I am a supportive person, very sensitive, and incredibly empathetic. Any replies that are kind and not combative or dismissive would be incredible. Thank you, Seroquelled

I just received an email from Jeffrey D. Roberts inviting me to this forum. I figured I'd take a second and set up an account to let everyone know that I'm so happy to report that my IBS (mostly diarrhea but sometimes alternating) has disappeared since I started taking this product called IBS Formula. After a friend's recommendation, I bought a bottle on Amazon over the summer. After just a few days of using the product, I was diarrhea free. It's around $26 on Amazon but now I get it autoshipped every month from ibsformula.com and it's $22/month. If you're still suffering it may be worth a try.