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My GI doctor suggested I take tiny doses of something like Prozac to help with my "sensitive stomach" since everything I eat hurts me and I've ruled out all other possible causes. This seems like my only answer for now although I'm not crazy about the idea, even if it is a tiny dose. Does anyone have experience with this?

Ive seen doctors from emergencies and mine and i have an appoitment with a specialist the 30th but the pain soesnt let me rest and i have a strong sleeping pill that usually help me sleep this night despite ascice to avoid at best i took tramadol and woke up soon 5 hoirs after the pain was back i called the emergency desesperate in pain tired, told me to take another tramadol and they cant do much I even call suicide hotline because im at the edge with my eating disorder and ibs Help the pain is killing me and the doctors i saw seem not to know how to help with it and advice it not to take frequently tramadol which contrary to the other med ive been given calms the pain but thry told me it gives constipation and is too strong and very addictive. I agree its strong and its hard but i need to rest, im lost i need help i ask for help but its so hard to be heard and helped because ibs doesnt kill u so i feel the message is deal with the pain Please please help me give me advice im so tired its painful physically and mentally ive tried lot of led and see several doctors, please if u read this help me please...

About 2 weeks ago now I got prescribed movicol to help me pass stool and it has seemed to be working but the problem is I take it everyday because everyday I'm a little sore but once I pass I'm not sore anymore the problem is I feel like it's a and thing and it takes so much time out of my life should I carry on or risk being very sore again?

Hello, I'm a parent with a nine year old who has been dealing with IBS type symptoms for about 2 years now (diagnosed as IBS). The flare ups were horrible at first, and then doing FODMAP, we seemed to get a bit of a handle on it (we keep a detailed food journal) for almost a year, until recently. He's lactose intolerant, and seems to have issues with fructans. He also will have a flare up if he eats something that is particularly greasy (we avoid that), has heavy meals (we monitor that closely as well), or eats too late in the evening. However, lately, it seems like a strong psychological component is cropping up. He noticed some chicken we baked looked a bit greasy, and he tried just a bite, and had a flare up that ended up in the ER. At this point, if he's even the slightest bit averse to eating something, we just don't give it to him out of fear of a flare up, even if it isn't a typical trigger. Keep in mind the chicken was baked, no oil was used to prepare it. Either way, at this point, if he even thinks it's a trigger, we don't give it to him. Our food options are becoming very limited, and much of what we eat is something we prepare for him, as opposed to store bought / prepackaged items. About two months ago, the IBS symptoms came back with a vengeance. We've had multiple ER visits, and overnight stays, typically brought on by the extreme pain he endures. It doesn't happen with every flare up, because sometimes it is not so extreme that it requires an ER visit (will still typically miss 2 to 5 days of school), but it's still quite painful for him. We've been to the ER twice in the last two month. At first, we were given various things to try to deal with with pain (peppermint / hyoscyamine), and we recently tried bentyl (dicyclomine). None of these have been effective in dealing with his pain. Our doctors always suggest an NSAID (tylenol (and others) / not effective), and we recently tried toradol, but still no pain relief. He has mixed symptoms, sometimes diarrhea, sometimes constipation. However, they are bearable. It's the pain that is unbearable. When he has a flare up, and he is nauseous, we give him zofran (just so he can keep food down), which is effective, but obviously does nothing for the pain. Sometimes, especially with constipation, getting a bowl movement will relieve the pain, but lately he's had more diarrhea type symptoms, but is still regularly going to the bathroom. Our biggest issue is seeing our little person go through so much pain, and even when we go to the ER, they are unable to help with the pain. It's very difficult to watch your child crying, and yelling, in extreme pain, and no one seems to be able to help, even our doctors. We've met with several pediatric GI specialists, and none have had an answer for the pain. Each time we go to the ER, they do x-rays, CT scans, fecal tests, blood tests, urine tests, and nothing suggests any other serious issues, aside from a diagnosis of IBS. We recently tried cyproheptadine, which hasn't worked. We're actually dealing with another flare up today. He's missed almost 2 months of school this year, and my biggest fear is he will not have a normal life, as the pain is excruciating, and debilitating to the point he can't make it to school. We are currently trying NERVA (a few weeks now), and setting him up with a psychologist to see if there is more that can be done. We even met with a hypnotist who helped us with other issues in the past, with no luck. We're at a loss, and I think the toughest part is watching him in such pain, and feeling helpless. Another potential diagnosis that was suggested was an abdominal migraine, which may be more accurate than IBS. The pain is usually in the lower middle portion of his stomach. Like I said previously, even with a very strict food journal, we still seem to encounter issues. Either way, we just need to get him pain relief. Lately it takes about 5 days for a flare up to subside, and his pain level is pretty high/debilitating throughout. If anyone has any ideas that have worked for them to deal with the pain, please let me know. I know there are tons of drugs out there, and at this point we would try anything, but I'm very skeptical, considering nothing has really worked thus far. I'd go to the ends of the earth to help him, I just don't know how, and my son's doctors certainly don't. Thank you for your time, and consideration.

Agomelatine, a novel therapeutic option for the management of irritable bowel syndrome Qin Xiang Ng, Alex Yu Sen Soh, Donovan Yutong Lim, Wee-Song Yeo PMID: 30014556 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12749 Abstract What is known and objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex and chronic, relapsing gastrointestinal condition that affects more than 10% of the population worldwide. There is a pressing need for new therapeutic strategies in the management of IBS. Increasing research has shed light on the modulatory functions of melatonin on pain, local inflammation and motility in the gastrointestinal tract. However, melatonin's effects are limited by its extensive first-pass metabolism and short half-life. Comment: Agomelatine, a naphthalene analog of melatonin, is a novel melatonergic drug with a longer half-life and a comparatively greater affinity for MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors than melatonin itself. Agomelatine also shows serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist activity, which is theoretically of benefit for patients with IBS with diarrhoea (IBS-D) as it regulates gastrointestinal motility and visceral sensory mechanisms. Although only one clinical study of agomelatine use in patients with IBS exists, we believe that agomelatine is a safe and efficacious multimodal agent with untapped potential in the management of IBS. What is new and conclusion: Numerous comorbidities are associated with IBS, including chronic pain syndromes and psychiatric disorders. Coupled with its antidepressant actions, agomelatine could serve as an effective adjunct therapeutic. Agomelatine should be considered in our therapeutic armamentarium for IBS management. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. >> Abstract on PubMed

Hi all, Feeling at a loss right now, since Tuesday I've had this pain in my upper right abdomen that comes and goes. It's just above my belly button on the right side and started as a sharp stabbing pain that lasted for around 10 seconds and it went. The pain yesterday then changed to a cramp still on and off and I was worried. The past 2 days I've been to a GP, A&E and also paid for a private abdominal scan which took 45 mins only for all 3 of them to tell me they can't find anything. I suffer with health anxiety also so this is horrible! I haven't really felt hungry at all and have never really noticed pain like this with my IBS. The area also hurts if I push on it and feels a bit tender. I never really get pain on my right side with IBS My question is if anyone else gets this pain?

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. :-(

Hi, I'm here because I'm desperate. This is complicated. To start I want to clarify that I'm not diagnosed IBS. I think I have IBS after having been on a FODMAP diet (I started it on my own) for the last 3-4 months. I've been in a year long battle with my body, through various health issues that seem to keep getting compounded. Currently I'm trying to keep myself out of the hospital and I feel like I might end up there anyways before the weekend is out unless I can somehow get nutrients in me. My current situation is that I've been trying to follow a FODMAP diet for months now, it was going ok and seemed to be helping. I snuck in foods that I know were considered high in FODMAP's because it seemed to be ok...until it wasn't anymore. I recently lost 12 lbs in two weeks, I felt like my stomach was suctioning in (very uncomfortable feeling,) almost any food I tried to eat resulted in abdominal pain just below my ribcage on my left side and then it would get even worse on my right - turning into what felt like really horrible bloating that made me feel short of breathe and dizzy, I had to have a nap once sitting up because it made me feel so tired. I'm on two antibiotics for what my doctor thinks is a case of diverticulitis (it was a phone consult.) I randomly started having constipation over the course of 4 weeks (which has never been an issue before,) I would start feeling bloated randomly. I noticed that whenever I tried jogging etc I would begin to feel what felt like a small knot of pain in my abdomen in my left hand side, in line with my belly button. When the bloating and pain started to happen after I ate any food I started myself on a clear liquid diet of bone broth, popsicles and jello for the weekend until I could call my doctor. On Monday is when he started me on antibiotics, telling me to get food in when I feel like I could handle it. Except that almost anytime I eat food the bloating begins to happen under my ribcage. The antibiotics have been helping, the little knot of pain is gone but I can barely eat anything in one sitting. I'm on day 8 of mostly doing a clear liquid diet because anything else results in horrible bloating under my ribcage. I ate an egg the other day, had a cocoa with a little bit of almond milk and thought that was going to be ok, plus the clear liquid stuff. That night (around 6pm) I had really horrible bloating in near my midsection with some pain in my left hand side in line with my belly button and the next day I started back on the clear liquid diet again. (It has seemed for months now like my bloating begins at 5-6pm and I can't eat anything the rest of the night, I lose my appetite until about 10pm.) I'm very nutrient and mineral deficient, I've been really low on iron for years and have had a constant uphill battle to get it up for the last 6-7 years. I have mild lactose intolerance, I'm afraid to try any milk products in case it makes it worse. I suspect I'm now having a phosphorous deficiency because my lips have started to randomly, throughout the day feel like the after effects of numbing (I saw that lips going numb is a potential sign of a phosphorous deficiency.) The antibiotics have been helping a little, I'm starting to get back to having a semi-regular BM (it's not normal yet, because I'm intaking so little food it's only happening once every second or third day,) it used to be once a day and healthy. But the bloating in my ribcage is what's the most uncomfortable part that is keeping me from eating. I had a gastroscopy back in October to see what was going on with a different health issue that had resulted in me being unable to swallow solid food at all (it went on for months before I got the gastroscopy) and I was diagnosed with "gastritis that looked to be healing" and got put on a PPI to help with healing. I stopped being able to eat on the PPI and lost a lot of weight because of it. When I got off it is when I went on the FODMAP diet because my appetite didn't come back at all even after being off the PPI, and started a high salt diet (I don't eat processed foods, I wasn't salting food either and became suspicious that I had low stomach acid. My doctor was unwilling to test me for it because to do the test I would have to go to a city two hours away to do it.) My appetite started coming back, but I started noticing bloating symptoms. At one point two months ago I just asked if he could test me for H. Pylori, just to be sure, on a general blood test we ordered he included looking for antibodies, it came back negative for any signs of antibodies so that's as far as we took it. When the constipation started occurring I went to the hospital, they tested my blood for white blood cells and found nothing (they did an xray and found I was extremely backed up but there was no impaction so I was grateful.) It was really pale, no tarriness or blackness. This is all really complicated. Because of the current issue with covid-19 any testing that was ordered for me is pushed back past June. If anyone who's experienced this, or knows anything about this could help in any way whatsoever I would really, really appreciate it. I've been anxious and worried. I've been trying not to be stressed out except that I keep feeling like any time I try to eat anything it's just pain and suffering. Thanks for taking the time to read this. -Tsuki

IBS - iSTEP Study for Mothers with IBS Condition or Therapy: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Category: IBS, Gastroenterology, Parenting, Mothers, Pain What is the goal of this study? The goal of this study is to answer these questions: What is the impact of maternal IBS and abdominal pain on mothers and their children? What skills are useful for mothers balancing IBS management with parenting? Would mothers with IBS be interested in an online program to help with parenting? Who can join the study? This study might be a good fit for you if: Your child is between 5 and 10 years old and does not have abdominal pain You (the mother) have been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) You have abdominal pain What will happen if my child takes part in this study? If you decide to participate in this study, you will complete a 30-minute phone interview at your convenience. You will be asked open-ended questions about the following: experiences and challenges managing IBS and pain, impact of IBS on family, concerns for children's health and wellbeing, and potential interest in an internet intervention that may help prevent pain and disability in children. Who can I contact for more information? To see if you are eligible to participate in this research study, fill out this form. For more information, call 206-884-7496 or email the research coordinator. Study Location(s): Seattle Children's Research Institute's West 8th building. You do not have to live in Seattle to participate. Principal Investigator: Tonya Palermo Study page: https://www.seattlechildrens.org/research/research-studies-clinical-trials/current-studies/istep/?fbclid=IwAR1E8QAuuLVC7zT5c9i4yeh7d0Tr9eny3L1wv7jLbbSoh30wyFUiR5SSL-A

Is there anyone with IBS experiencing sharp stinging pains throughout their body?

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