No, beyond fibre powder and laxatives when needed I do not have any meds but my doctor wants me on an SSRI, low dose because apparently they are having some success with those for IBS. Will start when I am over current UTI

.

1 hour ago, Ember said:

No, beyond fibre powder and laxatives when needed I do not have any meds but my doctor wants me on an SSRI, low dose because apparently they are having some success with those for IBS. Will start when I am over current UTI

.

I am reluctant to go on any anti depressants because the GP said they really mess up your bowels. I am so scared that it would make things worse and irreversible.

Low dose antidepressants can be helpful when the right one at the right dose is chosen. SSRI's tend to have a looser stool as a side effect which some people with constipation find helpful.

On 10/22/2025 at 4:03 PM, Ember said:

You sure sound like me! Coincidentally I am seeing a pelvic health physio in about an hour. I also found her on my own. And like you, at this point, I would give anything a go. I am really struggling right now and things keep getting worse and worse so this matter will be the first thing we talk about today. The physio is right here in our small town so I am lucky there. You are right. Trying to go almost anywhere makes matters worse! I am glad to hear you have had some success!

I’m at my wit’s end right now!

Ember, how did you get on at the pelvic health physio?

My lady got me to try two teaspoons of flaxseed in my breakfast each morning, drink hot water. Then wait a bit then try the toilet. Just keeping the same routine each day until my body got used to it being 'toilet time'. Also using a footstool for better positioning. This has helped although it will never be normal. Still on the toilet a while and still have incomplete evacuation but it has helped.

I barely eat anything and have a restricted diet because it can tip my bowels one way or the other. And have horrendous uncontrollable gas.

IV tried probiotics but I don't think they're really helping.

I use peppermint oil capsules which sometimes help the pain and gas.

But like you, everyone keeps saying I need to sort my mental health out before I can fix my bowels.

I think this is half true because I have depression and anxiety. But the bowel problems are mostly causing this. If I could control my stomach/bowels I wouldn't be so anxious. A vicious circle I suppose. Confidence has completely gone. Don't even know myself any more 😞

Oh my, you sound so much like me. I have terrible gas all the time. Really so much gas!I have GERD so I don’t tolerate peppermint capsules.

I also have a footstool and I drink hot water and lemon every morning. I eat next to nothing also. A dietician is working with me to try and vary my diet because limiting my diet so much is bad for the micro biome. I have not had any luck with probiotics.

The physio did some acupuncture with me lying on a PEMF therapy mat that is supposed to be beneficial but I don’t remember why. I will get back to you on that.

The low dose SSRI is supposed to help with the IBS since we have seratonin in our gut as well as our brain and “they” say it is sometimes helpful with IBS as well. Mind you the severe IBS has me very anxious and depressed anyway ( - so maybe the two birds with one stone idea)

Really it is so good to talk to someone who is struggling with the same issues!

I no longer recognize myself or my life either.

I just feel like I'm on repeat every day. I dread each day coming because it's just back to the start to do it all over again. It's physically and mentally tiring. It's not living, it's just trying to get through the day. And for what.

I cry for the things iv lost and the things I will miss in the future .

I mourn for the life I had and the future I should have had.

I'm jealous of others who can just get up and go out and not even have to give it a second thought.

Every time there is a bit of hope of things getting better and then it doesn't work out. Just makes me feel this sense of loss all over again. Where do you go when you feel all hope has gone. I don't want to accept this is how it's always going to be.

I just feel frightened all the time

I was told by my doctor that my bowels are not working together because I have fibromyalgia and boardline lupus. I don’t even get the feeling to even have a bm. I get bloated and then little tiny bms like rocks. I tried elavil and it made it worse. And i was so out out of it. Couldn’t consentrate. I’m starting ibsrela. Here’s hoping

Let us know how you make out with the Ibsrela.

I understand Hairbear, I really do! When I go to bed at night I dread morning. For me morning is often 3am. I envy people who can just live their life. I have lost everything in my life that gave me joy. Hard to find a reason to get up, but of course the pain gets me up and then there is spending the day making sure I exercise, being so so careful of what I eat, oh did I drink enough fluids? And on and on. I was a single mom and taught for 35 years and I am angry that my life seems gone and I am left with this!

55 minutes ago, Ember said:

Let us know how you make out with the Ibsrela.

I understand Hairbear, I really do! When I go to bed at night I dread morning. For me morning is often 3am. I envy people who can just live their life. I have lost everything in my life that gave me joy. Hard to find a reason to get up, but of course the pain gets me up and then there is spending the day making sure I exercise, being so so careful of what I eat, oh did I drink enough fluids? And on and on. I was a single mom and taught for 35 years and I am angry that my life seems gone and I am left with this!

Just want to reach out and give you the biggest hug 🫂. It just isn't fair at all, any of it

A big hug back to you, too! Know that though I am far away I am dealing with the same pain and feelings of despair and you are not alone!

1 hour ago, Tired nurse said:

I was told by my doctor that my bowels are not working together because I have fibromyalgia and boardline lupus. I don’t even get the feeling to even have a bm. I get bloated and then little tiny bms like rocks. I tried elavil and it made it worse. And i was so out out of it. Couldn’t consentrate. I’m starting ibsrela. Here’s hoping

1 hour ago, Ember said:

Let us know how you make out with the Ibsrela.

I understand Hairbear, I really do! When I go to bed at night I dread morning. For me morning is often 3am. I envy people who can just live their life. I have lost everything in my life that gave me joy. Hard to find a reason to get up, but of course the pain gets me up and then there is spending the day making sure I exercise, being so so careful of what I eat, oh did I drink enough fluids? And on and on. I was a single mom and taught for 35 years and I am angry that my life seems gone and I am left with th

1 hour ago, Tired nurse said:

I was told by my doctor that my bowels are not working together because I have fibromyalgia and boardline lupus. I don’t even get the feeling to even have a bm. I get bloated and then little tiny bms like rocks. I tried elavil and it made it worse. And i was so out out of it. Couldn’t consentrate. I’m starting ibsrela. Here’s hoping

Im sure you're finding it more complicated with having other health conditions at the same time as the ibs. I think sometimes a medication for one thing then has a knock on effect of making the other conditions worse or the medications not being compatible with each other.

It's hard because if you speak to a doctor who specialises in one illness, they aren't going to understand how the treatment is going to react with the other illnesses.

Be great if the different specialists could all get together and work it out together. If only 😣

2 hours ago, Tired nurse said:

I was told by my doctor that my bowels are not working together because I have fibromyalgia and boardline lupus. I don’t even get the feeling to even have a bm. I get bloated and then little tiny bms like rocks. I tried elavil and it made it worse. And i was so out out of it. Couldn’t consentrate. I’m starting ibsrela. Here’s hoping

Im sure you're finding it more complicated with having other health conditions at the same time as the ibs. I think sometimes a medication for one thing then has a knock on effect of making the other conditions worse or the medications not being compatible with each other.

It's hard because if you speak to a doctor who specialises in one illness, they aren't going to understand how the treatment is going to react with the other illnesses.

Be great if the different specialists could all get together and work it out together. If only 😣

Tired Nurse, have you tried CBT or talking to a councillor/therapist for the different symptoms of the illnesses you have?

I tried this for a year but it didn't work for me because I thought unless you have a magic wand I can't deal with this.

But it might be helpful for some people

I feel my anxiety is triggered more by worrying about my gut. I get myself all worked up. Thinking i will need surgery or something crazy. The struggle is real. I actually see my dog poop and think wow if i could go like that. Haha. Anyway i have an appt with my GI Monday. Hopefully something good will happen. I have no gallbladder so i think maybe that might be causing some issues.

Have always thought my lack of gallbladder is part of this struggle too.

21 hours ago, Tired nurse said:

I feel my anxiety is triggered more by worrying about my gut. I get myself all worked up. Thinking i will need surgery or something crazy. The struggle is real. I actually see my dog poop and think wow if i could go like that. Haha. Anyway i have an appt with my GI Monday. Hopefully something good will happen. I have no gallbladder so i think maybe that might be causing some issues.

Totally agree. It's a vicious circle of anxiety trigger stomach issues and stomach issues making you more anxious to the point where you think you're losing your mind.

I physically convulse some days because iv got myself into such an anxious state. It's quite frightening. And you don't know how to make it stop because the one thing you can't escape from is yourself.

If only I could switch my brain off.

Just to have that state of completed calm without fear 😩