I'm 20 years old and I haven't been diagnosed, but I've been contemplating whether I should be.

My mother has IBS and thinks I may have it too. Ever since I was little I've had a combination of infrequent bowel movements and "d". Now that I'm older I'm getting a better sense of my symptoms: gas, abdominal pain, straining (which led to a hemorrhoid), feeling of incomplete BM...etc. (Just a note - my Dad has Crohn's disease, so I suppose I could have either, but my symptoms are nothing like his and are much more like my mother's, but since my parents both have bowel disorders, wouldn't it be more likely that I would have one?)

I have had some particularly odd experiences. One time I didn't have a BM for 7 or 8 days. On the last day, at about 3am I woke up with a very painful sharp pain in my abdomen. The pain made me feel lightheaded and want to keel over. I then had a normal BM. The pain was relieved....but in a few minutes it was back and I had a more loose BM...the cycle repeated 3 or 4 times until I had a very loose BM. It was as if everything I had eaten that week came out in about 30-45min. I have since experienced this "process" 2 or 3 times, sometimes during the day, and sometimes while sleeping.

As a kid I never really experienced "urgency" at least not anymore then normal "d" would. But recently, I had an experience where I was eating a burger at Johnny Rockets (very greasy) and I had maybe 1 or 2 bites, and I immediately had to use the bathroom. After leaving, I felt this urgency again and wasn't sure if I could make it home but I did. That was probably my worst urgency, but I've also had many less severe urgencies. Also I've noticed that I tend to get "d" immediately after eating, as opposed to like 3 hours or so after I would've digested my meal.

I have taken Imodium to curb the "d" symptoms, but I notice that when I take it, I will be constipated for several days. I've also realized some of my trigger foods (french toast, acidic juices like OJ and apple juice, very greasy foods).

Does this sound like I have IBS?
Should I see a doctor? Or should I start taking fiber, change diet, keep using imodium, etc.?
Please let me know your thoughts

Hi there,
After reading your post i have to say i have almost exactly the same symptons as you, and have done for a long time now. Anyway, i visited the doc a couple of weeks ago and he sent me for blood tests. The blood tests came back fine. He did tell me though, that there are no tests for IBS. Apparantly it is a process of elimination, they test you for everything else and if they come back clear then it is IBS. He also told me there is little they can do for IBS. His words were "Doctors are good at fixing a regular medical complaints; However, IBS is a perfectly good bowl except it is functioning badly". He said that they are not experts in this. I expect when i return to him he will give me advise on my diet and nothing more.

Anyway i am sorry i cannot give you any helpful advice, i just wanted you to know there are others out there with similar symptons.

regards
Paul

Yeah, my mother went through the process of being diagnosed, and she actually recommended not going through it, since there's a lot of "ruling out" tests and theres really nothing doctors can do about IBS.

Do you take fiber at all? I'm wondering if that would help.

Hi,

I have started taking a product called Fybogel, which my mum recommended who also has IBS. She thinks it makes her better, but it is not 100% great. I take it day and night but have only taken 5 sachets so far and can't say i have noticed the effects.

regards
Paul

Hi there,

That stuff sure does sound familiar! As mentioned above, there is no way of testing for IBS, it's a diagnosis of exclusion. I had a few tests like bloodwork, stool tests, and an ultrasound. The gastroenterologist decided against a colonoscopy as I was only 22 (24 now). I found that going off my vegetarian diet and losing weight has alleviated a lot of my symptoms (but then again, the symptoms that used to worry me I now largely ignore as part of the scenery lol)

Good luck!

Tam :)