Does anyone with fibro and IBS experience IBS "flares"?

Like a lot of things with fibro, for me, symptoms come and go. Sometimes when a symptom comes back, I forget what its like!

My IBS seemed fine (maybe even several years?) up until a few weeks ago. Something I ate seems to have triggered it (got severe diarrhea) and now it is in full force.

-abdominal pain. Isn't always related to gas, not always relieved after BM.
-sometimes feels like the low level ache of period cramps
-diarhea/constipation
-gassy, bloated, uncomfortable

It's just more painful than I remember it to be. Eating mild foods helps only slightly. Soup and crackers still upsets the system.

Do your flares go away for a while, then come back and for how long?

Thanks!

Hi,
I've had IBS for many more years than I have fibro. I would get it checked out because I started "getting it" much more often and worse and it wasn't the IBS at all. Next thing I knew I got pain every time I ate. Turns out it was my gallbladder which I had to have removed last year. Sometimes, even when we are pretty sure that it's chronic symptoms, we have to go get checked out for anything that is not quite right about them. Does that make sense?
Hope you get relief soon.
Donna

Thank you for your response. I will go get it checked out. Do you still get IBS flare ups? Or are they gone since the gallbladder was taken out?

I get IBS flares. I had it real bad about a year ago for about 3 months straight... non-stop... and then after a short sharp pain in the right side of my stomach that woke me up from a dead sleep one night, everything seemed to go back to normal for a while.

And now I only have problems once in a while.. like today, my upper stomach felt so bloated that while I knew I was hungry, I felt full all day. I picked up some Extra Strength Rolaids Plus Gas Relief Soft Chews from Walmart today and after only eating one, I felt a lot better and don't feel near as bloated as earlier.

I still get the IBS even after the gallbladder and for me it got worse after but at least I don't have the awful pain in the upper part of my stomach anymore. Sorry, no magic cure:(.Just pay attention, it usually has triggers, mine does.
Hope you get better.
Donna

IBS is a real nuisance! I found that when I started eliminating sugar and a lot of carbs (I was a carb-a-holic), the diarrhea went away. The longer I stayed on the diet, I became better and better as time passed. I eat an Atkins-type diet.

Blessings,
Kirstee

I have a feeling if I cut out the coffee that would help...but that would be hard! I've been reading about fiber and IBS, but didn't think of sugar and carbs. Thanks for the tip!

Come to think of it coffee is one of my MAJOR triggers. I don't dare drink any when we are out somewhere because I won't make it out of the place before I'm in the bathroom wishing I hadn't drank it. I use to love coffee but I have enough pain without purposely doing something I know will cause me more.

Thank you for your response. I will go get it checked out. Do you still get IBS flare ups? Or are they gone since the gallbladder was taken out?

I had my gallbladder taken out and since then I have been diagnosed with gastritis, IBS and divirticulosis.... I take alot of meds for many different things but my mom (she is a nurse), I was having major issues one day to where I could hardly catch my breath told me to get Phazyme OTC... I was hurting so bad I couldn't even drive so I sent my son to get it... That stuff has been a godsend to me when my stomach has gotten really bad... Jenn

i have had ibs for about 15 yrs, and like you fibrostuff, have been ok for quite a long time till a month ago. i faithfully took citricel every day which seemed to help, but this last month i have had bad diarhera and forgive me the grossness, but full of mucus. stomach cramps which don't go away with bm. i also had my gallbladder out a year ago. this didn't seem to bother my ibs.

i think it might be brought on by using cipro about 6 weeks ago , might be antibiotic associated colitis. that's not confirmed, just my idea. had a test on stools done friday, haven't heard anything ofcourse. but i have been really sick with this, i too don't remember a flare being this bad.

Do you use a fiber supplement? i stopped this week because i'm taking lomotil or immodium and figured i should not take citricel or metamucil along with anti diarhea med.

hope you find some comfort soon. star

I don't take a fiber supplement. I take vitamins, and eat what I would consider healthy (so I think I get enough fiber in my diet, but maybe I don't).

I have abdominal pain constantly. My naturopath is on vacation, I have an appt. to see him when he returns.

Right now I have the constipation part of IBS, I assume that is what is causing the abdomen pain.

fibrostuff, my gastro doc told me to take citricel{less gas} once a day, every day, whether i have c or d. it has worked well all these years.
when i have c i was told to take 1 or 2 colace stool softeners at night which help tremendously. At first i used the colace, but after a while started using the walmart brand which work just as well and are about 8dollars cheaper. This has been a very good system for me. i too eat alot of fruit and veges but can't handle whole wheat.

I hope you are feeling better, but if not try the citricel, they come in pill form, powder and now chewable tabs, which i've not tried yet. and drink alot of water.

peace,,,stars;)

My problems started with IBS but then I added Fibro a couple of years later. I suffered for 8 long years and was mostly unable to get out of the house for a couple of years without fear of an "accident" or due to the pain of Fibro. Anyway, after going to the bazillionth doctor and getting the same old song and dance, a new rheumatologist I saw told me to try hypnosis. I left thinking he was an idiot. But after a particularly bad patch I dug out the card he'd given me (can't believe I still had it. Must have been too tired to have thrown it away) and went to see her.

It has been the most wonderful thing I've done! My IBS is gone. The pain is gone. I still have some fatigue but nothing like I used to have. I still have a little fibro fog some days but also nothing like I used to have. I finished the sessions about 7 months ago and my IBS and Fibro haven't come back. The pain was the biggest thing. I started getting relief from the very first time I went and I don't have it at all anymore. I think everyone should try this. Has anyone else tried this?

I always have constipation problems ... even when I eat tons of fiber foods. I'm pretty used to it now. I got on a watermelon kick last week and couldn't not figure out why I was having terrible bloating and gas pains...from the top of my ribs right under my boobs all the way down to my hip bones and maybe even a little lower. It was terrible. I finally figured it out yesterday and am doing much better today. I'm sad though because I love watermelon. My belly just doesn't like certain foods:(.

I haven't tried hypnotherapy. You're saying fibro completely gone? Wonder how...

Roth do you think the hypnosis helped with your stress/anxiety (which makes IBS and Fibro worse) ? I'm just trying to understand how you feel so much better. Do you use self-hypnosis now?

My flares come and go in days. I'll have a few days where i can eat anything and everything and nothing bothers and other days where if i even just drink things i'll have horrible stomach aches and diarreha. Mostly the week before and the week of my period.