Do I have IBS? - Bowel Disorders Message Board

n0b_n00b · 10-08-2005, 03:39 AM

Im a 19 yr old male.. nearly 20 and for the past.. probably 2 years ive had slight problems.. passing wind .. and "pooing" ...

now i dont know if its just that im getting sick of it or if its actually getting worse but its becoming a concern now..

ive done a little bit of reading and im concerned i have IBS.

the main problems i feel are... discomfort in my lower stomach... on and off..
and when i need to pass gas... sometimes its easy .. other times i push with no avail.. and its not very comfortable.. not so much painful but just discomfort.. same story when i try to "poo" its like the muscle or whatever does the pushing isn't pushing the right place and not everything comes out .. i can still feel theres stuff left inthere.. sometimes i wrap toilet paper around my finger and have to dig some of it out myself just to get it out and clean it a bit. Im not sure if thats the right thing to do or if its wrong... and occasionally i get diarrhea

I cant eat as much these days at all either.. i am also trying to loose weight (5-10 kg) so i dont eat as much or as oftern so im not sure if the loss of appetite is because of that or this... or both

Honestly, I am embarrased to see a doctor at this stage. If it is IBS ive read there is no cure for it just dietary changes?

My diet atm is very very inconsistant. Ill eat anything. If im not at home alot of the time ill eat out (Mcdonalds etc). I do not drink anywear near as much water as i should.. at times i go days with only drinking soft drink or juice or milk or something.. i go for coffee a fair bit.. probably atleast 3-5 cups a week at night.. ive taken up smoking in the past 6 months (i know its bad but i have my reasons)

If this is IBS? what should i do to minimize the pain?
What should i start/stop eating? In terms of exercise? Im really reaching out here as it is worrying me alot.. especially as of late

And I appologize in advance for my poor grammar and spelling and the ".." its just the way i type while i think... thank you all!

n0b_n00b · 10-09-2005, 02:39 AM

No one around anymore?

alsaser · 10-09-2005, 03:16 AM

It could be the beginning stages of ibs. It could also be cause of a poor diet though (ie, Mcdonalds) and not eating as much, make sure, though you want to lose weight, you arent ever hungry, try to get fruits and veggies and make sure to exercise and drink a lot of water! This will help your bowel movements. It could aslo be lactose intolerance...is it particularly bad after you eat dairy? It could be a temporary thing, not necessarily ibs. I would say months of prolonged diarreah, constipation, the feeling there's a brick in your stomach and unbelievable stomach cramps! Where you cant even breathe the pain is so bad (some days I couldnt stand up straight!) Also, sometimes I can feel "crap" passing through my intestine and the pain just takes my breath away, it last about 5-10 seconds.
I self-diagnosed myself with ibs (and lactose intolerance...I cut out most dairy) and for ibs I started taking "Digestive Advantage for IBS"...that worked VERY well for me personally. I mentioned that once before and someone jumped down my throat saying I'm not supposed to suggest things for others to take...I dont see the harm (you can buy it at a drug store). I have been pain FREE for about a year, well, a little pain maybe every few months..I just take an extra IBS pill and it helps. Hope this helped. The body is complicated, it could be a # of things. Plus, dont be embarresed to go to the doctor...they've seen it all!

n0b_n00b · 10-10-2005, 04:02 AM

thank you alot for your reply... put me at some ease...

Im going to take it upon myself to change my diet and exercise more.. especially now its nearly summer here (australia) should be alot easier for me to eat more fruit and drink more water.. ill give it a proper go and see if anything improves.

Thank you Alsaser =]

n0b_n00b · 11-19-2005, 11:35 PM

anyone else?