Irritable bowel syndrome: What you can do

[Gridley]

15 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

naturopath is pushing me to take probiotics and enzymes etc but I couldnt tolerate them.

I'm taking a break from moderating but I did want to point out that probiotics are available through foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut.  You could research that.  I have no knowledge about healing gut issues so I can't address your questions on that point.

 

16 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

 Im currently slowly weaning off of omeprazole 25% a month of 40 mg I've taken for a year.

25% a month is a much higher taper rate than we recommend, as you likely know, and you don't want to add withdrawal to your other symptoms.

[Sicksagittarius]

4 hours ago, Gridley said:

I'm taking a break from moderating but I did want to point out that probiotics are available through foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut.  You could research that.  I have no knowledge about healing gut issues so I can't address your questions on that point.

 

25% a month is a much higher taper rate than we recommend, as you likely know, and you don't want to add withdrawal to your other symptoms.

@Gridley Oh I'm sorry to bother you while you"re on your break but appreciate your answers! Even for non psych drugs such as a PPI do I want to do 15- 0 percent taper per month? I cut down 25 percent this month and my acid reflux is fine but I've been in a wave for a few months of not having focused vision when looking outside in the sunlight due to changing meds, stress, and doing too much. Should I go back up to 10 percent? reduction of omeprazole or just keep going on the 25 percent off ive done for the last 25 days

[Gridley]

16 hours ago, Sicksagittarius said:

I cut down 25 percent this month and my acid reflux is fine

If the 25% is working for you, that's fine and just stick with that.  Just listen to your body as you continue that taper.

[Heath]

 I have run into a stomach fatigue issue and have a few questions. My wife says I have IBS caused by too much bad bacteria caused by antibiotics. I think she is right. I am trying to figure out what to do and what causes what and if my symptoms indicate IBS and caused by what. I have read the IBS section on here. I been reading about this and probiotics. 
 

so I took antibiotics in July last year for uti then again in March 2021. Stomach just hasn’t been right since April. Gas and loose stool. 
After antibiotics April 24 started tapering again stopped on July 24. Started different generic  lexapro brand on august 1 because pharmacy changed. 
 

 on a Sunday august 15 I felt off . Tired no energy just laying around. Then Monday at work I noticed a sensitive tongue and I looked in mirror and it had cracks in it. Also my chin and face was itchy.  Also  my legs and but tensing and releasing which I’ve had before in withdrawals. I felt a discomfort in my left mid section groin area. This continued and on Wednesday I had a pain after lunch which I thought was a kidney stone. It was really bad on left side from ribs down to my groin area. Like my stomach was knotted up.  I felt like I need to have bowel movement but didn’t need to. Like all tensed up and cramps down there. I went home took hot bath. Roll around in bed. This stirred up someanxiety. I called dr and they said to continue with peptobismol and see how it is next day. My daughter gotme some peppermint and peptobismol. I took that and pain went from a 7 to 2 pretty quick.   Day after felt much better but that afternoon I had one of the worst sinus headaches I ever had wiped me out. Also during these weeks my stomach feels like I did 100 sit-ups sometimes. And one morning woke up early just tensed up and irritated which was probably withdrawals.  Started probiotics.  Stopped Celebrex andPrilosec for 3 days. Felt better next 2 days with exception of occasional pain in left groin area. I ate light and within a week felt better. I gradually reintroduced my normal not so good food like carbs and cokes. Skipped a couple days of probiotics by accident. 
 

Then a week later didn’t feel myself,  laying around no energy foggy feeling,etc then little tummy discomfort pain then itchy chin and face then bad headache today.  So it appears carbs and sugar may be contributing to this. 
 

I’m pretty sure antibiotics created this issue. I’ve read that ssris withdrawals can cause this also. I have had stomach issues starting ssris and also in withdrawals in past but never as bad as on august 18. I am currently reading about Celebrex and Prilosec and antibiotics relation to IBS and bad bacteria. There is somestress around here at the moment. My gut feeling is this isbad bacteria in stomach no pun intended 😀
what I have learned is take probiotics for this. And sodas are really bad for this.  
 

Can bad bacteria in stomach cause itchy face with no rash,  cracked tongue, headaches, fatigue, no energy, etc. ? Any thoughts or tips? 
has anyone experienced itchy face with ibs or withdrawals?  @Rusty1 I have symptoms similar to yours did you have itchy face? 

It’s been about 6 weeks I am better but still not back to normal. Avoiding sugar, sodas and high carbs helps. Don’t know if probiotics is helping or not. 
tapered off Prilosec about a week ago started Pepcid as needed. Thinking of starting lexapro taper again in a week or so
thanks 

[ThatOneGirlStitch]

On 8/9/2018 at 1:21 PM, Gridley said:

Mucus can be a sign of ulcerative colitis, which I used to have.  

How did you take care of it without more drugs? I’m having mucus even when I fart

[Gridley]

21 hours ago, ThatOneGirlStitch said:

How did you take care of it without more drugs? I’m having mucus even when I fart

It would be a good idea to see a gastroenterologist and get a diagnosis.  If you have ulcerative colitis, there are low carb diets such as the Specific Carbohydrate Diet or the related GAPS diet that might help.  There is a special probiotic for ulcerative colitis called VSL, which is available without a prescription.  The double-strength VSL-DS requires a prescription.  I've been on this probiotic for many years.  Again, the best thing to do is get a diagnosis.

[peaceandlove]

On 1/19/2021 at 7:11 PM, Hartattack said:

Titled IBS- Can't go to the bathroom

 

Hey guys,

 

Does anyone else struggle with serious stomach issues? I get super bloated and literally cannot go to the bathroom. Everything just gets stuck in my stomach and I barely ever have bowel movements.  Obviously with this comes chronic fatigue and brain fog. I have been trying to treat this for the past three years and although I have had periods of relief, nothing seems to work permanently.

 

I have been on an off Prozac twice in the past three years. I am now off again- I tapered from 80mg down to zero over the past 6 months. When I was on 80mg my stomach issues were almost entirely gone, and slowly worsened until now I'm back to where I was. Only this time I do not plan to get back on the medication. I am doing coffee enemas everyday to clear myself out. I hope within 6 months to a year my body will naturally heal.

 

Does anyone else have similar symptoms?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m going through the same. Ibs like symptoms, no appetite, stomach cramps & heartburn all of a sudden. Has yours gone away yet?? & did you do something to treat or it just went away naturally 

[peaceandlove]

On 5/4/2021 at 1:34 AM, Jadenatalie said:

Hi guys, not sure if anyone has experienced anything like this before. basically approx 6 years ago, i started very randomly with nausea quite constant and gurgling tummy etc. What followed was lots of tests and things to try that i thought would help such as: stool tests for inflammation, h-pylori, blood tests, endoscopy, colonoscopy, hida scan, lactose free diet, gluten free diet, fodmap diet, peppermint, ginger, anti nausea tablets from the doctor. nothing worked. the gastro discharged me with a diagnosis of ongoing IBS which i've had for approx 12 years anyway. I got depressed from feeling poorly all the time, so i was put on antidepressants, within weeks my nausea had gone. So me and my partner thought, it must have been anxiety? eventhough at the time, i didnt feel particularly anxious i dont think?! anyway, it didnt come back until i had a short break from AD's a few years back, so i went back on the AD's and it stopped again. Now i've been off my AD's for 8 weeks and its returned again. 

 

Anyone else suffered similar? Obviously i'm massively swaying to it being anxiety related due to the relief the antidepressants give me from it. I completely stumbled across the 'cure' by accident due to feeling depressed and needing antidepressants all those years ago. very strange. 

 

x

I’m going  through the same. Ibs like symptoms, no appetite, stomach cramps & heartburn all of a sudden. Has yours gone away yet?? & did you do something to treat or it just went away naturally

[Jadenatalie]

On 8/5/2022 at 4:01 PM, peaceandlove said:

I’m going  through the same. Ibs like symptoms, no appetite, stomach cramps & heartburn all of a sudden. Has yours gone away yet?? & did you do something to treat or it just went away naturally

Hello, yes mine has gone now. It went on it’s own, just took time xx

[peaceandlove]

On 8/9/2022 at 1:33 AM, Jadenatalie said:

Hello, yes mine has gone now. It went on it’s own, just took time xx

 

so glad to hear. Did you have reflex or heartburn as well? Or just the ibs

[peaceandlove]

On 9/25/2021 at 7:56 AM, Rusty1 said:

Stomach pain, food irritation, immediate urges to go to the bathroom (both types). 

 

I was in a wave from an accidental slight updose. It took 2 years by I eventually hit a window. Once I was in a window my symptoms went away 90+%. No symptoms prior to the wave. It was 100% CNS and gut receptors (you have more serotonin receptors in your stomach than your brain) being out of balance.

 

No improvement from any probiotics. Did not try supplements as I was too sensitive.

 

 

I’m having the same issues. Did you ever get a stool test done? & if so, did it come back normal 

[peaceandlove]

On 9/26/2021 at 6:07 PM, Heath said:

 

 I have run into a stomach fatigue issue and have a few questions. My wife says I have IBS caused by too much bad bacteria caused by antibiotics. I think she is right. I am trying to figure out what to do and what causes what and if my symptoms indicate IBS and caused by what. I have read the IBS section on here. I been reading about this and probiotics. 
 

so I took antibiotics in July last year for uti then again in March 2021. Stomach just hasn’t been right since April. Gas and loose stool. 
After antibiotics April 24 started tapering again stopped on July 24. Started different generic  lexapro brand on august 1 because pharmacy changed. 
 

 on a Sunday august 15 I felt off . Tired no energy just laying around. Then Monday at work I noticed a sensitive tongue and I looked in mirror and it had cracks in it. Also my chin and face was itchy.  Also  my legs and but tensing and releasing which I’ve had before in withdrawals. I felt a discomfort in my left mid section groin area. This continued and on Wednesday I had a pain after lunch which I thought was a kidney stone. It was really bad on left side from ribs down to my groin area. Like my stomach was knotted up.  I felt like I need to have bowel movement but didn’t need to. Like all tensed up and cramps down there. I went home took hot bath. Roll around in bed. This stirred up someanxiety. I called dr and they said to continue with peptobismol and see how it is next day. My daughter gotme some peppermint and peptobismol. I took that and pain went from a 7 to 2 pretty quick.   Day after felt much better but that afternoon I had one of the worst sinus headaches I ever had wiped me out. Also during these weeks my stomach feels like I did 100 sit-ups sometimes. And one morning woke up early just tensed up and irritated which was probably withdrawals.  Started probiotics.  Stopped Celebrex andPrilosec for 3 days. Felt better next 2 days with exception of occasional pain in left groin area. I ate light and within a week felt better. I gradually reintroduced my normal not so good food like carbs and cokes. Skipped a couple days of probiotics by accident. 
 

Then a week later didn’t feel myself,  laying around no energy foggy feeling,etc then little tummy discomfort pain then itchy chin and face then bad headache today.  So it appears carbs and sugar may be contributing to this. 
 

I’m pretty sure antibiotics created this issue. I’ve read that ssris withdrawals can cause this also. I have had stomach issues starting ssris and also in withdrawals in past but never as bad as on august 18. I am currently reading about Celebrex and Prilosec and antibiotics relation to IBS and bad bacteria. There is somestress around here at the moment. My gut feeling is this isbad bacteria in stomach no pun intended 😀
what I have learned is take probiotics for this. And sodas are really bad for this.  
 

Can bad bacteria in stomach cause itchy face with no rash,  cracked tongue, headaches, fatigue, no energy, etc. ? Any thoughts or tips? 
has anyone experienced itchy face with ibs or withdrawals?  @Rusty1 I have symptoms similar to yours did you have itchy face? 

It’s been about 6 weeks I am better but still not back to normal. Avoiding sugar, sodas and high carbs helps. Don’t know if probiotics is helping or not. 
tapered off Prilosec about a week ago started Pepcid as needed. Thinking of starting lexapro taper again in a week or so
thanks 

 How are you now? Are you still having ibs? @Heath

[Heath]

@peaceandlove

I’m ok right now. The symptoms went away after changing diet and holding tapers. I don’t even know if it was ibs. I’m learning that my stomach issues have been related to side effects and withdrawals of these drugs . And diet. And maybe from antibiotics. 

I look back now and see the many different symptoms was most likely from wd at that time. 
 

I have had some of those symptoms come and go since . Noticing during high stress, high cortisol and tension. When I self help for calming nerves excercising and proper sleep and eating well symptoms are non existent. 

[modelarz71]

Is it possible to ask for advice, if the symptoms of IBS and the quick feeling of fullness after eating were caused by WD, only then it can calm down when the receptors in the intestines rebuild? Maybe someone has improved? Regards
 

[JanCarol]

I'm here today because - I wonder.  I just wonder.

 

Are there any studies which connect psych drugs to IBS?  (besides as prescription "treatments" for it?)   It seems like everyone I know who has IBS has had experience with, or is currently on, psych drugs.  When I search for "antidepressants SFX IBS" - I get a bunch of articles which want to prescribe antidepressants for IBS!  Egads!

In other news, the fewer carbs, the better.  Grains have been engineered for bushel/acre, not for nutrition, and therefore are inflammatory.  I'm sure there are exceptions, but wheat is particularly evil.  I encourage all IBS sufferers to give up the wheat first.  Then the seed oils.  

 

Then there's fibre.  The condition I have is called "floppy bowel," which means that - over time - my bowel has stretched and fallen down into my lower abdomen, and so - my bowel has to push against itself to move.  Fibre in the quantities that doctors recommend stretches the bowel more, and I would run the risk of more diverticula, or irritating the diverticula which are there.  While primitive man ate a lot of fibre to get the nutrition out of his food - in my case, high fibre causes high pain.

My bro-in-law is a NO-Carb eater.  He has lost dozens of pounds, cleared up his brain and his attention span, by eliminating carbs.  I'm not as disciplined as he is, but I try to keep those carbs very low.  He told me that studies show that a carnivore diet produces the widest array of biotics in the gut - healthy gut biome.  I've come to question the food pyramid - grains, dairy, seed oils = all inflammatory.   

All in all - as I age, I realise - we eat too much.  I read a study in the 80's about mice - and the mice on 75% of calories lived 50% longer.  Food restriction is a longevity strategy.  

So now I count my meals.  I start when I'm empty (that happens from time to time, ouch).  Each meal I put in, I add to my number.  Each big poo, I subtract a number.  I find that I'm happiest with less than 5 meals in me.  I start to get grouchy around 4.    Small meals.  Less food.

 

But what I'm really looking to find - are studies - which show that these drugs cause and contribute to IBS.  It makes sense in my mind, and listening to all the IBS stories here - I'm convinced that all that serotonin in the gut has to be affected by these drugs.  But when I'm talking to someone with IBS - how can I prove to them, the connection?

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by JanCarol

[modelarz71]

On 12/23/2023 at 6:21 AM, JanCarol said:

I'm here today because - I wonder.  I just wonder.

 

Are there any studies which connect psych drugs to IBS?  (besides as prescription "treatments" for it?)   It seems like everyone I know who has IBS has had experience with, or is currently on, psych drugs.  When I search for "antidepressants SFX IBS" - I get a bunch of articles which want to prescribe antidepressants for IBS!  Egads!

In other news, the fewer carbs, the better.  Grains have been engineered for bushel/acre, not for nutrition, and therefore are inflammatory.  I'm sure there are exceptions, but wheat is particularly evil.  I encourage all IBS sufferers to give up the wheat first.  Then the seed oils.  

 

Then there's fibre.  The condition I have is called "floppy bowel," which means that - over time - my bowel has stretched and fallen down into my lower abdomen, and so - my bowel has to push against itself to move.  Fibre in the quantities that doctors recommend stretches the bowel more, and I would run the risk of more diverticula, or irritating the diverticula which are there.  While primitive man ate a lot of fibre to get the nutrition out of his food - in my case, high fibre causes high pain.

My bro-in-law is a NO-Carb eater.  He has lost dozens of pounds, cleared up his brain and his attention span, by eliminating carbs.  I'm not as disciplined as he is, but I try to keep those carbs very low.  He told me that studies show that a carnivore diet produces the widest array of biotics in the gut - healthy gut biome.  I've come to question the food pyramid - grains, dairy, seed oils = all inflammatory.   

All in all - as I age, I realise - we eat too much.  I read a study in the 80's about mice - and the mice on 75% of calories lived 50% longer.  Food restriction is a longevity strategy.  

So now I count my meals.  I start when I'm empty (that happens from time to time, ouch).  Each meal I put in, I add to my number.  Each big poo, I subtract a number.  I find that I'm happiest with less than 5 meals in me.  I start to get grouchy around 4.    Small meals.  Less food.

 

But what I'm really looking to find - are studies - which show that these drugs cause and contribute to IBS.  It makes sense in my mind, and listening to all the IBS stories here - I'm convinced that all that serotonin in the gut has to be affected by these drugs.  But when I'm talking to someone with IBS - how can I prove to them, the connection?

 

I know this may be controversial, but one option for IBS with SSRI drugs may be constipation that the patient had never encountered before treatment (i.e., his bowels). Constipation causes a previously unheard of "distension " of the intestines and damage to the nerves or some intestinal villi.
When this occurs the intestines work more slowly and constipation already occurs , but as a result of the above.
I just don't understand how this relates to reflux symptoms, but I'm not a researcher or even not familiar with the structure of the intestines.
How do I know this?
From one person who has experienced it and whom I believe as myself.
And this person believes it caused her. 
Who is this person?
One can guess

I would like to be wrong, but I think this was the cause

[modelarz71]

On the leaflet from one AD it says that it can cause intestinal paralysis or slowing of the bowel, On my leaflet from ecitalopram there is no such thing only stated nausea and vomiting given as a side effect.
why sometimes (in a very small number of people, of which I am not necessarily one, because if it were in the majority it would probably be banned)AD can  make the intestine paralyzed or slowed down?

[jon1]

Since coming of AD's completely, I developed mild acid reflux (causing wheezing now and again), IBS, milk intolerance, and gluten intolerance within the space of a few months.

 

Being on a gluten free diet has helped a great deal, and now I notice if I've eaten gluten because within around an hour I get very agitated, anxious and irritable. This can last for a couple of days.

 

I've seen a gastroenterologist and had an endoscopy. He said everything is fine, although my stomach is inflamed, which is said is likely due to stress.

 

I mentioned coming of AD's, and asked if that could have caused gluten intolerance, and he said it's perfectly possible. Even catching a virus can trigger it, and they don't really know the causes yet.

 

I've noticed my IBS symptoms are far worse when I"m in a 'depression wave' rather than an 'anxiety 'wave', it's almost like my entire digestive system slows down and has trouble working.