# Can Anyone Relate?



## Guest (Aug 16, 2016)

*Is it IBS if I am regular? *

Every time I read about others stories and symptoms I never feel like I can relate entirely. For me it feels like an amplified pain signal is sent when I have a BM that causes constant pain throughout the day.

*Basics: *

- Chronic abdominal pain

- Pain usually located left or middle of low-mid abdomen

- Gas in the morning

- No consistent D or C

- Triggered by BM

- Long stretches of mild symptoms if routine followed.

- Alcohol would relieve pain but not recently.

- Anxiety/Stress related.

- Mainly flares up in summer

My Story:

I've been a nervous person my whole life, and although I have yet to be diagnosed with anxiety, I show mild-medium symptoms of OCD and hypochondria. Even so I've usually been able to move past this and lead a normal life otherwise.

Sometime in June 2014 I was about to head to a summer job interview when all of a sudden I experienced loose stools and abdominal pain. At first I thought this was just a normal case of D, but the pain just kept lingering even when my bowel habits become daily/normal. I saw my primary doctor multiple times until he eventually he suggested a GI. After a catscan and a colonoscopy both came back clear, I was given a SIBO breath test.

By the time I got the results back in early 2015, I was strangely feeling better all of a sudden and opted out of taking Xifaxan, as the results suggested SIBO. I was feeling good and without symptoms until summer and traveling came around again, but this bout dissipated around August.

From last summer to this summer I had been feeling practically fine besides some off days. I would drink coffee in the morning to make sure I had a BM and then drink beer or whiskey at night if I felt off. Unfortunately I experienced a very stressful event of my college graduation and passing of my grandmother happening within days of each other which triggered my symptoms again. After going home for some time following these events I started to feel better again and was able to take on an internship in my collegetown.

Things were going fine until I was randomly triggered by something I ate and a short bout of D. The pain lingered on even if I followed my normal routine. My GI suggested another SIBO test and a stool test but both came back negative. I had to leave my internship and head back home to seek care. Currently I've been prescribed a low dose of Amitriptyline but I can't tell if it is effective yet.

*I'd appreciate any insight!*


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