# nocturnal symptoms anybody?



## bluesdelta25lucky (Sep 19, 2014)

Hello,

I was 1st diagnosed with IBS in 2007. I am 36 years old - female. I have always alternated, but most often suffer from constipation or straining. The past couple of years I have suffered from nocturnal symptoms. I wake up in the middle of the night with stomach pains and the urge to have a bowel movement, usually 2 or 3 a.m. - very frequently, typically 4or 5 nights per week. Everything I have read states that nocturnal symptoms/nocturnal bowel movements are not associated with IBS. In the past year, I have talked to my general practitioner and 2 different GI docs about this multiple times, and they all tell me it's IBS. In the last few months, I have had all kinds of tests: colonoscopy, abdominal/pelvic ct scan, abdominal ultra sound, abdominal mri, celiac blood test..... I have microscopic colitis but am in remission according to my new GI doc. Does anyone else experience the nocturnal symptoms???? I am so anxious and depressed at this point.

Thanks!


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## grumpytum (Sep 12, 2014)

Yes I get nocturnal symptoms. For years it would just be once in a blue moon so I would think maybe it was a tummy bug or something. However, in the last year it has become more frequent. At first I'd just have a bit of tummy pain prior to going to bed then wake up still with a pain & a vague urge of wanting to poop but not actually needing to. In the morning I would often still have that pain but once I went to the toilet (before or after breakfast) I would come right. For a few months I would take phoe capsules which are based on kiwifruit & have a mild laxative effect & incl a prebiotic. This seemed to help for a while but eventually lost its effectiveness. I also have problems with reflux and after I had surgery for that (in April) it was confusing working out which symptoms were down to that, which were from lower down & whether they were temporary & related to recovering form surgery or something new.

About 6 weeks after my surgery I became impacted & couldn't quite work out why as I was eating more normal food by then & was passing a bowel motion daily. Since then I've had more problems with IBS. I'm currently addressing that by following a low FODMAP diet. My IBS did calm down when on the elimination phase but since reintroducing two of the high fodmap groups as a challenge I've had my symptoms flare up again. It appears to be calming down again but for a week there I as waking up in the night again with stomach cramps that also hurt in my back (rather like PMS pains). I saw a doctor who said it all sounded like IBS & got some pills (gastro-soothe) to help with the cramps + a stool-softener (laxsol).

I don't see why someone would say IBS means you can't nocturnal pain as your bowels/tummy can't tell time.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

So the "nocturnal = red flag" study was one I found awhile ago.

These numbers are approximate.

No GI illnesses was like 5% of the people in the study in the time frame has some nocturnal GI symptoms.

Non IBS GI illnesses was like 65% (mostly GERD which generally gets worse when you lay down and it is easier for the acid to go the wrong way)

IBS was like 30% of the time

So it isn't that IBS completely and totally prevents symptoms at night, just other things are more likely so you may need more tests if you regularly get night symptoms than someone that almost never gets them.

IBS does tend to calm down at night because the colon is normally less active at night. That doesn't mean it can't be active at night, just it usually is less active than when you wake up in them morning (most active) or after meals (additional spikes of activity).

Usually how I tell IBS diarrhea (if I get it around bedtime) from a GI infection coming on is the GI infection will go all night every hour or so.

Not microscopic colitis can cause night symptoms, but usually when it does it is copious watery diarrhea at night but usually few symptoms during the day. If it is gone from the colonoscopy then it probably is in remission.


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## bluesdelta25lucky (Sep 19, 2014)

Thank you both for your responses! I guess I will have to wait and see if the nocturnal symptoms get better. I am also starting therapy tomorrow to work on my terrible generalized anxiety!


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