# Lazy Bowel Syndrome? IBS? Gas/Flatulence! Please help!



## sara1991 (May 13, 2017)

Hello,

I'm a 25 year old female whose issue first started when I wasnt eating very well and over exercising and my bowels completely stopped working and I couldn't go without an enema - this was accompanied with excessive gas and rectal fullness which depressed me so much. I've visited several doctors who diagnosed me with different things and gave me different medications (Resolor, Duspatalin, Probiotics, digestive enzymes) - eventually the gas subsided a little and I could have a bowel movement everyday but there was still a lot of gas and lower abdominla distention (felt like my intestines were going to burst).

Now recently I've done a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with lazy bowel syndrome (Slow motility) and was given Ganaton which helps me go 2-3 times a day however the gas & abdominal distention is still there. Now my symptoms have been ongoing with the same severity for the past 5 months and I don't suspect I have IBS since this flare up is ongoing. My question is why is the gas still there even if I'm going 2-3 times a day and the lower abdominal pain which radiates into my lower back still there? I'm so frustrated and have tried EVERYTHING including GAS Stop, probiotics, digestive enzymes, peppermint caps, ginger, fennel etc without relief. Can slow motility I've also missed two periods for the first time in my life?? I can't live like this anymore!! Any response is appreciated!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

i was dx'd with slow motility. my gastro doc told me to take whatever i needed to go. since nothing else worked, i took a combination of both stimulant and osmotic laxatives.

that's good that ganaton helps you go.

as far as the gas is concerned, have you tried the low FODMAP diet. it reduces gas. you can read about it at the link below. . monash university has a good phone app for it. they are the ones who discovered the low FODMAP diet. they also sell books about it. or you can also do a search here on the board or online for more information but monash is your best source of information. .

http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/

http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/low-high.html

also--regarding gas--have you been tested for SIBO--small intestine basterial overgrowth. one of the major symptoms of SIBO is gas and abdominal distention.

http://www.siboinfo.com/

also- your health profile shows you have incomplete evacuation. if you are having trouble with incomplete bowel movements and keep feeling like you need to go all day, you could have pelvic floor dysfunction. have you been tested for that? with pfd, the pelvic floor muscles do not coordinate and/or relax properly to allow easy passage of stool. ineffective pelvic floor muscle coordination results in inadequate relaxation of the pelvic floor while attempting to have a BM. the puborectalis muscle tightens and contracts when it is supposed to relax to allow passage of stool. so you can't get it all out (incomplete) and keep having that "have to go " feeling all day.

a defecatory proctogram test will show if you have pfd as well as reveal if you have any other outlet problems like a rectocele, vaginal prolapse, rectal prolapse, etc. an anal manometry also helps diagnose pelvic floor problems.

biofeedback and physical therapy can be effective in correcting pfd.

also elevating your feet on something like a footstool, shoebox etc while sitting on a toilet can help straighten out the anorectal angle and allow for a more complete evacuation. so can using a squatty potty.

so you might want to mention this to your gastro doctor and ask to get tested for it. here is a good link explaining it
all:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/pelvic-floor-dysfunction


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## sara1991 (May 13, 2017)

Thanks for your response, Annie. Sorry for the delayed response as I've been away for a while. I've actually been tested for SIBO and it was negative & currently on the low fodmap diet but don't see any great relief (When I say great I mean I'm following it to the dot but still suffer from bloating and pass gas around 20-30 times a day most of which is odorless which puzzles me). I've tried several brands of probiotics including Align, Digestive Advantage and currently on Renew Life 100 Billion with no change whatsoever. I can deal with the constipation but the gas bothers me so much since I work in a small office 9-11 hours a day. Is there a reason why probiotics aren't working for me?

Any help would be appreciated!!


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## ashyam86343 (Apr 4, 2017)

Hi Sara,

GAS denotes that you have indigestion. Indigestion caused by 2 reasons. 1. Weak gut or 2. Improper food habits. you got to think and plan your diet accordingly.

to have simple remedy for you. Drink a cup of ginger juice mixed with little salt & black pepper powder in empty stomach and allow some time for other foods, do this for 2 days, once in a day you will be fine from gas.

But for other problems weak gut o& improper food habits, the only solution is strict diet plan.

Hope this helps


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## Renee39 (Jul 4, 2017)

Hi my name is Renee and I'm new to the forum. I to have been suffering with severe​ gas. It started three months ago. I have tried everything I'm constantly bloated and sorry for the tmi but my bowel movements have not been regular. I am either go diahria or I can't go at all. I never feel like I completely empty my bowels and the pain of the gas and bloating is an every day thing. It's starting to effect my everyday life. I have made an apt with gastro doc so hopefully will have some answers soon. It's quite scary and it's been giving me anxiety. I also get heartburn frequently. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. I'm 39 I have small children and it's starting to effect my house hold. Thank you in advance. I don't no if this is ibs but it's some thing


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

it could be that you have SIBO--small intestine bacterial overgrowth. symptoms of sibo include bloating, pain, gas, heartburn...ask your doc about getting tested for it.

http://www.siboinfo.com/

also you mentioned that you feel like you feel like you never completely empty your bowels. i discussed that in my earlier reply on this thread.

that's good you're going to see a gastro doc--you're on your way to getting some answers. good luck.


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## sara1991 (May 13, 2017)

Thanks for your replies, ladies. I'm actually on a strict low fodmap diet (2 weeks in) but still suffering from bloating & gas as well as incomplete evacuation. I'm going to ask my dr about the pelvic floor dysfunction test to check if that's my issue. My SIBO test was negative but they only tested the Hydrogen levels no methane levels as they don't have that test available. I also just finished a round of Rifaximin and Flagyl just incase there was any bacterial overgrowth but it made me so constipated I had to stop.

Do you think the low fodmap diet might not be working for me as I'm still suffering symptoms? Also since this my first year of IBS, is it normal that my flare up has been constant for the past 7 months?

Please help I'm seriously having dark thoughts right now & contemplating suicide!!


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## Renee39 (Jul 4, 2017)

Thanks Annie. It's something to definitely talk to the doctor about.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

sara--so sorry you're still suffering so much from gas and bloating. yes, do ask your doctor about pfd and incomplete evacuation. if you have backed up stool in the rectum or sigmoid that could be causing gas and bloating. i had pfd and had constant gas and bloating because of it.

that's unfortunate that you had to stop your sibo treatment. that could possibly be causing gas too. i hope you're seeing your doctor soon so you can discuss all this with him/her. i'm not a doc so i can only guess about things. if you had problems with rifaximin and flagyl, there i other antiobiotics you can take for sibo. i was dx'd with it and i took augmentin because my insurance wouldn't pay for rifaximin. augmentin worked fine for me and few side effects.

yes it does sound like the low fodmap diet isn't working is you still have all the gas and bloating. although you are supposed to be on it for about four weeks or so, so maybe you just need more time. idk--just a guess. one thing about the low fodmap diet--a low fodmap diet does reduce bloating and gas (or it's supposed to) but it does not help with constipation per se. a lot of fodmaps have compounds in them that in addition to being gassy also tend to draw water into the stool and so tend to loosen stools. these are the foods one often finds in diets recommended to help relieve constipation. so that could be adding to your C problem.

i'm so sorry you are having dark thoughts and contemplating suicide. there is still hope and lots of things that you can try--just ask your doc. and please discuss your thoughts of suicide with a professional.. no matter how bad things get,--and believe me, i know--i suffer from migraines and the unrelenting pain of interstitial cystitis--suicide is never the answer and is devastating to the people who know and love you.

please do take good care of yourself.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

thanks, Renee. yes do talk to your doc about all this. good luck!


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## sara1991 (May 13, 2017)

Thanks Annie - Ive actually started seeing a psychiatrist to help me get through this and hope its just a phase. Another thing i wanted to ask is that since you mentioned you had colonic inertia and im now thinking I may have this, did it start all of a sudden or did it slowly progress into this? Also what could be the signs of colonic inertia as Im freaking out here thinking about all of this.

One more thing I wanted to ask is that since my IBS C started (4 minths ago) i completely stopped menustrating. Do you think this is stress-related or is it linked to IBS meda perhaps?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi Sara

oh i'm glad you started seeing a psychiatrist. and yes, hopefully this will help and yes, hope it's just a phase. it is very difficult living and dealing with chronic constipation.

i had colonic inertia since childhood. some people are born with it. for others, colonic inertia can come on fairly suddenly and then continue to get worse. it can be caused by nerve or muscle damage and sometimes has no identifiable cause (idiopathic) .

the symptoms of colonic inertia are severe and unrelenting constipation, having no bm for five to seven days or more on a regular basis as well as overflow diarrhea caused by being so backed up, abdominal pain, nausea, gas, bloating...

if you think you may have this, ask your gastro doc for a sitz marker test (colonic transit study--sometimes called a shapes study). this test will dx CI.

have you had your thyroid levels checked? low thyroid can cause constipation problems.

i've never heard of C causing the cessation of menstruation so idk about that being the cause. i'm thinking that it's stress causing it. or weight loss, if you've lost a lot of weight because of this.


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