# My Story - IBS?



## Aeri (Oct 17, 2013)

Hey everyone,

I'm 19, turning 20 in December and my doctor suspects I might have IBS.

It all started about four months ago. Shortly after the final exams of my second year at university, I started to get constipated (this was during a holiday to Mallorca). I didn't pay much attention to it. I did not really enjoy the vacation as I woke up very nauseous every morning.

When I returned to home, my symptoms strangely disappeared for about a week, and then came back, viciously. Very nauseous, trouble with going to the toilet et cetera. After two-three weeks of struggling I went to another doctor, as mine was taking his annual vacation. She ordered to examine some stool-samples (these gave no abnormal results) and gave me movicol to clear my bowels (as I was heavily constipated). After the bowel cleanse (Movicol) I could go 'normally' to the bathroom, but my habit of going had changed; every day in the morning instead of every other day in the evening.

A week I was cured, but then again the symptoms returned (nausea etc)

To cut a long story short, I got spasmomen prescribed and it helped with a certain 'clenching' feeling in my bowels, but my stool remained 'weird' > pencil thing, changed habit of going to the bathroom (instead of every two days in the evening, I have to go every day now in the morning, after I wake up).

Now I have a new symptom; sometimes I have a mucus-like discharge with sometimes a (little bit of) blood.

I went to the specialist, got bloodwork done and again stool samples; no abnormalities. I am having a lactose-intolerance test next tuesday.

Yet, I cannot help but feel a bit scared, anxious because I'm afraid it might not be IBS... My mother thinks my fear of having colon cancer is irrational (bloodwork/stoolsamples et cetera are okay). Yet I can't shake this feeling that it might be something else.

So now, I'm taking one tablet of spasmomen every day, before dinner. I take two spoons of benefiber (fibersupplement) in the mornings. Have started to eat some more candy/drink a glass of cola yesterday.

To summarize my symptoms:

Anxiety

Changing stool shape; very thing, short; other times 'normal (round, longish); sometimes a bit thicker

Change in stool: from bits and pieces; little chunks to 'normal' stool to flat 'squished-like' stools.

Change in stool habit: from going to the bathroom every two days in the evening to every day in the morning

weight loss(?) (I've stopped eating candy/drinking sodas, am eating quite a lot of vegetarian/veganist food now, might be cause of weight loss, but am not entirely sure).

flatulence

Feeling bloated

A 'cramp-like' feeling in a particular part of my bowels (like a fist clenching it?)

Sometimes nauseous

Mucus discharge with sometimes blood (irregular appearance).

Should I be worried? Should I press for a colonscopy?

Advice is much appreciated!

-Aeri


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