# symptoms of a flare up?



## notfun (Mar 3, 2012)

I have not been diagnosed with IBS and will soon have more testing for my problem. However, my gut says this is IBS and I'm curious what the symptoms of a flare up are. I've had occasional D problems all my life ---For example while in grocery store a couple of months ago out of no where came strong cramps and a mad dash to the restroom --- that type of thing. That sort of thing has been going on my entire adult life --- I think usually stress related. Anyway, two weeks ago after my morning coffee I developed more of a burning type wave cramping and the D started. The burning type cramping is different than the stab in the gut type cramping I normally get. This continued a hour or so after I would eat. So after a couple of days I switched to soup and crackers. I thought I had a viral or bacterial infection, but it just wasn't going away. I then had all the stool lab testing and there is no infection. The D is getting better and the cramps are pretty much gone. However, it's been two weeks. Another strange symptoms was tons of mucus in my loose and watery stools. That is also beginning to go away. I haven't tried regular food yet. I do plan to undergo further testing, but my question is do IBS flare ups present sometimes as the symptoms I had. Basically, loose and watery stools with tons of mucus with cramping that goes away after the bowel movement. It lasted 2 weeks. Oh, one more thing --- no blood in the stool sample. Thanks in advance for your help.


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## Nikki5389 (Mar 3, 2012)

Hi notfun,My symptoms match yours very closely. I experience periods of bloating, cramping, sharp wind pains throughout GI tract. Lotf of mucous in stools; which usually float. Loose and watery stools, sometimes I get lucky and produce a normal stool. Hate that I have to stare at my stool to see what's going on. Ongoing discomcfort despite using the toilet a number of times in the one day. Sometimes I've been glued to the toilet for up to 10hours straight due to very painful loose bowel movements. May depend on what I eat so I tend to stick to less acidic foods. Haven't found anything to manage it yet, but mine is definitely stress related as IBS doesn't exactly run in my family and my previous lifestyle showed that I lived in a very different way to for instance, my brother and sister. I worked in an extremely busy restaurant, late nights, inability to pass stool sometimes because I'd miss breakfast, have a 1hr lunch break and eat heaps, then I'd be rushing around on the floor again, and my guess is the stress of that slowed my digestion so by the time I got home..I couldn't pass anything. Then on Nov 2010, my body gave up... stress is also a byproduct of having this condition for me so I'm trying to calm down about it. I took vancomycin for c.difficile overgroth following a large course of antibiotics in Oct last year. I've taken steroidal and non-steroidal medication for colitis. but i don't have colitis. my gut shows no signs of inflammation (thank goodness) but I experience all of the above. I take metamucil 3 times a day to help the stool coagulate. It does make it less messy, and less painful. it's sugar free (as sugar doesn' help IBS-D). comes in tablets too in case you hate the powder. I'm used to the powder now and feel I get more out of it. You may find it helpful to visit a naturopath to see what can reduce the mucous produced by your gut. I've heard of dandelion tea, licorice etc.. have a look. I know that the mucous seems like it'll never cease being so obviously present in our stool but I'll try just about anything to fix this problem.Do you experience anxiety at all?


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## notfun (Mar 3, 2012)

Yes --- I have unfortunately had anxiety and worry most of my life, but it's not noticeable to other people --- guess I hide it well. My stools are now formed, but soft and the pain is mostly gone --- but I still haven't eaten normal food --- I'm afraid to. Guess I'll have to try it soon to see if I'm really getting well. My cramping was almost a burning cramp that started high in my stomach (under belly button) and radiated down. It went away after the bowel movement. When I've had occasional D in the past the cramps would be extremely sharp and then I'd have exploding D. Then it would completely stop and I'd be fine. This episode was different in that the cramps were different and it continued for two weeks. *Does IBS cramping change during acute episodes? Also, does IBS sometimes go on daily (like 2 weeks)at a time before you feel better?*


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## Nikki5389 (Mar 3, 2012)

I tend to go through cycles of feeling good and feeling ####. On the terrible, and I mean awful awful days, I'd not be able to leave the bathroom. I'd have really runny D - so not at all formed - I'd experience a strong ache around (forgive me) the anus, and it felt like a almost burning kind of ache. Like when you tear the muscles in your arms or legs or abs when you work out, but constant for many hours on end. In that scenario i couldn't stand, sit or lie down until the ache subsided and I'd fully evacuated whatever I had left in me. I'd take strong aspirin-like medication to hopefully reduce the tension in that area and it helped me to eventually feel tired. That experience, which I've had 4-6 times now since this all began I've always believed was connected to stress in some way. And stress over such small things...riciculous!In between those extreme periods I have say fortnightly cycles of experiencing chronis discomfort which trips to the bathroom of about 4-8times a day; mucous, D, floating stool (I imagine due to the mucous), coagulated or ill-formed stools, not usually painful to pass but I do experience lower abdominal cramps - sometimes mild, sometimes sharp, sometimes just a really full feeling like I need to pass a lot. Sometimes I'll have to go right after eating my first meal and won't go again until the afternoon if I can help it. Sometimes I'll go fter eating and go an hour later. Usually before a bad day, I'll feel unusually fatigued the evening before. You can see I've been looking for tell tale signs since my symptoms began.After those disruptive periods I experience less discomfort, especially upon waking, won't desperately need the toilet after eating. I'll go about 2-3times a day. I don't forget about my problem, in fact I'd say it's on my mind just about as often, if not more, than sex is on mens' minds Usually the down periods last longer than the good ones. Try to find a product that will keep your stools formed. Just not GASTOP or anything to stop the D. That's just as bad, cos it'll come out sooner or later, and later is usually much more painful. Try to exercise on the OK days you have. If you have bad days, have gatorade or powerade or those sports drinks with electrolytes. My stomach seems to feel at ease after those. Don't muck up your stomach by reducing the variety of foods you eat unless you have an allergic reaction or an intolerance to some ingredients. I've had anxiety most of my life too. I think it's somewhat handed down to me, and a byproduct of my surroundinds and how I deal. The effects of which sadly have manifested in my gut. Which is probably the first thing to when anyone gets nervous or anxious. It seems to feel anxious all on its own sometimes...or maybe I'm subconsciously aware of something and that sets it off.I'm taking ENDEP at the moment to correct the msgs my brain sends my gut...don't think it's helping...I think the msg needs to come from me...not mild doses of an antidepressant. So after ALL THAT ^^ I guess for me, my answer is yes, it's periodic. I feel good and bad, not in equal measure but the horrific episodes are few and far between. Sorry for the long msg.


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