# IBS C and Exercise



## VickyM85 (Sep 25, 2010)

I've had IBS C for over 2 years now, and I started running as a way of helping the condition and getting my metabolism going. For a long while, it worked and helped me (I still had to be on medication though) and I grew to really love doing it. Once I've been running for about 20/30 minutes I can really feel things start to move in my bowel, which is a massive feeling of relief.However, over the past few weeks I've noticed that I get dreadful constipation and IBS symptoms on the days I go running (I've been sticking to a schedule of one day on, one day off running as I was due to run a 10k last weekend, which I had to pull out of due to my IBS). A few hours after getting in from my run, I would start to feel all crunched up in my bowel and bad pain in the corners tucked up under my ribs. Then I'd have an evening of feeling like I really needed to pass wind and have a BM, none of which happened. It'd be so bad by bedtime I'd have a pounding heartbeat, acid reflux and insomnia.I use Movicol and I only usually need 2 a day. But during these episodes I've been taking the max 4 a day and although it will make me go to the toilet, I'm still really constipated. Also, during these episodes I lose the urge to go to the toilet. Usually I get urgent signals that I need to go.So, I stopped running about a week ago to test whether or not running made an influence, and slowly but steadily I got a bit better. I got back down to 2 Movicol a day and I was less constipated. Yesterday I went out on a run again and guess what, back to being really constipated and crunched up and in pain.Could it be running that's causing me to feel like this? I don't get it, I thought exercise was meant to be good for you. I've come up with a little theory that perhaps it's to do with water intake? I'm in the UK and we're moving in to spring here, the temperature is rising just a little and when I go running I sweat more, however I haven't increased my water intake. The Movicol is one of those laxatives that works via osmosis, so it needs plenty of water, but at the same time my body is sweating out water, so perhaps this leads me to be constipated? What do you think? I do drink plenty of water every day as it is, so I'd be worried about increasing my intake further (I've heard about people who die from water poisoning :-S).Just so sad if this means the end of running for me because I enjoy it so much.


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## VickyM85 (Sep 25, 2010)

Hmm... just read some articles on the net, and now I'm confused as to whether it's C or D that I have.... apologies for the explicitness of what's to follow....When I was first diagnosed with IBS I had C, definitely. I mostly get little hard lumps. But, in the past few months it's sort of either long fingers or very small, mushy lumps, both of which are hard to pass. I thought it was still C as it's very hard to go, but just had a look at the Bristol stool chart and apparently these are the 'ideal' stool types. Great, now I'm confused. Why is it still hard to go if my stool types are 'ideal'. lol. Sometimes, if I didn't have a laugh at things I'd cry....


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## KJL (Mar 19, 2012)

Maybe try what you have identified and increase your water intake, maybe reduce the lengths of your runs and then slowly build them back up and see if that helps?I have IBS-C, and my BMs only change in the way you say when I am on movicol. When I'm not, then it's back to how you described yours used to me. But without meds, I'd be lucky to have any BMs in a week at all.It'll probably be a case of trying different things out.Maybe you have a sluggish bowel?


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## VickyM85 (Sep 25, 2010)

Perhaps I do, I have thought that in the past. I do get a wealth of other IBS symptoms as well, that's not my only problem. Bloating, pain and gas are probably the worst, and acid reflux is really beginning to irritate me. I'm going for another run today so I'll see how I feel after that.What do you do for a sluggish bowel?


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## KJL (Mar 19, 2012)

VickyM85 said:


> Perhaps I do, I have thought that in the past. I do get a wealth of other IBS symptoms as well, that's not my only problem. Bloating, pain and gas are probably the worst, and acid reflux is really beginning to irritate me. I'm going for another run today so I'll see how I feel after that.What do you do for a sluggish bowel?


Movicol that you are already taking I believe.I am waiting on a referral to gastro dept at hospital to get things checked out to make sure I don't have any underlying condition. (I was diagnosed a little over 10 yrs ago with IBS, but never had proper testing to check things out). Maybe you could ask your doctor for a referral?Your symptoms sound very similar to me. I take movicol, Alverine 120mg capsules and Mebeverine 135mg tablets. I'm also trying out the low-fodmap diet. The change in my diet appears to be helping with the bloating a lot. I'm hoping the gastro referral will also mean I can speak to a dietician for further support. If I were you, I'd return to doctor to a referral, to be safe.


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## VickyM85 (Sep 25, 2010)

[quote name='KJL' timestamp='1333029640' post='861209']Movicol that you are already taking I believe.I am waiting on a referral to gastro dept at hospital to get things checked out to make sure I don't have any underlying condition. (I was diagnosed a little over 10 yrs ago with IBS, but never had proper testing to check things out). Maybe you could ask your doctor for a referral?Your symptoms sound very similar to me. I take movicol, Alverine 120mg capsules and Mebeverine 135mg tablets. I'm also trying out the low-fodmap diet. The change in my diet appears to be helping with the bloating a lot. I'm hoping the gastro referral will also mean I can speak to a dietician for further support. If I were you, I'd return to doctor to a referral, to be safe.[/quoteMy IBS has already been confirmed, I've had every test imaginable to rule out other things.However, my GP (who was the best Dr I've ever had) has just retired and I've been given a new doctor. I had an appointment with him last week and low and behold he declared 'it doesn't sound like you have IBS, it sounds more like you've got a pulled muscle'.I was just left astounded. A pulled muscle, seriously? That's lasted for 2 1/2 years and gets worse after I eat?!?!?! Are you kidding me!? After actually looking at my records he changed his mind, but sent me for a chest x-ray, for some unbeknown reason. When I go back in a week I'm going to ask for a referral.I've just come off the FODMAP elimiation diet as it was causing persistant headaches. I have problems with low blood sugar, and I found the elimination phase gave me constant sugar crashes. I'm going to try and do it the reverse way by eliminating a different FODMAP group at a time and recording the results.


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## rcomom (Sep 20, 2010)

I took up running in Dec. and can see some change in my IBS-C, although I'm not sure it if it's from the running or just a different phase of my IBS (the pattern seems to change fairly often). I haven't had too much of a problem with trouble after running, although a time or two I have had some cramping, etc. In the past month I've noticed attacks coming on more quickly and severely than it had for a while (thankfully it is finished a bit faster too). Sorry I can't be of more help.


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