# Hello, and... does this sound like IBS to you?



## Des12 (Nov 24, 2018)

Hey there! My name is Desirée, I've read a few posts, and I'm otherwise new in town 

So this started two years ago, when after a glass of milk and cookies, I had the diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloating of my life. I learned the harsh way that I had become lactose intolerant. Later in the year, I'd alternate between diarrhea and constipation, and thought I was just having frequent food poisoning. It went on for a few months, and I told my friend who suffers from IBS-D. He suspected IBS, but the rest of the year I was okay, so I thought it was a glitch.

Last year, I didn't have almost any alarming symptoms, maybe reducing my carbs and red meats had something to do with it. I can't in fact recall having diarrhea at all, but I do recall several instances in which I got pretty nauseous and was relieved after a good bowel movement; especially if I hadn't had one in days.

This year, things have been a bit different. In July, I got diarrhea and belly aches that would be relieved after going to the bathroom, and there was mucus in my stool. I thought, "some bad food". So I'd avoid fatty, spicy, gassy foods; whole ordeal. Then I noticed that I had belly aches even after my stools were fully formed again, and they still had mucus. I thought, "Tf? Whatever, this too shall pass". The belly aches and coated stools went on for weeks.

Then I alternated between constipation and normal stools for a week or two.

Then, I had a rather big plate of chicken, rice, and cucumber salad. I had no dinner that night. Woke up nauseous as hell, had a small BM, felt slightly better, went back to sleep, woke up still nauseous, bloated, and with zero appetite. Diarrhea later in the day.

"M u s t h a v e b e e n a b u g i n m y 
s a l a d".

This went in for three weeks and a half: diarrhea with up to 9 trips a day, mucus in stool, rectal and intestinal pain that shot all the way to my chest, tenesmus. Drugstore workers were already telling me to consult a physician. All of this combined with the fact that I had just gotten my IUD inserted, and the three pains combined. 
Boy, were those days fun! Note: this entire episode started the very day I had to go back to work. The fourth week, I took a stool test.

There was no bug in my salad.

I told that very same friend about this. He just replied: IBS...

My doctor also referred me to a gastroenterologist, because he suspects the same. I'm still overdue for that visit, because I have no insurance and money is a bit of a problem. I've tried the keto diet, now trying vegetarianism (again).

As of now, I alternate between constipation and normal stools with mucus, have gas pains (both in upper belly and chest), anal pain (both during and out of my period), bloat very easily, and if I dare eat a bit more than I should, my indigestion can last for up to two entire days. Fatty foods are a definite trigger. Hell, even chicken and eggs are too heavy for me nowadays.
But my current biggest problem is gas, and the belly and chest pains it comes with.

Are such long pauses between obvious episodes normal in IBS? Does it still sound like IBS, people? 
Thank you very much for making it all the way here, you deserve a vegan cookie.


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## Des12 (Nov 24, 2018)

Update: just got over another bout of diarrhea and one day later, I'm constipated. Just scheduled a date with a GI doctor next Monday.


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## SoWhenCanYouStart (Dec 6, 2018)

Hi,

I am by no means an expert and I just joined this forum 10 minutes ago but to answer your question; yes this does sound like a form of IBS. The only reason I'm saying this is because I also don't have many of the common sympotms but my doctor in Germany said it's still a form of IBS. Long pauses are something I'm quite familiar with, sometimes I'm fine for a week inbetween episodes, but there have been times when I didn't have the pains for several months at a stretch. Lately, I've had them quite frequently and quite inensely.

Sorry I can't comment more!


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