# How to tell the difference between IBS & a stomach bug?



## jsb (Mar 18, 2011)

I'm 18, and suffer IBS-D if i've eaten too much rubbish, or am anxious, scared or excited. Recently i've been all of them! On Monday night I had an upset stomach, which I put down to IBS. But usually when I have a flare up of IBS, i'll go to the loo once, maybe twice and then i'll go back to normal and be ok! But on Tuesday morning, I had an upset stomach again, I thought maybe it was just IBS, so that was that. I didn't go to the loo again on Tuesday, but I carried on with my day eating and drinking as i normally would. On Wednesday I had a slight stomach ache in the morning, and Wednesday afternoon I had a really bad upset stomach about 3-4 times, the diarrhea was different to my 'normal' IBS diarrhea. And I started to think maybe I had a bug?!By Wednesday night i'd stopped having to rush to the bathroom, but pain kept coming in weaves, and when it was there, I felt as if I needed to go to the loo but then didn't. I also felt sick. I went to sleep, and Thursday morning woke up in REALLY bad stomach pain, and had an upset stomach twice.I haven't been to the loo since then. I'm generally ok in myself, except when this pain randomly comes on. (A bit like a period cramp kind of pain) I don't have a fever. I am off food but maybe thats just nerves? I ate a gingerbread man yesterday because I was told ginger is good for poorly tummy's. And I wasn't ill after it or anything, today I've had 2 dry slices of bread.Im scared that once I do go to the loo again, it's gonna be diarrhea! (I had a tummy bug/IBS/whatever it is last year that lasted 3 weeks and im terrified it's gonna be the same!!!) Is there a way to tell a difference between a bug or a bad case of IBS?Also... im not in school or working or anything, so there's nobody I could have caught it from. :S


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## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Sounds like IBS to me. Generally when you have a stomach bug if you'd have eaten a gingerbread man it would have sent you straight to the toilet or you'd have been sick. Also with a stomach bug you would probably have a bit more nausea if not actually being sick, possibly a fever and feeling slightly under the weather Drink plenty of water, eat lightly - white toast and bananas are good for a poorly tummy. Hopefully your attack won't last too long! If you don't have any plans over the weekend, maybe pamper yourself tonight, curl up in front of the sofa and hopefully you'll feel better soon!Fennel tea can also be good on a dodgy tummy, I'd avoid alcohol this weekend just to help your body recover!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Time is the usual way to tell. If it goes away within the time frame of a virus... then.. yup could be a virus. If it doesn't.. probably IBS.


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## rasputin (Feb 12, 2011)

when it comes down to it, its hard to tell. only time and careful attention can sort it out.


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