# How long can I expect this flare up to last?



## MrMan92 (Jun 9, 2013)

So about 3 months ago, I started having looser bowel movements. I'm a 20 year old guy. Only a few days within that time have my stools been fully formed like they were before all of this. I've never had trouble with my bowels before so this is a bit of a shock. I've been to the doctor and been tested for certain things like celiac disease but everything seems ok so she thinks it's more than likely IBS and I guess I'm just grateful it isn't something more serious but it's still frustrating.

How long can I expect this flare up to last? I realise it can go on for months but there's no way it could continue indefinitely without a break, is there? Is it possible, perhaps, for me to have just this one bout of IBS and then not suffer as much again afterwards?

Any advice or help is appreciated!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

IBS can be relatively stable with the same symptoms day in and day out for years on end, on the severe end. You need a minimum of a few days a month for months on end before they know it is IBS and something acute that will pass in a week or two.

You can also have a one off problem that lasts for a week or month and never comes back. That is why often they need 6 months of symptoms (off and on) or 6 weeks of consistent issues before they think it is IBS.


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## ericlahey (Jun 12, 2013)

Try out eating a diet for a few weeks that is not likely to cause problems with loose bowel movements. It will give you some temporary relief and then you can start working out what is going on. When I have a flare up for example, I will switch to eating a couple of bananas in the day (1 or 2 at breakfast) then having a tuna sandwich with cucumber for lunch and a yogurt. Then for dinner something simple like pasta, rice or plain potato with 1/3rd protein that is lean (chicken breast for example) and simple to digest vegetables such as carrots. If you eat this type of diet for a few days it will give your body some time to breath. If you can count all the individual ingrediants you have eaten in the day within your meals on your hands your on the right track. As minimising the amount of different foods your eating is a good start in working out what you should be eating and what to avoid.


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