Anyone have similar
Hi, I have had IBS for over 30 years and have a bad flare up every 5/6 years. It sends my mental health into a spiral to the extent that I convince myself that the symptoms relate to a terminal cancer. Symptoms always a bit different than time before and therefore, I end up having investigations and don’t recover until they are clear and mind settles.
This time, I have been feeling unwell and can trace back circa 12 months. Initially, it was significantly increased flatulence and bowl movements becoming more messy but just put it down to IBS and didn’t worry. Since October, symptoms and my anxiety have ramped right up as follows: Horrible taste in mouth, feel like swallowing is an issue with last bit of food sticking, ridiculous stomach noises and lots of gas both ends, soft and pale messy stools and aches under ribs and upper back and shoulders. It’s a nightmare, I have had clear bloods, CT, Ultrasound, Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy and they just saying it is functional motility issue but I am so scared that I have pancreatic cancer as there is something seriously up with my GI system. I think about nothing else and life is so hard at moment. Does anyone have experience of similar symptoms with their IBS episodes over the years ? Thanks for listening.
Hi
, I'm so sorry you're dealing with these terrible symptoms. If you feel like something is wrong, I would push for more tests and don't accept a diagnosis that doesn't sound right to you.
I'm also wondering if seeing an alternative practitioner, like a naturopathic doctor, might be worth it to get a different perspective? I'm going to share an article written by Elizabeth who has both Crohn's and IBS and found that approach to be ver helpful: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/naturopath-experience. I don't have any personal experience with it though.
Speaking from personal experience, I also wanted to mention that stress and anxiety can cause really terrible and weird symptoms, even when there's "nothing wrong" according to tests. I also deal with (health) anxiety and I've been down the rabbit hole of doing test after test when it was actually just my anxiety creating symptoms. My IBS is also often triggered by stress and anxiety alone. I'm not at all saying that it's all in your head, just that symptoms and anxiety can cause a vicious cycle sometimes that makes everything worse...
I really hope you'll get some answers soon.
Wishing you all the best, Karina (team member)
