IBS?
Hello, I've been taking metformin for type 2 diabetes since 2011 and have experienced intermittent diarrhea over the past 10 years. Recently, the diarrhea has become more frequent and is now accompanied by lower abdominal pain that usually eases after using the toilet, although sometimes the pain persists even afterward for 30 mins or so.
The Align probiotic containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum 35624 was effective, but the issue returned once I stopped taking it.
Symptoms:
Lower abdominal pain
Constant bloating
Loose stools
Since starting the keto diet in 2023, the diarrhea has completely stopped, but the bloating persists. I haven't seen a doctor yet, but based on these symptoms, do you have any idea what it might be SIBO or IBS? Any guesses?
thanks,
I’m sorry that you’ve been dealing with these symptoms for so long.
Have you every explored whether your type 2 diabetes medication might have contributed, since it all started shortly after you started to take it?
As for your question, unfortunately we can’t diagnose you. SIBO would need to be confirmed via a breath test (https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/getting-tested-for-sibo). We have some more info on the IBS diagnosis here: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/testing-and-diagnosis, doctors often do multiple tests to rule out other issues.
Could you make a doctor’s appointment and ask for stool and blood tests (and possibly scans or a colonoscopy) to rule out anything else?
In the meantime, you could try taking the probiotic again, since it was helping.
You could also try keeping a food diary to see if something you’re eating might be contributing to your symptoms. For me, things got better when I stopped eating gluten, for example.
I hope this helps.
All the best, Karina (team member)Oh. Here’s the link to that article if anyone is interested: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4056127/. Hope it helps. That sounds very hard. You're right to investigate further and I hope you'll get that appointment and breath test soon.
If you're interested, we have an article about IBS and thyroid disorders here: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/clinical/thyroid-connection, and an article about SIBO here: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/sibo. Please keep us updated!
Karina (team member)
As far as I have heard, Metformin can cause diarrhoea, even in people without IBS. But I don't know if it also causes your other symptoms which can definitely happen in IBS.
Would it be possible to discuss this with your doctor? I don't know at all really, but maybe there is something else you could try apart from Metformin, then if your symptoms go away, it's likely they were side effects and not IBS?I realized that beer and fermented Indian foods were the culprits for me. I’ve been feeling better over the past week! I’ve added chia seeds to my breakfast and a whole avocado for dinner, focusing on getting a good amount of fiber in my meals. Interestingly, I was on a keto diet for a year and a half, and during that time, I never had a single flare-up incident.
Thank you for updating us! I'm so glad to hear that you've figured out the culprits and are feeling better now.
It's interesting that you were doing so well on a Keto diet. You're not the only one! While it doesn't work for everyone, several people in this community have shared that a Keto (or similar) diet has helped them feel better: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/forums/ketogenic-diet, https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/forums/keto-cures-ibs, https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/intermittent-low-carb-diet. Was there any particular reason why you stopped following that diet?
All the best, Karina (team member)
I love keto food more than carbs, but since I'm traveling in Asia right now, it’s not as common here, so I’m trying to limit my carb intake. I've noticed that fiber seems to be helping me. By the way, I met with a doctor and completed a stool test, so I'm just waiting for the results now.
I can imagine that sticking to a specific diet while traveling must be very hard! I'm glad the fiber is helping at least.
Will you keep us updated about the stool test results? Hopefully, it'll give you some answers.
All the best, Karina (team member)
