IBS or is it?

Author
Discussion

oddball1313

Original Poster:

1,285 posts

130 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
So the the MIL has spent another night at A & E following an IBS attack (2nd or 3d visit in the last 12 months).

Brief history is this has been on-going for about 8 years now with excruiating pain needing morphine to alleviate it at its worst.

She's had every test going and has been diagnosed as basically intolerant to every food stuff going including gluten, lastose, high fibre, green vegetables and fruit. Before this started she had no intolerence to anything as far as she knew. Interesting when she does have one of these attacks she gets a lump in her abdomen. Now i'm not a doctor but surely this is hernia and not IBS or has she been correctly diagnosed? I know a few people who get IBS but not to the point of having to go to hospital and needing morphine, in addition she's so careful with what shes eats that the chances of one of these attacks being triggered by her diet would seem to be almost zero.

Anyone had similar experience or ideas of what could be causing this, I think she's being fobbed off because shes a little old lady and too polite to make a fuss.

Badda

2,901 posts

89 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
I’m not sure how you expect anyone to diagnose her differently when she’s been to the hospital multiple times and been told it’s IBS? Fwiw, IBS can be excruciating.

It sound as though she’d do well with a keto diet.

shirt

23,491 posts

208 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
My doc told me ibs could only be diagnosed by elimination. I had bloodwork, intolerance tests, colonoscopy etc before arriving at it.

The lump Deffo sounds like there’s scope to get a camera up there.

And yes pain can be excruciating, I was at a&e myself during a recent business trip with abdominal pain so bad my colleagues initially thought I was having a heart attack.

InformationSuperHighway

6,484 posts

191 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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I know it's higher up, but has gallstones been ruled out?

My wife and I both had them out (After years of attacks etc..) Both of our presented very differently in terms of pain, location etc..

Probably not but just a thought

robsa

2,330 posts

191 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
Hello, IBS sufferer here. Are you sure it's IBS not IBD? IBS is very annoying but not hugely serious, IBD like Crohn's disease is a lot more serious. IBS is caused by an inability to easily digest a series of natural sugars called FODMAPS, which are found in lots and lots of foods. IBS sufferers have trouble breaking these down, and you need to go on a low FODMAP diet and introduce the groups one by one to work out which you have problems with. I personally have big problems with wheat and garlic (garlic, onion are very very common ones). There is a big list of foods with FODMAPs in them, and you need to use a guide to go through them really.
If your mum is in that amount of pain due to IBS I would be surprised. Has she had a colonoscopy? Has she been through the low FODMAP diet? These are both very important in figuring out what's wrong.


oddball1313

Original Poster:

1,285 posts

130 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
robsa said:
Hello, IBS sufferer here. Are you sure it's IBS not IBD? IBS is very annoying but not hugely serious, IBD like Crohn's disease is a lot more serious. IBS is caused by an inability to easily digest a series of natural sugars called FODMAPS, which are found in lots and lots of foods. IBS sufferers have trouble breaking these down, and you need to go on a low FODMAP diet and introduce the groups one by one to work out which you have problems with. I personally have big problems with wheat and garlic (garlic, onion are very very common ones). There is a big list of foods with FODMAPs in them, and you need to use a guide to go through them really.
If your mum is in that amount of pain due to IBS I would be surprised. Has she had a colonoscopy? Has she been through the low FODMAP diet? These are both very important in figuring out what's wrong.
i’m not aware she’s had a colonoscopy but would need to check with the Mrs ( its her mum with the issue). i know she had numerous blood tests but it’s the lump coming up when she’s having an episode - just never heard of that as a side effect or that IBS could be level 10/10 on the pain scale. The whole process just doesn’t seem to be going anywhere and i know the Mrs M is starting to think this thing is eventually going to kill her. IBS seems to be a very vague term for what’s seems to be ‘ we don’t know’

NaePasaran

717 posts

64 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Also been diagnosed with IBS.

My steps were various blood tests, diagnosed with helicobacter, took the meds, cleared the helicobacter bacteria but problems still persisting. Tried me on omeprazole for acid, no difference, some more blood tests which came back good but problem still persisted. Then it was in for an ultrasound, all good nothing to worry about. Then it was an endoscopy and colonoscopy, all good nothing to worry about.

It was then after that, over a period of 2 years (this was 10-12 years back) the specialised diagnosed me with IBS. Shock my hand, told me to log every bit of food I ate and at what time and to look for triggers and patterns and wished me well.

Sometimes it was really sore, especially after a curry which was a big trigger (oils, fats, spices) where I was crippled in agony in pain until it eased. Other things that triggered it were dairy which I can mind getting sent home after eating a Muller Corner yoghurt it was that bad, completely eliminated dairy now, citrus fruits and especially juices is bad for it to. Stress is a big trigger aswell.

Regarding gluten, I thought this had to be diagnosed with a biopsy which for me, was performed during the endoscopy?

Don't do these online allergy tests that are advertised. I did one and it was ridiculous, basically came back saying I was allergic to everything. Which is BS as the things they said I was allergic too I can consume no bother now.

jayymannon

236 posts

84 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
One non-invasive test that can help in differentiating IBS and IBD is the Faecal calprotectin test.
Just a faeces sample required to send to the lab.
Faecal calprotectin is assocaited with inflammation in the bowel (Calprotectin is a constituent of neutrophils) and therefore a raised level may indicate that there is inflammation occuring in the bowel.
Inflammation is more commonly assocaited with IBD whereas IBS tends to hve less inflammation occuring so this test can be helpful in aiding diagnosis.

Maybe something to ask the GP if not already done.

robsa

2,330 posts

191 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
oddball1313 said:
robsa said:
Hello, IBS sufferer here. Are you sure it's IBS not IBD? IBS is very annoying but not hugely serious, IBD like Crohn's disease is a lot more serious. IBS is caused by an inability to easily digest a series of natural sugars called FODMAPS, which are found in lots and lots of foods. IBS sufferers have trouble breaking these down, and you need to go on a low FODMAP diet and introduce the groups one by one to work out which you have problems with. I personally have big problems with wheat and garlic (garlic, onion are very very common ones). There is a big list of foods with FODMAPs in them, and you need to use a guide to go through them really.
If your mum is in that amount of pain due to IBS I would be surprised. Has she had a colonoscopy? Has she been through the low FODMAP diet? These are both very important in figuring out what's wrong.
i’m not aware she’s had a colonoscopy but would need to check with the Mrs ( its her mum with the issue). i know she had numerous blood tests but it’s the lump coming up when she’s having an episode - just never heard of that as a side effect or that IBS could be level 10/10 on the pain scale. The whole process just doesn’t seem to be going anywhere and i know the Mrs M is starting to think this thing is eventually going to kill her. IBS seems to be a very vague term for what’s seems to be ‘ we don’t know’
I mean, I'm not a doctor, but I have been through the whole IBS thing and a colonoscopy is a must for checking for IBD. It sounds by the level of pain that something else must be going on other than IBS in my opinion, for whatever that's worth. I am fortunate enough to have private medical so got whatever I needed quickly, so I can't really comment on the feeling that things are going nowhere, but it does sound like she really needs to get some proper answers, my heart goes out to you all. The lump doesn't sound like anything associated with IBS, but of course without scans and blood tests etc. it's hard to say what that is.

robsa

2,330 posts

191 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
NaePasaran said:
Regarding gluten, I thought this had to be diagnosed with a biopsy which for me, was performed during the endoscopy?
.
Gluten doesn't have anything to do with IBS specifically, but people with IBS are safe to eat any gluten-free products due to no FODMAP sugars being present. Intolerance to gluten is an entirely separate issue which is usually known as coeliac disease. You are correct in saying that it is diagnosed via a biopsy and blood testing.

C70GT

325 posts

94 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
robsa said:
NaePasaran said:
Regarding gluten, I thought this had to be diagnosed with a biopsy which for me, was performed during the endoscopy?
.
Gluten doesn't have anything to do with IBS specifically, but people with IBS are safe to eat any gluten-free products due to no FODMAP sugars being present. Intolerance to gluten is an entirely separate issue which is usually known as coeliac disease. You are correct in saying that it is diagnosed via a biopsy and blood testing.
Exactly this^^^^^^

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease 18 years ago. Suddenly had stomach cramps and Diarrhoea. Went to GP and told food poisoning. Eight weeks later went privately for a second opinion. Blood test and biopsy of the gut lining by endoscopy and confirmed Coeliac Disease. Stopped eating gluten and within twenty four hours felt remarkably better. Forty eight hours and symptoms had subsided and nine months to build weight back up. No sign of any issues now as I keep to a very strict gluten free diet.

Mobile Chicane

21,246 posts

219 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
Lump sounds worrying. Make a fuss.

Nobody likes to be prodded and poked in the b*mhole - I imagine little old ladies least of all - but that's what needs to happen. Try a different A&E.

fatboy b

9,576 posts

223 months

Tuesday 16th May 2023
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Not saying that this is the cause here, but the move to veggie and vegan diets for some people appears to be causing more IBS. My guts hate a high fibre diet as I get IBS symptoms, so I avoid high fibre. Doctors that recommend everyone needs a high fibre diet to keep the gut healthy is talking out of their depth. And then they refer people to the cancer specialists for diagnosis because they don’t understand that high fibre isn’t for everyone.

As has been said. It’s a process of elimination to work out what your gut needs.

Candellara

1,886 posts

189 months

Tuesday 16th May 2023
quotequote all
oddball1313 said:
So the the MIL has spent another night at A & E following an IBS attack (2nd or 3d visit in the last 12 months).

Brief history is this has been on-going for about 8 years now with excruiating pain needing morphine to alleviate it at its worst.

She's had every test going and has been diagnosed as basically intolerant to every food stuff going including gluten, lastose, high fibre, green vegetables and fruit. Before this started she had no intolerence to anything as far as she knew. Interesting when she does have one of these attacks she gets a lump in her abdomen. Now i'm not a doctor but surely this is hernia and not IBS or has she been correctly diagnosed? I know a few people who get IBS but not to the point of having to go to hospital and needing morphine, in addition she's so careful with what shes eats that the chances of one of these attacks being triggered by her diet would seem to be almost zero.

Anyone had similar experience or ideas of what could be causing this, I think she's being fobbed off because shes a little old lady and too polite to make a fuss.
You don't say how old your MIL is?

Has she been checked for?

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diverticular-disease...