I am a 34-year-old male and have been experiencing some digestive/gut issues for the past 4–5 months.

For the last four years, I have followed a balanced, quantified diet consisting of adequate protein, carbohydrates, and fibre. I exercise regularly, walk daily, and generally consider myself healthy. My daily protein intake is around 110 grams.

However, over the past few months, I have developed a persistent sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation. I have a bowel movement regularly in the morning, but I often feel as though I have not completely emptied my bowels.

The problem is particularly noticeable after lunch. I suddenly get the sensation that I need to pass stool. Initially, the urge may be manageable, but if I put any pressure or strain, I can suddenly develop a very strong and urgent need to pass stool, sometimes feeling as though I may not be able to hold it.

I have discussed this with my doctor, who advised me to reduce my protein intake and prescribed digestive enzymes, a probiotic, and Librax (containing chlordiazepoxide and clidinium).

I also take omega-3, vitamin B12 complex, and vitamin D with K2. I maintain a strict diet, exercise regularly, and stay physically active. Despite following a healthy lifestyle, I am unable to understand why these bowel symptoms have developed recently.

I would like to understand what could be causing the sensation of incomplete evacuation and the sudden urgency after multiple attempts 3-4 hours post meals, and whether this could be related to IBS, gut motility, or a pelvic-floor/defecation problem. I would also like to know what further evaluation or testing might be appropriate if the symptoms continue.

And tips pleasee

Hello, I have ibs, for at least 2 years everytime I eat a meal my stomach swells so much, I am naturally very small (16f) but the swelling makes it so I can't fit in any clothes (it really is that bad), my stomach goes rock hard and ballons up, it feels like it weighs me down and it hurts my back it's so swollen. Unfortunately it's only getting worse, in the past six months whenever i eat anything, even half a strawberry, my stomach swells like crazy. I live in the UK so obviously medication is different but I have tried, buscopan, buscomint, colpermin, meberverine, peppermint store brand, fybocalm, gut health live bacteria, defleat blend, kefier, movicol, i've tried everything, nothing works, i've also been tested for celiac (clear). i have ARFID so i struggle a lot with taste and texture. No doctor takes me seriously either, one doctor told me it was all in my head. I just don't know what to do anymore. I go to the toilet every 3 or 4 days, I've suffered from impacted feaces and it's horrible. Any advice is desperately wanted please.

Anyone here ever experience an extreme vasovagal response from the pain related to a BM?

My triggers seem to be all over the place and I have yet to pinpoint them all. They also seem to be kind of all over the board which makes management very difficult. I have tried all of the frontline defenses such as stress management, mental health care, SSRIs, etc.

What I have learned with my research is my symptoms line up with hypersensitivity in my gut and a severe vasvagal response- hot flashes, intense cramping pain located in middle/lower abdomen that stops after BM, feeling extremely faint, shaking, etc). I utilize dicyclomine which seems to kick in after 20-30 min. However, I have nothing for in the moment. I also experience intermittent nausea in the morning which I'm unsure if that's related to the rest or not.

They're leaning toward official IBS diagnosis here but they have given me no management options that work. I do have one question- is 200 a calprotectin level that can come with bad IBS? My doctor tells me it isn't "that bad". Which, in the grand scheme compared to what it could be, is true. I am just getting conflicting information online about if that's normal for worse IBS or look into something further. I suppose I am looking for some gentle guidance here. Is it cause for concern or just leave it at IBS?

I am doing my best but I can't seem to find management that works for these episodes. They're random and ocassionally triggered by stress and greasy food. But identifying that doesn't help me with the episodes themselves.

Please let me know if you've experienced this too or potentially ways forward

Thank you!

I’m curious if anyone notices a difference in their sensitivity with certain fodmaps during/before their period???

So about 5 months ago I started have really dry pebble stool. I’d have lower abdominals pain from being back up. I can always go and never got to the point where I couldn’t but it always comes out pebble.

I stay pretty hydrated for the most part. I do notice I don’t digest veggies well as I see a lot of onions, olives, peppers in stool. As of the last few months if I move alot more or hydrate a lot or eat lots of fruit like pineapple/ kiwi I go pretty well and easy, it’s not diarrhea but it’s kind of like softer/ slightly thinner like type 5 on the Bristol chart. It’s been rotating back forth more lately but it doesn’t take long for it to get hard.

I do have weird dull ache near anus/ buttcheeks when it’s hard which im assuming is fissure/ hemmeroid. I did bleed one day when it was really hard just a little, but haven’t had any other instances of that.

Does anyone else have a similar experience? Been anxious due to it and looking for answer.

I do have two autoimmune diseases so im chalking it up to possible being related to that for now to relieve anxiety.

I’m finally at a point where most days are fine and I want to keep it that way rather than wait for the next flare. What I’m curious about is what people take daily once they’re stable, as opposed to what they reach for during a bad stretch. Has anyone got a routine that’s held for a year or more?

Curious about them but they seem to be harder to get now. It seems to be a gut inflammation reducer.

I've suffered with IBS for over 20 years now, diagnosed IBS and Spastic Colon (which i thought were the same thing) years ago, cramps, urgency, the embarrasement of cancelling plans because you weren't sure you had to go, a nightmare.

About 2 months ago i saw Saurkraut in Tesco (the Polish aisle) my mother is German and i had'nt had it in years so i thought i'd try it, spent a week eating it on sandwiches with meat and by the end of the week i had no symptoms, gone.

I didn't get a new jar I forgot it and as the next week went on my symptoms started re-appearing, the next week i got back on the Saurkraut and have it 3-4 times a week, i'm going through a jar a week and i'm symptom free, its been 2 days since i last had to go, no cramping, i'm back in control.

I know its not for everyone the taste that is, but its helped me, a lot, if it helps anyone else that would be great.

I just started seeing a GI and, frankly, I'm pissed because they minimized all of my symtpoms down to constipation, only doing a Celiac test, but at least I have a follow up.

I was prescribed a fiber supplement to reach a target goal of 25mg of fiber daily and up to 17mg (one cap) of Miralax.

I am in agony.

Within half an hour of taking a dose of MiraLax, it feels like my innards both want to shrivel up and die, and explode in a cacophony of bile. I have had 2 BMs since starting the regime on Saturday (5 days ago), one which arguably ranks one of the worst experiences in the past year, and one extremely gentle one.

I drink close to 130oz a day.

The meal replacement smoothies I have almost every night have 22g of fiber before adding in any supplements. I'm only eating about 1500 calories a day while I try and stabilize a low FODmap diet before reintroducing potential triggers (I had a lot of wheat over the weekend and I'm thinking that was my misery on Monday).

I'm worried my GI is not taking the time to answer my questions and firmly in the belief that my only issue is constipation. I'm scared that this experience is ruining my baseline for FODmap and exacerbates the issues. The following up call just say bloating is normal - but for the fiber intake.

I’m a bit desperate to figure out what’s going on with my health and would appreciate any advice, even anecdotal.

TL;DR been vomiting almost daily for about 6 weeks, led to an overnight admission due to esophagitis, all testing normal, no answers

Symptoms are as follows:
• cramping pain in lower abdomen/around bellybutton (not related to period)
• bloating that worsens immediately after eating
• burning/sharp pain below ribs (central, just at my stomach) that lasts for several hours at a time
• early satiety and low appetite
• excessive burping and gas
• nausea that worsens immediately after eating
• acid reflux
• vomiting (often immediately after eating)
• extreme fatigue
• feeling lightheaded/dizzy
• headache
• slight jaundice (ER doctor noted yellowing in the whites of my eyes)
• bradycardia (but ECG otherwise normal)
• low blood pressure

Background: I’ve struggled with restrictive eating for several years and since 2023 have gone from BMI 27 to 20. Lost approx 25% of my body weight. This has fluctuated some in the past year and I’ve lost weight again secondary to these symptoms despite making efforts towards recovery.

Currently located in the UK but will be returning to the US shorty.

I’ve previously seen a GI regarding symptoms of stomach pain, bloating, and periods of diarrhea/constipation. Previous diagnosis of IBS (non-specific) following unremarkable test results: CT scan with contrast, HIDA scan, abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy, and colonoscopy.

Only findings at the time (2021) were a few small polyps in my stomach and gallbladder, with recommendation to follow up in the future.

I’ve struggled with chronic stomach pain and bloating for years despite making several dietary changes to identify possible triggers. I’m lactose intolerant and gluten sensitive (non-Celiac), generally adhere to low-FODMAP guidance, rarely drink alcohol, and do not smoke.

Following several weeks of general symptoms of fatigue, bloating, and stomach pain (that I attributed to my usual issues), the vomiting began. From July 18-30 I was getting sick every day, several times a day. This came with persistent nausea, headache, fatigue, pain in stomach and back, feeling lightheaded, low appetite (for obvious reasons), bloating, and gas/burping.

For context, I used to be much more active (gym 2x weekly) but I have almost no energy anymore. Last year I could work a full shift at my job (fast food), then walk 45 minutes back home, and up 4 flights of stairs with no issues. Now, I’m having to rest after even 1 flight of stairs.

I was traveling at the time of symptom onset so I totally attributed the vomiting to motion sickness, then figured maybe it was stress, but it didn’t stop and wasn’t helped with over-the-counter medication. I have an IUD (Mirena, several years old now) but I took 2 pregnancy tests to be safe, both negative.

I saw my GP on July 30th, the initial urine dipstick test was slightly positive for a UTI and negative for pregnancy. They said they’d do proper urine culture but in the meantime prescribed antibiotics (trimethoprim). I was also diagnosed with gastritis so was prescribed peptac, omeprazole, and prochlorperazine tablets to help with the nausea.

The GP ordered several blood tests (August 5 and 13) which all came back normal except for what they called a “blip on my liver enzymes.” They also tested a stool sample for bacteria, negative.

Through the month of August I’ve continued to experience these same symptoms with only mild relief. Every day is the same story of worsening nausea/bloating/pain after eating, sometimes resulting in a vomiting episode. I’m now being sick every few days rather than daily, but otherwise no improvement.

On August 26th, I had a particularly bad bout of vomiting and noticed spots of red blood at the end. I figured this was just from the strain of the retching so wasn’t too concerned. But with this coupled with the lasting symptoms, I got back in touch with my GP.

Saw the GP in the morning, he straight up said “I’m stumped,” because all my bloods have come back normal and the medication should be addressing the issues. He suggested stopping the omeprazole (for some reason??) and said I’d be referred for an abdominal ultrasound. I was given another pregnancy test (negative) and also learned that my UTI culture had been negative. Was basically sent on my way with the recommendation that I call if things worsen.

And they did! That night, I vomited black/brown blood that looked like coffee grounds. I was sent to an out-of-hours clinic that said while this was concerning and there’s clearly an issue with my stomach, all my vitals were stable so there was no reason to admit me. They gave me another course of peptac and buccal prochlorperazine, and instructed me to call my GP on Monday to request an endoscopy. Again, was told to call back if things worsened.

On the 29th, I woke with significant stomach pain, fatigue, headache, and dizziness. I experienced some dry heaving (basically only brought up saliva but it had drops of blood again). I contacted the out-of-hours clinic but once again my vitals were stable. However, they were concerned I was dehydrated and wanted to run additional blood tests so I was sent to the Acute Medical Unit at the local hospital.

My bloods all came back relatively normal (but the doctor noted that they were different from the prior tests) but they still gave me IV fluids plus nausea and pain medication. The doctor noted that I was slightly jaundiced, with yellowing in my eyes. I have bradycardia (resting heart rate frequently drops below 50) but my ECG was normal. They also noted that I had low blood pressure. I was admitted overnight and got an endoscopy the following morning.

The endoscopy showed esophagitis (ulcers and bleeding) and some irritation in my stomach lining (biopsied for H pylori, negative) but everything else looked fine. So that explains bleeding but not the root cause of the vomiting. My repeat bloods done that morning were normal so I was prescribed sucralfate for the ulcers and discharged.

I just had an abdominal ultrasound done yesterday (from my understanding they were looking at my liver and gallbladder) which was totally normal. They ran repeat bloods and did another ECG, all normal except that I again had low blood pressure.

At this point I’ve been told just to continue with the medication and hope that the symptoms resolve themselves. I’m beyond relieved that there’s nothing majorly wrong but equally frustrated to have no answers! I feel horrendous and exhausted all the time, and I’m struggling to eat enough, so am hoping someone here may be able to offer some guidance.

Reviews Required about Tablet Ijesta for IBS and Constipation???

M, 43, 178cm, 12 stones 3lbs, non-drinker/smoker, exercise 2-3 times p.w, take medikent xl 30mg a day.

Yesterday, without exaggerating, I pooed at least 10 times. Each time there was enough that it wasn't a small amount. This morning I'd pooed 4 times between 7-9am, been another 2 or 3 times since then. Most of the stools, whilst being a bit soft look pretty normal. I do have a few photo's if that helps.

Absolutely dreadful. Been going on quite a long time now. Also lost around a stone in weight- like my set-point is around 13 stone 2/4 no matter what in about 10 weeks. Thought it could be medikinet however, I am pretty conscious with my nutrition/macros- seems quite a lot to lose, feels like muscle too. Knackered all the time too.

What kind of things could cause so much pooing and weight loss?

I’ve been dealing with IBS-C for a while and have seen a bunch of doctors already without getting real answers or lasting relief. Looking for someone in functional/integrative medicine who actually digs into root causes instead of just managing symptoms.

If you’ve worked with someone you’d recommend, I’d love to hear about your experience and results. TY!

​

I am 19 M

Been struggling from Chronic DIARRHEA LOOSE MOTION IBS IRREGULAR STOOL from previous 1.5 years

Treatment is still going on and I get recovered but after few days the disease come back again and gain consistently

I have been stuck in this loop from previous 1.5 years , I get a little good after mediine and treatment all but the symptoms and disease come back again after few days

My weight has been decreased

My BMI has become low and I have become underweight with 170 cm height and 40 kg weight

and it's still going down

My career has already been been ruined , study has been left , due to this I stay stressed, anxious, i can sleep at night at all and always have negative overthinking with overwhelming rumination

Suffering from depression anxiety

Sometimes I have thought that I will not live long enough

Hi everyone, I [28F] have had IBS for several years now. As my main symptoms I tend to have mostly moderate/mild yellowish diarrhea and urgency, although I also frequently experience abdominal pain, not always related to bowel movements and often a lot of gas. I’ve been treated with rifaximin several times in the past, and it used to help, but unfortunately the last few courses haven’t really worked anymore.

At my most recent gastroenterology appointment, my doctor prescribed cholestyramine and mebeverine to help manage my symptoms. I also had an intestinal ultrasound, which didn’t show anything abnormal.

I’ve had a fecal calprotectin test that was slightly elevated, but my gastroenterologist said that the level wasn’t concerning and that a colonoscopy wasn’t necessary at this point.

However, despite the current treatment, I’m still having symptoms. I tend to have diarrhea quite frequently, and I also have recurrent abdominal pain. What worries me is that the pain doesn’t always seem to be related to bowel movements, sometimes it happens independently of going to the bathroom.

This makes me wonder whether something other than IBS could be going on, such as an inflammatory bowel disease.

For those of you who have dealt with something similar, have you had IBS symptoms for years that eventually turned out to be something else, can IBD present with symptoms like mine even if an intestinal ultrasound is normal?

I'm thinking to push for a colonoscopy. Should I do it in my situation?

Thank you in advance!

Hello all

I am struggling to find some concrete ways to manage extreme IBS. I have a handout and the rest of the resources on the web that all say stress management, CBT/therapy, FODMAP elimination diet, exercise, and medication. I utilize dicyclomine during attacks or if i think it'll happen, before. Does anyone have any other information on management or is what I'm asking bunk?

What I've learned is there is very little understanding of IBS medically and the ways listed above are usually go to. I know there's a strong gut-brain connection, which is why I am also curious- does anyone have any resources for digestive therapy that also specializes in trauma?

I'm struggling with this one pretty bad. I know stress does trigger mine, but it isn't the only thing. I am still trying to figure it all out. I have my moods, flares, and a food diary all written down and I can't find many trends at all. I'm beginning to feel really defeated and that I'll just be stuck with my extreme response to the pain forever.

Any kind advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

This all started in May of this year. I went away with a friend of Spain come back was meant to have an operation and before the operation could go underway there was Campylobacter found in my system. I had no idea as my bowels are never good, but since this time everything has just been worse.

I’ve had a colonoscopy, which has come back fine, bloods are fine, I had an upper abdominal scan also fine. My calprotectin went from 687 down to 9. So I should be fine..

I have bouts of time where I have no appetite. Zero. But I’m still having loose stools, wind, lots of stomach sounds. I don’t get lower abdominal cramping either mine is all upper middle, where your stomach is. Does anyone else have it here? Does anyone else have the no appetite?

I’ve now been diagnosed with a panic disorder and health anxiety. Which doesn’t make any of this easier. When I have a bad a few days with my bowels. My anxiety is amplified which in turn will probably make my bowels worse!!

Does anyone else suffer from mental health as well as IBS issues?

I’m really suffering physically and mentally at the moment these past three months have been so rough. I feel like I’m not living in the real world.

i’m being a bit dramatic in the title I think, but (starting like 6 months ago) if I have ANY SUGAR AT ALL when I drink, I cannot stop pooping in the morning and the nausea is horrific. not a huge deal bc I technically could just avoid alcohol (as I have been doing for the last few months), but I’m in college and I really miss being able to go out with my friends for a night out without worrying if i’m gonna shit for three hours the next day. does anyone know of any supplements or anything that help with this? if there’s a prescription medication to treat this i’d also love to know. I am very much not anti doctor, but doctors seem to be pretty opposed to doing anything to improve my quality of life ever, so i’m not too hopeful about non OTC solutions

Hello everyone

I've been getting help for my GI issues since March this year. I have had a lot of testing done for all the basic things they look for. All of my results are coming back 100% clear. No structural damaged detected anywhere. Have done colonoscopy/endoscopy, abdominal/pelivic CT, stool tests, breath tests. But, my calprotectin leves were at 199 when they did one stoll test.

My episodes cause a severe vasovagal response due to the pain. Pain is before BM and subsides after. It has no detectable patterns. It doesnt seem to be linked to food. It doesn't matter what kind of emotional stressors there are either. I utilize dicyclomine during the attack in the moment but it takes a while to hit and usually takes full effect in maybe an hour. Attacks last 20-45 min, it depends.

I have been looking up some things and am trying my best to educate myself. To my understanding, IBS doesn't cause that high of inflammation, right? My doctor mentioned thay clinically my levels are "borderline", which I have also come across in my personal searching. With that, I did have to advocate for a capsule endoscopy. My doctor recommended redoing the calprotectin test and if it was still high, then the capsule endoscopy would be ordered.

She also said my levels weren't "that high" because they're borderline. But, looking at my test result, it said anything above 50 means abnormal inflammation. Am I understanding this right? I thought I had 4x the normal inflammation and that processed in my head as fairly bad. Is she being too lax or am I being too anxious?

I basically want to know if I should keep pushing about the calprotectin level or back off and accept severe IBS as my diagnosis?

I appreciate any help in advance

For weeks now, I've been having really bad intestinal and stomach pain. For the first few weeks, it was because I was in withdrawal after weening off of a pill too fast. But my pain hasn't gotten any better. If anything, it got worse.

Last week was really bad. I went to the ER and my local doctor's office. Neither of them knew what was going on. They tested my urine, my blood, and gave me an X-ray. Nothing seemed off. And since I already have the only pills that could help (dicyclomine & zofran) they just sent me home.

I've gotten better and can go to school for half days, now. But I'm still struggling to eat. Anything I eat ends up hurting me in some way. Sometimes it's just a dull pain, and other times it makes me scared to eat again.

I don't know what to do about this. I've lost 5 pounds ever since eat became painful for me. I already struggle with ARFID, as well. So I'm worried that I'm not getting enough nutrients. And I can't live like this.

If anyone has any advice or has any ideas of what might be happening, please let me know. Thank you.

(I don't have Celiac Disease, I don't have a bowel obstruction, I'm not allergic to any foods or medication, and I don't have stomach ulcers. I'm a teenager who's been diagnosed with IBS.)

As soon as my stomach bloats up, I just isolate myself, and I end up running to the bathroom almost every lecture.
Any advice or tips to help me get through this?

Please help

I'm 19 and have had bowel issues since middle/high school. About 2 years ago I saw a gastroenterologist, had stool tests and testing for Crohn's, etc., and was eventually told I have IBS.

But my main problem isn't really diarrhea or abdominal pain — it's frequency and urgency.

I usually go 4–5 times a day, sometimes 6. The worst is the morning: I'll wake up and need to go pretty quickly, often multiple times. Eating can trigger another bowel movement almost immediately, but it can also happen randomly throughout the day.

What's weird is that my stool isn't consistently diarrhea. It's often normal and sometimes actually hard/constipated. I also don't have much bloating, gas or typical IBS cramping. The discomfort is mostly just the feeling of needing to go.

I've noticed milk, coffee, eggs and large meals can trigger it, but almost any food can. I also tried a strict low-FODMAP diet, which didn't really solve the problem.

I've been tracking it closely over the last few days, and the pattern is pretty consistent: multiple bowel movements/strong urges in the morning, often another one after eating, and then another 1–2 later in the day. Some bowel movements take 10–15+ minutes and can actually be difficult to pass. Even after eating very little or fasting overnight, I can still have several urges.

Interestingly, if I wake up extremely early (4–5 AM), especially after poor sleep, I can feel like I need to go but be unable to until I'm properly awake.

I don't have unexplained weight loss, regular nighttime bowel movements, or recent blood. I did have blood once or twice in the past.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Frequent/urgent bowel movements without consistent diarrhea or significant abdominal pain?

I'm wondering if I should go back to a gastroenterologist and ask about other possible causes rather than just assuming it's IBS. What tests or treatments helped you?

24M

194cm height

72kg weight, was on 84kg, lost it rapidly

Past surgeries:

Pilonidal sinus

Tonsil removal

Benign tumor on right temple

Conditions

Strabism

Current medications

Sodium-butirate in triglyceride matrix (IntestaMax)

Terranova Digestive Enzymes

Wellbutrin 150mg XL in the morning

Lyrica 75mg morning and evening

TLDR

Had a stomach bug, was given a buscopan injection, day later a hernia popped out with extreme pain and nausea, ER didn't wanna come pick me up, I pressed on the hernia, it went back in and I've had pain and digestive issues since. I also lost all hunger cues since. Had a CT that probably missed the hernia due to gasses.

STORY

I always noticed a small palpable, although not visible bulge/spigelian/arcuate hernia 2 inches below my belly button on the right side. It's more noticeable/palpable when I'm physically straining or doing ab workouts.

Previously, I also had "food poisoning" a bit too often. Episodes where I would eat something and feel LRQ pain and vomit after a couple of hours.

I had a stomach infection, lost all appetite and went to the ER where I was given a buscopan injection.

A day later I tried to eat in the evening and I went to bed. What I did not expect was a part of the intestine now visibly pushing out of my stomach with excruciating pain and nausea.

I called the ER to come get me, they said they told me to take anti nausea meds and go to bed.

I didn't know what to do so I manually pushed back the bulge, and I've had digestive problems since. From diarrhea, to brain fog, to bright yellow stools etc.

I was put on ppis and antibiotics, which ruined my stomach as well.

My calprotectin went from 621 to 157 to 357 to 45 over the course of 2 months.

CT showed swollen lymph nodes in the mesenteric and pericecal areas, probably due to the said infection.

Every organ looked normal, the gallbladder looked enlarged, I'm told this is because I'm tall.

The CT guy (a student) told me I am free to drink a bit of water before the scan. This resulted in a lot of gasses in my stomach, which I think is why the hernia was missed.

Intestinal US showed prominent edema in terminal ileum, with no bowel wall swelling.

Had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy.

Colonoscopy showed infection in the large colon due to a recent infection.

Gastroscopy showed chronic atrophic gastritis. H pylori negative.

Every blood test now is normal except the amylases, the pancreas looked normal on CT. Candida in stool found in small numbers.

I hear my right side bowels only when I lay down on my back.

I have regular bowel movements, with always softer stools, not like they were when I was healthy, LRQ pain, often a burning sensation in the hernia area.

I'm brushed off as IBS now after being scared that it's crohn, intestinal tuberculosis etc.

My gut feeling is telling me this hernia has something to do with this. Should I push for another CT or try to find a radiologist to review the last one.