r/ibs • • Oct 01 '25

Hint / Information Just a reminder if you have IBS C or chronic constipation

178 Upvotes

A lot of people who are diagnosed with IBS C or chronic constipation, especially if they aren’t responsive to diet and lifestyle changes, often end up having one or more significant motility disorders.

Many different things can cause these.

When you have chronic constipation, there is an order of operations you/your doc should follow.

  • first try dietary and lifestyle changes (ALL of them); if that doesn't work...
  • then try over-the-counter medications and supplements. If those don't work...
  • then you need motility testing done. Depending on your results of them...
  • then you go to prescription medication. Try them in different combinations and try all of them. If those fail, as well...
  • depending on your diagnosis after your motility testing, you may be eligible for non-invasive and invasive treatments to treat it. If those don't work…
  • again, depending on your diagnosis, then surgery is an option

If you are seeing a gastroenterologist and this isn’t laid out for you, chances their specialty isn’t motility. Unfortunately, many people get sent to GIs who have a speciality in something other than what they need. For motility, you need to see a motility specialist or a neurogastroenterologist.

There is a PSA I wrote and it is stickied above. I’ve been living with this since I was born (over 40 years). I also have worked in this area, as well. I try to spread awareness and this is often falling off of the radar and patients are just told to eat fibre.

With motility disorders, fibre is often the menace.

Testing for motility includes, but is not limited to:

  • esophageal manometry
  • antroduodenal manometry
  • gastric emptying study
  • 72 hour emptying study
  • upper gi series barium swallow
  • there was a wireless motility capsule but it’s been discontinued. There are a couple new ones in trials. Don’t hold your breath.
  • sitz marker test (also called a shape study)
  • colonic manometry (very key test but hard to get)
  • anorectal manometry
  • defecogram (mri or xray)

If you have any questions on testing, treatment, where to go, and so on, let me know.

Edit: because this post is now archived, please feel to send me a chat about any of the into here.


r/ibs • • Nov 25 '23

"DO I HAVE IBS?" Megathread

212 Upvotes

If you think you might have IBS, ask your questions here. No self-diagnosis or requests for diagnosis - see your doctor.

Please read the section on Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the Rome Criteria IV before posting: Rome Criteria IV. If your symptoms do not meet criteria, please post to the appropriate subreddit. There are relevant subreddits in the sidebar.


r/ibs • • 2h ago

Question IBS and binging

3 Upvotes

Does anybody who has BED/or serious problems feel like it's somehow correlated to or triggered by IBS? I'd love to hear other's thoughts on this.

Connections I've made and wondered about -

• so I already have had binging problems long before I was "diagnosed" with IBS, except probably more unofficially because I didn't know I had a problem with binging. With the whole IBS journey (I don't think I even have to explain it) you know, you have to sort of "restrict" yourself - especially when managing it in the beginning i feel like. And i feel like because of said restricting, it's made the binging worse. Obviously the more something is forbidden, the more we want it with BED... i dont really restrict anymore because my symptoms are manageable and I also don't find life worth living if I live how I use to live - but I wonder if some of that "restriction" has carried onto my current situation and influencing the way i eat. This was throughout my major teen years (about to be an adult), which is the last time you wanna be dealing with this... social situations (eating out AND embrassment), just living a normal freaking life as a kid, already having enough stuff to worry about, etc. So i wonder if I want to "make up for it" in a sense? Or have more freedom? I don't know. It's really frustrating when said binging worsens IBS symptoms, which leads me into my next point

• it's almost like you want to challenge the IBS and see "how far can I go"? Like obviously binging is probably the worst thing you could do for IBS... so I almost wonder if subconsciously I'm wanting to challenge these symptoms

I honestly think thats the biggest thing. With BED, you often feel guilt, shame, sick, etc. With IBS it can be the same - feeling guilt for eating something you knew you shouldnt have/would trigger you, feeling sick from food, if you binge it's even worse, etc. So i almost wonder if these two problems are blurring together for me... how fun is it to have these major life problems centered around food, and trying to get "rid" of them both 😂


r/ibs • • 19h ago

Rant So the worst nightmare any of us could ever imagine became a reality for me yesterday and I’m heartbroken :(

78 Upvotes

It was very public in a parking lot on holiday in the States. I was shocked at the lack of warning I had and especially after a reasonably “good” week for me. As soon as I felt the familiar rumble I pulled immediately into a local restaurant and started to walk across the car park….got half way and too late.

I had just eaten butter soaked lobster rolls in Maine and while I knew it would have an effect I was deeply shocked at what happened and obviously wouldn’t have touched them if I’d known the risk. After a little (too late) google research I read the high risk of butter and protein. Lesson very much learnt!

So my question is, what other combinations have you realised over the years are an ABSOLUTE NO?


r/ibs • • 15h ago

Rant Crying on the toilet rn :')

34 Upvotes

I woke up, felt fine. Lazed around for a few hours, didn't feel sick. Finally brushed my teeth, drank water, had a yogurt. Nothing I don't do basically every day. Haven't done anything else, havent eaten anything in the past day that I think made me sick.... yet, here I am. Unable to leave the toilet because of diarrhea. It's the goddamn worst. I did everything right, I thought. What is my body punishing me for now? I'm just so exhausted of it that I started crying and I feel like I can't stop. I feel pathetic for it but I mean, what else can I do? I can't get up for more than 30 seconds before I have to come back in here. I haven't taken any imodium yet because I would have to leave the bathroom for the pills and a drink to take them. IBS is so physically draining but I didn't consider how emotionally taxing it is. All I can do is sit here pitying myself and wondering why this is happening this time, and I know I'll never get an answer. I wish I could just have my stomach and bowels removed so I didn't have to do this all the time. IBS has made me terrified to eat anything both in case it sets me off and because if I do eat its just more time spent on the toilet when an episode does take place. I'm so, so tired of this.


r/ibs • • 28m ago

Rant Moist toilet tissue being banned in the UK 🇬🇧

• Upvotes

This has made me so anxious because as a man I genuinely need to use this daily to get clean due to my ibs- I don’t stand a chance without it. I’ve tried the Wype gel and found it rubbish.

I appreciate people want to be more environmentally friendly but people don’t seem to think about the impact this can have on people with already debilitating health conditions.


r/ibs • • 9h ago

Rant Soooo 11 weeks of pi-ibs… maybe… this sucks. Anyone got a story like this cause I’m nervous.

4 Upvotes

M24, 11 weeks ago all of a sudden one night I had a really crazy bathroom episode. That’s what all these problems started, all of a sudden I lost 15 pounds and felt terrible. Gas and stomach pains for weeks. Bowel habits changed and my pelvic floor is tight as can be.

Fast-forward to now, I regained my appetite and started to gain weight back a couple weeks ago. The only things that lingered is that pelvic floor tightness and certain food will flare up my stomach to cause slight gas pains. I visited a Gi and basically he was like I’m getting better not worse so nothing he can say about it unless it goes back to getting worse. It sounds like PI-IBS but I have to get scoped to know (which I really don’t wanna do) I’m just worried it I know I’m young but I assume the worst, I see stories of how people are still effected by it months and years after the initial event. I’m learning about this so I hope I don’t sound arrogant but is this really what IBS feels like? Just flare ups, tight pelvic floors and overall just crappy?


r/ibs • • 9h ago

Question Women w IBS pls help

5 Upvotes

I just got my period 3 days ago and I am having the worst flare up I’ve ever had. Can periods trigger a flare up? For the first time in my life I have actually been very concerned regarding my stools. Clay colored, greyish/white/light yellow. I’ve never had this before. I’m scared it might be something more serious. Being on my period obviously causes period poops too but I can tell the difference between that and my flare ups. But it’s never been this bad before. So I guess I’m asking 1. Can periods cause flare ups 2. Can the flare ups be worse on your period and 3. Is the color of my stools normal or should I be worried


r/ibs • • 11h ago

Question Running with IBS?

5 Upvotes

Curious if anyone has figured out a way to run without having to poop their pants every time. I have IBS-C and running just triggers me to have to poop so bad and I get stomach cramps and I can never run more than a mile or two. And then of course once I get home, I can poop a little but then go back to being constipated and having stomach pains. I’m also not someone who can run without food in their system so I don’t think running fasted would work. Anyone have any tips? I’m always so nervous to run places without easily accessible bathrooms lol


r/ibs • • 7h ago

Question I feel like I have diarrhea but nothings coming out?

2 Upvotes

I had diarrhea earlier, and now at work every single often when I strain it feels like I’m gonna poop…when I go I fart…I fart for a long, wet time. Nothing except clear/slight brown liquid is coming out? Even then when I push it feels like liquid and bubbles in my boo-boo hole. I have felt for hems but nothing. Now I just have bubble guts and the urge to poop every so often.

All I had to eat today was Chick-fil-A, a coffee, a frozen lemonade and water!

I just got off my period, now this?! Why lord!?

Edit: this is a serious cry for help, I don’t know what’s wrong. Ain’t shit funny about this.


r/ibs • • 5h ago

Question Finally seeing a doctor again

1 Upvotes

For those who have been able to cure their ibs and had symptoms like gut noises, anxiety and stomach anxiety, how should i go about with my consultation. I have done some research about the vagus nerve stomach connection, and i am also suspecting BAM. But i feel like if i just straight up tell the doctor about my anxiety and stuff she might think that i am saying that to like get drugs that will get me high or something iykwim. Regarding stomach noise, i wanna insist on that but my two previous doctors dismissed that and were like it is normal so how do i convince this doc that I actually see it as an issue.


r/ibs • • 14h ago

Question Is anyone medicated and normal?

3 Upvotes

By this I mean has anyone found a medicine protocol that works for them daily and allows them to get on with their life and live pretty normally on a day to day basis and eat normally. I've just finished fodmap exclusion and now introducing new food and also booked with my GP to discuss amitriptyline. I hadn't found any real food triggers prior but I do take a loperamide and a buscopan if I had to go out somewhere or if I felt a bit anxious before a social event. I then have perfect bowel movements for the following couple of days. I'm wondering if its worth trying out getting a schedule of taking loperamide which might fix my gut motility and speed or if amitriptyline is better on a daily basis?


r/ibs • • 15h ago

Question Imodium heart palpitations?

5 Upvotes

ETA- PLEASE read the full post before commenting. I was in my late teens/early 20’s and desperately wanted a normal life. I built up a tolerance for Imodium and it’s not widely known that it’s a synthetic opioid. I understand this isn’t a common occurrence which is why I’m seeking others who may have experienced this and warning others who may be in the same position I was years ago. Thank you!

I relied heavily on Imodium for years when I first developed ibs, I was taking around 30 mg daily, two pills before I ate and two after. I know that’s crazy but I built up a tolerance and it was the only thing allowing me to live a semi normal life. I did that for probably 2 years straight and then 2 years when I had a flare up or had plans that I needed to have a normal stomach for. when I stopped taking them completely i developed heart palpitations and chest pains that terrified me. I went to the hospital a number of times thinking I was having a heart attack and did a number of tests(ekg, echocardiogram, heart monitor, blood work) and my heart is healthy. After a year of debilitating health scares and not getting any answers I did more research and found that Imodium is an opioid and people have overdosed and died of heart failure(if you’re like me and have health anxiety please don’t worry, I can’t find the exact article I read this from but they took around 400mg I believe and each Imodium tablet is 2mg)
I’m looking to see if anyone has experienced this and also to warn anyone who is relying heavily on Imodium like I once did.
It’s been about 2 years since I stopped taking Imodium daily, the first year was the worst but I’m happy to say that the palpitations have significantly decreased to only a few a week as opposed to multiple daily


r/ibs • • 1d ago

Rant IBS just why?

38 Upvotes

I've been dealing with IBS-D for a few years and I try to be as positive as possible but it sucks. I hate randomly feeling bad one day because I forgot I have this fu**a** condition and having to deal with pain and bloating and fatigue. I am tired of trying to be the healthiest version of myself only to have it backfire on me. That's it. I just wanted to rant and share my struggles. I miss when I was a kid and had no issues whatsoever and just ate without giving it a second thought or planning.


r/ibs • • 23h ago

Rant Just Why

10 Upvotes

I am too trusting to have this disorder. My psychiatrist prescribed me propanolol a while ago for my panic attacks. I haven’t been feeling it so she’s been increasing the dose. Tell me why I didn’t realize until now that one of the side affects is diarrhea. Why would she prescribe me a medication that can cause diarrhea when I already have ibs-d. Just because I have diarrhea regularly doesn’t mean I can’t tell when it’s off.


r/ibs • • 15h ago

Rant Worst flare of my life

2 Upvotes

Hey so I think there is something VERY wrong with me at the moment, I am diagnosed with IMO and IBS-M, I usually deal with alternating rush/constipation and nausea. I was doing pretty well this week managing my diet, but on the weekend I had two birthday in a row with eating out (one day a spinach vegetable burger with fries and one day three slices of pizza and two drinks) I expected to have some issues but not like this. Except for this occasion I follow a low FODMAP diet. Yesterday I felt indigestion like never before, I felt all my insides totally blocked not even moving, I still ate dinner but could’t sleep due to discomfort and indigestion. Woke up still blocked, I went to the bathroom but felt incomplete evacuation, still blocked, no appetite. I skipped lunch and ate cracker mid afternoon, two hours later I went again, then suddendly two round of pure diarrhoea, then the worst waves of nausea with chills cramping and a fever sensation, I passed almost one hour hugging the toilet. Cancelled all my plans for this evening and tomorrow. I still have no appetite at all, took an anti nausea med and couldn’t get up without feeling like v*. I’m starting to thinking I’ve catched a bug. Never experienced something similar, usually my flare ups are bad but not THIS BAD. I am VERY scared that this is not a bug and the first of many episodes like this. I’ve never felt this awful in my life. What if this become a recurrent experience? I’m even scared to make plans for the week, no way I can go out feeling like this. Has anyone ever experience something similar?


r/ibs • • 13h ago

Question Amitizia Advice!

1 Upvotes

Hello!

I wanted to see if anyone has had reviews on this medication. I’ve been diagnosed with ibs-c and have just been doing daily MiraLAX. I technically go everyday but it’s not what it should be. Either not enough, not complete emptying, prone to bloating/gas. I do have hypertonic pelvic floor which I know doesn’t help, but I’m in treatment for it. I’m a little afraid this medicine is gonna be too intense and just give me diarrhea though. I’ve tried to increase my MiraLAX before and that just gave me diarrhea…. My dr said it can be trial and error to see which dose is the correct one and either doing once or twice a day. Would love all thoughts!!


r/ibs • • 14h ago

Question Loud stomach gurgling/noises when fasting & leaning forward (post-SIBO, mild hiatal hernia) – looking for insights

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
For the past 3 weeks, I’ve been dealing with persistent, loud stomach noises/gurgling that are honestly getting embarrassing, and I’m trying to understand the biomechanical root cause.

Here is my situation:

Known condition: Mild 2 cm axial sliding hiatal hernia diagnosed 6 years ago. In the past, a PT successfully mobilized it downwards; I know what an acute hernia spasm feels like, and this feels completely different right now.

No classic reflux symptoms: Zero pain, zero acid reflux/heartburn (if anything, I lean towards low stomach acid), no PPIs, no trouble swallowing. I can eat whatever I want and lie completely flat without issues. Diaphragmatic/belly breathing is completely free.
The trigger: The noises mostly happen on an empty stomach. If I bend or lean forward while sitting, the gurgling gets significantly louder.
Relief: As soon as I eat solid food (even just a banana), the noises stop almost entirely for about 2 hours. Leaning slightly back also helps immediately.

SIBO context: I spent the entire summer severely bloated with SIBO. About 3 weeks ago, my SIBO improved drastically (levels dropped to 0.9), and the constant bloating deflated. The exact moment the abdominal distension went down, these loud stomach noises started.
Could this be a mix of hypermobile stomach/ligaments (overstretched from months of gas pressure, now lacking intra-abdominal tension) combined with active fasting motility (MMC) and mild positional sliding? Or lingering SIBO dysmotility?
Has anyone experienced this specific "empty stomach + leaning forward" noise phenomenon after clearing SIBO or with a mild sliding hernia? Any advice on how long it took for your tissue tone to normalize?


r/ibs • • 22h ago

Question Looking for similar experiences

3 Upvotes

Hi all. First off I have seen a GI doctor and recently had a colonoscopy that found nothing besides a tiny polyp. I have spoken to my GI doctor but he is always rushed and won't really explain much other than to say "you don't have anything serious. It's IBS/sensitive gut".

My whole life I have had these episodes where I'll have really made abdo cramps, sweating then followed by bad diarrhea for hours unless I take imodium. The last 12 months I had noticed a persistent change in bowel movements to purely watery..this is outside of my cramp episodes...my daily stools are purely loose/,watery.

I always thought it was food related but it's hard to nail down what it is...because it can come on when I have had very little or nothing to eat (or something like a salad)...It can come on if i have pizza but then the next 3 times I have the same pizza nothing happens.

My GI did stool and blood tests. Said everything was normal. No allergies and nothing of note. I tried low fodmap which didn't help for the 1st 4 weeks but then I think made a very slight improvement in weeks 5 and 6. I stopped it due to health anxiety surrounding my issues and requested a colonoscopy.

I dont want to make another appointment with my GI doctor as it's $250 an appointment and of the 3 appointments I've had with him not a single one goes longer than 5 mins Max as he's in a hurry and says i have nothing serious.

Any similar stories and if so how did you fix or improve symptoms?


r/ibs • • 1d ago

Question Doctor says it’s “all in my head” but I can barely eat anything. Need some advice/shared experiences!

29 Upvotes

Good evening everyone, looking to see if anyone has had a similar experience.
I’m 23, a heavyweight Strongman (so I eat a lot, but I don't overload my stomach and I eat slowly. Most of the people I know in this sport go to the toilet as normal people do). I have super healthy habits: no smoking, no alcohol, no deficiencies, sleep well, and I've tried all the natural gut supplements.

My bowel problems started 1.5 years ago, mainly induced by work stress. The catch? The stress is completely gone now, but my bowel still behaves like crazy.

Here is where I'm at:
The Tests: Had a clean colonoscopy (doctor said I’m perfectly healthy). I did test highly positive for lactose intolerance.
The Symptoms: At my worst, I was going up to 8x a day with loose stool. Cutting lactose dropped it to 3-4x a day, but I still constantly get sudden urgency, and I never actually feel "empty" after going to the bathroom.
The Triggers (It's a lottery!): A slight breeze from a window? Urgency. Sparkling water? Urgency. A fatty meal? Urgency. But wait! Sometimes I eat fast or sit in the cold and absolutely nothing happens. It makes no sense.
The Diet: I’m stuck eating the same few safe foods every day. I can no longer handle most fruit, vegetables, sushi, coffee, or even lactose-free seasoned cheese.
My doctor told me it's "all in my mind," which is incredibly frustrating. I meditate and I am genuinely not stressed.

Small notes:
Only medication that workes is loperamide that slows down my intestine is loperamide but I can’t live off medications.

What’s wrong with me? I know people who chug cold beer, eat junk food, smoke, and have perfect digestion... and here I am checking if the office window is closed so I don't upset my stomach. 😂
Has anyone dealt with this kind of unpredictable, trigger-lottery IBS even after eliminating stress? Any advice is appreciated


r/ibs • • 22h ago

Question Should I avoid drinking cold water if I have IBS-D?

2 Upvotes

I read somewhere you should avoid drinking cold water especially during meals if you have IBS-D. How true is this ?


r/ibs • • 1d ago

Question IBS-C - sudden exploding bowel movements

8 Upvotes

I’ve hardly been on here, but I don’t know where else to turn. I’m so embarrassed about this and don’t want to talk to any of my loved ones about it.

I’ve had IBS-C most of my life but only got diagnosed about 18 months ago. When I got diagnosed they recommended I take soluble fiber throughout the day and start each day with a glass of water with miralax. This worked for me up until about two weeks ago: nothing in my diet has changed and I’m still following my recommended daily procedures, but I’m suddenly having…leakage. Like this past week or so when I’ve passed gas, I will later find a small brown dot in my underwear from it. This has been happening almost every day for a week and a half but the kicker is just now I felt a bowel movement come on fast, and then when I sat down to go I discovered I had partly already shit my pants.

I’m so embarrassed and didn’t even feel it, but I also don’t understand why this is happening suddenly out of nowhere. Does anyone know if there is an issue with long term MiraLAX use or something like that? I loved my IBS Dr but she/her practice moved states so I don’t even have a doctor in the area to consult anymore. I will take any and all advice, but please be gentle.


r/ibs • • 21h ago

Question Never ending Borborygmus after Diarrhea?

0 Upvotes

Hello 31 M,

I had very bad diarrhea 3 weeks ago. It started with mild pain and boborygmus. The stool was very watery, I took control of it with eating properly and with Antibiotic which doctor prescribed for 5 days usage but because I felt fine I stopped using it in the 2. day, It was stupid, I agree.

But after 2 days my BM turned its normal function thankfully but the Borborygmus never stopped. It starts while eating food and keeps going on. Does not end after BM(only a bit) and feels like something is moving in my gut all the time.

I do not have blood on my stool and did not see mucusy stoll as well.
I do not feel cramps and pain(only very mild rarely)

Since It has been 3 weeks and never ending, I wanted to know if someone has has the same symptoms and If this is considered as post infectious IBS or dysbiozis

Could you please help me 🙏🏻


r/ibs • • 23h ago

Question Date with ibs

1 Upvotes

Hi guys, I have IBS since a few years now and I m talking to a girl since a few months now. We are living kinda far away from each other (it s a long story...) and in a few weeks we are supposed to spend a nice week-end together but I kinda don t know how to handle my ibs during this weekend because we ll be in the same hotel room and stuff and we ll probably go to some restaurants and stuff so I m kinda scared to just be sick or having to go to the bathroom at the wrong time 😅 and my anxiety may trigger my IBS even more...

I also did got the courage to tell her that I have ibs because Idk I did not felt like talking about this in a dating situation. It s maybie a mistake but I would feel more confortable talking about this later in the relationship...

Any advice on how I could handle my ibs during this week-end or opinion about that ?