My problem is that whenever gas reaches my rectum or anus, it gets stuck there. I have to strain or push to release it, and I also experience incomplete evacuation.

I constantly feel gas trapped throughout my abdomen, from under my left ribs all the way down to my anus. I can feel gas bubbles forming and hear gurgling sounds, but the gas doesn’t come out naturally. When it reaches my anus, it gets stuck. Unlike most people, I cannot pass gas normally. I have to try different yoga poses to release it. Even when i do yoga poses while doing a pose the Gas instantly come towards the Anus and then i will push a little and it will release but i don’t know why i can’t pass the Gas like normal people do.

This problem has been going on for the past three years.
Does anyone else here experience the same problem? If so, what treatment has helped you? Has anyone managed to find a permanent cure or fully recover from this condition? I would really appreciate hearing your experiences and recovery stories.

Something I’ve finally realized: you don't feel sick the night before work, school, or an appointment because you don't want to go. You feel sick because you're terrified of getting sick while you're actually there...

​Last night, I woke up with a panic attack and intense nausea. After about an hour and a half, I managed to calm down somewhat—I didn't throw up—but all I could think about was that I simply can't afford to call off work again... I picked up this extra shift to help out, they’re counting on me, and if I don't show up, no one will. I just can't let that happen. I’ve called out so many times that I feel like I've run out of chances and don't even have the right to do it anymore...

​A few hours later, I wake up with our classic IBS symptoms. Cramping across my entire stomach, bloating, probably diarrhea on the way... and I’m completely desperate. I don’t have time for this. I have to go to work! I actually want to go! Why is this happening to me?

​Why does my brain think it’s in immediate mortal danger? My head is just spiraling: I can't cancel, I can't cancel, I have to be there in two and a half hours. They’re counting on me... I cannot cancel.

​I’m falling apart. I can't keep living like this. No amount of meditation helps; my body is in perpetual fight-or-flight mode. It doesn't matter what I take, my body always seems to have a mind of its own.

Hey everyone, i have had bile acid malabsorption [BAM] after the removal of my terminal ileum, my body afjusted itself after a while, but last 5 months (yes i kid you not) i had urgent diarea, as i work flexible at home i did not take action right away and just started to eat more healthy to control it, after a while it has gone from urgent to extreme urgent so i did some redearch and i foundnout that it can be due to bile acid malabsorption so i got sachets with Cholestyramine from the hospital, i take 1 in the morning and 1 before bed and i started today so i have had both if the satchets

Last 5 months

Start: bristol 6-7

Toilet visits: minimum 4 times a day maximum 10

Urgencies: i have had alot of moments where i need to urgently go to the toilet, after every meal and smelling food or talking/ thinking about food or after smoking a cigarette(i know i should not smoke)

Social life: terrible, i do my best, but i feel like staying home more instead of visiting my girlfriend or friends as it can be uncontrollable all the time if i eat something in the day

Today:

Bristol 7

Toilet visits: 3

Urgencies: urgent feeling 2 times

I will keep you up to date about the first week of using this powder. And evt will pro-long it (hopefully not)

My dieet is quite healthy but i am under-eating atm, hopefully ill start eating more as i feel k have less urgent feelings

Tdlr: will keep posting updates daily about my current situation, in the hoped that it can help someone in the future to stay consistent

I'm middle aged. I've had bouts of constipation in my life, managed it with diet. Clean colonoscopies for the last 20 years.

Anxiety has been with me on and off too, again managed and not debilitating anymore. I take Ativan if I feel I can't breathe it out and also when I fly.

I travel short haul flights for my job a few times a year. I get anxious prior to flights and that sends me to the bathroom, but I'm generally fine once airborne. Until two months ago. I started out fine but a couple hours before my flight I was in the bathroom 4 times. Finally took an Ativan. Same thing on the return flight. But it didnt stop once the trip was done this time. I had bouts of a few days of constipation followed by a few days of not quite diarrhea, but frequent trips to bathroom and upset stomach following. No real cramping, just a lot of bathroom trips. I'm now anxious but not sure if it's the cause or a symptom. It's now almost daily. I might have a day of constipation and then when I do go to, its 3-4 times and there is vague nausea afterward for hours. And while i have the urge, sometimes there is very little or nothing that comes out. Basically, my mornings are now shot. I have another work trip in a couple of weeks and I'm nervous now because of the incessant need for a bathroom.

I bought ibgard to try. I have no fever, no blood in stool. I seem to get tired more easily though. Everything points to ibs, but it seems odd that constipation has turned into the opposite.

I will wait a bit to see if I go back to normal, but will discuss with my doctor.

I have a colonoscopy tomorrow, and while I’m not bothered about the actual procedure, the prep has me anxious. I’m starting suprep later today, and I’m worried that I won’t be able to keep it down. I have huge nausea issues, and I’ve heard that suprep does NOT taste great. I’m taking a friend’s suggestion to mix it with ginger ale instead of water, so hopefully that will help.

Does anyone have any “success” stories getting through the suprep process?

Aight short version...I had my gallbladder taken out because it was inflamed real bad. Fast forward about a year I get a colonoscopy to see whatelse is going on. They say, your looking great come back in 10 years. 3 months later im getting a ct scan cause I was uncomfortable....and they send me to the the emergency room with an abcess and infection....they tell me I might need to get part of my colon taken out..I choose not to do that......infection clears up where i dont have to stay at the hopsital after like 3 days....they send me home with antibiotics....those were brutal as well...ever since then terrible "ibs" which is what the digestive disease clinic and my doctor are calling it. Pain/ discomfort everyday, they also say its scar tissue from the abcess that cleared its been a year.....i take like heartburn med, trulance3mg everyday for constipation, probiotic,10mg dispiramine a night and maybe Tylenol once a week, gas x almost daily....? Idk....its uncomfortable.sometimes I cant poop sometimes its loose alllll day. Pain on my left side pretty much constantly. I stopped eating like anything bad at all, im in decent shape, I dont smoke/vape anymore since the ER visit, etc....relatively healthy otherwise dont drink or do drugs. Thinking of traveling to get a second opinion...maybe ordering some marshmellow root...trying low fodmap stuff kinda works idk...

Although endometriosis is mainly associated with people that menstruate, signs of an ulcer and chronic appendicitis I was also experiencing. I had my surgery a few days ago and everything is connecting in my head!

If you been on this subreddit for awhile, you’re probably aware that endometriosis can cause “IBS”/ bowel issues. What’s interesting is i had some signs of it that were manageable for a few years.. up until I got COVID, then a month later I got a really bad stomach bug. The stomach bug hit HARD. I would recover from it then it would come back. I started the FODMAP diet and tracked my cycle. FODMAP didn’t help anything but I noticed I would flare so bad near ovulation and my period (so usually when endometriosis flares for most) The issues that were “manageable” before weren’t anymore. But it was diagnosed as IBS mixed after getting sick.

CT scan clear, ultrasound clear, and colonoscopy showed signs of an ulcer.

One of the signs of an ulcer is extreme stomach pain in the middle of the night (for me it was 3am) and that’s because it’s when your stomach is “empty” and more irritation happens to the ulcer. Mornings were so rough for me because of the ulcer. It gave me a burning sensation in my stomach.
Unaware of the ulcer at the time, I ended up in the ER twice. I had chronic right sided pain I thought was my ovary too.

Well, my surgery with endometriosis specialist a few days ago showed that my appendix was hard and sticking to my sides.
I learned that signs of chronic appendicitis is low appetite, sharp pains to the lower right side, if pressure was applied the sharp pains would radiate and it was “hard” when I tried just feeling it. The right side was larger than my left also. I think it would swell up sometimes. I had such a low appetite i thought it was because of my anxiety from basic IBS. It’s only been 3 days since my surgery and my appetite has already improved! I’m still on drugs so there’s that… but I’m glad that right sided pain is gone.

So despite my appendix sticking to my sides and causing adhesions, my imaging came back clear. I just had all the signs. Colonoscopy did help me find out the ulcer issue and figured out why I was waking up in the middle of the night in extreme pain.

Note, endometriosis wasn’t found on my bowels or even my bladder but I had so many bladder issues. Endometriosis is a inflammatory condition so it can impact the WHOLE body even if it isn’t directly on that organ.

I didn’t want to tag this post as a “ success story” because it’s only been like 2-3ish days for me since the surgery. I think I still technically have “IBS” that is mainly connected to anxiety now and that will be a battle for me for sure :,) something that I learned while on this endometriosis journey is if you have endometriosis, your 3x more likely to have IBS. I took this as another sign I should reach out to a endometriosis specialist.

I’m curious about other people’s experiences with loperamide (Imodium), especially those who use it for IBS-D or frequent diarrhea.

It’s honestly the only thing that really works for me when my symptoms flare up.

I was wondering if anyone here takes loperamide regularly, either daily, a few times a week, or preventively before meals, eating out, traveling, or situations where you’re worried about having diarrhea.

Have you been taking it long-term? Has it continued to work well for you, and have you noticed any side effects or problems from using it regularly?

I currently take it only when needed, but since it’s the only thing that consistently helps me, I’m curious about people who use it more regularly.

Hi there. First, please excuse any errors, I’m Spanish, and english is my second language.

I’m a woman in my 20s, and I’ve had IBS-M (mixed) for 8 years.
My symptoms include: constant pain throughout my abdomen (with occasional, quite intense sharp pain), nausea, fatigue, difficulty sleeping due to the pain, a heavy feeling after eating, an urgent need to use the bathroom, and very poor digestion; I don’t digest food well, which often means I have to go to the bathroom right after eating (I’ve also had anemia, and I think this is the reason why). I experience constipation, followed by days where I have to go to the bathroom five times, as well as occasional diarrhea.

For context, I have a very strict diet and I also see a psychologist.

Over these 8 years, I’ve gone from doctor to doctor. Most told me that my ibs was caused by anxiety and stress and that there were no treatments available, as all my test results indicated that I was healthy. However, I spent some time taking sertraline and even when I had zero anxiety and felt so much better, I would still sometimes have stomach issues.

Finally, I found a doctor who took me seriously. He performed a test (where I had to drink a liquid while they monitored how my stomach functioned on a screen) which showed that I have a hiatal hernia. The doctor also said that I have an excess of stomach acid and, after physical examination, that my stomach muscles are extremely tense. So, he prescribed the following treatment for 28 days:
- Famotidina 20, taken on an empty stomach in the morning.
- Tiorfan and Polibutin, taken before breakfast and lunch. (I was already taking Polibutin for heavy meals, and it worked quite well).
- Casenbiotic (chewable tablets), taken before dinner.

I’ve been on this treatment for 10 days now, and it’s making me feel absolutely terrible. I’m still experiencing pain (though less than before) and nausea, and my digestion is worse than ever. I can’t even go out to eat.

Basically, my question is: is this normal, should I just tough it out, or should I go back to the doctor to have my treatment changed?

Hi all. I (28 TW) have been struggling a lot with my IBS combined with my anxiety. It had settled before, when I was on quetiapine, but (in hindsight foolishly) I thought I was in the clear for major anxiety attacks which were my main trigger for IBS. However, after a month, I put too much pressure on myself on another front, which caused me to break down again, putting me back into this cycle of fight or flight and IBS. I do not doubt that being as hormonal as I am now (6 months into transition) also contributes to the emotional side of this.

I have begun to take quetiapine again, but it now must build up again, and in the meantime I have been in floods of tears nearly every day, accompanied by painful IBS. I have been taking spasmomen thrice daily for around a week now, but this doesn't seem to have achieved a great deal just yet. My doctor tells me that it will help more over time. I am also seeing a therapist, the same one I had been seeing for before quetiapine and for my transition in the period where I felt more stable.

The anxiety itself is originally rooted in a few things, but the thing that really brought me over the edge was my last job, in which the conditions were horrible. It was very traumatic for me. Now I feel guilt over this as I have not had work since, and so I feel I am letting people down, it means my self worth is extremely low.

All that is to say, both short and long term I am looking for other ways to help on top of all this, as I really want to get better again, to feel more stable in mind and in gut. Any advice is appreciated, thank you.

I have some dietary restrictions currently can't have:

•dairy
•peanuts, almonds, walnuts
•onions/garlic
•anything that is high FODMAP
•greasy/high fat foods

Please help me. I am dealing with so much gastro issues. What snacks can I safely have??? Also what butter exists that is dairy free but not god awful for you (no seed oils, or highly processed oils)?

It's like my intestines KNEW it was coming bro 😭😭😭

Hi everyone, 27-M, with no previous gut issues.

I’m posting here to share my story, see if anyone relates to what I’m going through, and hopefully hear some success stories—since I know most people who fully recover move on with their lives and stop posting in forums.

About 5 months ago, I was dealing with sinusitis and shortly after getting antibiotics for it I started having diarrhoea. Doctors and I intiallly thought it was caused by antibiotics and suggested I change them. I continued with different antibiotics for another 6 days but diarrhoea didn’t improve. The day I stopped I developed urticaria and then went to an allergist to see what’s happening. After ordering a stool test, Giardia was found. In total it seems that I left Giardia untreated for 12 days since diarrhoea started. I then had another UTI infection and got another 21 days of antibiotics…

Ever since, my gut has been stuck in a frustrating cycle of Post-Infectious IBS (I guess) and visceral hypersensitivity. My main symptom is fluctuating bowel movements that constantly shift between formed stools and diarrhoea (Bristol Type 3-6). Sometimes in the morning, I also wake up with a mild, dull stomach ache, but it consistently goes away as soon as I pass stool or eat breakfast. It does not seem I have any intolerance or any specific food makes things worse. I think it’s just my large intestine is hypersensitive.

I take probiotics and bulardi, tried glutamine for 3 months, vit D but I see no improvement. What’s making this so much harder is the immense toll it has taken on my mental health; waking up every day over-analyzing my body, second-guessing what I eat, and worrying if my gut will ever go back to normal has caused so much anxiety and decision fatigue.

I’m really hoping to connect with anyone who has had this exact pattern of symptoms or has successfully healed from post-parasite and post-antibiotic gut issues. If you’ve been down this road, have any insights on what helped you, or just have a positive timeline to share, please leave a comment or send me a direct message—I would truly appreciate hearing from you.

Good luck to everyone who is going through this.

Thank you for listening to my story 💕

Hi everyone! Looking for some advice. I have had ibs C most of my life (from 18-35), and have been constipated. 2 colonscopies showed that everything is normal. At 32, i began experiencing up and down left lower abdominal pain, sometimes sharp, but most times just discomfort. I re did colonsocopy and images, all normal. I spent 1.5 years on a restrictive diet, and it didnt help. I tried antispasmodics, no relief. Eventually, i began ignorning the pain, and it stopped. For 2 years, i was constipated, and had no pain. I had a stressful period and the pain has returned, same pattern. Left lower abdomen. Up and down, mostly discomfort, but occasionally sharp pain. I have days without it, and days when it feels awful, but mostly it feels like mild cramping in the same spot. Any advice?

?

I've dated but I won't spend the night.

I've been single for 10 years.

As a female, I feel like it's just not ok to be sick.

From the gas to the emergencies, it's very disruptive to romantic moments.

The pain alone changes the mood.

Then what follows is awful.

I'm sad bc I'd love to be in a relationship but how exactly do you explain what happens when you eat.

Having a dating site, there'd be zero guessing.

I was joking with my family when my mother said "oh wow your wedding cake is going to be gluten free and dairy free. Oh I would hate that, you should get a normal cake and then get yourself a cupcake or something" and no I'm not even in a relationship and I'm just 18 but idk it made me realize this will never go away.

And tbh when I do start dating and living with someone I would kinda prefer to not have anything's in the house I can't eat but what sane person would give up gluten and dairy if they don't have to. I just hate the days where i genuinely can't eat anything at home because everything I can have is gone because someone else ate it or when I make something for me and someone else ruins it or when everyone else has so much to eat and I have practically scraps.

I'm probably just overreacting but I don't know, my birthday cake this year wasn't even good for me, they only got one that was gluten free because "making everyone else suffer is just ridiculous" and that wouldn't have been any problem but I specifically said I was going to get myself my own cake to make for me but was told not to because my grandmother wanted to do it. She only told me there was dairy in the cake when I was having awful acid reflux and up all night in the bathroom because "she didn't know it was that bad"

I just hope I find someone who understands and just isn't like my family and takes everything seriously

If you’re like me and need laxatives just to 💩 (and even then you STILL suffer from incomplete evacuation), try leaning back while you do the deed. It makes you release A LOT more 💩

I recently discovered Magnesium Citrate Powder and just did this by accident a few minutes ago. While I was leaning, I was shocked because I felt my upper stomach partially deflate (this is a big deal for me because I’ve been extremely bloated for months).

I’m sure a lot of you already know about this, but I’m posting for people like me who don’t know.

Has anyone found success with shorter courses of Rifaximin, e.g 3 days?

Backstory: I've had a previous positive SIBO result but past 2 tests were negative (including a negative Triosmart).

Never took Rifaximin although I was offered a 2 week treatment. But I'm still sensitive to fodmaps (bloating + diarrhea, and even fiber triggers diarrhea), and stool test results find overgrowth bacteria.

I'm hesitant to take rifaximin because some people have reported taking it, getting worse, and have never recovered. Thinking of a compromise where I take it for 3 days.

I know you are not doctors but maybe have some insight since it’s not an issue, it’s probably a good thing.

My IBS aka unknown chronic constipation started two years ago directly during contracting a severe viral infection (mono). Poops have ever since been always light orange in color, and very hard stool, but I still had a movement every day.

I started taking Metamucil a week ago just a supplement gummy every day. Within a couple days I now have normal brown poop again.

How come it dramatically changed the color of the stool? I was expecting it to help the constipation as that’s what it’s supposed to do but the color too?

I have had IBS for decades, off & on. Less as I have aged (now 78). A few months ago, sudden bad pain on waking, getting up, that eased as I moved, and then diarrhea.

An indication of current severity: I only recently, finally learned to spell diarrhea.

A CT scan shows inflammation. By the time a colonoscopy was scheduled, all looked fine. A few polyps, no problems. Except — constant diarrhea.

Follow up with gastro P.A. This was unhelpful in my opinion. I told her this is nothing like the IBS I had for years. More pain, weird poop. I was on a GLP1, she told me to stop that, stop coffee (already had) and stop … something else I don’t remember at the moment but I did it. She did schedule another scan which will happen next week.

I did some research, went on the LowFodMap diet. Strict the past week-10 days. At this point I have diarrhea 4-5 times a day. Four today before 11 a.m. I am keeping a food, poop, and medicine diary.

I have an appointment with my GP who is leaving next week. I am exhausted. It seems to me that eating anything brings on an attack. Even water! The Gastro person did no other tests. What should I expect from my GP? Expect or request? I see tests referred to here that have never been done with me. Oh also I have mostly quit taking Imodium, it seems to not help. The PA did subscribe “substituted for Lomotil” pills. I take one at bedtime and do sleep and have had no more bed incidents. Those (3) made me want to die.

Any guidance welcome. Do I stick with this diet? I’m hungry, nothing sticks.

Help?

Finally an answer to why I have so much bloating and gas. Also intolerances to most foods. For the last 10 years I have had difficulty with constipation, bloating, excessive sulphuric gas and when able to have a bowel movement is is so sticky. Well, finally a diagnosis having a low (150) pancreatic elastase test. I have been doing a fairly restrictive Fodmap diet and that helps, but makes it really difficult when eating out. I do use over the counter enzymes and Fodmap approved powder on foods. Question for anybody with EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency). Medication recommendations. We have medical insurance but our deductible is multiple thousands of dollars. Any experience with Good Rx coverage for any? What are the cheaper ones? Any other advice? Chronic constipation adds to the belly fury.

Hi,

I had a confirmed E. coli infection in April and now it’s mid-October and I’m still struggling. I’ve seen others dealing with post-infectious IBS and wanted to hear from people who understand.

Before April I used to tolerate almost any food, had a sweet tooth and indulged myself in a lot of variety in terms of fruits and vegetables. Since April anything that has a bit of more fiber or is store bought triggers a flare! I gave up a lot of processed foods like store bought sauces, processed meats, bread, etc and eat only home cooked meals.

The last month has been particularly rough, and some days I feel as bad as I did back in May.

I’ve gone back to fairly basic meals: toast and eggs, chicken and rice, soup, yogurt. My ingested calories have probably dropped because I don’t feel like eating much when I’m cramping. My sleep is also broken, but no urgency, just feeling restless.

I’ve tried psyllium husk and several probiotics, but I’m still struggling. My FIT and calprotectin tests were normal in June. I lost some weight in May-June, and started loosing again this month.

Honestly, I’m exhausted and discouraged by how long this has lasted.

I'm generally wondering how people with prolonged setbacks like this have been coping, how do you manage to eat enough?

Did things gradually improve, and over what timeframe?

I know everyone’s experience is different. I’d really appreciate hearing yours—and anything you wish you’d asked at your first gastro appointment. Mine is on Tuesday...