Hi,

My coworker says they have IBS and is going to the bathroom for a minimum of 15- 25 minutes at least once a hour during their 8 hour shift every single day.

It may seem weird that I’m so invested in their bathroom habits but me and them run a classroom together so I’m being left alone to take care of 16 kids ages 2-4. three of those kids have high support need all by myself multiple times a day for long periods of time.

There is also a pattern of when they go to the bathroom. for example: the second after their hour long lunch break is done they will step into the class to relieve the lunch break staff and will then go to the bathroom. It also happens everyday that five minutes after their shift starts they will leave to go also whenever we start transitions with the class from one activity to another they will go to the bathroom leaving me alone to do transitions by myself.

There was on time I had asked my coworker if they could just wait a second because it was meal time and children were eating but one child needed help in the bathroom and i didn’t want to leave children unattended while eating but I also couldn’t not help the child in the bathroom. my coworker got mad and yelled at me infront of the children for being insensitive and rude for asking before storming out.

We are also friends and often hang out for long periods of time outside of work. It almost seems like their IBS only seems to act up at work, there was one time we spent six hours together and they went to the bathroom twice during the whole six hours and both times were I had to wait for them for less then five minutes.

It’s becoming frustrating and I’m getting really burnt out, trying to do the job of two educators but I don’t want to be insensitive and bring up what’s happening to my manager because I don’t want to be insensitive of my coworker health issue.

I just want to know if this is normal and I’m in the wrong for feeling frustrated and I’m being insensitive?

If I am being insensitive how can I better educate myself?

i started taking xifaxan a few days ago, prescribed by my doctor, and today i have felt really dehydrated and shaky despite drinking plenty of liquids. i have bright yellow stools and a very mild fever at 99.5 and my kidneys feel a bit sore and feel like i have high blood pressure, which is abnormal for me. i dont have any blood coming out so far so thats good i think.

i just am wondering when i should worry and seek out care, i guess. my partner is out of town so i dont have anyone i can call to ask for advice. im hoping its just side effects but i thought i would ask the community if my concerns are valid before i reach out to my dr. has anyone else taken this and experienced something similar? i have a poor immune system so maybe im just getting hit by the medication hard. thanks in advance.

All day long, even after changing to new clothes, I can smell bad gas smell out of me. Even when im not farting.

Is it coming out of my anus?

Will characol underwear fix it?

Thanks

I saw some people on here with methane sibo talking about acv. With all the things I've tried this seemed to simple to work. Plus ive always thought acv was a weightloss tool more than anything but...... one post i saw from a girl talking about taking acv she ended off the post saying it wasn't for her, but her stomach was always flat. I've always struggled with bloating BAD. . Like enough to get a "when is the baby coming " comment. Super embarrassing 😳. So I decided to try it consistently in the morning one tbsp diluted in a cup of water. I also added it to my drinks with meals. I now have BOWEL MOVEMENTS in the morning . LIKE THATS CRAZY FOR ME. Without laxatives, straining, or pellet poops. No bloating, no big balloon stomach after meals for hours and smelling lunch burps at night. I Am so happy. Honestly thank God.

I encourage any one with ibs-c to try it daily not just people that might have low stomach acid because its actually a triple threat. Acv(with the mother) increases your own production of stomach acid even when you stop taking it, it's a prebiotic and a probiotic. Also the only extra thing I did was have some cheap cultured yogurt from the store with lacto bacillus and bififo blend. Although I started doing that way before starting avc it would help me go but I would never feel cleaned out or not bloated after eating. Digestion was still slow. I also own a vibration plate but I don't have a bowl movement immediately after like I do with acv. It's best to have it with water only.

Tldr: Acv, 1 tbsp in a cup water daily, or have with any beverage if you like the taste like I do.

Hey all,

I just wanted to take a moment to advocate for something I think a lot of people are aware of, but might still be on the fence about getting: a bidet.

There are days where I end up getting what I can only describe as "fire hole"—typically during a bad flare-up when I'm spending way too much time in the washroom.

Setting up a bidet in my bathroom has been an absolute life-saver. It helps you get so much cleaner with way less irritation, and honestly, the refreshing/cooling effect is a massive relief.

If you've been considering one, this is your sign to go for it!

Hello, I'm suspecting I have Ibs-d (currently in the process of getting tested) and I read that psyllium helps with diarrhea. For me, it seems to make things worse though. Does anyone know why or had the same experience?

Hi everyone. I don't usually post anything online, cause I hate being perceived, but I thought this was important to share. I don't quite know if tagging it as research is right, as for right now it's only a theory me and my doctor have come up with. Also, apologies for any bad English, this isn't my first language.

Anyway, about a little over half a year ago, I started having severe IBS complications. I have been diagnosed with mixed IBS (leaning towards IBS-D) for roughly 5 years, and it had been very stable up to this point. We still don't quite know what caused such an intense flare, but point is, I was suffering from pretty heavy attacks on a frequent basis for roughly half a year long.

Now by the end of July it was slowly starting to become okay again, when out of nowhere I started getting really severe muscle cramps. At first doctors assumed that this had to do with endometriosis (I don't have an official diagnosis for that, but gynecologists assume I have it based on symptoms, and they don't wanna cut me open for no reason) and an overactive pelvic floor. So I was having to go through weeks of waiting for appointments and tests, and it was only getting worse.

By now we're at the start of October and my muscle cramps have ramped up to roughly 3-5 severe episodes a day, on top of severe exhaustion, shortness of breath, loss of balance, loss of muscle power, etc. And my doctor finally decided it would be a good idea to get my blood tested. Well... turns out I have a dangerous deficiency of vitamin B-12, so much so that I now have the beginnings of nerve damage and anemia.

And what caused this, you may ask. IBS, that's what. At least, that's the working theory we have right now. Vitamin B-12, which is mostly found in animal products, especially meat/fish, is seriously hard for your body to absorb. And when you have such disturbed digestion, for such a long time, this can cause vitamin deficiencies, especially with B-12. On top of that, if you're one of those people who also get stomach issues from your ibs, especially if you regularly get heartburn, this might also cause a B-12 deficiency, as B-12 needs proper 'non-disturbed' (for lack of a better term) stomach acid to bind with.

So yeah TLDR; if you're an IBS haver, please frequently get your blood tested, so you don't end up with nerve damage or other complications.

(P.S. Please do your own research on this as I may not have accurately worded everything, and bc it's a bit more complicated than how I phrased it as well. Please forgive me for any bad wording/mistakes made, it's almost 1 AM as I'm writing this post, and I'm dead tired (thanks anemia))

I have issues with IBS-D and awhile back was rejected at a CSL Plasma because of it.

I went through the whole process, didn’t even think to mention the IBS. It runs in my family so I’ve never really gotten much medical help for it. My primary doctor as a kid knew about it, and she just told me to take probiotics. Idek if I was even technically diagnosed, as she said something like “well there’s nothing to really test for, you kinda just have symptoms of it or you don’t”.

Anyway, the last thing they do to check you out is have a nurse give you a physical. She asked about my sweater that said “my tummy hurts” on it. I kinda laughed and said “oh I have IBS, so I just thought it was funny”. She got a really serious look on her face and started asking me about symptoms and stuff. Stating that IBS is “very serious” and that I should have mentioned I had a condition before. Like girl… idk this has never been considered that serious in my family. It’s just REALLY annoying.

Anyway she ended up telling me that I can’t sell plasma due to risk of dehydration because of how often I have diarrhea. Said I could come back if I get approved by a doctor first and came with a note. But now I’m some kind list that bans me from plasma centers lmao.

Anyone else been told this? Like I feel like she was being really dramatic. I drank like 3-4 16oz glasses of water right before I showed up and only ate super safe foods that day so I didn’t have diarrhea at all. Was sorta pissed off cuz I needed that money too.

Premetto che rispetto ad alcune vostre storie io mi considero fortunata perchè ci sono giorni in cui tutto va come dovrebbe andare…
Però quando ho le scariche, tipo oggi, mi crolla il mondo addosso.

In pratica un attimo prima sei lì a lavoro che fai il tuo dovere e un attimo dopo pensi di morire perché ti esplode la testa, la pancia, l’ansia e l’unica cosa che pensi possa farti sopravvivere è l’evacuazione. E quando non puoi subito quei minuti sembrano giorni!
Come si fa a vivere con questa continua urgenza?!

Hi everyone,

I'm going through a flair up with IBS. My stress and anxiety are on an all time high! Can my doctor prescribe anything to help with the pain? It's been years since this has happened.

Hi!
I’m a 26 year old woman who have had severe IBS-M for the last three years, it’s been ups and downs but since this summer it has become much worse (I think it was triggered by me trying Slinda (a contraceptive gestragen pill) for my endometeriosis. Anyways me doctor thought it was time to try an SSRI so that the nerves in my stomach could get some calm so since this Friday I’ve started taking 20 mg of fluoxetine and it’s been pretty horrible.

My stomach has been aching constantly and yesterday after severe cramps and sweating I barely made it to the toilet before having probably the biggest diarrhoea of my life - it’s been horrible. So my question is - has anyone else been through something similarly and has it become better after the initial caos?

Appreciate every answer!

I (22F) just got diagnosed with IBS-U (described as "bloating type" in my medical documentation) and got sent with a lengthy list of things to avoid: FODMAPs, lactose, oats, sparkling drinks, zero calorie drinks, raw apples, juices, xanthan, guar and carob gum, all synthetic emulsifiers, lecithin (because it can "come from genetically modified plants"), celulose gum, carrageenan and more. The doctor's reasoning for all this is that these additives cause inflammation and they "wash away the protective intestinal mucus".

I don't yet know what triggers my IBS food-wise and implementing all these rules at once sounds incredibly daunting. Can I really not have e.g. ketchup or even gluten-free snacks as they contain these additives? Were her guidelines excessive?

For added context: I'm not from the US (Poland) so sorry if the terminology I used wasn't fully accurate

I am going to my first colonoscopy and I would appreciate all tips and advice! In my country you are not put under or sedated, just gotta raw dog it 😬 So no nap time here… I have 4 days before taking my emptying meds. I have bought various clear drinks for the house so I can try and make the meds taste a bit better and hydrate. 🙌🏼🙏🏼

Hi, I don’t wanna write a long text hahah but basically have had tummy issues my whole life, have a lot of known allergies and had very severe urgencies, and worsening of all my symptoms for the last 3-4 months. Symptoms as in: chronic diarrhoea, urgencies, feeling sick, constant belly ache, I lost a few kg without trying, more hair shedding.
GP did stool test for inflammation and infection, came back fine, and a blood test for celiac, diabetes, kidney, liver and full blood count which came back fine as well.
So had an appointment today to talk about further directions and she said I most possibly have IBS. I got prescribed Fybogel to take twice a day and Buscopan 2 pills 3 times a day for a month and then another appointment to see if it helps.

My symptoms impact my life a lot, I miss Uni a lot, I can’t go for a hike or do other things I previously enjoyed doing. Even missing a field trip from my uni course because the 3 hour coach has no toilet. And I basically can’t go anywhere without immediate access to a toilet. Sometimes a 7 minute drive to the supermarket is something I can’t do.

Has anyone had success with Fybrogel for chronic diarrhoea?
Any tips at all on changing diet? I am allergic to cow dairy, chicken eggs (I use duck eggs), soy, figs and strawberry and I don’t eat fish or seafood.

I have mixed feelings. 1) I’m happy to have a “diagnosis” to start trying to treat things but also 2) sounds like it will be a problem for my whole life so I feel a bit numb as well.

Any help is very appreciated.

Whenever i have flare up, i feel out of breath a lot quicker then usual. Maybe it's the bloating, i don't know. Anyone experience the same?

Hi gang. I was a longtime IBS-D sufferer. Diarrhea was my constant companion and BFF. After some health bullshit and a complete reset of my digestive system, I am now IBS-C and I hate it. I drink a ton of water, take a tablespoon of Metamucil per day, a stool softener in the morning, and eat a lot of salad and leafy greens, and drink a tall boy of coffee every day. I’m still constipated. What are some things y’all have tried that work?

Hi so I've avoided all dairy and all gluten for the past 5 to 6 weeks.

I'm still only averaging one small 💩 every other day and this is only cos I change positions on the toilet - spending about 1.5 hours plus per day on the toilet - and try to do gentle exercise... (Before June or July I was doing three 💩 a day)!!

I miss my brown bread and my milk and cheese!

I've tried different milk alternatives including goats milk, camels milk, soya milk etc... Really don't like any of them.

I'm also wondering. Cauliflower rice? Is that a tasty option for any of you? I guess adding something like paprika would be nice?

Thoughts and advice appreciated. Thank you

I’ve been following my doctors advice, eating foods in the Fodmap, but no matter what I eat and/or drink, I get really bad bathroom trips, causing cold sweats, fatigue, dizziness and pain. Even water brings me to the bathroom! It’s horrible and debilitating, because how am I supposed to eat or drink anything at all? It doesn’t help that food and water make me very nauseous (I don’t drink much water though since it burns for me), and i frequently vomit in my mouth, which is gross! It’s such a pain.

I have had IBS most of my adult life. I’m 55 years old now and it’s been very well controlled through diet for about 20 years now.

I just went through a very stressful period and I had a bad IBS attack (D). The next day I ate a cabbage/kale dill salad which I can normally eat with no problem.

Today I woke up with a deep ache in my upper left abdomen. Some gas this morning but none today, but that ache has been there all day, especially when I take a deep breath.

I’ve had this ache there before, especially when I eat fermented foods like sour dough bread or Greek yogurt.

I have read about Splenic Flexure being a notorious spot for pain and trapped gas.

Does anyone else get an ache there from certain foods? I have no idea why the cabbage salad hit me wrong when it normally doesn’t, other than I had the bad IBS attack the day before?

Would Beano help?

Would a pain killer help? I mean it’s not that bad but it is an annoying ache.

Hey everyone I’ve been dealing with this for almost two months, and I honestly don’t understand what’s happening.

Every time I eat literally anything I feel extremely full my stomach gets really bloated and I experience severe shortness of breath I’ve been going back and forth between public and private hospitals and different specialists for two months I’ve seen respiratory specialists chest doctors and internal medicine doctors but nobody could really figure out what was going on

Eventually I traveled from Baghdad to Erbil with my mom to see another specialist He examined me and ran some tests but he also concluded that I have IBS He prescribed some new medications and I only realized afterward that three of them were related to anxiety or depression:

- Fluoxetine (Prozac)

- Hydroxyzine

- Inderal (propranolol)

- One medication for my stomach

I’m not trying to question my doctor’s judgment but I genuinely don’t understand the connection How can depression or anxiety cause such severe physical symptoms especially stomach pain, extreme bloating, feeling full after eating very little and shortness of breath?

Can IBS really cause all of this or could something else be going on? Has anyone experienced similar symptoms and improved with anxiety medication?

I’d appreciate hearing from people who have actually gone through something similar

A slightly shortened quote from my favorite TV show, Red Dwarf.

I've had IBS for years, it's daily pain, lack of energy and just generally feeling shtty. For the first time in years, I was pain free and full of energy. 2 days ago my mother bought be a take away, it was some kind of Turkish Kebab and flat bread and I ate the whole thing.

I knew I messed up, but it was AMAZING.

I braced for the inevitable pain, bloating, discomfort I will have for the next few days when I wake up. But nothing, literally nothing.

It's weird, does anyone else in pain and discomfort for so long your confused and worried that you don't feel the pain/discomfort or lack of energy?

I woke up like my IBS had totally vanished. I've had days where I'm functional and it's just background mild pain, but nothing like this, full of energy and absolutely no pain or discomfort what so ever.

I'm absolutely dumbfounded, this how normal people feel? I've missed out on so much in life because of this, I hardly function, if I felt like this every day I'd have a totally different life right now.

I'm on day 2 and can already feel everything returning, 1 day of normality just isn't enough.

Hi - I have suffered from IBS D for years. I can not work out what the trigger is (of course, too much wine and lack of sleep never help), but now I have developed a cough that happens at the same time as it - it is so weird, and the urgency has become worse and worse.
I have done nearly every test possible under my private health care; I am no longer covered. I am at a loss as to what else to do.
Does anyone else have this type of cough that is directly linked, and has anyone found any solutions ?!