Is it possible for an IBS attack to last for more than a week?

[AnxiousAndUnsure]

I don't know what's going on with me but I've been sick for over a week with IBS symptoms. I am getting sick and tired of this. I am having trouble sleeping, but that's been going on for months. I also feel I have symptoms of a thyroid disorder (and am getting that checked on Friday) my GI Doctor has stopped returning my calls for God only knows what reason but it seems no matter what I eat or drink I am just terribly sick. My heartburn is 100 times worse than it's ever been (and I'm on Nexium and pepcid yes the doctor prescribed this) I am at my wits end and incredibly sick of ln just applesauce and crackers. I have cut a lot of stuff out of my diet. Dairy, Eggs, Caffeine, Chocolate, Beef...I mean JFC there's not much more I can cut out and yet I'm still sick ALL the time. What am I supposed to do?

[AnxiousAndUnsure]

I was tested for Gluten stuff twice, no results that indicate intolerance. I have had two colonoscopies and 4 endoscopies in my life. The worst they've found was polyps in my stomach (nothing in my colon) My heartburn is off the charts bad it seems like nothing helps it. I am on 40mg Nexium and then 20mg pepcid at night. Even still I have massive problems with heartburn. This seems to be the WORST problem I have and as of now it seems to be the worst of all. I drink mostly water at this point, the occasional ginger ale. Trust me I get tests done and regularly it's not Crohn's they would have found that by now. I also never have bloody stools ever nor several other symptoms of Crohn's (I had a friend who had that and she suffered WAY more than I do) I also have constant post nasal drip due to a recent oral surgery I didn't want which apparently can contribute to really bad heart burn. Recently I had a bad reaction to medication and they gave me stuff for nausea which made me REALLY constipated so I'm assuming that could be part of the problem as well?

[cnoevl21]

Had the colonoscopy and endoscopy? Are you sure its not crohns? IBS is usually what they say when they don't really know whats wrong. Did you cut out gluten from your diet? Been tested for a gluten allergy?
Try probiotics and digestive enzymes and see if that helps at all

[Red_Star]

Most people with heartburn/acid reflux/GERD don't have enough stomach acid. Causes of low stomach acid are quite long from aging to zinc deficiency. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are also causes of low stomach acid.

Excerpt from the article: Hypochlorhydria - lack of stomach acid - can cause lots of problems...

"When any of the above problems go wrong, it can result in symptoms.

1. Accelerated ageing because of malabsorption.

2. Wind, gas and bloating as foods are fermented instead of being digested, i.e. irritable bowel syndrome.

3. A tendency to allergies - the reason for this is that if foods are poorly digested, then large antigenically interesting molecules get into the lower gut, where if the immune system reacts against them, that can switch on allergy.

4. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

5. Iron deficiency Anaemia

6. B12 deficiency

7. A tendency to candida dysbiosis or bacterial dysbiosis."