Non-Bowel Symptoms IBS

[Leah77]

Hi, I'm wondering if there is perhaps something more than IBS going on here?
The symptoms are:
At seemingly random times, I will wake up with or suddenly experience a very severe pain in my abdomen, typically where I'd expect the intestines to be, sometimes it is up/down farther than others.
Within 15 minutes of this (sometimes with the pain nearly being so severe that I feel I am going to pass out) I will begin experiencing diarheaa (sorry for the spelling lol), often in conjunction with nausea (occasionally throwing up). I will be in the bathroom with this for 2-3 hours, at while this is occurring, sometimes my right leg will become numb, and I also end up with a rash over the knuckles of both hands (bright red, not itching) & on my chest. There is usually some blood in the stool also, though I wonder if this could be hemmoroidal (I don't have any pain that I'd expect to occur with that, but who knows!) or from ibuprofin.
Typically about a day before this happens the joints in my hips & knees hurt severely, and sometimes this can be helped with motrin/ibuprofin. The joints continue to hurt until about a day after the IBS episode.
I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, for pain in my muscles, which is much better now than in the past. I do still take flexeril for this occassionally, and I have been assuming that the joint pain was simply a part of whatever was causing the fibro. I do have joint pain, especially in my hips & knees, which will occur outside of the times I have the bowel issues, which will last for days (sometimes I am not able to bend one or both legs at the knees while walking - not because it's that painful, just because they won't bend correctly).
I know that this gets worse when I'm under stress, and I know that IBS itself can be caused entirely by stress. But there are also times when I am not aware of any particular stressors, and this occurs.
I was prescribed levsin for the IBS, which doesn't help. I have tried the maximum dose, without any effect. One thing which does help (which I use when I am at work & I know what's about to happen!) is Immodium + anti-gas medication. The pain is still there in my abdomen & joints, and so is the nausea & related intestinal discomfort, but I will not have the diarrhea.
This has been happening for a couple of months now & is frustrating!
Do you think I should seek a 2nd opinion (my family doc is the one who diagnosed it as IBS) or are these all common IBS symptoms?
I am 25 years old & not in the mood to have this going on!

Thank you :)

[Kevin Pho, MD]

One consideration that should be ruled out would be inflammatory bowel disease - such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.  Presence of either one of these diseases can result in the arthritic complaints you are experiencing.  

I would consider a colonoscopy to fully evaluate the colon - this can rule out most cases of inflammatory bowel disease.

To evaluate the nausea, you can consider an upper endoscopy or upper GI series to look for GERD, an ulcer, or any obstruction leading to chronic nausea.

If negative, then treatment for IBS can then be optimized.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[malcom]

It could be food allergy, your symptoms looks like celiac disease( gluten intolerance), to start with try gluten free diet for two weeks, if you havent triet it yet, diet diagnosis it the best diagnosis for glutin intoleranc, it is hard but try it, (no wheat, barely rye) go to celiac web sit there is a lot of information. good luck.

[wheat free]

Sounds like wheat intolerance is your problem as it was mine. First have a blood test to check for celiac disease but if it comes out negative don't think that wheat and gluten are still not responsible for your bad feelings. Try the elimination diet.Check out the supermarket for gluten/ wheat free alternatives. Just try it for 2 weeks and you'll know if wheat is the problem - no bread, beer, sauces containing wheat fillers. Treat yourself to an Asian country like Vietnam or Thailand for a holiday - you'll find it is easier to trial being wheat free there because rice is the staple and wheat flour is uncommon. Forget the doctors ands the drugs. It seems the medical profession is closely bedded with the pharmasuticals ie its more concerned with labelling people with a specific illness that can only be 'cured' by drugs than going for the simle option of an elimination diet. Take my word for it, you'll feel amazing!!

[wheat free]

Sounds like wheat intolerance is your problem as it was mine. First have a blood test to check for celiac disease but if it comes out negative don't think that wheat and gluten are still not responsible for your bad feelings. Try the elimination diet.Check out the supermarket for gluten/ wheat free alternatives. Just try it for 2 weeks and you'll know if wheat is the problem - no bread, beer, sauces containing wheat fillers. Treat yourself to an Asian country like Vietnam or Thailand for a holiday - you'll find it is easier to trial being wheat free there because rice is the staple and wheat flour is uncommon. Forget the doctors ands the drugs. It seems the medical profession is closely bedded with the pharmasuticals ie its more concerned with labelling people with a specific illness that can only be 'cured' by drugs than going for the simle option of an elimination diet. Take my word for it, you'll feel amazing!!

[HeatherTr]

I have had similar symptoms in the past and was diagnosed with IBS.  I also had bulima for 16 years, but that started after my digestive pain -- and I believe the digestive pain caused it.  I gave up wheat, gluten & sugar, which helped.  But nothing helped me as much as The Body Ecology Diet, by Donna Gates.

The Body Ecology Diet is a way of eating that heals your inner ecosystem.  It can help people with food allergies, eating disorders, alcoholism, chronic fatigue, IBS and other issues.

What happend for me is that on day 1, no more IBS pain.  And -- no more bulimia!  Everything resolved on day 1 and I have not had pain or issues since.  It is like a miracle -- I am finally feeling like the happy carefree person that I have always wanted to be.  

I wrote an article about this -- and other IBS information on my blog, if it would be of help to you.  And by the way, I tried everything, got every medical test and did tremendous research for YEARS...I wish I tried this first!

Heather
http://TranscendBulimia.com