IBS and Itching

[Matclip]

I was recently diagnosed with IBS after a long list of tests for various other possible problems. I'm still working out diet and things to ease my symptoms, but I have one off the wall symptom that the doctor couldn't really explain. Generalized itching. I visited the doctor with a slightly raised rash on my side shortly after I started feeling itchy and was treated for scabies, and I went the extra step to be sure they couldn't live. At this point I don't believe I ever had scabies for many reasons. The rash faded away eventually but the itching never has, and I'm talking 6 months here. Since then I have not had any raised rashes, however, I have had hives appear randomly. I've tried an elimination diet to check for food allergies, still itchy. Anyone else with IBS had this combo of symptoms? What could this be? Could it be allergies, or maybe nerves, or something directly related to the bowel problems?

[boron]

Hives are probably from allergy - may be food, medicines, soap, clothes...To test, if it is an allergy, you can try an antihistamine pill Benadryl - itching should stop shortly after that.

To find out, if it is some food that causes allergy, you can ask a dietitian to give you a diet plan, starting with complete fasting. If it is food, itching should go away in few days...

[kathryncampbell]

I would definitely recommend getting an allergy test. This test must be a blood test and include BOTH IgE and IgG antibodies to guarantee that no food allergies are missed. Your symptoms are indicative of an allergic reaction, and your elimination diet may not have been thorough enough to discover true food allergies (whether due to the length, the combinations of foods eaten or avoided, the manner in which it was conducted and how strictly it was completed). The combination of IBS symptoms and allergy symptoms is not unusual, as food allergies and intolerances represent one of two major categories of most common IBS causes. The other leading category of causes of IBS is problems with intestinal bacteria, yeast/candida, or parasites. I would highly recommend checking out www.IBStreatmentcenter.com for some valuable information regarding IBS and its ties to food allergies and intolerances. This is a wonderful resource for this type of issue. I hope this helps!