Is this IBS ?

[jenniwrenne]

Hi,

A few years ago a gastroenterologist diagnosed me with IBS.  Scans, colonoscopy , endoscopy had not shown any organic disease.  I have never been able to understand why he thought it was IBS, unless it was just that he had run out of ideas.  Since then another doctor told me I have 'smooth muscle spasms' in the diaphragm.  But is this IBS ?

I do not have constipation or diarrhoea. I usually have normal BMs twice a day.  However the spasms in my diaphragm often move upwards into my chest where they become bronchospasms, which then trigger an asthma attack or severe coughing fit.  

Sometimes, though not often, the spasms move downwards into my abdomen and cause spasms in my colon. It feels as though my gut is twisted, and I get bad cramping pain.   I am then unable to have a normal BM, and only able to pass a small amount each time, and at those times I have 8 - 10 small BMs a day (not diarrhoea).  After a few days the spasms in the colon stop and my BMs are back to normal.   But the spasms are back in my diaphragm and chest.

I have read the list of symptoms of IBS on these boards and I can't say I recognise them as mine.  Does anyone think my symptoms sound like IBS ?

Thanks.    

[FurballsMom]

Many of the symptoms, like the spasms in the colon and the bouts of BM that aren't normal sound like IBS, but I would ask a doctor to explain what they're talking about with the "'smooth muscle spasms' in the diaphragm'".  

[jenniwrenne]

I think, as I understand it, the doctor meant smooth muscle spasms in the gut affecting the secondary muscles of respiration in the diaphragm, and causing bronchospasms.