Thanks for posting!
I think IBS is life-long, though it can get much less severe over time, andthen relapse. Even though I am fructose intolerant, I've noticed it's actually foods high is fiber that give me the worst stomach pains. And onions are pretty bad too. But as long as I eat fruits and veggies in moderation, and with another food, it doesn't seem to give me any reaction.
As for my persistant fatigue, my ferretin is now up to 20, and my hemoglobin is normal, so that doesn't explain it. I've had my cortisol levels tested, as sometimes low cortisol can cause fatigue but... my cortisol is actually HIGHER than normal! I don't have any symptoms of cushing's though, so I think the likely culprit is psuedo-cushing's caused by hormone therapy (I must take estrogen for my endometriosis).
I moved to India a year ago and ended up contracting multiple intestinal infections including Giardia.
After receiving poor treatment in India for 6 months, I went back to the UK and was given antibiotics which cleared the infection. I then had a colonsocopy which was all clear and normal. I now have Post-Infectious IBS (I'm into the 9 month of it) and I find that sometimes I'm okay and sometimes I'm not. For me it depends on climate and sleep. If I don't sleep or it's too hot, then I get diarrrhea which over the past year has resulted in my sodium and potassium deficiency. I cannot handle processed foods of any kind, wholewheat, lentils, tomatoes, dairy any fats and the list goes on. I'm not sure how long PI IBS is supposed to last but for me, I feel that it has simply become IBS. After diagnosis, I feel that I've just been left to get on with it. The specialist I saw said that one day I'll wake up and I'll just be able to eat normally again! If only!
Hope you get well soon.
The food we eat can cause all sorts of symptoms. Your digestion is an amazing process that literally sends the food you eat to all parts of your body. So it does make sense that IBS can be your problem for all your symptoms. IBS is caused by food intolerance. The main culprits are DAIRY and GLUTEN... gluten has been known to cause many many diseases. I had no digestive issues until a stint of medication after contracting Tuberculosis while living in Nunavut. Since then I was plagued with problems.. they said it was IBS.. Honestly you probably had a problem with the foods your whole life but the virus just sent your body into overdrive. Made it way worse. The body has a funny way of telling us something is wrong. When you start having a bunch of issues all at once, none of them seem related but it's just one thing after another.. it is usually a food intolerance, or a number of food intolerances. Do a paleo diet or low carb, cut out gluten/grains and dairy for a few weeks, see if it helps. You'll have to cut them out completely though or you may not notice any change.. Do a search online of your symptoms and paleo and see what shows up, you'll be amazed...
Hi, thanks for your post. It definitly sounds like we've been through something similar.
I'm glad you found out your condition was related to lactose and dairy and you are doing better now! I don't normally consume dairy or lactose, I never drink milk or eat ice cream, and rarely eat cheese, yogurt or butter. My diet is already very low in dairy products. I also have been tested for food intolerances. I am not intolerant to lactose, glucose or lactulose, however I discovered that I am intolerant to fructose! Minimizing fructose has helped relieve much of my bloating and pain after I eat, but the rest of my symtoms remain.
Overall, I've begun to see improvement since my last post. I've been able to be active for more hours in the day, and getting less gastric symptoms. However I still need to tae it easy: anytime I try to push myself a little bit, it backfires and I end up needing 2-4 days of bedrest to recover!
One symptom I did not mention above is that since my surgery I have been getting low grade fevers and night sweats. I wasn't concerned at first because we were having a record-breaking hot summer, but now that it's -29 outside and I still wake up in sweats in the middle of the night, the doctors are concerned it could signal a hormone imbalance, or a lingering virus. I will be getting a hormone test in February...
i have had some of your issues but not all in the year just past, had stomach bug in january 2012 and then ovarian cysts found end april after acute pain admission, same had been suffering bloating etc but like you no constipation or diarrhoea, had cyst out at end august 2012 and then two kidney infection severe tiredness and abdominal symtoms that had never gone away (no endometriosis found during lap and cyst removal), basically towards end of december with desperation a colleague suggested cutting out lactose and dairy, within a few days noticed difference (less gurgling in stomach, still bloating) after a week i was sleeping better, aches and pains in arms leggs getting better, walking better, headaches subsided, am now nearly four weeks on and although still have bloating have seen huge improvement, am a mother of two young children and had been a struggle to get out of bed and wanted to go to bed in afternoon (but couldnt) before this. i have now seen a very well qualified dietitician, who thinks post infectious ibs, am on an exclusion diet and also high strength probiotics to get the good bacteria back in gut. have lost a stone in weight and she thinks this all been down to the fact my body not been absorbing what i need from food due to the changes in my gut system and bacteria out of equilibrium.
anyway i have no idea if this could work for you but if you feel as bad as i did its worth a try, so try and lactose and dairy free diet for a bit.
this is a condensed story of the past year but covers the basics
p.s i was like you i thought ibs was alternating diarrhoea and constipation but the term ibs covers everything that doesnt have organic (not sure if that right term) cause e.g investigation normal like endoscopy, colonoscopy etc e.g they can find obvious damage to gi tract and also ibs should meet the official criteria but this is probably less necessary more the fact that no other damage cause found to explain symptoms
good luck