IBS AND ACID REFLUX????

[bigdaddy1992]

Ok, First some background. About 10 days ago i started with a bloated stomach with a bit of associated "grumbling" noises. As time has gone on i started to feel a bit of pain right in the centre of the chest roughly at the bottom of the ribs. This went on for a week and then started to get worse, My stomach felt extremely bloated and the pain was still there at the bottom of my ribs. I went to see a Dr out of surgery hours at my local clinic. I told him all the above symptoms and he took my blood pressure which was normal. Then he took his stethiscope (sp?) and listened to my chest and my stomach. He said there was a lot of gas in my bowels and he said he thought i had IBS and Acid reflux. He gave me some meds for ibs and for acid reflux. At the moment it has been 2 days of meds and slight improvement but not a major improvement. My questions are

1. can a dr reliably diagnose ibs like this and

2. I find it unusual that 2 things i have never suffered from before start at the same time!!

3. Could the acid reflux or the pain at the bottom of the ribs be a product of ibs?

Still at the minute most foods make my stomach feel bloated so any input would be great.

[cupcake85]

I have had pain under my left ribs for a week or so now and then it turned into a tightness with slight pain across my chest area-its like my skin is being pulled taught. Just last night I  had a serious burbling, hollow  grumble in my stomach and today my stomach is still feeling up to snuff. I went to doctor in the past who diagnosed me with acid reflux- could I be facing worse problems, and ulcer? Could  the pains under my ribs or tightness in my chest  be at all related to a gastrointestinal problem? Also I have been feeling kind of an itchiness in my legs. Do you or anyone have any suggestions about what these syptoms might mean.

Thanks -any advice is would be greatly appreciated!

[newsunny]

1 . can a dr reliably diagnose ibs like this - dont think so. IBS is generrally the last thing to diagnose. it is detected by process of elimination.  Basically they will test all otehr causes of stool problems . if negative then IBS can be considered/

2. I find it unusual that 2 things i have never suffered from before start at the same time - yes i agree..

3. Could the acid reflux or the pain at the bottom of the ribs be a product of ibs - yes can be but can be a lot of other things too..

K . not sure what kind of acid reflux medication you are on.. if u r on nexium. some side effects diahhrea, nausea...

Have you used Tums for few days if it feels OK for you..

Were you on antibiotics course. if so it can get rid of good bacteria in teh gut. if that happens.. suggest get some acidophilis yogurt, probiotics, and danon yogurt daily. usually symptoms take time to improve.. atleast i would give it a month..

[Shebah]

I have Crohn's Disease and my symptoms started just like yours. Acid reflux and pressure under the ribcage. I was also diagnosed with IBS, but I got bad a few weeks later with diarreah and was put in the hospital. My coloncsopy showed ulcers and IBS is a term I havent heard since.

If you have any kind of  bowel changes, mucous, blood, or diarreah, then go get it checked out. If you have any type of joint pain or boils anywhere on your body, have it looked into! IBD is not an illness to walk around with untreated.

Better safe then sorry!

[bigdaddy1992]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. No Bloods were taken at all, Just a physical examination. The meds he gave me were:

Colofac 200mg ( Mebeverine Hydrochloride ) 1 Tablet twice a day.

And Gaviscon Advanced for the Acid Reflux.

I must admit though i do feel better than i did this time last week. I wonder if the amount of gas that was in the bowels was causing it to push up on the stomach to cause the pain and discomfort around the ribs?

I have booked to see my own doctor on the 20th of December so maybe she will do more tests but i find comfort in the fact the symptoms are subsiding.When i looked on the internet for those symptoms almost every page had cancer at the top of the list. Still i suppose any symptom of any disease could be listed as a symptom of cancer.

[bigdaddy1992]

Forgot to say the heartburn didnt go away with the gaviscon but now the bloating is setlling a bit it's not there all the time.

[AMA17]

hey --- in my opinion, I think most doctors, after hearing about stomach issues, immediately think IBS, and that's that... I think it's an easy diagnosis. You may actually have it though... Bloating can be caused by this, by food intolerances, by too much greasy food, whatever... you get it.

My gastro doc, immediately said IBS, and I felt it was a generic response. Turns out I have celiac, but when I had really intense cramps & bloating my stomach/intestines would feel a little sore... So i think that could be what that pain is.

The acid reflux usually causes heartburn and soreness in the esophogus & chest...

Has anything changed for you recently to bring about these symptoms? Change in diet, lifestyle, could be it -- or stress....

GOOD LUCK!

[gobipuba]

Ibs is a diagnosis of exclusion after other things are ruled out.  There are criteria in the diagnosis that many doctors use to make the diagnosis, based on their experience, but I would want to test for some other stuff before I settled on IBS.  Saying that yes, Ibs can cause pain under the left under ribs.  

Did you do any basic blood tests yet?  Are you experiencing heartburn or reflux on a daily basis?  What meds did he put you on?

JD