IBS can stand for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Moomin...... basically your bowels don't work like they should, in that you can feel bloated, constipated,  or may need to run to the loo in a hurry. I think there are different degrees of it, from being a mild inconvenience, to being quite debilitating.... but there is lots on the net about it, and I believe , support forums

a friend of mine has it and hers is triggered by eating food that is too spicy and also things like too much bread and pasta...

hope you manage to get the info you need...i don't know too much other than her doc told her to keep a food diary and see what foods triggered bouts.

My fella has it, his is triggered by stress manily but he also has to be careful what he eats and drinks,dairy, coffee and alcohol play havoc with his IBS.

I should have said that I have mild IBS, that tends to kick in if I am stressed.

I have IBS which I manage by taking medication. It only occurred a few months ago when I was under a lot of stress but the pain when it comes is worse than my labour pains were

Have you got it Moomin

I've had it for years, it's one of the symptoms of my ME. I used to take medication for it but now I can mostly manage it by watching what I eat. I'm a bit sceptical of the term IBS though because I know several people who've been diagnosed with it and their symptoms are very different. It's a bit of a catch all title.

IBS is an 'umbrella' term.  That's what our consultant told my husband.
It's hard to pinpoint as some foodstuffs aren't often the usual suspects.

Brasil nuts, raw veg - especially cauliflower and brocolli eaten in small amounts during the day, worked extremely well for my hubby.  And bizarrely, the powdered satchets of Fibregel.  These all help to settle the gut.

If you experience stomach upsets for a long period of time, you can ask for a colonoscopy.  Very often, the irritation can lead to 'grazing' internally and/or polyps can form, causing MORE irritation....it becomes a vicious circle.

It's also worth checking that it's not coeliac disease, as the symptoms can be similar in some cases.

I'm not sure - I was talking to someone recently who did, and their symptoms sounded similar. I can't pinpoint anything I eat though, and it is not severe, just occasional bouts. I can't really call it diahorrea (sp?) as I only go the once, but I am having loose stools more often than I used to, and I usually get a cramp just before as a sign. I should go to the doctor really, but I don't like the sound of the tests


 I have had that many tests in my lifetime, all of them horrid that I can't face any more. I also had my gall bladder removed about 14 years ago, and some of the symptoms are quite similar to that.

i suffer with it quite badly, like queenie i monitor it myself now, the pain and bloating can be so bad at times, you feel like curling up in a ball  mine is caused mainly by certain foods which i try to avoid, but they tend to be the things i like  worrying about things is also a cause and having to know where a toilet is when you go anywhere can be a pain

I don't have IBS, but can I stay cos I love a good poo story.

BTW, I know IBS isn't a lauging matter.

Moomin, you really should go to the doctor. He/she might not do any tests right away, sometimes they just try you on a prescription for something like Fibregel Colpermin to see if that has any effect.

my OH suffers with it really badly. He has had it for 4-5 years now & he takes medication for it daily. It is not set off by foods or stress or anything really. Sometimes I find him moaning, laying face down on the floor in pain. If we go anywhere we have to make sure we know where all the toilet stops are. Takes a lot of work but not much else he can do.

That's what happened with me. He said it was obvious what it was and tried me on tablets. Luckily first try worked and I have been able to control it ever since

Thanks for the advice, people - I was just wondering what people's symptoms were really to see if mine were the same.
I will go Queenie, but I have to pluck up courage.