I can sympathise with you totally. I too go like that alot but its usually if I eat anything containing sugar, wheat, gluten, dairy - those really set me off. Stay away from soda drinks and even fruit for now. Maybe find a good nutritionist that can help you with your diet. I have IBS but its definitely worse when I have certain types of foods. They say IBS is connected to fructose now, so look up fructose and avoid it for a while and see how you go. I find if I just eat say chicken all day and nothing else it goes away, but I can't eat like that all the time, its so boring and bland, but it helps. I would stay away from doctors medications if I were you, they are just masking the problem, get a good probiotic and take that in the mornings too, that helps heal the gut and get the good bacteria back in there. I have been like this for over 2 years now and everytime I am strict with my diet I get better but then I eat naughty food again like chocolate or sugars, dairy and it all comes back. Hang in there, its a process of elimination to find out what it is but it could be food intolerances, which are closely linked to IBS. When you have IBS your stomach is more sensitve and that can cause food intolerances. Good luck, you are not alone thats for sure

Thanks, I probably have had more dairy than I should. I try to stay away from it. I do take a probiotic, but still, I am sick all the time, I would say about every second or third day I'm stuck on the toilet all morning. It's so hard, and people don't understand that I cannot control it or know why it is happening.

Yes I am the same, it comes and goes and you think its gone then its back again for no reason. It really does get you down, the reason being as you are getting no nutrition, the food goes straight through you and your body doesn't absorb the nutrients, hence the reason you feel depressed and I get like that too and have days when I have no energy at all. I do think alot of it is diet related. Last night I was naughty and had some chocolate and sugar and boy my stomach is killing me today, bloated and in pain and have been about 5 times so far and it keeps grumbling, I should know better.......I am 48 and have had this for 2 years now, nearly non stop.......going to yet another specialist tomorrow to get yet more advise........
There are so many people suffering out there so please don't feel alone, although I know what you mean, most people don't have a clue what we go through and the way it affects our moods and life.

Thank you. I am so sorry it effects you that bad, I hope this specialist will help you. My thing is I have a really bad day and take 5-6 immodium and then I'm fine for two days and then the third day is not so bad sometimes and the forth is bad or the third it's really bad and I take the immodium again and it starts the cycle again. So it's really hard for me to know if it is a certain food, it's always triggered after breakfast though, I usually eat gf cereal with non dairy milk, or gf toast with honey and dairy free butter. and I'll drink cranberry juice with my morning med, but sometimes I drink water. It doesn't matter what I change my eating, I still am on the toilet. A while ago I went strict gf dairy free yeast free raw fruits and veggies free, I even cut out lettuce, for several months and I was still on the toilet. I was eating mainly chicken and rice in a rice tortilla. It's not bad for every once in a while, but gets boring after a month. It's just so hard. I wish doctors did more to help us.

Yes i can relate to that, today i am eating just protein but no dairy so only chicken and a protein shake that is dairy free and my tum is grumbling away and I've been about 12 times now, i am so exhausted and sick of it,but I know if I eat bland for a while it will settle, but it doesn't take much to trigger it off again

You poor thing! I hope you get relief soon. My stomach gave me troubles today too, but I knew it was coming, my last episode was tues (I think). My husband wanted me to meet him for lunch, I had to stop once to go. I did get to stay through his whole lunch time, but when I got home, it wasn't fun. I only ended up eating cream cheese ragoon for lunch because I didn't want to have to be in the lou the whole time or have to leave him early. He likes having lunch with me, but it's so hard sometimes. it's a half hour drive both ways and when your stomach is acting up, it's not a fun drive. I hope you didn't have anything pressing to do while your stomach was upset. try a cold compress on your belly, or soaking in the tub. both those has eased my pain in the past. Also try soltines crackers or honeyed bread. That has helped me since I got home. I find it helps to eat something that will soak up some of the water in our intestines. Everyone is different though. Sending hugs your way!

Honeyed bread? Just honey on bread? Also, how does the cold compress work? I have heard the warm suggested but not the cold before. Always looking for new tips and advice. Thank you for posting!

I HAVE HAD IBS PROBLEY ALL MY LIFE AND DID,NT KNOW IT. UNTIL 2002 .MY DAUGHTER WAS REAL SICK WITH LUPUS. (SHE DIED IN 2003 I MISS HER SO MUCH. LOTS OF ANXIETY AND STRESS FOR ME STILL. I HAD COLONOSCOPY IN 2002 (YOU GET THEM EVERY 10 YEARS) UNLESS YOU HAVE BLEEDING. THOSE ARE VERY INVASIVE TEST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD IT TO BAD THEN NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN AT LUNCH AS SOON AS I EAT GURGLING , GAS THEN BOWEL MOVEMENT. NO TO MUCH GAS TODAY. THIS IS AWFUL BUT I DON,T GO TO DR. AFTER DR. IBS IS A LIFE TIME CONDITION. JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT SUCKS.

Ravenfish, I am so sorry it took me so long to get back to you, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I was told by someone on here that putting a cold like ice pack on your belly, it will suck out all the heat and help your bowels work the way they need to. I've only done it a few times. The really only thing I have noticed is it helps with the pain, but doesn't take away the runs. The honey toast is just a peice of bread with honey on it. I figured because we have diarrehea that there is alot of extra water, so I'm thinking that if I eat something that can soak up the water like breads, saltene crackers, that it might help. I notice a slight difference, but everyone is different, if I don't do this, then the flare up lasts forever. I hope any of this helps, I am constantly trying to find something that helps.

Thank you! I was curious, but I am IBS-C, so I guess I would just probably down the honey. I will try the trick though maybe with the ice-pack. Of course with the weather changes coming soon (hello Spring!), I am starting to get nervous about how my body will handle everything. Too bad we can't climate control the weather outside, like we do indoors! I think though that the ice-pack might help.

I can relate. My gastroenterologist thinks that I probably have a motility issue with my bowels because as soon as I wake up and start moving around I have to use the bathroom 3-7 times before I can leave the house. It means I always have to wake up 1-2 hours before I need to leave the house for work so that I don't have to go at work or don't have to go while I am driving. After the morning time I am usually fine. It is just when I start moving around for the first time in the day so it doesn't matter what time I wake up. I am taking a prescription too which helps a little but not too much.
To figure out if you are allergic to any foods you need to cut them out of your diet for 10 full days according to Dr Oz. And pay attention to foods that seem to cause you more of a problem by keeping a food diary.

I have found that if I eat tomato sauce I am worse off the next day or two. I cut diary out of my diet for 10 days (hard to do cause if you go out to eat you have to look up the menu ahead of time and about 99% of the foods at restaurants contain dairy!). I actually got WORSE (gas) from not eating dairy so I learned I need dairy for my digestion.
Just pick a food idea you think bothers you (dairy, gluten/wheat, etc) and don't eat it for 10 full days and then see how you feel. If you are much better than you should probably never go back to eating those foods again. If there is no change or the change is worse then you are not allergic to those foods and can or should eat them.