Irritable Bowel Syndrome.....sorry this is long and embarassing :-(?

I've been diagnosed with IBS - every so often, I get the most awful stomach cramps, which I would liken to labour, they're that bad. They come and go every few hours, and then I have to go sit on the loo until it passes. The pain makes me sweat and feel sick too. I don't particularly have diahorrea, nor constipation, although it feels like I want to go badly, but I can't. The doc said I'm not constipated tho. I seem to bloat a lot when I eat, whatever I eat, and haven't known about it long enough to sort out any type of diet.
What i really want to ask is when sufferers have an attack, is it normal to pass quite bloody stools...bloody mucous, and really dark, odd smelling stools? I knew this last attack was coming by the smell and look of my stools. I take Buscopan, which seems to ease the pain somewhat, but it takes a day or more to settle, then I ache a lot in the lower stomach region afterwards for a few days.
I don't really know what to do for the best, or what sort of diet to follow

Can anyone help me please??

thank you so much for all your advice, I cannot for the life of me choose a winner, because most of you who contributed did so from a personal, and very helpful, point of view, so I'm afraid I'll have to leave it to the vote
Thank you

Blood in your stools definitely is not good and you need to see your doctor. As far as an IBS diet, ABSOLUTELY NO WHITE FLOUR AND NO SUGAR. Both will cause bloating and inflammation. I have IBS as well, and white flour just about kills me. I get bloated from bread in general. I find that if I eat less meat and more beans and legumes, I don't get as bloated, and legumes have a lot of fibre in them. I don't have all the webites I checked out bookmarked, but one website suggested eating all or most veggies cooked, rather than raw. It kind of sucks if you like eating salad. People with IBS need to eat lots of fibre and drink lots of water. Also, caffeine is supposed to be bad for IBS, but I drink black tea rather than coffee, and it seems to be okay. Hope this helps.

oh god you just reminded me of a poster campaing I saw in the pub las tnight :o( I'll see if I can find it on google! :o/

Edit: can't find it, its new so mightnot be online yet. Anyway, if there is blood, go to your doctor. :o)

the bloody stools need investigating, i was diagnosed with ibs too, however it turned out to be wrong, i have crohn's, i would get a second ooinion

Have you tried those little Pearl things to control yeast in the belly(and intestines)...I have heard a lot of people that were "diagnosed" with IBS really have a yeast over growth...worth a shot?

Just eat more fruit and veg.. drink less coffee... Drink half a pint of water before going to bed.. keep up your fluid intake during the day with fruit juices.. and water.. Believe me this does help.. im a sufferer too. good luck.. bye bye..

I have been where you are and you have my sympathy. I went to see a Consultant who did tests. He then referred me to a dietician who after hearing what foods gave me IBS, put me on a low fibre diet and introducing certain foods back into my diet over 12 weeks...All people are different...what causes IBS for me would not be the same for you...
I have been on the diet, changed what and how I eat completly and now feel much better. Re the blood in your stools, sometimes because you are constipated you can burst blood vessels when trying to go to the loo. See your Dr and ask if you can see a Consultant. When I did it was a 72 days wait so I went private, It was money well spent to be advised how to deal with IBS. Stress also can play a big part inyour symptoms...I went through 3 months of hell, but I can now say I have my life back. There are some foods I stay away from...Junk food, spicy food,processed and frozen foods and alcohol .Try and eat fresh chicken, fish Best of luck and hope you soon feel better...Carole

I have IBS and can honestly say that I've never had bloody stools. If there is ever blood in your faeces then you should get it checked out...regardless of whether or not you have IBS. Diarrhoea, yes, but blood or mucous...you should get checked out.

I was originally given Mebeverine to calm the cramps but I was allergic to it so ended up having to take peppermint oil tabs before I ate. I've learned now how to control my IBS and have noticed that poultry and excess wheat are the main triggers for me.

I would try peppermint oil if you can, it really helped for me...it's also a herbal remedy rather than prescription meds.

I am not a physician; but I was diagnosed with IBS also, years ago. I do know that bloody stools are NOT normal with this condition. There could be several things besides IBS that present this; so ask your doctor if you could have diverticular pouches, or some form of the condition. You could have internal hemorrhoids. Food could be staying in your colon and fermenting, thus the smell. Try to eat more fibrous foods, and until you talk to your doctor, eliminate celery, beans, lettuce, nuts, seeds, and milk. Raw spinach makes a good salad. Try soy milk. Hug a heating pad. God bless you. I FEEL your pain.

Nearly all people with IBS can be helped, but no one treatment works for everyone. Usually, with a few basic changes in diet and activities, IBS will improve over time. Here are some steps you can take to help reduce symptoms of IBS:

- Avoid caffeine (found in coffee, teas and sodas).
- Increase fiber in your diet (found in fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts).
- Drink at least three to four glasses of water per day.
- Don't smoke.
- Learn to relax, either by getting more exercise or by reducing stress in your life.
- Try limiting the amount of milk and cheese you consume. Eat smaller meals more often or eat smaller portions. However, if you have IBS and are concerned about your calcium intake, you can try other sources of calcium. These sources include broccoli, spinach, turnip greens, tofu, yogurt, sardines and salmon with bones, calcium-fortified orange juice and breads, calcium supplements and some antacid tablets.

Keep a record of the foods you eat so you can figure out which foods bring on bouts of IBS. Common food "triggers" of IBS are red peppers, green onions, red wine, wheat and cow's milk.

Here are some drug treatments:

- Antispasmotics may be prescribed to control colon muscle spasms; but, experts are unsure that these drugs play a significant role in treating IBS. They also have side effects, such as sedation and constipation that further limit their use.
- Antidiarrheal medications, such as Imodium, may help with diarrhea.
Laxatives may be useful in the short term management of constipation associated with IBS.
- Bulking agents, such as psyllium, wheat bran, and corn fiber, help slow the movement of food through the digestive system and may also help relieve symptoms.
- Antidepressants may also be prescribed to help relieve symptoms.
- Amitiza has been approved by the FDA to treat IBS with constipation in women. The FDA says the drug was not approved for men because studies have not fully demonstrated its effectiveness in men. Common side effects for Amitiza include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Rare side effects include urinary tract infections, dry mouth, fainting, swelling of the extremities, breathing problems, and heart palpitations.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

i gte IBS badly sometimes and its horrible to be sat on the toilet for ages... ive been caught in public places its very embarresing for my fella having 2 wait for me in a restuarant..

i have never passed blood tho... if i did i would be straight to the doctors about it.
i also think you should maybe try a diffrent form of medication... i dont have the same one as you have got. some work better for some people than others. i would ask to try a different one.

what i did was make a food dairy and cut certain things out... i eat very little salad now as lettuces like rocket set me off. i cant eat rare/ medium rare beef and lamb either and i try to stay away from having too many white flour products like bread and pasta...