Is it IBS or something more serious?

Question

Almost every time after I eat I feel like I am about to throw up. My stomach hurts every morning and I can't eat anything until in the afternoon. People accuse me of being anorexic because I can't clear my plate like they can. Sometimes the thought of food makes me feel sick to my stomach. I have been diagnosed, but are there any more serious conditions that it could be? And what are the symptoms?

Answer 1

Hmm..what you are going through sounds familiar. I had a friend that had similar problems and I have also struggled with the same kind of situation. However, it turned out that I had a physiological problem (I am lactose-intolerant) and my friend had a psychological problem (depression) that manifested its way into a physical problem (she had trouble eating, and when she did, she'd get sick)
The trick is to try to answer this question: Is it the food and your body's digestive system that's the problem, or is it your perception of food that causes the problem? It is a difficult question to ask, and it could be impossible for you alone to come up with the answer. My best advice is to first rule out a physical condition other than IBS that causes your symptoms. (more of that later) If nothing comes up, you need to see a psychologist-it sounds scarier than it is, but you'd be amazed at what they can do for you-you can look one up online, in the phone book, etc. and it's totally confidential.
But before you run back to the doctor's office to ask for more tests, its a good idea to be prepared-doctors generally try to fit as many patients as they can into a block of time-so you need to be stern and precise in order to get the most applicable tests and fastest results. You need to be able to describe the pain and any unpleasant sensations more thoroughly and when exactly they occur, as this can give an indication of where the problem is and what might be causing it. You say "almost every time after I eat I feel like I am about to throw up" is that right after you take one bite, 10 minutes after a meal, 2 hours after a meal? Do you feel this way no matter what you eat or how much of it you eat? When you say, you feel like you're going to throw up, is it a gagging reflex or does your stomach hurt-if so, where does it hurt, what does it feel like, and how long does the pain last? Seems a little crazy, all these questions-but it is crucial you answer them as accurately as you can to help better understand what is going on.
You mention that your stomach hurts in the morning. Again, where does it hurt, what does it feel like, and how long does the pain last? You also say you can't eat anything until the afternoon-why is that? Do you experience any other symptoms-like diarrhea, constipation, cramps, heartburn, or anything unusual about your stool (sounds gross, but its important)? Again, try to answer these questions as best you can, even keep a bit of a journal-that's what I did, and it helped my doc get a better picture of what I was experiencing.
Secondly, in order to rule out anything besides IBS, it is important to explain your situation to a specialist, a gastroenterologist (stomach doc), in your case, if you haven't done so already (if you already have, get a second opinion). The problem with IBS is there isn't a lot anyone can really do about it, and it's been my experience that if doctors can't find anything physically wrong, they often use it as a scapegoat. Don't get me wrong, it is a very real condition and a lot of people have it, but it seems to me it is almost always linked to something else. I, for example, was diagnosed with IBS and two years later I saw a gastroenterologist because all the traditional treatment for IBS wasn't doing anything, and they gave me a breath test and found out I was lactose-intolerant. When you were diagnosed with IBS, did they give you any medication or suggest lifestyle or diet changes? If yes, have you noticed any difference? If you've done what they told you to do and things haven't improved, I suggest going to a gastroenterologist for testing done by a specialist trained in this kind of thing-you may have to ask your regular doc for a referral. All those questions I asked you-bring the answers with you. Make sure you get a test for food allergies-like the breath test for lactose-intolerance and the test for wheat allergies, I recommend these two because it sounds like there is a possiblity that the actual food you are eating is making you sick. However, the kinds of tests you get will depend heavily on your answers to the kinds of questions I asked earlier. I cannot stress how important it is to be specific, so specific, in fact, that after you experience your stomach troubles, it would be to your benefit to record exactly what happened-so you don't have to try to recall the details later in a doctor's office.
Well, I hope that helps. Best of luck to you, stomach problems are no fun! Be persistant, you'll find an answer.

Answer 2

"Gastrocolic reflex" is a desire to ease immediately after eating.Anxiety exaggerates it.It is normal.But it may be inconvenient esthetically. Some get"conditioned"( biologically programmed) to it.Then even the thought initiates it. This is a bowel version of anxiety or tension..
It is not serious. Loperamide is the pill that virtually cures it.

Answer 3

more seroiuse