Fibromyalgia and IBS flare up

Irritible bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia often go hand in hand.

My IBS was diagnosed almost 30 years ago, I finally got it under some kind of control just over 10 years ago after a perod when my entire digestive tract was inflamed mouth to anus.

At that time I was being sick every day with atrocious diahreha, various investigations - colonoscopy, gastroscopy, barium push through etc showed the inflammation and the fastest push through my consultant had ever seen! It became patently obvious at this time that anything with dairy products in made the sickness and diarhea 100 times worst.

I took some advice and eliminated dairy as much as is possible, the black circles round my eyes cleared within weeks! The digestive problems took longer but settled to an almost tolerable level for a few years with a fair few flare ups along the way. I take mebeverine daily plus lopermide when needed although I try to avoid the later if I dont need to go out of the house as bunging my bowels up knocks them further out of control in the long run.

Now, however, despite being dairy free, eating no processed foods etc my bowel symptoms are out of control with diet and meds seemingly ineffective. Basically I never know if I am going to wake up and have a day of feeling I need to go and open my bowels and only pass mini pellets with a lot of effort or suffer explosive diarhea - either way I have pain and disruption to any sort of normal life....

So today I start purging for a colonoscopy tomorrow and it is not much fun at all. A very limited diet was started yesterday and 4 senna taken 10pm, which have not worked yet but yesterday was a "pellet" day. My last solida are allowed at 1pm, 24 hours before my examination, and at 2pm I take the first picolax which works something like putting caustic soda and boiling water down a blocked drain, boy does that stuff make you go! A second picolax later should keep me on the bog most of the day so I hope I won't have time or energy to feel hungry. Clear fluids only until 11am Friday then off to hospital for an enema, they sure make sure you are clean inside, and the colonoscopy..

Results to follow

Fibromyalgia Overview, Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men. Previously, fibromyalgia was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias.

Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day...


Widespread pain.

Fatigue and sleep disturbances.

People with fibromyalgia often wake up tired and unrefreshed even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Some studies suggest that this sleep problem is the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness. So people with fibromyalgia miss the deep restorative stage of sleep. Nighttime muscle spasms in your legs and restless legs syndrome also may be associated with fibromyalgia.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating associated with IBS are common in people with fibromyalgia.

Headaches and facial pain. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have headaches and facial pain that may be related to tenderness or stiffness in their neck and shoulders.

Depression
Numbness or tingling sensations in the hands and feet (paresthesia)
Difficulty concentrating
Mood changes
Chest pain
Dry eyes, skin and mouth
Painful menstrual periods
Dizziness
Anxiety ..

See your doctor if you experience general aching or widespread pain that lasts several months and is accompanied by fatigue. Many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia mimic those of other diseases, such as low thyroid hormone production (hypothyroidism), polymyalgia rheumatica, neuropathies, lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctor can help determine if one of these other conditions may be causing your symptoms.

Treatment
In general, treatment for fibromyalgia includes both medication and self-care. The emphasis is on minimizing symptoms and improving general health.

Self-care
Self-care is critical in the management of fibromyalgia.

Reduce stress.

Get enough sleep.

Exercise regularly.

Pace yourself.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle.