scared, in great discomfort, confused.... is this IBS?

I've heard complex carbs are hard to break down and milk is bad, is why I stayed away from cereal and whole wheat bread. I don't think I'm gluten intolerant, though, so that should be okay.

Besides some pain, the main thing bothering me now is a sense of pressure/rectal urgency that constant. Like I'm always very very aware of a roughly golf-ball-sized part of my butt, just under the tailbone. I know no one here can tell me for sure what is or isn't IBS, but does anyone have anything like that that just goes on and on forever? Is this likely to be transient or periodic, or might it go on forever?

It seems to me that maybe it's not quite as bad first thing in the morning, and gets progressively worse, which makes me wonder if it's a spine thing. Except it was really bad last night, and I lay around all day.

Any advice for relief?

Post Edited (spengler) : 11/12/2005 9:58:28 PM (GMT-7)

i'm male; if this was only 1 or 2 times a month i could deal with it; not sure if i;m going to be able to handle it if it proves to be chronic :(

i don't even get to talk to the neurologist until 12/02, and I may not get an MRI, my PCP doesn't seem to think there's a neural cause to this.

I have to ask, is it common to have any urinary problems with IBS? My urine stream is weak / inconsistant, and I feel like I have to pee all the time. Typical of prostate problems, but 3 digital exams have all been normal. Typical of a UTI, but urinealysis is normal.

I also feel sort of... crappy.... all the time. Starting to get more than a little worried.

they've taken my urine twice at two seperate places, and blood, so i think that's all been considered. I've had the same partner for 2 years now, as well

yeah i called, they didn't do an STD test, so i suppose i should get one

at the same time, it doesn't really make sense; as i said i've been with the same partner for a long time, and i don't have any real pathology that would be consistant with an STD.

the symptoms levator ani syndome really sum up about what i'm going through, it seems, although this urinary thing is.... odd. but i also think it's been going on for quite some time, and it's only because i'm focused on it now, things like having to pee frequently (which i always have) bother me more

i'm much more inclined to think this is a muscle/nerve thing than an STD. I almost wish it were an STD, in fact, i do wish it were a bacterial STD, they're all quite curable.

at some point i'm going to take antibiotics for a while just to see what happens