How to get tested to find if I have IBS?

I happened to see your post & wanted to respond to you. It's pretty common for someone with IBD have IBS. Dealing with the disease alone is bad enough, but add in IBS it's not a picnic. My daughter in law suffered with IBS for years, her issue was constipation & bloating. She was scoped & had all of the typical tests done looking for potential IBD. Thank goodness she tested negative. There is not a specific test for IBS, just the usual testing for IBD.

Her dr suggested she keep a food diary & she was able to pinpoint what foods triggered things. Sounds boring but it works. She found dairy to be a huge trigger. You mentioned your gi offering an antidepressant, yes this is often used to treat it. Not sure what your hang up is, but you may want to reconsider.

Laxatives are too harsh because they deplete water in the colon. If the colon doesn't have water, then constipation becomes a real problem. Talk to your pharmacist about stool softners, but keep in mind they take several days to work. Another thing you can try is eating a handful of prunes at night, or a cup of warmed prune juice. This is a natural approach. Staying hydrated is a must.

I doubt the Methotrexate is your culprit. If anything, folks on it can experience diarrhea. If you can get the constipation under control the bloating will dissipate too.

Take care.

UCer23, I was dx'd with crohns via an emergency resection in 2002. Then in 2005, UC was an added dx. I understand where you are coming from about medications. I had uncontrolled explosive diarrhea for 3 very long years. I literally became house bound except for drs appts. I never had warning when it would hit & many, many times in public I never made it to the restroom. The psychological impact was as bad as the issue at hand. I had mal-absorption problems. I became afraid to eat or drink. That lands a person in bad trouble. I was a mess.

My gi did everything in his power to help me. I was referred to a dr that wrote the first book on diarrhea, lol. He was of no help. Diet is really a key to helping IBS. Believe me, I am not one of these foodies that think diets are the cure for everything. I had to figure out what to eat or not eat, even though I had slim pickings in the food department. To this day I am careful with what I eat. I also found out if I ate something one week, there was no guarantee I could eat the next week without an issue. It truly is an individual thing. You have to be patient & diligent in finding what works for you.

about the antidepressant. There is a connection between the gut & brain. This is why your dr recommended this particular medication. Now a days so many medications are used off label to treat a variety of issues. Try the food diary, if it helps great. If it doesn't perhaps give the medication a serious thought. about the probiotic, there again some folks can take them, others cannot. You will not know until you try.

Take care.