can this be ibs?

i have a question for you all you learned people! but a bit of background first- i've had the squits for the past 6 months with little sign of it letting up, i've also had some other symptoms such as malabsorbtion, depression, serve mood disturbanses, some mental hormal action!, fatigue.

anyway i was sent to a gastro doctor and given test for bowel inflamation with all proved negative and i was diagnosed with post infectious IBS. anyway i'm beginning to question this diagnosis due to the time that this has been going on for. and as you may have already clicked my symptoms sound a lot like a thyroid condition.

anyway can i have IBS without stomach cramps? as i don't and these seem to be a major part of IBS from what i've read.

Thanks

Rob.

in answer to your questions. I haven't had any testing for a thyroid/hormonal condition. and the only medication i'm on is immodium and codine, both to control the BM's. Unfortuntaly the otehr questionable symptoms seem a little confused! as i did have a tendancy to be hyper before what evers wrong with me took hold, now i get quite fatigued. i quite a hairy person although am losing the hair on my head! I have though started feeling the cold alot more.

I'm going to give the IBS soluable fiber diet a go as i believe this will tell me within a few days wether it is or isn't IBS as i'm told that after a few days of it i should feel notiacably better.

i also hear that depression is a symptom of IBS, is this due to the reduction in quality of life or is there some actual hormonal interferiance? that could minic a thyroid problem.

and as a side note, i have for the last 2 weeks already been on a similar diet to that projected by the IBS soluable fiber diet (taken from www.helpforibs.com) and this has shown an improvement in my symptoms although not a remission. The differences in the diets come from me keeping to a rice and protein diet to elimate any food intolences or problematic foods, as opposed to a diet of purely soluable fiber. 

thanks for reading guys, i know i can ramble on for a bit! helps me a great deal to have these thoughts and feelings evaluated by people in sympathic positions to myself!

Hi Rob,
I didn't mean to confuse you.  There are 2 common types of Thyroid problems: Hypothyroidism & Hyperthyroidism.  Here are symptoms of both to help you understand IF you could possibly have a Thyroid problem (info taken off Bupa.com):

1. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

• Tired or sleeping excessively
• Frequently cold
• Dry skin
• Coarse and/or thinning hair
• Sore muscles and/or slow movements
• Depression or memory loss
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Fertility problems

   2.  Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

• Feeling nervous or irritable
• Tremors/shaking
• Poor sleeping habits
• Overly hot
• Weight loss
• Tired or weak muscles
• Increased heart rate
• Diarrhea
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of hair