IF you have both IBS and UC how can you tell the difference? I'm miserable.

Background: I was diagnosed with UC in 2011 and meds are: Asacol HD, Rowasa, Canasa, and VSL3.

My flares were diagnosed with colonoscopy biopsies. My symptoms: frequency, urgency, blood, mucous. My UC since 2011 has had roughly been on and off minor flares since.

Fast forward to recent events. I would say my UC was in a remission since Summer 2014, everything seemed okay up until this past January after being on several antibiotics I noticed more and more urgency, frequency and some blood. I then started increasing the Rowasa (from once per week to more) and then was put on a rectal steroid for two weeks, everything was practically better.

Then I got food poisoning from a buffet. Started off with vomiting then the diarrhea. The diarrhea never got better. It was initially watery but then ended up being what I would call "loose" to semi solid but the worst part was the frequency (going anywhere from 8 to 15 times per day), urgency, and the cramping as I go ---feeling like typical diarrhea cramps (which I never really had with the UC). And hadn't seen any blood.

My GI doctor did cultures and they came back negative, and he thought this could be a postinfectious IBS. Started taking xifaxan and am not 100% better but maybe 40%. The cramping is slightly less and the frequency seems to have gone down, but still not idea (between 3-7 times versus 15). Also like to point out I am keeping a food diary and am trying the FOD MAP diet. I even cut out coffee, which I love.

Does this sound like IBS? Are there many others who have two diagnoses of UC and IBS? If you can or do have both, how can you tell which one is which when you are having symptoms? How do you successfully treat the IBS?


Sorry for the long post and appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read it and respond.
I also have cross posted in an IBS forum. Thanks

Hello Quincy, Thanks for your response. I am now doing my nightly Rowasa and have been using some old hydrocortisone suppositories left over from a while ago daily. I am curious why you think it doesn't sound like IBS? I should note, there really hasn't been much blood and I have had cramping and at times 'cold sweats' (sorry TMI) while I am going (which is new for the past month) to the point which I want to curl up on the floor in the fetal position.

Thanks John, it looks like I'll probably be signing myself up for a new colonoscopy.

Thanks Quincy! I take a generic Metamucil drink nightly that I started a few years ago which helped reduce the frequency. But now, it's all haywire. I appreciate everyone's response.

I have both IBD and IBS and they can occur at the same time which can make it harder of course so you do everything suggested to treat your IBS and do everything suggested to treat your IBD....


www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/ibs-vs-ibd#Symptoms4




you can also get an IBS blood test....


medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-definitive-bowel-syndrome.html

I can't tell the difference between IBS and Crohn's. The only thing is, if I get an immediate reaction to something I eat I think that's probably more likely to be IBS. If the reaction is delayed by a few hours, then it's probably Crohn's 'cos it takes a few hours for the food to travel from the stomach to the lower gut.

That link pb4 gave gave 'eye discomfort' as one of the IBD symptoms. Wouldn't have been one of my first thoughts when it came to making a list of IBD symptoms, but I do actually suffer quite a bit with uncomfortable eyes (particularly in the right one).

Like NCOT I can't tell the difference either. I like her logic - Immediate reaction get's chalked up to IBS response. There's a couple o foods that do this to me. But I would add, for myself at least, that immediate response that goes away after a few bowel movements I would consider and IBS type response.

When I ingest something that seemingly results in mucus or gradual worsening and increased mucus over time, or in the past slight blood, I would consider that as a consequence of having IBD.

Regardless, it's frustrating as all heck - this whole IBS/IBD thing.

Also having a good response to xifaxan might indicate that some kind of bacteria might be causing an issue. Maybe it's worth looking into a further course or two.

Thanks so much to everyone who has posted. All of your responses are so helpful. It's been a struggle to sort through which is which and to then treat.
Quincy- thanks for the tip on the Metamucil, I'm going to give it a try. So far the stool tests negative for infection. I've been keeping up with nightly Rowasa.

Alice22- I'm wondering where do you find peppermint capsules? Is this from a health store? I am going to check it out, that is very interesting.

imagardener2 said...
NCOT said: The only thing is, if I get an immediate reaction to something I eat I think that's probably more likely to be IBS.

This is nicely said and may be my new way to think about it.
Which means it's mainly UC reactions for me if this is a valid idea because only a couple of foods/drinks cause an immediate reaction now, however years ago many foods/drinks caused immediate problems. Things have calmed down in other words.

One of the ways I decided I wasn't lactose-intolerant was because everything I read about lactose intolerance pointed to a fast reaction - gas, wind, and diarrhoea a few minutes to an hour after consuming milk. Well, most of the time I eat a bowl of cereal and I'm fine. I also tried lactose-free milk and it seemed to make no difference.

That said, to complicate things I do sometimes have a bad reaction straight after eating something that I'm usually okay with, e.g. said bowl of cereal. In such cases though, I think my guts are still disturbed from a previous meal and anything I eat at that point would upset them. I used to have extremely consistent guts - even in the early days of Crohn's they were still pretty sound. But now they are as erratic as anything. Perhaps if I was as patient and as persistent as you in keeping a food diary for years, I'd eventually nail the problem foods down. But I'm afraid I have neither the patience or persistence, although I am beginning to think a little bit more seriously about trying out a low-carb diet or the low-FODMAPS diet for, say, 6 weeks.

It is a bit hard at the moment, 'cos I have zero motivation to cook so I tend to rely on things that you can bung in the oven, which aren't always the healthiest. My sweet tooth has also come back.

I have UC and IBS as well. I went through a 5 month period of trying to figure out if it was my UC or IBS. I know how frustrating it can be. I think your symptoms could definitely caused by IBS. I would have a colonoscopy that's what I did and finally realized it was IBS. Good luck!