Hi there,

Am hoping someone can help. I'm a 19 year old girl and for many years have suffered from various symptons - many which I did not think was anything serious, just perhaps a stomach upset etc.

For about a year or so, I have read some articles about IBS as I thought I may have it.

I find that almost every morning I feel the need to go to the loo, either before, during or after breakfast and feel I may need to go more than once. I usually have diarrhoea, no constipation, but definitely not a normal bowel movement. I occassionally get stomach cramps - some crippling pain but only very rarely...usually it comes and goes very quickly and is not too painful. Sometimes I feel bloated also.

I thought that perhaps it was the milk in my cereal - as most of the time it is after breakfast I find I need to go to the loo. I changed me diet to having yoghurt instead. On holiday I was eating a small bowl of greek yoghurt with honey and nectarines/peaches. Hardly any bread, perhaps some toast after. Lunch was salad and dinner was a hearty meal my dad cooked up. I found on holiday I hardly had any problem.

I do a lot of exercise - at least an hr every 2 days or more. I didn't really want to go to the doctors as I was too embarrassed.

Please can someone advise and also perhaps back-up whether I do have IBS or not?

Kind regards,

Chaz x

It could be IBS but you really should try not to be embarrassed about seeing your Dr because they've all seen it before. If you have no worrying symptoms (i.e. constant diarrhea, bleeding etc) and you are adamant you don't want to go to the Dr yet then maybe try keeping a food diary and see if you can pinpoint anything that sets it off, then exclude those things for a short time and see if things improve.

Ashlea x