Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | The importance of getting the right tests done

Hi, I just wanted to share my experience of IBS and encourage any of you who haven't had all the tests available done to go and see your doctor again.

I won't bore you with my years of digestive problems because they will be similar to most of your experiences......bloated most of the time, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, some days a food will bother me and the next it's ok so it's impossible to work out trigger foods, the doctor told me it was all in my mind/stress related, eat lots of fibre etc. IBS has affected most areas of my life.

After 15 years of suffering and finally confiding in my boyfriend of 8 years that I had IBS, he encouraged me to go back to see my general practitioner. I asked to be referred to have the Hydrogen breath tests for fructose and lactose intolerance done. She was unsympathetic and told me that food intolerances change over the years and wouldn't refer me unless I had a life threatening allergy.

I left the surgery angry but determined to find help without my doctor. I already knew of this website and had purchased the EFI book. I decided to order Heather's First Year of IBS book and found that I still had not had all of the relevant tests conducted. Weeks of internet research later I found a private practitioner who could conduct the tests I needed (and I was fortunate enough that my parents and boyfriend offered to help me with the costs).

Well it turns out that my IBS symptoms can be explained by Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO), severe lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance, poor sugar absorption, low in some vitamins/minerals and I have a little known condition called histamine intolerance (it affects 2-3% of the world's population) which causes digestive upsets, hay fever symptoms, respiratory problems, eczema, heart palpitations, anxiety, itching, amongst others).

I'd have to disagree with my doc that my symptoms are all in my mind

!!!! I am now following an eating plan to relieve some of the symptoms of the histamine intolerance and may need anti-biotics for the SIBO. It's only been a month and to be honest there hasn't been much improvement yet but not all of my conditions can be addressed at the same time � also it's taken over 15 years to get into this state so I'm guessing it will take more than a month to feel better!

I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to know that this practitioner could prove that my symptoms are not stress related and I can finally see a day when I might feel better.

I feel it would be irresponsible of me to give details of the eating plan I am following because I don't want any of you to self-diagnose (I have done this before myself and made my symptoms worse). Please give it some thought and if you haven't been tested for SIBO or histamine intolerance find someone who will conduct the tests.

I wish you all good health and if my posting helps just one person I will be happy!

Good luck

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