Help for IBS-D flare ups?

[Anonymous]

Okay first off, asking on behalf of my boyfriend. Second, I know triggers are different for everyone just like dyslexia is different for everyone who has it. Suggestions for flare ups? He seems to have pretty severe IBS-D. Sometimes he'll go 2 weeks and according to him on a 1-10 scale 7-8. Most days he says 5-6. Probably 3-5 days a month he says 9-10 out of 1-10. Not saying he's lying and he is probably just used to it so has a high pain tolerance and I have terrible social skills reading body language and he's normally quiet, reserved, and calm, yet even 5-6 days he acts the same as 9-10 days. Maybe he's rating it different than I am, I don't know. We work at the same place, he comes into work, but then doesn't want to meet up for dates. Which I completely understand work is priority and I told him I'd rather see him on a better day and not have him force himself to keep his word going on a date just to be polite and go feeling crappy. Then I'd feel bad knowing he was forcing himself for me and he wouldn't be able to enjoy time spent together either I am sure. I've heard of FODMAPS, but dairy, caffeine, high fructose, greasy, fried, sugary doesn't cause things more than other days. Note: He just uses heat pad when it gets bad. Oddly despite the severity he finally went for meds, he's had IBS-D for over a decade. I'd think if it were that painful, I'd go in sooner. I know stress can be a trigger/factor. He doesn't take meds for anxiety or depression, eats a lot of fast food (especially taco bell), does not take probiotics and/or fiber, hasn't tried a TENS unit. He says he gets flare ups even when not eating taco bell and not stressed, but he doesn't open up and he keeps emotions bottled inside he doesn't share that stuff. He said he's on Levsin. Any knowledge of any of these others being successful for severe IBS-D: Xifaxan Bentyl, Buscopan, Enterosgel?

[jahaims]

He needs to try an elimination diet. He needs prebiotic and prebiotic as well

[Asker]

I try to tell him that. He will drink Monsters, Red Bulls, Bangs, McDonald's, Taco Bell. I tell him people with regular stomachs have issues after eating taco bell so I can't imagine what it would do to his stomach if he eats it. He claims only spicy food messes with his stomach. I told him the list of other triggers but he defiently says he knows when a flare up is stress or from food. He does eat dairy, fried, greasy, and the other stuff on the list I can't think of right now. Hell claim he hasn't eaten any of that stuff recently, but his idea of recently is that day.😆 He's a stubborn little shit. He thinks that taking Levsin now he can eat whatever he wants and not have any issues. I told him the meds would probably work like that are more like that if he didn't eat unhealthy, took fiber and probiotic, took meds for his anxiety and depression (he took himself off them cause he felt they made his anxiety and depression worse) I told him maybe those specific medd didn't work with his body.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never heard of IBS-D. What does the D stand for?

[Asker]

IBS= Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And you either have IBS-D, IBS-C, IBS-M, or IBS-U. D= Diarrhea, C= Constipation, M= Mixed (alternating between diarrhea and constipation), and U= Untyped (not often enough to be categorized as D, C, or M).

[Opinion Owner]

I see, thank you for explaining. I used to have IBS-D and honestly, diet never made a difference. Does your boyfriend smoke weed or cigarettes? They can definitely contribute towards his symptoms. I would also recommend that he gets a colonoscopy if he hasn’t had one before, it can help to rule out anything more serious like Crohn’s disease.

[Asker]

First off, how do you know you had it if you didn't know what IBS-D was. No offense. Second, I've read around 80% of people say diet is the prevention and cause. Third he doesn't try anything else. He finally decided to accept meds for it, Levsin i think. No anxiety or depression meds, no fiber and probiotics, no TENS unit, an occasional heat pad. He used to smoke underaged not anymore. Weed once in a blue moon. He's had blood test and colonoscopy, and Crohn's was ruled out.

[Anonymous]

Oatmeal twice a day will stop it.