Hi there

Some of you oldies in here might remember I suffered some bad stomach pain, and nausia last april/may. It went away, and I healed my fissure, and didnt think much about it.

However, just before christmas, the pain and nausia returned, and I have been battling it since. There is a lot of rumbeling going on in my colons when I have the symptoms, which is mostly late evening, and early morning. I suspect it to be IBS or celiac.

About a week ago, I did some reading and decided to follow the FODMAP diet. I took it a step further and went glutenfree in case I have celiac.

The symptoms seem to have improved a bit, but now I have a new problem. I cant seem to get my BMs to bristol 6 anymore. Now they are 4 which has resulted in my irritation is back. I dont know if its a hem, skintag or scartissue thats causing it, but it feels like my underwear is stuck up there. No pain, just this annoying awareness, something is not quite right back there. Im not having any bleeding, and no pain while going, so I dont think its a retear.

Any advice to get back to softer BMs while on FODMAP/glutenfree is higly apreciated. I guess I should add, Im still on lactulose, magnesium and psylium husk. I also drink milk since I had a lactose test 10 years ago that shoed no problems. (Dont know if thats still valid?)

Even before my fissure, I used to have bristol 5-6 most of the time, and maybe a 4 once a week. And this was without any stoolsoftener. Now I seem to be dependent on them...

Oh well, lots of babbling, but if you have any ideas that could be helpfull, let me know

I can relate to this as I have similar problems. I am gluten intolerant, not to confuse with celiac disease (gluten allergy). Before going glutenfree I had problems with too watery stools but since going glutenfree it is the other way around.
You can get tested for both gluten intolerance and celiac disease through blood test but you must be on a diet which includes gluten on a daily basic in order for it to be accurate as the test is measuring blood levels of our bodys natural anti gluten enzymes (I think it is enzymes, but not sure).

Have you noticed a change in the frequency and smell then you pass gas? You don´t have to answer this, but the reason I mention it is because one of the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance (when on a gluten containing diet) is having a lot of gas, bloating from all the gas and very foul smelling farts. So if you have noticed that you pass gas less often, feel less bloated and that your farts don´t smell as bad (actually, your feces too) after going glutenfree, when you should take this as a sign that you might indeed have a gluten-intolerance. It is very common for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease to also have a intolerance when it comes to lactose (milk sugar) and whey + casein (milk protein). This kind of dairy intolerance will go away after going glutenfree for 2-3 months but in that time, most people will be best off without dairy or at least with a very limited intake.

Oh and btw, if you had celiac disease when you would feel really bad after ingestion of gluten, like within a very short time and the symptoms can be very severe. From what you are writing I´m almost 100% sure that you don´t have celiac disease but I would look into gluten intolerance for sure.

I don´t really know how to advice you on the bristol 6 thing in this situation other than maybe trying some probiotics? There is often some problems with healthy bacteria in gluten intolerant people. One way to check up on this is to notice if you pass gas within an hour or so after eating a high fibre meal. If not, then you could probably benefit from taking some probiotics. If you end up trying this then make sure you get a product which offer the following:

Not liquid form but capsule

Capsule is coated with something which makes it indigestable to stomach acid but can be digested by bacteria in the large intestine.

The product contains several different strains of bacteria.

The product contains some sort of prebiotics (fibre/food for bacteria to get them a good start) - If you have a confirmed bacterial overgrowth in your large intestine or if you suspect that this might be the case, then you should get a product without prebiotics.


Other than that I don´t really know how to help you, sorry.

Thank you LFW.

I will reply this thread when time allows.

Hi J,
I will post all the info about the science behind the FODMAP and how it has helped me. Also how to do it correctly.
It will be lengthy! Hold on there, I will need a bit of time.... Will try and do it tomorrow evening!

Ok, back for an update.

Yes LFW, I have much gas, and smelly farts when Im having these periods. It seems like Im improving now though. I dont have nausia anymore, and feel Im half way back to normal.

Actually I have felt crappy for years, especially in the afternoon. Tired and brainfogged. Maybe there is a connection...

I went to my doctor yesterday and had a bloodtest for celiac. I will know the result in the end of next week. He also sugested a colonoscopy, but I decided to pass that one for now. Dont want to irritate my behind any more right now. If the test are negative, I will look into the bacteria issue.

Im still on the glutenfree diet, and my stools have been between bristol 4 and 5 while on the diet. A few days ago, I had the largest diameter BM I have had for nearly a year, so I have upped my lactulose and magnesium.

Unfortunatly, I have also started to get some more irritation, and it seems to get worse. It feels like my underwear is stuck in the crack most of the time, and also a bit of tight feeling now. I really hope Im not retearing, but on the other hand, I cant live the rest of my life in fear of bristol 4-5 BMs, so I guess this will be my big 'test'.

R, whenever you feel like it!

Agan thanks to both of you, this place is the best

Another update...

Well, I was doing good progress, and a few days ago I was almost back to normal, but then I had a big setback Monday, even on the fodmap and gluten free diet. WTF??? Only thing I maybe suspect was that I has some patatoes in the weekend.

Anyway, I got my testresults back, and there is no indication of coliac. Dont know if thats good or bad, cause I had kind of expected I had it, and was hoping going glutenfree would cure me. I do however continue on the fodmap diet, and might also continue to cut out gluten. Just in case.

On a more positive note, it seems like I managed to get my BM back to bristol 5-6. Even a very runny 6 this morning :-) so I will try to come off psylium husk, and adjust it with magnesium and lactulose alone. Hopefully, I will be able to come off the lactulose also someday, since I feel it could also be a culprit to some of my stomack problems.

In the last couple of days my irritation has also gone down, so Im sure its caused by the more firm BMs I had. Wonder if this will ever get back to normal again. Its almost a year ago I got my fissure!

Oh well, it seems like the battle continues, although its not easy to find the right diet, to both please the IBS and the fissure.

Hi J,
Good news you aren't coeliac. Although I do think you have IBS tendencies. I am sorry I haven't posted lately! I will send you the FODMAP booklet if you would like through email. PM me if you like.... Sorry about the setback. I do hope you can control the stomach problems. I have been very successful with the FODMAP... But it takes time for the body and bowel to adjust. I have been on it now for months. You need to iliminate all of the culprits then reintroduce to identify what triggers you, it's lengthy, although worth it! I found lactose, onion, garlic and wheat to name a few were triggers for me. Are you under a dietician? It is advised you are on FODMAP although you could do it yourself I would imagine.
Keep going my friend, you can do it.....

thanks R!

I already have loads of FODMAP info, and Im doing it without a dietician. Currently trying to cut down on lactulose, since I suspect thats causing me some troubles. But Im going very slowly to adjust the magnesium, and keep the stools soft.

P.S. Voke up 4.45 this morning with stomach pain, and gas... I gone glutenfree, Im following the fodmap plan, I dumped psyllium husk, and still no improvements. WTF

Potatoes can be a trigger food for some. Try eliminating them for a week and see if you get any better.

It's so hit and miss to get the right diet and the right stool consistency, as we are all so different..... And our bodies can react differently to the same foods on any given day.

I hope things settle down for you soon JHH

OMB x