I have very good anal hygiene. I’ve tried diets, exercises, baby wipes, creams and more. I recently took magnesium citrate and I realized I might be slightly incontinent. I tested by putting toilet paper between my butt cheeks and when i have an urge to go poop I can hold it in but a tiny amount leaks out. Also my resting anus feels open. Like if I swim water easily gets inside my anal canal. I would be fine with this but the smell is really bothering me and my loved ones. I can clear out a 1800 square foot house even if my anus is clean the smell is still there. Im not sure what’s going on. I can wipe my anus completely clean with baby wipes and the smell will come back within 2-5 minutes. It’s a very strong smell too. My dad is very sensitive to smells and I can hear him coughing at night because I smell so strong of feces. Is there anyone here that might struggle with this? Any tips or medical solutions?

I hate the fact that I'm not even recovered from my last flare up and another one has already started. I get intense stomach ache at home, office, during commute. It's so uncomfortable and irritating, and worst part is no one really gets it, I'm at work supposed to finish my tasks for the day, but here I am with this huge pain in my tummy. I can't tell anyone and even if I do, NO ONE GETS IT unless they are experiencing it too.

And then even the medicines are not working well, I started to eat better recently, and take a more nutritional diet and the flare up has done its job as it usually does.

I hate it.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to screen for and diagnose Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in populations with gastrointestinal diseases, a phenomenon that warrants critical examination in light of the available evidence. At the heart of the issue lies the fundamental overlap between gastrointestinal symptoms and the diagnostic criteria for ARFID. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, achalasia, or irritable bowel syndrome, the ingestion of certain foods triggers objective and measurable symptoms (like pain, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal distension) that result from well-characterized pathophysiological processes. Faced with this reality, dietary restriction or avoidance constitutes an adaptive, rational, and understandable response, analogous to withdrawing one's hand from a hot surface. However, the screening instruments currently employed, particularly the Nine-Item ARFID Screen (NIAS), have not been validated for gastroenterological populations and appear to significantly inflate ARFID rates. The study by Fink and colleagues (2022), published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is paradigmatic: in a sample of 289 patients with achalasia, celiac disease, EoE, and IBD, 53.7% met criteria for ARFID according to the NIAS, with 78.4% of achalasia patients reaching this threshold, figures that the authors themselves consider "likely inflated." A factor analysis of the instrument in the same sample revealed a two-factor structure, rather than the three factors originally reported, with the "fear of gastrointestinal symptoms" subscale contributing to half of the total variance, suggesting that the NIAS is structurally inclined to classify as pathological what is, in gastrointestinal patients, an adaptive response to their condition.

The lack of specificity of the NIAS is further corroborated by recent population-based studies. A 2025 investigation involving 4,002 adults in the UK and USA found that 25.8% of the general population screened positive for ARFID, meaning one in four healthy individuals would meet the questionnaire's criteria, raising serious doubts about its utility as a diagnostic tool. This finding is particularly relevant when compared with the prevalence of ARFID in gastrointestinal patients, suggesting that the instrument captures eating behaviors that are, in fact, normative in the general population. The psychiatrization movement extends equally to non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Shiha and colleagues (2026), in a study published in the UEG Journal, demonstrated that 69.4% of individuals with self-reported NCGS had concurrent DGBI and/or ARFID symptoms, and concluded that "self-reported NCGS may represent a broader syndrome of food-related symptom attribution rather than gluten-specific pathology." This reinterpretation of NCGS as a DGBI phenotype represents a subtle but profound inversion of causality: rather than recognizing that gastrointestinal disease causes symptoms that lead the patient to avoid foods, it proposes that the patient's "fear" or "visceral hypersensitivity" is the origin of the restriction, shifting the problem from the body to the mind.

This trend has been criticized by some of the most respected experts in the field. Helen Burton Murray, PhD, director of the gastrointestinal behavioral health program at Massachusetts General Hospital, has publicly expressed concern about "overpathologizing patients for whom dietary management can be a normative strategy," questioning whether diagnosing ARFID "changes the patient's treatment course and improves outcomes for them." Martin and colleagues (2025) demonstrated that, depending on the severity criteria applied, the rate of ARFID in patients with refractory DGBI ranged from 33% to 49%, highlighting the inherent arbitrariness of diagnosis when applied to these populations. Scarlata and colleagues (2024), in a review article, issued a "call to action" to unravel the nuance of adapted eating behaviors in individuals with gastrointestinal conditions, warning of the "potential for overpathologizing" and the need to distinguish between adaptive responses in patients with known physiological food intolerance and truly maladaptive behaviors in healthy individuals.

The controversy surrounding the low FODMAP diet is particularly illustrative. In response to concerns that dietary restriction might precipitate or exacerbate eating disorders, some authors have recommended psychological evaluation prior to prescribing the diet. This recommendation, however, can be seen as an unnecessary barrier to accessing effective treatment and as yet another example of causality inversion: if the diet reduces objective symptoms, its prescription is a legitimate medical intervention; suggesting that patients should be "screened" for eating disorders before initiating a treatment that could significantly improve their quality of life implies that dietary restriction is, by default, suspect, rather than being recognized as a disease management strategy. The distinction between association and causation is crucial: that patients on restrictive diets may be more likely to screen positive for ARFID does not mean that the diet causes ARFID, the alternative, more parsimonious interpretation is that patients with more severe symptoms (which justify the diet) are also those who benefit most from restriction and, consequently, show greater adherence to it.

In light of this, it is essential to establish rigorous criteria for the diagnosis of ARFID in gastrointestinal patients. The diagnosis should only be considered when dietary restriction persists beyond what is clinically necessary (for example, after optimized disease control), when there are objective consequences such as significant weight loss, documented nutritional deficiencies, or dependence on supplements or enteral feeding, and when the restriction causes severe psychosocial impairment, such as complete social isolation or inability to eat in social settings. In the absence of these criteria, dietary restriction should be viewed as a legitimate adaptive strategy, not a disorder. If the goal is to improve patients' lives, perhaps it is time to resist the temptation to transform adaptive responses into psychiatric disorders and to remember that, in most cases, dietary restriction in gastrointestinal patients is not a symptom of mental illness.

References

1. Fink M, Simons M, Tomasino K, Pandit A, Taft T. When is Patient Behavior Indicative of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) versus Reasonable Response to Digestive Disease? Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022;20(6):1241-1250.
2. Shiha MG, Sanders DS, Burton-Murray H, Simren M, Palsson O, Aziz I. Prevalence of Self-Reported Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity and Its Association With Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction and Disordered Eating. UEG Journal. 2026. DOI: 10.1002/ueg2.70256.
3. Flack R, Brownlow G, Burton-Murray H, Palsson O, Aziz I. The Prevalence and Burden of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Symptoms in Adults With Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: A Population-Based Study. Gastroenterology. 2025;170(2):365-374.
4. Burton Murray H. Eating Disorder May Be Common in Celiac Disease. Medscape. 2022.
5. Martin LD, et al. Finding the Line Between Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Refractory Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction Using Lenient vs. Strict Severity Criteria. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2025;37(9):e70043.
6. Scarlata K, et al. A Call to Action: Unraveling the Nuance of Adapted Eating Behaviors in Individuals with GI Conditions. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024.
7. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013.

Original essay. Deepseek (AI) was used for data analysis.

I've been dealing with liquid bowel movements for several years now. Little cramping, no actual pain, no weight loss (in fact I've gained weight due to my eating disorder). Just watery, pure liquid poop. I haven't had a fully solid BM in several years.

Anyway, i finally had my first colonoscopy two weeks ago. They removed a polyp (benign) and took some biopsies. I got the results back today. Microscopic muthafuckin colitis.

It's treatable with dietary changes and meds, but ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 😫

At least I have an answer, I guess. Has anyone else been diagnosed with this, or suspects they might have it? I also tested negative for all other bowel issues.

I'd also like to encourage everyone to get a colonoscopy if they haven't had one before or are due!

I’ve posted here a few times about my story, but this is just kind of the update but a little backstory first:

So back in December, I got food poisoning from eating chic-fil-a & started and a few weeks later started a garden of life probiotic and the l started having bloating and gas. Ever since then it has been a nightmare. For the past 7 months I’ve been bloating pretty much daily but only in my upper gut as I have a bowel movement daily. I’ve been working closely with my doctor and we have tried literally everything. Tums, a liquid diet, eating every 4 hours, going to the hospital and having multiple test done, going to a GI doctor and being prescribed Erythromycin, multiple teas, elimination diets, multiple gas medications, apple cider vinegar DGL licorice root, l've tried gas x and several other gas medications but they just make me more bloated with pain, l've tried probiotics, I've tried Omeprazole, warm water, heating pads, oregano oil, peppermint oil, Pepcid and L glutamine, but nothing is helping with the bloating. I even completed a 10 day prescriptions of metroNIDAZOLE 500MG & CIPROFLOXACIN HCL 500 MG but they didn’t help either. Now I’m taking 1mg motegrity and ginger root at night but not seeing any results either.

I recently completed both Sibo & H pylori breathe test and they all came back positive, I had a stool test and that came back positive, I had a CT scan, x-rays and multiple blood tests, they all come back normal. At this point none of my doctors really know what to do because everything is coming back normal and nothing is showing that there’s anything wrong. I’m just not really sure what else there is to do. I ordered a massage gun to see if it can maybe help with my stomach movement, but I’m starting to think that this is just more of a functional problems because it almost seems like I have to forcefully press on my stomach to even hear any type of like movement. I’m not really sure what I can do without the doctors help because everything is coming back normal they just don’t really know what to do anymore and they’re running out of options and so am I especially because I don’t have insurance and already have a $20,000 bill I genuinely cannot afford any more treatment, especially if everything is coming back normal .Has anyone ever had an issue like this before it’s getting to the point that I’m even just eating one meal a day a very small meal and still am extremely incredibly bloated and this is really starting to affect my relationship.

It tend to get flareups of stomach pain with bad gas but the worst is the fatigue. Dr thinks it’s IBS not gastritis. I’m lactose intolerant
Does everyone else have these symptoms ?

Hi everyone - first of all I feel you all, living with this, is just awful.

I'm 35 male and started this journey with 27 after getting a terrible gastroenteritis.

Like many of you did all the exams, colonoscopy, endoscopy, in the first year after getting the symptoms. After everything came out clear, I was put into the IBS bucket, or as they call over here, nervous colon.

First 2 years were just miserable, I was doing a Chrons medication, anti-inflammatory med, but after a while GI told me to stop because it was just placebo. Fast forwarding up to past year, I got better with gym and some diet changes, but never was the same.

I tried going to different dieticians, and different doctors, it never fixes nothing. Nowadays I'm able to be more or less pain free and have no urgency, but on my daily go to the bathroom, normal stool is a mirage. It does happen, every full moon. But normally it is either diarrhea or floating stool - for floating stool is better because they have form, but yeah still don't like it. I believe I developed some absorption problem maybe, but ultrasound last year and my blood work seems to not indicate that.

I ended up developing extreme anxiety with my health, always super vigilant and thinking that I'm dying or with something severe that nobody takes it seriously. It got worse after being a father, because I just want to be healthy and be with the little ones, so the anxiety took over me. And the more the anxiety the worst I get from this, the brain-gut axis is real. The only thing that kinda gives me some sense of reassurance, is that I do a full blood work every 8 months or something, because I have hypothyroidism and my doctor is cool and passes a more complete blood work.

Things that work with me, when I'm not flaring are going to the gym - I try to eat as clean as possible, but after wasting so much money on different diets, I kinda gave up - to be fair, GI told me it would be very difficult to get a diet right. Nowadays I don't even like going to the doctor for this, because they look at me as I'm crazy, I don't like sharing with my family because they are tired of my complaints. I'm just tired, fully exhausted.

I'm just ranting, compared to what I was 8 years ago I'm much better, but daily sense of going to the bathroom and not being normal, it's just awful.

Hey all, wanted to share my story to give hope to whoever is scrolling this sub feeling hopeless. About 7 years ago, I developed IBS-D in my early 20s after a lifetime of never giving my stomach health a second thought. It destroyed my life pretty quickly and left me feeling incredibly hopeless for maybe 12-16 months. I had tons of doctor visits which resulted in nothing except “this is just your life now, try FODMAP diet, take some Imodium, etc”.

A few years later, I am 100% back to normal. It really is possible. I don’t have medical assurance of what for sure caused it, but I’m pretty sure that I got the initial upset from some antibiotics for a kidney infection and then my own anxiety kept the problem going for at least a year longer than probably was physically necessary. (Side note - I also think I’m extremely sensitive to artificial sweeteners and protein supplements). I never took “it may be psychosomatic” seriously, but looking back, I think it genuinely was. I was in a terrible relationship and had crazy anxiety and no ability to control my own thoughts. Once I learned that I can change rumination patterns and that “growth mindsets“ exist and I can better my mental health through repeated efforts, I’ve literally cured my anxiety AND my stomach issues. it sounds cheesy, but this is what worked for me. If anyone is out there feeling like their life is over and they’re forevermore chained to their few comfortable locations due to IBS-D, please don’t lose hope. I’m 29 now, never have an upset stomach unless I really deserve it via poor choices, and went from being diagnosed by a professional with anxiety and depression to genuinely being pretty unflappable and content with life.

tl;dr I'm nearly confident all my problems relate to vinegar (of any kind). Vinegar as in olives, pickles, salad dressing, but also as an additive in stuff like bread. It seems not to be a common trigger, and as such probably isn't considered very often. I've been stalking this forum for ages now and not seen it pop up very often. Might be worth consideration for all of you who, like me have a love for the flavor of vinegar and eat things like olives, salads, pickles, etc., often.

Longer story: I've had on and off issues with digestion for a decade+ at this point. Tests always came back relatively normal, though some immune markers have been slightly off here and there. These were always brushed off as possible allergies, which is fair since I also occasionally get mild reactions like hives.

It was never "typical" IBS in that I could not tie standard treatments to any measure of improvement. Nor could I do it with consistency. Sometimes low fodmap seemed to help, but other times it was useless; sometimes fiber supplements like psyllium/chia seeds were great, others not so much.

Similar for my diet. I eat a pretty regimented bodybuilding-esque diet, and I track all my food. Nevertheless, days where I ate basically the same foods seemed to have different digestive results.

Anyway, my story isn't particularly interesting other than to say I thought through (and was tested for) all your standard things: FODMAPs, non-IGE allergies, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, IBD, other food additives like binders, gums, preservatives, etc. The single thing that reliably stops my stomach issues nearly immediately (2-ish days later) is not consuming any vinegar. Might not be of relevance for any of you, but I hope it helps someone out there consider another option.

I've not yet figured out the why of it all. My small amount of googling thus far mostly ties it to histamine, but I don't think that's the issue since I eat plenty of high histamine foods without issue.

A huge new genetic study in Neurogastroenterology is expanding how researchers think about IBS.

An international team analyzed genetic and health data from more than 2.7 million people across 22 biobanks. They found that IBS risk genes do not just involve the gut-brain axis and nervous system. Those risk genes also overlap with genes tied to metabolic health, especially triglycerides.

One key finding involved a gene called GCKR, which helps regulate how the liver handles sugar and fat. A variation in this gene is already linked with higher triglycerides and fatty liver risk. In this study, that same variation also showed up as a strong genetic signal for IBS risk.

My takeaway? IBS is a gut-brain disorder, but it’s not just a gut-brain disorder. For some people, IBS may also involve metabolism, fat processing, and your whole-body biology.

And it definitely means that checking basic metabolic markers such as triglycerides may be useful for some IBS patients.

The good news? Soluble fiber, a really helpful foundation of an IBS diet due to its gut motility regulating properties and prebiotic effects, is also key to lowering high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. So at least there's something concrete we can actually do here.

Ibs-d diagnosed. Never found any issues on colonoscopies. Just told IBS. I never really understand why a bowel movement can come out super fast fall apart in the toilet and look really abnormal. Aren't we taught that we are supposed to have Bristol 4 logs? I thought metamucil was working but then I have these days like the last three where stool does not stay compacted. It looks like mush and is disgusting. Husband tells me I should stop worrying about it and flush and forget because all my tests have been normal. I think I just am on a mission to not have these rushing out stools of mush and it's really bothersome. There's also aching in the colon under the belly button before and after it happens. Is the answer truly just taking a half dose of Imodium everyday? I'm tired of trying to get tasks done and then be rushing to the toilet again because of a cramp. It's truly putting a damper on my getting things done.

I had my first visit with a GI last week and got prescribed Linzess (72 mcg). Is it normal for my stool to smell like death?? I know diarrhea is a normal side effect but I’ve never had diarrhea smell this bad. Although these stools aren’t even that loose or watery, so I wouldn’t fully consider it diarrhea.
 
I’ve been reading online that it’s normal since the Linzess clears out stagnant waste that’s been stored from constipation, but I wasn’t exactly overly constipated before starting the medication. I had daily bowel movement (usually normal stools with occasional straining) prior so I can’t imagine I had that much stool stored? I just don’t want the smell to be from other potential reasons. Curious if anyone else has experienced this.

How long does it take for amitriptyline to start working for IBS?

Why do doctors prescribe amitriptyline for IBS, and is it considered a psychiatric medicine?

chronic lurker of this sub. 22y/o female, like many of you I have suffered from confusing digestive symptoms for many years with no answers. I’ve had bouts of constipation, diarrhea, blood in stool, cramping, a bit of everything. I had just written it all off as Ibs and had a colonoscopy scheduled for the following month.

however, last week out of no where I developed severe pancreatitis from a gallstone, and had my gallbladder removed as a result, and in the aftermath I am now seeing how many of my symptoms were connected to my gallbladder, I truly feel like I have a second chance at life without crippling stomach issues!

I had very few symptoms before my gallbladder attack, but here were the 3 I was most effected by:

1. increase in acid reflux- I have always had acid reflux but it sud got a lot worse out of nowhere prior to my attack

2. unexplained metabolism stall- I am fairly active, cook at home and track what I eat, despite this I was barely losing weigh/ even gaining in some cases despite being in a calorie deficit, it was driving me insane

3. skin sensitivity/ hives- I would break out into hives due to the amount of inflammation present in my body, my skin was so inflamed that I could no longer use products that I had used to

I hope that everyone will have their aha moment that finally allows them to understand their digestive issues once and for all!

I have been dealing with a strange condition my whole life that I only recently understood.
The main symptom: Every time I have a complete bowel movement, I experience a dramatic shift in my mental state. My thinking becomes fast and clear, my energy skyrockets, my IQ feels like it doubles, and my personality completely changes. I become quick-witted, creative, and sharp. But this only lasts until I eat again or until stool accumulates.
In my normal daily state: I feel mentally slow, sluggish, and foggy. I struggle with focus and feel like I’m operating at a fraction of my true capacity.

What I discovered: The connection between my gut and brain is the key

Any tips/tricks? Been prescribed some peppermint capsules and recommended buscopan. Because I’m 16 they can’t prescribe the NHS dosage of buscopan because I would go loopy. Looking for holistic tricks that actually work!

For extra context, I also suffer from HSD (hypermobile spectrum disorder) and GAD (generalised anxiety disorder).

I recently ate something i was intolerant to and had diarrhea, but i got little to no water retention after. Does this mean that osmotic laxatives that aren’t saline cause less water retention?

Hi everyone, I’m new to this group but I’ve had ibs-d for the last year with no known cause. In the last year I’ve become such a homebody which I’m fine with, but I’ve been in a relationship for the last 6 months and my boyfriend loves to travel. He is so kind and he’s been happy to stay local with me and understand my struggles. We are planning a beach day in a few days and I’m so anxious and worried I’ll have an accident. I’ve never had an accident, but I’ve also never left my local hometown in the last year ish. My job is close, my boyfriend is close and all of my family. How do I get myself to be able to go to the beach without having anxiety? The thought of being in the car for more than 30 minutes alone scares me so badly and the beach is 2 hours away from me.

Well
Went to local coffee shop to study and ordered a latte with oat milk. Barista gave me whole milk but it was too late before I noticed. The two shots of espresso & 1 cup of whole milk……..well here I am 😭🤣 I should just quit the caffeine but as a student….I genuinely can’t rn.

I’m really hoping someone can offer some advice because I feel completely stuck.

My partner and I want to get married next year, and I genuinely want the wedding. I’m excited about it, I want to wear the dress, celebrate with family and friends and have the day I’ve always imagined.

The problem is my stomach and the anxiety that comes with it.

I’ve had digestive issues for over 10 years (urgency, IBS-type symptoms mostly, but now constipation alternating with soft stools, etc.) and because of it I’ve become terrified of being away from a toilet. My diet is now incredibly restricted because I’m scared of triggering symptoms, and I barely leave the house anymore.

We’ve actually changed our plans to try and make things easier. We’re thinking of doing the legal ceremony separately with just a couple of witnesses, then having the reception/celebration another day. We’ve also chosen a venue that’s only about 4 minutes from our house because it makes me feel safer knowing there’s not a long drive and I’m closer to home etc.

I originally thought separating the ceremony would solve my worries, but then I realised that even the legal ceremony itself is making me anxious. It’s only a 13 minute drive away and won’t take long, but I’m already imagining the journey there, wondering what if I get a stomach twinge, what if I suddenly need the toilet, what if I feel awful. It feels ridiculous because I know it’s such a short event, but my brain goes straight into overdrive.

One minute I’ll be thinking, “This is going to be amazing, I can absolutely do this.”

Then I’ll get a stomach twinge or have a bad bowel day and suddenly I’m convinced I need to cancel the whole idea because I’ll end up having diarrhoea at my own wedding.

The worst part is that I’m so hyper-aware of my body now. Every tiny twinge or change in my stomach makes me panic. Then the anxiety itself seems to make my stomach feel worse, and before I know it I’m spiralling and imagining the entire day going wrong.

I keep thinking:

What if I wake up feeling awful?
What do I eat the day before?
What do I eat that morning?
What if I need the toilet during the reception?
What if I spend the whole evening feeling ill?

It’s got to the point where I’m almost avoiding booking anything because it suddenly feels too real.

The strange thing is that when I’m having a good stomach day, I genuinely believe I can do it. It’s only when I have a flare-up that I convince myself it’s impossible.

Has anyone else planned a wedding (or another huge life event) while dealing with IBS, digestive issues or anxiety?

How did you stop yourself letting fear make the decisions?

Did you have a plan that helped you feel calmer?

How did you stop putting so much pressure on yourself to feel “perfect” for one day?

I don’t want to look back in years to come and realise I let anxiety steal something I really wanted. I just don’t know how to get out of my own head, and I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar.

I take idium, it s like immodium, but i have some questions, if u got go out and u still did n t have a bowl and know after u will have one , when u take immodium , do u have a bowl or feel the urge or no. And do u feel like sensation of tensmus, and trapped gas?

Because for me even when i have a bowl and take immodium , i still feel urge for rest of the day and somtimes get things out , but the biggest problem is the trapped gas , that make me constipated and make me feel like i have urge always .

And that worseing the case because i already think i got tenesmus.

I’m using MiraLAX post sibo bc all other prokinetics hurt my gut way to harsh because I have visceral hypersensitivity but I’m hearing it wipes your nutrients and gut biome completely as well??