Opioids Do i have ibs or is it opioids

[tellmystory]

Ok.. so I know there's a lot of shitting problem threads on here (pardon the language)... but my problem is a bit different than what most people have.. my doctor just diagnosed me with IBS (the kind that causes constipation, not diarrhea) and he also prescribes my suboxone (he gave me the diagnosis a few months AFTER he started prescribing the subs).. This means he is fully aware that subs and opioids cause constipation! So why would he give me an IBS diagnosis?? I need to know if anyone has my symptoms, because I have a feeling that it's just the suboxone and not IBS
symptoms:
severe abdominal cramps, they come and go.. in upper and lower stomach
going to bathroom once or twice a week on average
lower back pain
bloating
feeling nauseous or full really fast after eating

I can't remember how I was before opioids... so I can't compare to see if I had IBS before and the suboxone is just exacerbating it.....so what I think, if other people on suboxone feel the same way as me then I probably don't have IBS.

 

[tricomb]

IBS is difficult to Dx because it's a Diagnosis By Exclusion, and there is no test for it, and it is very commonly misdiagnosed when the real problem is something else. It's horrible because there's basically no treatment for it except for narcotics, I suffer from chronic pain just like you and also have IBS diagnosed but I don't know if that's really what I have...

But to compare to you... Severe abdominal cramps, coming and going, the difference for me: it never goes away its always present and painful.
Bathroom 1-2x weekly with you, for me on bad days I might go 10+ times a day and still feel no relief whatsoever after using the restroom.
Lower Back pain. I have this too with chronic neck, back, and GI pain.
Bloating. I got that too.
Nausea and wild variations in appetite. I got that constantly. I am constantly hungry but unable to eat as the idea of eating food reminds me of the pain it will cause me to digest it.

Sounds like you might have IBS-C (Constipation Prevalent) whereas I have IBS-A (Alternating Diarrhea/Constipation).
As far as the buprenorphine/suboxone goes, if you have IBS-C, taking suboxone is probably one of the worst things you could be doing to your GI system as you are likely shutting down your gut motility and trust me if that gets shut down and you get impacted, that surgery is extremely painful dangerous and traumatic, so I would SERIOUSLY take all this seriously and consider whether taking opioids is a good idea for you since you already have constipation issues.

I used narcotic opiates of all shapes and forms for many years to treat my chronic pain but I'm currently an addict in recovery and I stopped filling my prescriptions for opiates over a year ago. The transition to opiate-free life was not without intense suffering, but I cannot stress this enough.... coping with your digestive system issues WITHOUT opiates is so much less painful in the end vs those who (understandably) leap to the narcotics for relief.... It's a very dangerous road to take and I would advise against using opioids for a period of several months to a year to see how your body responds without the opiates.... They could be the primary cause or exacerbation of your health...

 

[tellmystory]

IBS is difficult to Dx because it's a Diagnosis By Exclusion, and there is no test for it, and it is very commonly misdiagnosed when the real problem is something else. It's horrible because there's basically no treatment for it except for narcotics, I suffer from chronic pain just like you and also have IBS diagnosed but I don't know if that's really what I have...

But to compare to you... Severe abdominal cramps, coming and going, the difference for me: it never goes away its always present and painful.
Bathroom 1-2x weekly with you, for me on bad days I might go 10+ times a day and still feel no relief whatsoever after using the restroom.
Lower Back pain. I have this too with chronic neck, back, and GI pain.
Bloating. I got that too.
Nausea and wild variations in appetite. I got that constantly. I am constantly hungry but unable to eat as the idea of eating food reminds me of the pain it will cause me to digest it.

Sounds like you might have IBS-C (Constipation Prevalent) whereas I have IBS-A (Alternating Diarrhea/Constipation).
As far as the buprenorphine/suboxone goes, if you have IBS-C, taking suboxone is probably one of the worst things you could be doing to your GI system as you are likely shutting down your gut motility and trust me if that gets shut down and you get impacted, that surgery is extremely painful dangerous and traumatic, so I would SERIOUSLY take all this seriously and consider whether taking opioids is a good idea for you since you already have constipation issues.

I used narcotic opiates of all shapes and forms for many years to treat my chronic pain but I'm currently an addict in recovery and I stopped filling my prescriptions for opiates over a year ago. The transition to opiate-free life was not without intense suffering, but I cannot stress this enough.... coping with your digestive system issues WITHOUT opiates is so much less painful in the end vs those who (understandably) leap to the narcotics for relief.... It's a very dangerous road to take and I would advise against using opioids for a period of several months to a year to see how your body responds without the opiates.... They could be the primary cause or exacerbation of your health...

Wow thank you so much for your reply. I am terrified of being impacted. But I am in school right now and stopping the subs would not be a good idea. I am getting off in the summer. I can't wait to get off of that stuff... I hope that IBS isn't the issue, but if it is, like you said, I'm certain my condition will improve considerably. Congrats on your success getting narcotic-free. How are you dealing with your pain without opiates?

 

[LilikoiMoon]

EColi is going around, as we have had several diagnosis in the clinic in a few weeks. I've tested more caca in two weeks than I have in 20 yrs. Have you been tested for bacteria? Many of the symptoms from internal bacteria infection mask as IBS.

Also, certain medications can damage the stomach lining. Yes, even our darling opiods.

Hope you feel better.

 

[tellmystory]

EColi is going around, as we have had several diagnosis in the clinic in a few weeks. I've tested more caca in two weeks than I have in 20 yrs. Have you been tested for bacteria? Many of the symptoms from internal bacteria infection mask as IBS.

Also, certain medications can damage the stomach lining. Yes, even our darling opiods.

Hope you feel better.

I have been having these symptoms for over three months, if it was a bacteria, wouldn't it get worst? my condition get better and worst depending on how often I go to the bathroom..

 

[DrugOmen]

You might also be in the early stages of impaction among possibly ibs considering your symptoms. So just be aware of that and I hope it gets better.

 

[SickWithRA]

Opiates cause constipation...strange the doctor would prescribe that to treat it.