Caitlyn Mcadam: IBS-C diagnosed in sixth form, laxatives, a hospital dietitian and yoga

Caitlyn Mcadam, from Newcastle, was diagnosed with constipation-predominant IBS during her final year of sixth form, a period of family illness and A-levels. She describes going five to seven days, and once around sixteen, without a bowel movement, with pain, a visibly swollen stomach and back pain.

Repeated pharmacy and GP visits produced only laxatives until she and her mother pressed for more. Blood tests ruled out coeliac disease, and she was referred for a colonoscopy under sedation, which showed some inflammation and led to the IBS diagnosis. The hospital then gave her three appointments with a dietitian, who worked through a food diary and swapped some dairy, including cow’s milk for unsweetened almond milk, with the rule that anything removed needs a replacement.

What she reports helping most came after a bad Christmas of chocolate and skipped lunches: porridge with almond milk every morning, a tablespoon of linseed, three meals a day eaten slowly without screens, no more than three cups of tea, fewer takeaways and fizzy drinks, and evening yoga she had recently started. Solid chocolate remains her clearest trigger. She uses Buscopan on bad days and still needs a laxative that she finds painful when things stall. She also credits an online support group and a hot water bottle, and notes that her GP can refer people for psychological therapy, which she has not described trying.