Symptom experience of IBD? Looking for IBS advice
Hi! Looking for some advice or someone to go through how IBD affected them before they started treatment?
I'm diagnosed IBS and I know how it differs from IBD biologically, but struggling to find info on personal experience of symptom differences? Particularly when symptom lists talk about people with IBS feeling better after a bowel movement - how does someone with IBD feel?
My experience & advice question:
I've had blood tests and stool sample tests, both of which are normal for inflammation etc. but I had low B12 (now on injections and fine) and consistently low iron stores (been on prescribed supplements for years which have very slowly brought my stores up but every time I stop, it drops) which makes me think of malabsorption?
I'm still pretty fatigued despite b12 injections + ferritin supplements + thyroid medication, frequent nausea & stools are very rarely normal. Fresh blood is rare but I think this is due to hemorrhoids or perhaps a fissure at times when there's been more blood. Urgency is very frequent and intense.
Pain isnt bad but I've had this for so long now (over a decade) I'm not sure if I know what normal is. No weight loss, some appetite issues but I have anxiety which can explain a lot of symptoms.
With my blood tests and stool samples being normal, should I even push for further testing? Is there anything else to look at before jumping to colonoscopy? Which I dont want to go through if its unlikely to find anything
Thanks for reading. I'm just struggling and need some input before I go back to the GP again