IBS Flares in Both Dog and Human

Now that the dog's GI tract inflammation and SIBO have subsided and her microbiome is balanced, it's time to look at mine. My stomach has been wonky since February because of all the feasting and drinking. My own GI tract was inflamed and SIBO was real. I was literally having the runs daily, and after each meal, and during a meal. 

These runs lasted for three weeks. Alongside a spectacular bout of bleeding from hemorrhoids, and complementing the time frame of Choya's diarrhea and GI tract inflammation too. The entire weeks-long episodes for both the dog and I were ridiculous. 

Food is the biggest culprit of an IBS flare. I had to cut out all rich and fatty foods. As it is, I don't eat fried foods. Everyone's triggers are different. You'll need to figure out what yours are. If I want the IBS flare to subside soon, I needed to decrease and cut out all meats except fish and lean pork, up the vegetables and fiber, decrease intake of fructose and sugar, refined carbs and caffeine.  

I have drastically cut down on alcohol. That's the one thing that tips my digestive system down south bad. I get the beer-shits after a pint. The hot flushes and night sweats after alcohol have been unbearable. The hangover the next day gets worse, and the hangover headaches are horrid. I’m not in a hurry to re-visit these symptoms. 

I'm not lactose-intolerant. Granola with full-cream milk remains my preferred morning fuel. But there's something about full-cream milk and coffee. It makes me get the runs within 20 minutes. Regular piccolo lattes are a thing of the past now. I need to have it with oat milk (not soy), or plain black. Luckily for me, I enjoy having coffee black and without sugar. 

All my recent detailed bloodwork has turned up clear, nothing to indicate anything niggly. Maybe it's finally time to sort out another round of colonoscopy and endoscopy. UGH. YUCKS. I had that done two years ago. NOT FUN. This IBS flare has been the worst so far. Has it anything to do with less estrogen being produced? AM I GOING INTO PERIMENOPAUSE? I'll test my FSH levels at the next gynae check-in.