New to the Group, Seeking Advice for GI Issues

Well sadley you can't get a test for IBS it is purely symptom based. I had so many test done to me and it can be expensive but sometimes if you have a feeling it's better to do one to relieve your anxiety. I'd you don't poop once every 1-2 days then you have IBS-C. If you poop more than 3 times a day then you have IBS-D. And if you have both then you have IBS. 🙏Hope you get this figured out!

Like @MeeB333 said, IBS is a diagnosis that's basically "there's no other answer to explain this". The diagnosis process for IBS is pretty much just process of elimination. They test for several other things and if those all come out negative... congrats, you have IBS. You'll probably have to give stool samples, blood samples, and more than likely you'll need an upper and lower endoscopy. I like to say there's a little goblin in my stomach that spins a wheel every time I ingest something to determine if I'll have a reaction or not. The problem is that 80% of the wheel is reaction and the other 20% is no reaction. I have IBS with mixed movements (basically meaning I have both constipation phases and diarrhea phases). I don't know what strugges you face specifically so I'll explain the treatment/advice I received for both diarrhea and constipation. Right now I'm on Dicyclomine on an as needed basis. I have to take it after a wave of diarrhea and then take it after every following wave until it stops and I can take up to 4 a day. Usually I don't need to take 4. 2 is on average the most I need to take in a day. It's a muscle relaxer so it's supposed to help with the pain and there's a side effect of constipation which pretty much cancels out the diarrhea. It helps me a lot so you can always ask your doctor if it's right for you. For constipation I was instructed to take over the counter gentle stool softeners as directed by the packaging. Since I struggle with diarrhea much more frequently than the constipation, that's why they prescribed me the Dicyclomine, plus the pain from the IBS cramps is a serious issue for me. In the meantime while waiting for a diagnosis, you can take Imodium for diarrhea episodes and gentle stool softeners for constipation episodes.