8.0 Brain-fog, No energy with Bloating and IBS

Many of us with Bloating and IBS get other symptoms: headache; lack of energy ("Brain-fog"; "lethargy") or non-specific muscular pains and skin rashes.

Nobody knows what drives these “extra” unwelcome symptoms in IBS, but the good news is that successfully treating bowel symptoms often sorts everything out.

If lack of energy is a big issue, the answer often lies in looking closely at how we live our days, quality of sleep etc. So, yes, let's sort out the tummy, ask our doctor to check for specific causes, but do study your life too!

Sometimes people who have IBS experience symptoms in other parts of the body that are separate "syndromes" to IBS. They include: fibromyalgia, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and tempero-mandibular joint syndrome. These syndromes need a specialist approach in their own right.

8.1 Tests for Brain-fog, No energy with Bloating and IBS

Blood tests to consider doing include: Full Blood Count (“FBC” or “CBC”); Kidney and Liver function; Coeliac screen; C-Reactive protein; Thyroid hormone (“TSH”); iron levels and ferritin; vitamin B12, folic acid and rarely morning-time Cortisol levels. These tests look for specific causes for these unpleasant symptoms, but, surprisingly, in the majority of us, the results are frustratingly normal. But, Normal tests are ultimately a very good thing!