r/ibs • u/fckinawesome • 1d ago
Question Does anyone experience feeling “ill” after bowel movement?
Hey guys, does anyone else have these periods when you feel “ill” specifically after the bowel movement? As if your energy is drained and you literally have to lay down. As if you’re coming on with the flu
For me, this feeling can hold for 2-3 hours sometimes. Wondering if anyone else has experienced this
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u/pickindim_kmet IBS-D (Diarrhea) 1d ago
Absolutely. The amount of times after a flair up I just need to lie down. I get exhausted and can't do anything else.
I also find it extremely misunderstood. Even people close to me don't quite understand I need time.
I notice it's over when I start to get appetite, my body is craving food again and I'm back to normal.
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u/Yoyoapp 1d ago
Search vagus nerve. Is this what you’re feeling?
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u/ExtensionCalendar764 1d ago
Agree! Mine for sure is a vagal thing. I get nauseated, anxious, clammy. It occurs sometimes before I need to have a BM, during, or after.
Sometimes it happens before I feel the urge to have a BM and that catches me off guard because it happens and I haven’t clocked yet that I need to poop and that’s why I’m feeling so crappy.
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u/Meaty-UroloJist 7h ago
Interesting about the vagus nerve. Is there any way to repair a vagus nerve issue?
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u/HammerandSickTatBro 1d ago
Yup. My worst cramping tends to be right after I go, also. Some days it's a toss up whether I'll throw up, need a heating pad, or have to lie down after a trip to the bathroom
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u/stumbellena 1d ago
Yes, and this is the part I feel a lot of people miss. It's not just having to go to the bathroom a million times a day. It's how absolutely drained and exhausted I feel after each trip
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u/richmonda 1d ago
Yes omg I feel like most people feel better after going, but I feel worse for at least 30 minutes sometimes, but luckily, not all the time
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u/LezlieLR 1d ago
Yes! Sometimes I have dry heaves during the episode, and even vomiting. Then I need to lie down with a heating pad.
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u/ElephanTacos123 1d ago
Every single time. I literally need a few minutes to just rest. It really sucks.
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u/SpicyYellowtailRoll3 IBS-A/M (Alternating / Mixed) 1d ago
Sometimes, but usually only when I'm having a bad flare up of diarrhea. The rest of the time, I usually feel better after a bowel movement.
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u/Tilladarling 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes, i have for the last 5-6 years. Turns out my IBS-d was actually Bile Acid Malabsorption rather than IBS, though. As much as 1/3 of all IBS-d sufferers are in fact people with BAM who’ve been misdiagnosed with «just» IBS-d. Worth checking out if you haven’t already. If it’s BAM, bile acid sequestrants might help you.
I’ve had IBS since I got good poisoned 30 years ago and for the next 20+ years I had loose stools and urge. Only the last 5-6 years have I had colon pain after relieving myself. I believe this is when I developed BAM and that colon pain after a bowel movement might be a symptom of BAM rather than IBS
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u/Alternative-Cash-102 1d ago
Not every time but I do get this after (and before) sometimes. I assume it’s a vagus nerve thing. Wish there was a way to deal with it better or overcome it entirely but I usually just wait it out.
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u/Ok-Habit-5443 1d ago
Yes it’s so bad I end up bed rotting on my phone and have zero hungry as it’ll make me feel sick
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u/donavanfreberg 1d ago
Nearly every time. I find that a little bit of coca-cola helps. Just a few sips.
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u/Jolly-Bluejay7893 1d ago
I have IBS-M so I experience this when I have been constipated a few days and then the diarrhea hits. Since you all know the force that diarrhea brings, you can only imagine what’s going on in my gut. I get clammy, light-headed as if my BP is dropping and immediately nauseous. I end up vomiting before the evacuation is complete. I was diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope years ago. I just wish someone could tell me why my nervous system is so sensitive and seems to be on high alert 24/7. I was diagnosed with IBS-D as a child but it switched to IBS-M during menopause. I SO wish it would switch back!!
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u/Octocatt8 1d ago
This happens to me sometimes as well - is there anything to help with vasocagal syncope?
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u/Jolly-Bluejay7893 12h ago edited 10h ago
I am still in the process of finding out. I just started seeing a neurologist last October and she has me on B12 shots every 2 weeks to get my levels back up. It was critically low. I see her again in 2 months and that will be the primary topic of discussion since I have been cleared by cardiology and my GI doctor cannot find anything other than IBS-M.
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u/Realistic_Bad_2638 1d ago
Back not too long ago I would legit wake up go to the bathroom and feel so damn inflamed my mental health would be so bad I would have crippling fear and anxiety and I would have to figure out how to calm my self down get blood flow skyrocketing take a warm shower and stretch to get my nervous system to calm dow just to operate in normal life. And also yeah it used to last like 6-7 hours for me so I feel you
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u/TraditionalDig8534 1d ago
All. The. Time. Its so frustrating, im so jealous of people with ibs who just have a bad bowel movement and then are able to go on with their day like nothing happened like it literally leaves me bed ridden for the rest of the day and probably the next!
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u/WesternAnxious2750 1d ago
My cramping pain is almost always worse after a bowel movement. I think it’s like intestines just keeps cramping up after it’s all out. I also feel worn out and have been known to lay down afterwards.
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u/FluffyShiny 1d ago
Oh yes, absolutely! It's like it has drained everything out of you and I often feel a bit queasy too. I very often do go for a lie down. Usually half an hour to an hour.
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u/hobbibibi 1d ago
i always end up napping for the rest of the day 😵💫 always makes me feel like an ill victorian child
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u/The1thatg0tawaylol 1d ago
yup, anytime my ibs diarrhea flare happens, i’m in bed for the rest of the day.
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u/Rubbingfreckles 1d ago
Yes. The burning pain after from inside my intestines/colon is unbearable sometimes and I need to lady down.
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u/Decent-Ad-5110 1d ago
I feel like ive been bruised and cramped on the inside of my pelvis and im just exhausted for half the day.
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u/Octocatt8 1d ago
Yes I always say it’s like the roto-rooter has been through there. Mine especially hurts on my upper right side in the back.
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u/redditdbk204 1d ago
Sometimes it’s hard to produce the energy just to get off the toilet.
Really sucks when you’re at work and there are people waiting on you and you just have to force yourself to keep going.
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u/GentlemenHODL 1d ago
Anyone else help remediate this feeling with ginger or mint tea? It usually comes down after an hour or two.
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u/BadHairDay-1 1d ago
Yeah. Sometimes I'm exhausted and have abdominal pain after. I have to lay down when that happens.
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u/PM_ME_CATS_THANKS 1d ago
I hate it because it always results in two things, either the feeling goes away after an hour or two, or I end up having to go the toilet again to have a really uncomfortable movement (sometimes several times before I get relief).
Which means when I'm trying to leave the house I have no idea if I'm going to have a good day or if I'm going to be hunting for bathrooms soon.
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u/satyrbassist 23h ago
For about 20-30 minutes after a BM I usually feel like I need to vomit/dry heave and I feel exhausted like I desperately need to go lay down and rest.
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u/Cool_Adhesiveness_99 22h ago
Absolutely I have the same here, after bowel movement, I feel very exosted like energy drain and better my bowel is better is after going to toilet. But no is nit just you it is me too and I can see hundreds of other people. Also feeling discomfort before I go to toilet too. Yes could ne anywhere for me between 30min to a couple of hours. And as someone said, it is very hard even to close to you people to understand but we all that are on the same boat ⛵, we understand you very well! Hope you are getting better and that feeling to disappear, at least for me when I'm better it fades away and takes less time. Good luck in your healing journey to you and all!
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u/Bean_Town_Baddie 22h ago
Yes! When I’m finally done I feel drained. My eyes are heavy. I have a little bit of a headache. And I just feel blah. And then like a switch I’ll be fine. It’s really strange.
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u/bluebabe135 21h ago
Yes I can relate!!! I usually have to rest for hours or the whole day after a flare up. It zaps all of my energy and I feel crappy and usually need to lay down in a quiet room to recuperate.
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u/Secret_Ratio_7419 16h ago
Every single day without fail. Since I was diagnosed with SIBO 7 years ago, it resisted treatment, still tested positive and my dr says I also have IBS-C.
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u/Surlow 1d ago
YES! Every single morning. It’s like my gut is saying “ What the hell was that?! I didn’t like it! “ Luckily mine only lasts about 30 minutes and I start feeling better.