[jazpoppy]

Dear Toomuch;

I too have IBS. It was diagnosed about 10 years ago in my early 20's after I had my first child. My doctor at the time told me it was due to my panic disorder and the fact that I'm very easily stressed, and also its hereditary. I have mostly diarreah but I switch off and on from either diarreah or constipation (not to be gross). I have had to cut out certain types of food (especially dairy food, I'm very lactose intolerant, I don't even trust those lactaide pills, I've tried them, they don't work so well for me). My doctor told me to use Immodium for loose bowels, and a fiber product for constipation. They had me on a fiber suppliment for a long time, but I stopped using it everyday because I was experiencing too many movements in one day, loosing to much weight (like you did) in too short a period of time, and was just miserable. I also have hemeroids YUCK! So I bleed a lot sometimes. Of course I got the hemmeroids after I had my son (he weighed over 9lbs 1oz at birth, so there was a lot of pushing and pressure). Now, I am not a doctor, and you seem to have a much worse case then I do, so I think you should keep in touch with your doctor and if things don't get better after you do what they say, take what they give you, you should ask to be sent to another specialist (Proctologist?? I think). I know how miserable IBS flareups can be and you should not have to suffer frequently with them! I did more over 3 years, I spent most of my lunchtime at work in the bathroom praying for relief, and spent a lot of time being unable to travel for long distances, and such. I also found out that Birth Control Pills were one of the irritants making me have flare-up along with stress and depression. I am on anti-depressants now that work very well to keep me from having panic attacks which helps my lower abdomen (bowels) feel MUCH better. I used to have to take a mild sedative in the beginning when I was first being treated for both the panic disorder, depression and IBS, until the anti-depressants started worked well on their own (for about 6 months or so). Again, talk to your doctor if you are having too many flare-ups maybe there something triggering your flare-ups like what happened to me. I am MUCH better now, I still have flare-ups, but now I get maybe twice a year or a little more, not five days a week like before. So changing my diet, seeing my doctor and working on my depression, anxiety, and stress, exericising and drinking a lot of spring water really helped me VERY MUCH! Good luck to you! Keep in touch.

Love

Jaz:praying