Answers anyone?

[Toomutch]

I posted a thread awhile back stating that I was having a colonoscopy do to weight loss and a change in bowel habbits. It turns out I have IBS.
The pain has been intermittantly intense.

Does anyone else this forum suffer from IBS? If so how do you take care of it, and keep the pain from becoming unbearable?

I was fine this morning, went to work out, had a healthy lunch and out of the blue - there it was.

[Jane63]

Hi Toomutch,
I was diagnosed with IBS/Diverticulosis in December of this past year (those Colonoscopies are horrid, eh??) and given 2-different types of anti-spasmodics to help control the pain...neither did a thing for me.
What did help me the most was getting into a regular exercise routine, watching my stress (still working on that one!) and monitouring my diet. My DR said I could eat most anything but that if it caused me problems more than once then it was a NO-NO.

Recently I began having more flare-ups than normal and think it may be because I am also going through Menopause and having "phantom periods" (IBS pain can be worse during "that time of the month" if you are female.)
I will be seeing the Gastro DR again later this month and hopefully can figure out what to do for the pain.
I had it pretty much under control until around May when the flare-ups began again and were more intense.
Try the diet and exercise routine for awhile and see if that doesn't help.
Good luck!
Jane

[Toomutch]

Thank You Jane.

I have been exercising and trying to avoid the foods that the doc told me to. I think the stress is mostly hard on me.
I wish I could let the stress go but with 4 teenagers at home, a controlling husband and other health issues, it is hard to avoid stress. I have been doing yoga and pilates to try and ease the stress, so far nothing.

[Jane63]

Your welcome!!
4-teenagers? YIKES!!! Yes, the stress does seem to play a large role in it!
Just from my own personal experience, we are pretty much on our own with this particular health concern and have to take matters into our own hands and be proactive...seems DR's don't want to perscribe anything that really controls the pain because they also can cause constipation which only aggravates the problem, plus as addicts we have to be careful.

If you ever want to vent or exchange ideas, etc, feel free to PM me!
((HUGS))
Jane

[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

[DesertEyes]

My ex had a very bad case of IBS. In addition to what has been mentioned here she found Carafate to be extremely helpful. Check with your doc.

Carafate patient advice including side effects

Mike

[Ariklein]

I have suffered from diarhea (IBS) for twenty years until I found on the net some description of it that clicked in me...and I tried to start a diet of wheat (they say it has extra opiates) and my problems diminished all round. Of course it does not help everybody, maybe I am the only one, but for me a new era has begun because with the cessation of regular and recurrent pain and suffering I am now able to see as the 12steps promises and all the religious "grace" promised and the psychological "serenity" do appear in my life...So now I can not continue to say..I will live a normal contented life when I recover. I feel like I did recover. So now it wd be hight time to diminish the rest of my inner conflicts...to start working earnestly on the rest of lazyness, egoism and self-pity...:ghug

[killezoey]

Hi

I'm sorry you're having this issue. I have been told I probably have IBS in addition to my known Crohn's disease, and probably had the IBS for years before the Crohn's. Not implying AT all that IBS leads to Crohn's or anything horrid like that! Just giving you the basis for my sharing my history. Anyway, what I have learned so far is that it seems that every person is different in the way their bowels react to diet and even with something like Crohn's, a lot is still left to the individual to sort out based on trial and error. The error of course is not fun, but eventually you do kind of get the hang of it. For example for me, I have found that for some reason, peppermint candies help get things moving and ease constipation pain. I have also decided to avoid milk as it does seem to cause me pain. In order to find out fairly easily what foods to avoid, some people go to a simple diet for a while and then try to methodically reintroduce foods so and note what irritates. Also, I was put on an SSRi antidepressant last year not only b/c I was having trouble dealing with my Crohn's diagnosis but also because these meds can have a calming effect on the bowels, they think. I would suggest finding a forum on IBS if you can, as perhaps others' experience can save you some time, hassle and pain. Best of luck to you!

[WLDKATZ]

Hey sissy girl!!!!!!!!!!


IBS....ugh been there doing that!!!! I put wheat germ on darn near everything it does help a lot as for the pain sis I turned to exercise.........when I get to hurting bad I let it pis* me off totally and I work past it ok at least I try to do so.....there are several trial meds out there ask your dr if you can get into one of the medical studies.....9 time out of 10 you can make money as well as find some damn good meds to take care of the situation!!!


Love ya girl damn glad to see your back!!!!


Pamm

[AW2486]

Living with Ulcerative Colitis for the last 12 years.. I feel your pain. I had to change my diet completely .. Did it Trial and Error. 2 Sheets of paper.. One lists the Good foods.. the other the Bad Foods. That helped a lot.

Good news.. I will be cured next month.. Bad news.. No more Colon. But with today's advances.. I will only have do to the bag thing for 3 months. Yipee !!!

[hardbowels]

Hi All,
First time poster with IBS, i was diagnosed in 1997,with the IBS several other issues came into play.

I have seronegative RA,all the symptoms without it being in my blood stream.

The IBS caused me to have 2 rectal absses' and 2 surguries within 90 days
within the following 5 years ive had 2 knee synovectomies right and left and have another one scheduled next year.

i drink prune juice for the constipation and i get relief, i dont complain when i have the runs though i'll take loose stools over constipation anyday. some nights i feel like my stomach is going to explode due to the IBS

now i gotta work on getting my pain meds under controll...ugh.

[MROBI]

man i thought i had issues.

[Toomutch]

Interesting that this thread popped back up. On thursday I am going for an upper GI. I have been miserable for 2 weeks straight.

[Stubborn1]

I hope they figure out what's going on. I had IBS but since they put me on my pain meds I haven't had it back yet. I can't say I miss it. I feel your pain.
My best friend and I have an on going joke. We say "don't forget your cup" because sometimes it will hit you in the middle of no where and if you have a huge cup you can go in there. lol It's so horrible. Keep us posted.

[Toomutch]

Stubborn,

This time it is my upper stomach and between my breast bones. For about 2 weeks I will get the worst cramps up in there, almost worse than labor. I won't go into much more detail because it is gross. lol

[DesertEyes]

Originally Posted by Toomutch

...On thursday I am going for an upper GI. I have been miserable for 2 weeks straight.

How'd it go? Anything positive from the test?

Mike

[Jane63]

Toomuch...How did everything go? I just happened to pop in and read this thread and the upper GI was the last test they wanted me to have when I was messing with my own gastric problems last December.
I didn't have it done...had already done the Colonoscopy and CTscan and just couldn't handle anymore of those nasty tests! They had already diagnosed me with IBS/Diverticulosis anyway so I figured it was kind of redundent.

I still haven't found much to help with the flare-up pain but have found several good recipes online that seem to help alittle. Everything else is by trial and error...if I eat something that gives me a flare-up more than once then I cut that out of my diet and I try to exercise more everyday.
Good luck!
Jane

[Toomutch]

During my proceedure they found that I have delayed gastric emptying. There was food in my stomach after 12 hours of fasting.
Next week I will go have an abdominal ultrasound and a gastric emptying study. For this I will be fasting for 14 hours; I will then eat an egg that has some kind of radiation in it so that they can watch it go down for 90 minutes. If I move during that 90 minutes they may have to redue the test.
One possibility is something may be wroung with my pancreas.

[DesertEyes]

wow, all those medical worries can be really draining. I know cuz I have my share. At least they're making progress in getting you diagnosed.

Not moving for 90 minutes? eeeesh, I'd be up in _nine_ telling them a better way to run their facility, that they need fluffier pillows, that the colors of the walls are wrong....

Mike

[Toomutch]

Originally Posted by DesertEyes

wow, all those medical worries can be really draining. I know cuz I have my share. At least they're making progress in getting you diagnosed.

Not moving for 90 minutes? eeeesh, I'd be up in _nine_ telling them a better way to run their facility, that they need fluffier pillows, that the colors of the walls are wrong....

Mike

Yeah that 90 minute thing has me worried, not to mention the radiated egg.

[Lenina]

I am in a fibro flare up at the moment. Haven't had one this bad in years. I think the fall and sprained ankle I had last week triggered it along with some other stress issues. It feels like I have burning electricity down my legs and arms. My doctor is on vacation so I am making do with Librax, Lomotil and tylenol. What I need a is a hot tub!

I hope everyone is feeling better soon.

Much love,

Lenina

[Toomutch]

Lenina,

Sorry to here you are in a fibro flare right now That makes at least three of us in the midst of one at this time.
Take care of yourself sweetie, maybe a hot bath, rest and a walk along the beach. I'll be thinking of you.

Love,
Suzette

[Lenina]

((((((Suzette))))))

Thanks honey. I have a walk planned this afternoon and it's the last thing I feel like doing. I am wondering if the season change is affecting us? My doctor told me cooler weather and less ambient light can make it trigger. The days have been warm enough but the evenings have cooled down.

Please do keep us posted on your GI. Odd, I had an upper GI and it showed that my system was clearing "stuff" in 45 minutes! I drank that chalk stuff and it was out of me that fast! It was supposed to take 6 to 8 hours. I haven't have the radiated egg "snack". Gives a whole new twist to deviled egg, huh? I don't think we need to add it to the Foodies thread on the Newcomers board...LOL

To all, please take good care. I am doing a meditation this afternoon and will have you all on my list for healing.

Much love,

Lenina

[Lenina]

I did get out for a walk and went to the garden nursery. It was very nice. I think the reason the walks aren't helping as much is that I can't get up to speed with the wonky ankle. The sun was warm, the flowers amazing and even lots of butterflies. Saw a black pansy I've never seen before. The gardener tells me she puts them out for Halloween!

I will be doing a bedtime healing meditation and thinking of all of you.

Anyone familiar with Louise Hayes? I love her books and am considering buying her meditation CD. Any input appreciated.

Much love,

Lenina

[Toomutch]

Lenina,

Glad to hear you got that walk in; I've never heard of a black pansy either. I wish I would have been on the walk to see such an unusual flower.

I have never heard of Louise Hayes.