Looking for IBS answers

[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.

[51anna]

I don't have much to offer, but I wonder what your dr has told you, after you got the results from the test? Did he offer any advice?

[Toomutch]

Dr. just gave me a list of food to avoid as well as a list of foods that might help.

[CarolD]

I'd be calling him and find out what is happening.


I have no experience with IBS.

[grantstrength1]

I myself do not have this condition but I know several people that do.

The only thing I know is that stress can be a trigger. So, take care of you. Oh my dad said that imodieum helps him.

[laurie6781]

I would suggest not only talking to your doctor again, but do a google search. I will bet you will find some forums for just this condition, where sufferers share info.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

[indigo]

Yes I have IBS and I believe it to be stress related and from abuse as a child, however, gassy foods and things that bloat you painfully are to be avoided at all costs. You can go and see a nutritionalist and they can and do help. Good luck because I reckon it's really an underestimated chronic condition.

indigo

[rubycanoe]

I have IBS-D so I have to take imodium fairly often. Otherwise I don't have any answers ,it has not been very good lately. When I was first diagnosed 4 years ago my dr gave me some support forums :
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Association Irritable Bowel Syndrome Association
and
Irritable bowel Syndrome IBS Self-Help Group ww.ibsgroup.org

They both have forums, so you might want to check them out.

[Digginit]

Do you take a daily fiber supplement? That seems to help a lot of people. It really does stink that there aren't any good answers that apply across the board, but a lot of people do find things that help. I have it too, but it's not so bad that it stops me from doing what I need to do day-to-day. It's a nuisance, though, for sure.

~dig

[kidsandmemake3]

Has your doctor tested you for Celiac (sometimes spelled 'Coeliac') disease? Sometimes avoiding foods that contain gluten or casein (what causes lactose toleration problems) can really help alleviate IBS symptoms...

Some general information can be found at:
Celiac Disease

[Digginit]

That's a good point about Celiac Sprue. It is underdiagnosed while IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Once other bowel pathology is ruled out, then the diagnosis of IBS is made, or at least that's how it SHOULD be done. Celiac disease isn't always looked for in a typical bowel work-up.

linz

[Lenina]

Too mutch,

I have fibro myalgia too and my rheumatologist tells me the IBS seems to be part of the syndrome. I was on Lyrica for a while but cannot afford it. It helped the IBS a great deal. I understand the Lyrica has addictive potential but it didn't sedate or change my mood, other than stopping the cramps and spasms.

For some reason, my diet doesn't seem to have that much of a trigger. Stress does though. I do try to drink lots of water as it's easy to get dehydrated in a flare up.

I've found that valerian and melatonin gives me tummy troubles the day after. I've don't know why. Very embarrassing to be running to the lavatory every 10 minutes while at work!

Hope you are feeling better soon.

Love,

Lenina

[Toomutch]

It seems like the majority of those with IBS have predominately the opposite of what I have. There are times I go 7-10 days without being able to have a bowel movement. Then when I fianally do it is painful diarreha (sp).

Right now I am on day 9 of being constipated.

[Lenina]

Too Mutch,

I'm sorry you're having this. I've always had the opposite. Are you in a flare of the fibro? I notice my symptoms all get going at once. The pain, the diarrhea, the burning down the legs, the poor quality sleep with very long and detailed dreams. And the fatigue.

What helps me is making myself get out and walk in the daylight for a little while. The sunlight helps the mood and even a little walk or light exercise helps the fatigue. And it's the last thing I want to do, walk! So it's usually a huge effort for me.

After the walk, I have a twenty minute soak in the tub in very warm water with epsom salts. I usually put on a mediation tape too. It's mostly breathing and visualization but if I can do that in the tub I seem to feel better.

Be kind to yourself. Rest as much as you need to.

Love,

Lenina

[LosingmyMisery]

I take Digestive Advantage, a supplement and I also take a fiber supplement. It has helped quite a bit. I also take funnel. It is supposed to promote healthy digestion. Probiotics are also supposed to be helpful. You can do a search and find more information on that. So far, I am happy with taking 3 tablets once a day of what I mentioned above. I was miserable like you were and now, I feel much better. Good luck!

[LosingmyMisery]

Eeeeerrrr, I mean fennel, not funnel. Oops...

[butterfly19]

toomutch,

Thanks for posting about IBS. I, too, suffer from it and actually have had it since I was a child. I was born with the area where my colon meets the rectum being too small. I could not appropriately digest food, and had to be kept on breast milk till I was nearly 3 years old. I can remember my tummy hurting all through childhood. Now as an adult, I have had 2 colonoscopies to rule out crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The only diagnosis the doctor's can ever come up with is IBS, even though one specialist was convinced that I must have crohn's until he did the colonoscopy and found nothing.

The thing is IBS isn't "NOTHING" as a lot of healthcare providers tend to glance over it. There are basically 3 types of IBS: predominantly diarrhea, predominantly constipation, and the most common--alternating constipation with diarrhea. Sounds like you must have the latter. I have predominantly diarrhea. Right now, I'm on suboxone for my opiate addiction which generally causes people to get severe constipation. Not me though, for the first time in my life I'm having normal bowel movements. I'm worried, however, when I come off the suboxone, the diarrhea will most likely come back. I'm talking daily diarrhea--on a good day 3-4 times, on a bad day up to 10 times. Stress and certain foods do make it worse, with stress being my biggest trigger.

In the past my doctors have tried some different medications that although not designed to treat IBS, they do have some success with lessening the pain and severity. Presently these are the meds that I'm on that do help: Celexa, Elavil, Lyrica. I would ask your doctor about medications that might help. Sometimes it is trial by error to find the right combo that will work for you. There is also a newer med out call Amitiza, which I believe is mostly for constipation. You might want to look this up and ask your doctor about this as well. I wish that fiber supplements and a change of diet would help as much as some people say it does. I haven't found it to help me, but others with less severe symptoms might. I've also heard some good things about probiotics as well, but not tried it for myself.

Good luck with finding some answers sweetie. I do understand the pain that you are going through. Even though our symptoms may be somewhat different, I know how painful diarrhea can actually be! Be sure and stay hydrated when you are having it. I've found that a good Complete B vitamin helps with stress. If you continue to have weight loss and worsening of symptoms, get a second opinion and definitely see a gastroenterologist to rule out other diseases that folks mentioned above! Keep us posted on your findings!

Love,

butterfly19