[amberalice]

Am feeling SO frustrated. My history is having suffered IBS since around the age of 12/13, used to suffer problems nearly every single day until food intolerances/other triggers were found. Following a gastro bug at the age of 15 I had to have 2 months off school with terrible IBS symptoms until they finally gradually lessened. Since then I've had the odd bad patch but nothing major- infact I was pretty much symptom free/eating nearly what I liked until about June this year when I started having the odd bad problems here and there. My main symptom is extremely bad adominal pain which makes me unable to do basically anything. Also pretty frequent BMs, and slight relief after doing so, I'm very lucky in that I don't suffer incontinence but I'd rather suffer that than this awful pain.

I also have IC, and a couple of weeks ago I had a UTI which I had to take antibiotics for. Nitrufurontoin specifically. It's been like the straw that broke the camels back and I've had dreadful pain at some point during the day ever since. I was taking Lamberts Acidiphilous and it's been around since I ran out of this that I've suffered with the pain so I'm hoping that is what was keeping me stable.

I have had a bf for the past nearly 5 years now and he's not been around in my life when I've had terrible problems, he's very accepting of it and me having the odd problem but for the past few weeks he's getting sick of it. I tried to finish with him on sat as I love him SO much and feel like a massive let down but he was having none of it. I'm so scared this has come back in control of my life. He wants to travel etc and I can barely leave the house at the moment.

I just wish I was dead...I'm completely good for nothing and no one.

I just need advice from anyone- have any medications worked for you- if so which ones? Buscopan has stopped working for me, as has the Colpermin/Peppermint oil capsules. When I've been to the doctors before I've just been suggested to have fibre- which makes me 1000x worse!
Do people think it's the ABs that have set off this bad flare?

Thankyou so much to anyone who replies.

[Diana63]

You poor thing,i know exactly how you feel i have severe ibs and it is ruining my life.I have tried the antispasmodics you mentioned to no avail but there are other ones to and also some low dose antidepressants sometimes ease the pain you suffer.At times it is trial and error.If Diahorrea is that bad maybe you could try immodium,it seems to help some people.How is your diet at the moment,maybe seeing a Dietician for a chat might be of help.I am sure your boyfriend is understanding but maybe put of travelling untill hopefully you can stabilise your symptoms with medication.Do you have a good doctor that you could go and see at your surgery that you could talk to and tell them how you are feeling.I do hope you feel a bit better.

Take care of yourself.

[lisaaanoel]

aw, I know it's hard, but try and stay positive. I hope things start getting better for you!

As far as treatment goes, I tried fiber supplements. It didn't really do much. Although I have found that if I consume to much fiber in the way of produce, it makes it worse. :(
I was prescribed an anti spasm medicine, but I found that the dizziness/out of it feeling I got was worse than just dealing with the IBS issues. I tried the calcium supplement talked about on here, which also didn't help me. (But has helped quite a few people. Have you looked up that one?)

If I really need to do something important, imodium helps me, but I don't take it daily.
My symptoms aren't severe every single day, so for the most part I just try and deal with it.

[phef]

Take heart young lady! I am almost 61 and have had IBS for over 20 years. I am having a flareup right now but normally I can eat and drink most of the things I want thanks to learning more about the disease. Fiber is a double edged sword. Fiber makes my IBS worse but occasionally when I am in the constipation stage I have to do something. When I take fiber I bite a very small portion off of a chewable Benefiber. I am talking like a piece less than the size of a Tic Tac. This time it relieved the constipation but then starting cramping and spasms.

The first important thing is finding a good gastroenterologist that cares about you and understands IBS. I was lucky in finding a good one but he retired two years ago and now I am looking for a new one. So far I have tried two different MDs and I'm not yet satisfied that I have the one I need.

Medications do help and which ones help is different from person to person. My doctor was willing to try different Rxs until we found a combination that worked for me. That combo turned out to be Miltown and Librax, and occasionally Donnatol when I get really bad. All of those are very old drugs. The only new drug I have found that works is Pamine Forte.

It is important to watch what you eat. I have learned that I cannot eat white or navy beans, brocolli, cabbage and anything that makes a person more gassy. I gave up salad for years but now I can eat a lettuce salad again.

You will know when you need to take something off your list of things not to eat because you will remember the pain, constipation or diarrhea or gas or bloating.

I've had to modify my lifestyle as well. I have to get up in the morning and relax with coffee for about an hour to assure that I get in a daily BM. It works for me but some other changes make work for you.

Stress usually makes my IBS worse. Try to avoid it.

There are ways to live with IBS and enjoy life most of the time with only occasional flareups.

Antibiotics are very bad for me but I have found that those in the Keflex class are less damaging. Augmentin, penicillin and most other ABs will give me diarrhea and cramping. I just finished a two week regimen of a Keflex based AB for a sinus infection and had no side effects.

Keep mental notes of all of these things and never be afraid or shy to tell your doctor what AB works for you and what doesn't. Don't accept the "add fiber" as a blanket answer. It may work for some but it causes me more pain that I want to even think about.

Vegetables for me have to be well cooked to the point of being soft and they don't bother me. Raw or stir fried veggies are really bad for my IBS.

Don't give up. Living with IBS is a learning process and you never stop learning. Never be afraid to ask your doctor anything. I take notes into the office with me to make sure I don't forget. You have the right to ask the questions since you are the customer and not just the patient.

Finally, I just discovered Charcoal Caps which help with gas trapped in the colon. Simethicone only works for gas in the stomach and small intestine.

I have found Aloe Vera capsules and liquid drinks to be helpful in the bowel.

I had a great doctor and he wasn't just a a GI doc who did colonoscopies but also cared about IBS enough to learn about it. Before he retired he did tell me that he thought within ten years there would be a drug that acts on the brain to essentially cure IBS. Have hope and learn to enjoy your life in spite of your IBS.

[phef]

Take heart young lady! I am almost 61 and have had IBS for over 20 years. I am having a flareup right now but normally I can eat and drink most of the things I want thanks to learning more about the disease. Fiber is a double edged sword. Fiber makes my IBS worse but occasionally when I am in the constipation stage I have to do something. When I take fiber I bite a very small portion off of a chewable Benefiber. I am talking like a piece less than the size of a Tic Tac. This time it relieved the constipation but then starting cramping and spasms.

The first important thing is finding a good gastroenterologist that cares about you and understands IBS. I was lucky in finding a good one but he retired two years ago and now I am looking for a new one. So far I have tried two different MDs and I'm not yet satisfied that I have the one I need.

Medications do help and which ones help is different from person to person. My doctor was willing to try different Rxs until we found a combination that worked for me. That combo turned out to be Miltown and Librax, and occasionally Donnatol when I get really bad. All of those are very old drugs. The only new drug I have found that works is Pamine Forte.

It is important to watch what you eat. I have learned that I cannot eat white or navy beans, brocolli, cabbage and anything that makes a person more gassy. I gave up salad for years but now I can eat a lettuce salad again.

You will know when you need to take something off your list of things not to eat because you will remember the pain, constipation or diarrhea or gas or bloating.

I've had to modify my lifestyle as well. I have to get up in the morning and relax with coffee for about an hour to assure that I get in a daily BM. It works for me but some other changes make work for you.

Stress usually makes my IBS worse. Try to avoid it.

There are ways to live with IBS and enjoy life most of the time with only occasional flareups.

Antibiotics are very bad for me but I have found that those in the Keflex class are less damaging. Augmentin, penicillin and most other ABs will give me diarrhea and cramping. I just finished a two week regimen of a Keflex based AB for a sinus infection and had no side effects.

Keep mental notes of all of these things and never be afraid or shy to tell your doctor what AB works for you and what doesn't. Don't accept the "add fiber" as a blanket answer. It may work for some but it causes me more pain that I want to even think about.

Vegetables for me have to be well cooked to the point of being soft and they don't bother me. Raw or stir fried veggies are really bad for my IBS.

Don't give up. Living with IBS is a learning process and you never stop learning. Never be afraid to ask your doctor anything. I take notes into the office with me to make sure I don't forget. You have the right to ask the questions since you are the customer and not just the patient.

Finally, I just discovered Charcoal Caps which help with gas trapped in the colon. Simethicone only works for gas in the stomach and small intestine.

I have found Aloe Vera capsules and liquid drinks to be helpful in the bowel.

I had a great doctor and he wasn't just a a GI doc who did colonoscopies but also cared about IBS enough to learn about it. Before he retired he did tell me that he thought within ten years there would be a drug that acts on the brain to essentially cure IBS. Have hope and learn to enjoy your life in spite of your IBS.

[CatUK]

So sorry to hear you've been in so much pain lately. I have been exactly the same, not going to the loo much but have been in pain virtually all the time for months. My Dr gave me Merbentyl which didn't do much all, neither did Colpermin. I've just started taking activated charcoal capsules, 2 after each main meal and they have eased the pain a lot. They cost me £2.99 for 100 tablets. Also if the acidophilus helped you then please buy some more and hopefully the pain will ease again.

If you want to chat anytime please feel free to pm me :(

[ziggy7]

http://www.ibsgroup....howtopic=112669


read that link the diet basically saved my life i was good for nothing i had very bad IBS-D had horrible gas 24/7 could not go around anyone could not walk for more than 10 mins with out haveing to go to the bathroom and could not run cause the jumping motion = need go to bathroom

i also could not eat 1 single bite of broccoli or fatning meat with out geting HORRIBLE gas all day long.. it was a nightmare my life was ruined

but then after the carbohydrates were cut out of my diet everything changed i swear it was like magic i can now eat as much broccoli and fatning meat as i want and get no gas what so ever

my IBS-D along with my obesity is 100% cured as long as i stay on this diet

i also like to eat next to no fiber in my diet as well so when i eat broccoli i cut all the stems off and just eat the top flower parts although if you suffer from constipation ( which i basically never have ) you may like some fiber in your diet

[vegangothkittie]

I know how u feel. I've been trying everything and nothing will get my severe IBS under control. Life is hell. I follow the tips here on this site ../
There 's some good info here and there on the site. I follow the diet mentioned on the site vegan style which helps reduce the painful symtoms to a certain degree since my IBS is very severe. I also drink tons of very strong fennel and mint tea throughout the day. I can't even work my IBS is so severe.