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[vc001]

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So ive had symptoms of IBS-D since I was 14, Im now 23 and its getting out of control...I tend to make jokes about my condition with my boyfriend, friends and coworkers- because its just getting harder and harder to "pretend" that i dont have this horrible condition. I have 2 jobs, Ive been in school for years and I love to travel- well obviously all of these things are effected by the fact that i ALWAYS need to have a bathroom that I can make it to within 5 seconds of getting hot-flash cramps (does anyone else know what that means? because its AWEFUL). For instance, the other night I was driving home from a visit with friends who live 4 hours away)..I decided to drive home late at night, and i took the long way home to avoid lack of bathrooms on other routes ..this was SUCH a mistake because each exit was like 15-30 minutes apart...I start getting that sweaty, shivery crampy feeling and know that I NEED to find a 24 hour fast food place (because alot of gas stations dont have bathrooms for the public..which is BULLS*IT)..I see a sign for an exit..going 90mph I see what appears to be heaven; a McDonalds with ALL the lights on (aww yeah 24 hour place) I run to the door...only to find its LOCKED and they apparently closed 5 minutes ago...I see a kid inside sweeping the floors so I pound on the window BEGGING for him to let me in (come on it only takes me 2 seconds to have D and ill be on my way)...but he ignores me...I PANIC..i run back to my car and....i didnt make it... FAIL...JUST UGHHH ......so basically, THAT type of event happens ALL THE TIME...Ive tried cutting out gluten and lactose from my diet, eating more fiber, eating less fiber, not eating at all, not consuming alcohol, drinking peppermint oil in my water, taking ginger pills, eating organic, taking probiotics, quitting cigarettes, swimming, running, cutting out caffeine from my diet....I have to say, all of these things work temporarily...but I cant seem to ever get rid of my problem...Ive had an xray done of my intestines, and blood test.. I thought for sure i had Chrons, because i didnt think IBS could be this severe!...Im going to a GI next month and Im still very scared of what they will find...I just cant do this anymore...Look Im up at 4am because Ive had to go to the bathroom every hourAlso, I have D right after I eat...and honestly another 15 times during the day...even when I dont eat and just drink water...how is it possible that I have always managed to maintain weight or gain, but never lose??? You think i could at least get lucky and shed a few lbs as a reward for all of the painful situations i have to endure...

[Hen]

So ive had symptoms of IBS-D since I was 14, Im now 23 and its getting out of control...I tend to make jokes about my condition with my boyfriend, friends and coworkers- because its just getting harder and harder to "pretend" that i dont have this horrible condition. I have 2 jobs, Ive been in school for years and I love to travel- well obviously all of these things are effected by the fact that i ALWAYS need to have a bathroom that I can make it to within 5 seconds of getting hot-flash cramps (does anyone else know what that means? because its AWEFUL). For instance, the other night I was driving home from a visit with friends who live 4 hours away)..I decided to drive home late at night, and i took the long way home to avoid lack of bathrooms on other routes ..this was SUCH a mistake because each exit was like 15-30 minutes apart...I start getting that sweaty, shivery crampy feeling and know that I NEED to find a 24 hour fast food place (because alot of gas stations dont have bathrooms for the public..which is BULLS*IT)..I see a sign for an exit..going 90mph I see what appears to be heaven; a McDonalds with ALL the lights on (aww yeah 24 hour place) I run to the door...only to find its LOCKED and they apparently closed 5 minutes ago...I see a kid inside sweeping the floors so I pound on the window BEGGING for him to let me in (come on it only takes me 2 seconds to have D and ill be on my way)...but he ignores me...I PANIC..i run back to my car and....i didnt make it... FAIL...JUST UGHHH ......so basically, THAT type of event happens ALL THE TIME...Ive tried cutting out gluten and lactose from my diet, eating more fiber, eating less fiber, not eating at all, not consuming alcohol, drinking peppermint oil in my water, taking ginger pills, eating organic, taking probiotics, quitting cigarettes, swimming, running, cutting out caffeine from my diet....I have to say, all of these things work temporarily...but I cant seem to ever get rid of my problem...Ive had an xray done of my intestines, and blood test.. I thought for sure i had Chrons, because i didnt think IBS could be this severe!...Im going to a GI next month and Im still very scared of what they will find...I just cant do this anymore...Look Im up at 4am because Ive had to go to the bathroom every hourAlso, I have D right after I eat...and honestly another 15 times during the day...even when I dont eat and just drink water...how is it possible that I have always managed to maintain weight or gain, but never lose??? You think i could at least get lucky and shed a few lbs as a reward for all of the painful situations i have to endure...

you need to get a better grip on your diet and avoid trigger foods. keep a daily diary so you will know what you can eat and what you can't . this is the only way to do it. i know it is tedious, but it will pay off at the end and well worth it. it worked for me. start with the low FODMAP diet and modify to suit your needs. everyone with ibs has different triggers and you need to figure out what triggers your symptoms. good luck.

[BQ]

Take some imodium... and/or use Calcium Carbonate supplements. (See the 1st page of Linda's Calcium" thread pinned to the top of this forum for the instructions on what, how and when to take it.)

[jmc09]

Still amazed that people dont use imodium/loperamide as the first line of defence.

[vc001]

Still amazed that people dont use imodium/loperamide as the first line of defence.

yeah i should have mentioned that i take imodium every day! it helps a little but not enough

[vc001]

you need to get a better grip on your diet and avoid trigger foods. keep a daily diary so you will know what you can eat and what you can't . this is the only way to do it. i know it is tedious, but it will pay off at the end and well worth it. it worked for me. start with the low FODMAP diet and modify to suit your needs. everyone with ibs has different triggers and you need to figure out what triggers your symptoms. good luck.

i just looked up info on the FODMAP diet, surprisingly I have never heard of this before you mentioned it..my doctor always tells me to go on the b.r.a.t. diet (which isnt something you can live on)...so thank you for this information! Im going to start a food diary today...

[jmc09]

yeah i should have mentioned that i take imodium every day! it helps a little but not enough

How big is your dose?I need 4 at a time to get any help at all.

[Shawna-one]

Still amazed that people dont use imodium/loperamide as the first line of defence.

Not all things work for the same people. Everyone's system is different. Immodium does not help me. Pepto Bismol works much better if I take it right.

[Shawna-one]

So ive had symptoms of IBS-D since I was 14, Im now 23 and its getting out of control...I tend to make jokes about my condition with my boyfriend, friends and coworkers- because its just getting harder and harder to "pretend" that i dont have this horrible condition. I have 2 jobs, Ive been in school for years and I love to travel- well obviously all of these things are effected by the fact that i ALWAYS need to have a bathroom that I can make it to within 5 seconds of getting hot-flash cramps (does anyone else know what that means? because its AWEFUL). For instance, the other night I was driving home from a visit with friends who live 4 hours away)..I decided to drive home late at night, and i took the long way home to avoid lack of bathrooms on other routes ..this was SUCH a mistake because each exit was like 15-30 minutes apart...I start getting that sweaty, shivery crampy feeling and know that I NEED to find a 24 hour fast food place (because alot of gas stations dont have bathrooms for the public..which is BULLS*IT)..I see a sign for an exit..going 90mph I see what appears to be heaven; a McDonalds with ALL the lights on (aww yeah 24 hour place) I run to the door...only to find its LOCKED and they apparently closed 5 minutes ago...I see a kid inside sweeping the floors so I pound on the window BEGGING for him to let me in (come on it only takes me 2 seconds to have D and ill be on my way)...but he ignores me...I PANIC..i run back to my car and....i didnt make it... FAIL...JUST UGHHH ......so basically, THAT type of event happens ALL THE TIME...Ive tried cutting out gluten and lactose from my diet, eating more fiber, eating less fiber, not eating at all, not consuming alcohol, drinking peppermint oil in my water, taking ginger pills, eating organic, taking probiotics, quitting cigarettes, swimming, running, cutting out caffeine from my diet....I have to say, all of these things work temporarily...but I cant seem to ever get rid of my problem...Ive had an xray done of my intestines, and blood test.. I thought for sure i had Chrons, because i didnt think IBS could be this severe!...Im going to a GI next month and Im still very scared of what they will find...I just cant do this anymore...Look Im up at 4am because Ive had to go to the bathroom every hourAlso, I have D right after I eat...and honestly another 15 times during the day...even when I dont eat and just drink water...how is it possible that I have always managed to maintain weight or gain, but never lose??? You think i could at least get lucky and shed a few lbs as a reward for all of the painful situations i have to endure...

I never lose weight either. It doesn't make sense. I told another poster to carry a mop-bucket in the trunk and some toilet tissue for the traveling situations. I don't travel much - too much for me.

[jmc09]

Not all things work for the same people. Everyone's system is different. Immodium does not help me. Pepto Bismol works much better if I take it right.

At what dose did you take imodium as it can be taken in large doses and is so mild that it may take a high dose to work on some of us.

[Shawna-one]

At what dose did you take imodium as it can be taken in large doses and is so mild that it may take a high dose to work on some of us.

I took the dosage prescribed on the package, I'm careful about that. I also take Pepto Bismol as prescribed. I take all drugs as prescribed. My doctor has never suggested that I take larger doses of Immodium when I told him it didn't work, and I don't self medicate.