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[stayhomemommy]

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I have just stumbled upon this forum, and am looking for some help for my two daughters. They are 9 and 13 and have both been diagnosed with IBS-C. My 13 year old has been dealing with it since she was 9. She develops severe pain frequently and has been admitted to the hospital several times just for pain management. We have tried everything that we can think of, but nothing helps. We have been following the fodmap diet, along with eliminating all acidic, carbonated, caffeinated, spicy and high fat foods and drinks. We have tried probiotics (Culturelle, Align, Sustenex), fiber supplements, Miralax, peppermint oil and ginger as far at OTC stuff goes. When it comes to prescription meds, she has been on Levsin, Bentyl, Levbid and Zofran. She has had a CT Scan, ultrasound, x-rays, colonoscopy and endoscopy. She has also been tested for Celiac which was negative. Its frustrating that some people don't realize how extreme the pain associated with IBS can be. I have seen my daughter pull her own hair out, punch herself in the head, bite her knuckles, etc. Is there something that I'm missing or something that I should try???

[AhmedYousef571]

cut white bread , white pasta, white rice and replace with whole wheat bread , whole pasta, brown riceincrease fiber intake like fruits and vegetable and fiber supplements like metamuciluse osmotic laxative like lactulose the most important thing make them squatt on the toilet like this pic

[BQ]

Elimination position has gotten some recognition lately. Here are some other options for helping eliminate better the "Squatty Potty":http://www.amazon.com/The-Squatty-Potty-Stool-Experience/dp/B007BISCT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349968792&sr=8-1&keywords=squatty+pottyAnd another for someone smaller:http://www.amazon.com/Little-Loosters-Looster-Booster-White/dp/B003TLV9QG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1349968792&sr=8-3&keywords=squatty+pottyIf the FODMAP diet hasn't really helped I would urge you to forgo that in favor of having them ingest at least 2 fruits a day each. (Not sure the value of the FODMAP diet unless they have tested postitive for senstivity.) See info below for Fruits high in Sorbitol which can really help.Fiber Food sources:http://www.slrhc.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/index.html#SourcesHere is another list:http://www.slrhc.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/fibercontentchart.htmlWhole Foods!!! I know you hear it all the time now.. but it IS true how important they are... Try raw veggies several times a week and at least once a day... even carrot sticks can help.Try the good fatty foods.... avacados... nuts... etc...Try fruits high in sorbitol...(Sorbitol can loosen BM's)http://www.livestron...-sorbitol/and.. I know this may be hard with kids. ... but.. WATER!!!So in a nut shell .... Water and Whole Foods!You may need to have them use plain stool softeners too. Talk to the Dr about this and dose information.

[Peacebewithyou]

My heart goes out to your girls. I have had found many helpful things for this condition, as I suffer too. Hopefully this will help them..-First, examine stress levels and build skills to cope. Cut back on extracurricular except for the ones that help manage stress. This is a chronic, very painful condition, emotional support and stress relief are a must. Maybe consider counseling, meditation, prayer or yoga. also acupuncture is helpful as additional tx.Free time with nothing planned is essential.- consider food allergy testing. the book 'The whole food guide to overcoming irritable bowel syndrome' by Laura j knoff, nc. Can direct u with that. Or consult a physician who specializes in this. Gluten can really cause issues of it is a culprit.- consult their dr on magnesium supplements for children their age. Mg can move more water to the stool.- create a routine, where they eat at the same time everyday, mostly fresh, simple whole foods. Consult their dr but- start with a probiotic without fos- something like pearls. Also,I have 12 oz of organic Bulgarian yogurt everyday in the evening. It is called white mountain yogurt, avl at whole foods. It has changed my life.- for pain management I use a heat pack, either a water bottle or rice bag avl at the drugstore. Usually 30 min lying with that on my belly or mid to high back ( where the digestive nerves join to the spine) is extremely soothing. Again the book I mentioned is very helpful and got me started feeling better, every person experieces it differently. Having a compassionate very loving understanding mother had always helped too:)

[DownWithIBS]

Just joined and saw your post from a year ago. I hope it is going better for your girls. Our son has been grappling with IBS for two years and did all of the things you mentioned you've done for your girls, including FODMAP, probiotics, peppermint oil, fiber, etc. we even tried prescription meds out of desperation, but these only made his IBS-C even worse. Very frustrating indeed.

However, for the first time, we finally made progress through a combination of OTC treatments recommended to us by a pediatric pain clinic. While we tried every probiotic before, we had not tried VSL#3. This was like a miracle in keeping our son's painful attacks at bay. He now takes it daily and it helped a lot. However, he was still constipated, so recently we tried a cup of prune juice mixed with Miralax at night, and we removed milk (even Lactaid milk) and behold, his constipation has greatly improved for the first time. It's not perfect and not a "cure" by any means, but it is a huge step in the right direction.

Now, we want to find a support group for children going through this because our son has been through so much.