[KLG]

Hi Doug,In my expereince, I too had the stomach pains on a daily basis, so I assumed it wasn't anything I was eating. In some IBS cases though it is brought on by a food reaction. The pain from having one wrong thing could affect me for a day and a half. Then I would stop eating and wonder why I was still in pain..not realizing it was still the effects of the coffee I had yesterday for example. I have also read, that sometimes one food can delay digestion thus causing a reaction a day or two later. It is very easy to overlook a possible food trigger or sensitivity in this case as well. I eventually realized the only stable thing in my diet was coffee..with milk. Gave up milk and then coffee and it made quiet a difference, not just in my IBS but my overall feeling of well being. Then I was still eating Luna bars...two a day and after drinking a glass of soymilk and being sick for two days, I gave up the Luna bars too as they are full of soy. I agree with you that it is somewhat in your head as well. Heck, IBS is aggravated by anxiety and IBS causes anxiety. Many people find signifigant relief not only by watching what they eat, but with relaxation techniques as well.Kari****Yikes...excuse my grammar, I was in a hurry as I was off to a meeting!!!

 

[KLG]

Hello Again Doug

,Sorry for the horrible grammar before. I am surprised anyone understood what I wrote

How long does your doctor think it will take to kill off the bacteria? Does he suggest taking "good" bacteria along with treatment? I ask because I kow when you take an antibiotic, it kills off both the "good" and the "bad" bacteria, which causes people problems as well. I assume that is what the stuff you are on is doing?Are they definite that it is a bacterial overgrowth or are they doing this to rule it out?Another possibility is Candida overgrowth. People seem to assume this is only a female thing, but men can get it in the intestines, from whatI have read. Beer, cheeses, wine and other fermented foods can attribute towards this. If your diet was rich in fermented foods, perhas you can have them check into this as well.I hear you about the discouraging results with doctors and I too am a worry-wort. I harp on things that worry me too, thus making the situation worse. My job is extremely stressful, and so have some of the course of events in my life, but I also am guilty of putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself. In fact, when my IBS became chronic, was when I was under extreme stress. I suppose it was going to happen regardless sooner or later. Who knows

Good Luck Doug. I hope you find a solution soon. Hi Kamie,Yes, I am doing better now, thanks for asking. Funny, I never suspected soy. It's unfortunate as it is hard to find anything that doesn't contain dairy or soy as most milk substitutes in food are soy. Then you have the soybean oils and soy isolates...soy is everywhere. I don't have to tell you, I'm sure you see it too. Yes I too did myself in with soy. Geeze, now that I can barely eat anthing, you would have thought I would have lost a few pounds.

no such luck.

Kari

 

[KLG]

Hi Doug,I will have those pages for you tomorrow. I apologize for the delay. I only have a scanner here at work and I have numerous deadlines this week. I will definitely get them to you. Sorry.I totally understand your plight. I too had the 24/7 pain. I had trapped "air" in my intestines all the time and I felt like my intestines had betrayed me as they had totally shut down, or so it seemed. I went to the Doctor...didn't even get a doctor, I got a Nurse Pratictioner who ran back and forth to the Doctor asking her questions (she was basically a middle-man for the doctors). Anyway she comes back and tells me that it's Irritable Bowel Syndrome. She prescribes me Bentyl. Well after two days and no relief on the stuff and feeling like I was ready to slip into a coma (made me very tired) I went back to the Doctor. They sent me for an ultrasound and I hoped they would find a dead gallbladder or something...something that could explain this chronic pain that ranged from an annoyance to dibilitating. Gallbladder looked good

Went back to the doctor and they told me they would put me on NuLev. Threw prescription in the trash on the way out the door. I suffered with the pain for another year and a half (I still do when I eat something I shouldn't)until I decided to go four days of barely eating. The foods I consumed were things I didn't think would upset my stomach. Sure enough the pain went away.Anyway, I know that this is not the case for you as the only thing you have been eating is that predigested stuff to rid you of possible bacteria overgrowth, so unless it contains something you are reactive to that couldn't be it. You had also mentioned having a white coating on your tongue. I read that it can be a sign of candida (as you are being treated for) and I have also read that when people go on liquid diets (usually those that cleanse, like a detox) this can happen as well as trapped toxins release themselves from the body. During this process you may feel horrible: Headaches, possible blemishes or rashes, fatigue and insomnia. Have you thoroughly been treated for Candida (are you done with the Diflucan, I mean?). Are you still on the "liquid" diet? Do you feel any change? Have you been taking probiotics? I ask because you had starved off the bacteria and I am wondering if it rid you of the good bacteria as well.Is it gas that is causing the pain? Are you still feeling bloated? I'm also wondering about stomach acid levels. I've read that not enough can cause indigestion and heartburn, pain gas and bloating as well as the body needs to produce more acid for digestion. If supplemented, the body isn't required to produce as much which sometimes leads to too much. The pages I am going to email you are taken from a book written by Elson Haas. Below I am attaching a link that you may find useful or interesting on digestive disorders and what you can try... http://www.elsonhaas.com/articles/article_11.html Good Luck Doug. Hang in there!Kari