[21688]

Hi everyone,I am a 31 year old woman who has suffered from constipation all my life, but never realized it was a problem until about 3 years ago. I had a severe pain in my side and thought it was my appendix. I had an X-ray and it was determined that I had gas and was constipated, and my doctor diagnosed me with IBS. I have been trying Zelnorm off and on with very little luck and I'm getting desperate.I am constantly bloated and usually have discomfort, sometimes real pain. I have a bowel movement MAYBE once a week if I'm lucky. I have tried fiber supplements and they give temporary relief after a few days - same with Zelnorm - but nothing has helped long term.I'm wondering if I should go back to my internal medicine doctor or if I should see a gastroenterologist. I need some help, and while I'm not thrilled about having tests run, I'd be willing to go through it if I could get some relief.Any advice for the weary and bloated?

 

[21198]

Hello have you tried mineral oil enemas yet , use them once a week for a month and see if that helps , you might have an impacted colon, only having a BM once a week is very unhealthy and abnormal , good luck

 

[16636]

I've had IBS-C since my early teens (now I'm 35). If you can avoid enemas, which can cause dependency, I would try to do that. They help people a lot, but I've been told not to use them if possible. Since you're so young, you will want to see a really good gastroenterologist (preferrably through a personal recommendation), get a thorough work up, rule out other disease processes or structural abnormalities, and proceed from there.Zelnorm is often not 100% effective on it's own. Adding something to it rather than stopping taking it is another option. If it's only working slightly, it may still be doing something positive for your colon. Other things can be added safely to help you go regularly. If this turns out to be IBS (sounds like it really could be) your best bet is working closely with a good doctor, because this is a chronic condition. Dana

 

[21688]

Thank you so much, it's good to know that I'm not the only one out there. I just made an appointment with a recommended gastro for next week. Hopefully I'll get some answers!

 

[16636]

You're definitely not alone! It can be very frustrating but a good doctor and perseverance will definitely improve things over time. Patience is key, and sometimes that can be hard!Dana

 

[19048]

You, of course, must do what feels right to you but I have found with medication it is just a merry-go-round that is hard to get off of. A new pill for the side effects of the last. No doctor would even work with me if I did not go on the new wonder pill of the week.This may be a foolish question but have you tried magnesium? We are all different but magnesium works for me so I can use that bathroom but I still have my icky days. I also suffer from the feeling that I have to go but can't even if I do go. Some days are better than others. Many of us here take magnesium. I like oxy-powder. I use to take Natural Calm but could not stand the taste. I try to stay in the lowest dose that works. I usually take 700mg before bed. Magnesium under 1000mg is "considered" safe on a daily basis unless you have kidney problems.