[Guest]

hello all~My name is Donna, 18 and I am new to the boards, but unfortunately not to IBS. On may 22nd, 1998 I was admitted into the hospital, after scopes, colonoscopy, catscans, xrays..the doctors determined I had ulcers, and IBS. Saying my intestines(colon) were shaped like Z's in the corners instead of smooth S's. I have been on prilosec, librax, , levsin. I have tried eliminating almost everything from my diet..no milk products,certain fruits, no fried food..etc etc. My IBS tends to flare up at times before my periods, but mostly on a waxing waning level...comming when I least expect it. This past month it has been the worst, causing me to lose over 11 pounds..and not be able to even keep dry toast in my stomach. i get better, will go back to my usual diet, then 3 or four days later, i am best friends with the bathroom again. I am worse in the mornings, and I am D rather than C. I find myself to be eliminating more than eating nowadays, and thats scary to me. This recent flare up, has altered my moods, and lifestyle in general..2 weeks before I am off to college, i find myself staying in fearing an attack..instead of enjoying times with friends. I suffered the last 2 years of highschool with IBS, where absences were allowed, in college they are not though, and I want an answer to what is wrong, or even a possile cure. I am sick of being told by doctors this is something I have to learn to live with, that is why I am trying to find answers on my own now. If any of you can offer any advice, possible tests I should get, medicine or tips I dont know about...please reply to my post...thank you for listening but most of all understanding...Donna

 

[Patty]

Donna,You're so young to be going through so much; I'm sorry you're feeling bad. I can only empathize -- I'm usually constipated. Lately tho I'm trying to be conscious of greasy, fatty, fried, and spicy foods. It is so hard. I've had IBS for some years now but have pretty much been able to eat anything until recently. There will be others who can relate to the diarrhea better than I and will give you some good advice. I can suggest that you keep the faith and know that you can get through college and life with a positive attitude about this IBS. Hope you feel better real soon!

 

[Missycat]

I totally understand. If you're more D than C, you should definitely look into getting some Caltrate Plus - it stopped me up! There is hope - you don't have to be that miserable. There's something about the calcium and minerals that helps.------------------"When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy." (anonymous) Missycat

 

[Guest]

Donna, You should try Caltrate Plus in the purple and white box. I am also the D type and Caltrate has really helped me a lot. Try taking three a day with meals and adjust it if you need to. I'm starting my last year of college in one week and I have noticed my stomach has been acting up for the first time since I started the Caltrate Plus. But I'm sure if I wasn't taking it I would have all out D right now instead of just mild cramping and occasional D. Good luck. Steph

 

[Juliet]

My symptoms have been similar. Ulcers, GERD, ibs-d, but I am usually ibs-c. The D come under stress. I too went through a period of extreme d about a year ago (during a nasty divorce after 21 years of agonizing marriage) and lost almost 30 pound within one month. Because you say you are about to begin college, could that be causing you some anxiety? Maybe a anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication is in order until you can get things under control. Just a suggestion.Juliet

 

[Guest]

Along with Juliet, I think an anxiety medication would help. I just tried yesterday a product called Kava Kava, over the counter, less than $15.00! I'm trying to keep with a natural product, and my pharmacist actually recommended this one. Just a suggestion. Hang in there and always talk with someone who loves you.

 

[Guest]

Welcome to the board. You are sure to find the info and help you need here.I am a 70 yr. old female with type D. I have found help with Imodium AD and Calcrate Plus. I have also used Equalactin (OTC) to balance the water in the body and Gas-X for the gas.If you have been on antibiotics, you should try Acidolphilus to restore the good bacteria as antibiotics remove the good and bad bacteria.Hope you soon feel better. Let us hear.------------------LET'S ALL PRAY FOR A CURE TO THIS IBS SOON!BETTIE

 

[Rae]

Hey, like you I am only 18 and have also been hospitalized with complications stemming from my IBS. I am strictly D and don't think anything could make me C!!! Anyway, I think we all know how down in the "dumps" (sorry!) ibs can make you but for now there's no "cure" only helpful hints and meds to ease the symptoms. For D I recommend Colestid (a prescrip for high cholesterol which slows down my system and helps prevent the dreaded weight loss )(we're the only people in the world disappointed to lose weight). I also get really bad D almost exclusively in the morning and missed a ton of school this past year. I go off the college in three weeks and there's lots of anxiety there (sharing a bathroom!!!!). I got my gastro to send a letter to my school to get me into a suite so I wouldn't share a bathroom w/ thirty others, and that helps ease my fears a little. I would recommend trying not to schedule 8 o'clock classes and waking up a little early and excercising to get your mind off of school. It helps me. I also have not really identified any foods which trigger my D, just stress and mood. All I can tell you is to hang in there and don't let it rule your life (although it's hard not to). And please send me any suggestions on how to explain all this to a new roommate!?! I read a pamphlet on this board but can't print it so maybe I'll just paraphrase it but it was really helpful...good luck at school and keep a positive attitude. If you worry about your IBS it only seems to make it worse.

 

[Guest]

Hi Donna... I have been where you are!!! I lost 25 pounds in the last month and a half... I couldn't eat anything!! it went right thru me and I had constant pain all of the time!!! I finally went into emergency as I was dehydrated and they finally listened to me... I was put on Modulon (antispasmotic) and Dicetal (calcium channel blocker which is to stop pain and the D) I was on it every four hours and went on a liquid diet... Maybe you should be on a liquid diet? My doctor said that I was having a bad bout and to stay on liquids to calm my really irritable bowel... You can take meal replacements such as Ensure which is yucky but I liked Nubasics... the strawberry tasted like strawberry milk and the chocolate was good too... I know how frustrated I was but it did help in the long run!!!!! I am now eating solid foods!!! Yahoo.... I am also on a antidepressant called Elavil plus... it deals with pain, sleep and the blues... it is amazing how down I got and how much better it feels... believe me I know exactly how you feel!!!!! you can email me if you want to talk to me more......Sandwomin

 

[eric]

Rae, I don't have my printer at the moment but maybe another kind sole on this bb could print it and mail it to you? There are all kind of different meds,remedies and what have you's,but in your case the D is causing the Anxiety yes? You might want to try the Equalactin for it,give it a try it is over the counter, I usally don't say one thing works or not for anyone but for you it sounds like caltrate,fiber or the equalactin! I hope that helps you.Derner, I think its the same with you although the colon twisting thing is something else,no surgical procedure?

 

[Guest]

Better watch out with *Ensure* if you are avoiding dairy products. Are you sure you really have eliminated all dairy and dairy byproducts from your diet?

 

[MARKA]

dernerFirst of all and most important of all - WELCOME TO THE BOARD. We will help you get thru this thing.I am a male so I can't help you with the womanly problem you are having. Meantime, by the sound of your words you seem to be very frustrated with the results of your present meds. You are 18 and should have a strong constitution at this age and should not have to worry so much about your health rather than the grades you will be receiving in college. Settle down a little, take a deep breath take one step back and take some focus on your problems and get yourself a starting point. Unfortunately not everyone is the same inside. We all act differently to meds. What might work well for one of us may not work at all for you. A combination of certain drugs for one of us may not work for us but will for you. Unfortunately there is not quick answer here but a lot of trial and error. It certainly is not like having the common cold and just waiting the week or so for the symptoms to go away. You must now start seeking the remedies your body is looking for and you have to have patients until you find that right mix (diet, meds, state of mind etc) that will help you and bring your life back to normal so you may run a decent 18 year old life.IF, YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE DOCTOR'S ANSWERS YOU HAVE NOW - FIND OTHER DOCTORS. I can tell you that just about everyone here has run into doctors that just don't give them the answers they are looking for. The secret is that you have to find the doctor that will take the time and listen to you and not just prescribe meds. Sorry to say sometimes it takes a few doctors before you can find the one that pleases you even as a person. This is your goal. Find the doctor who's answers you feel most comfotable with. Sit with a few and get their feelings for you as a person. You must feel absolutely comfortable with your doctor and the answers you get before you can even start making yourself feel better, until then, you will not feel better. Then as the doctor prescribes for you have some patients and wait for the results of the meds to take effect. I resently was put onto a new antidepressant. I was not very depressed but depressed enough so it effected my lifestyle and health. Only the doctor picked that out for me. I figured there was not way to be depressed. This is a chemical embalance not may fault. So the doctor put me on Serzone which takes about 3-5 weeks to work but I am starting to see the effects of this drug gradually and I only started it about 3 weeks ago and I have noticed that some of my other symptoms have dissapeared right along with the depression. I have a fantastic gastro who actually sits me down for 15 minutes during our office visit and asks me how I am feeling and what has been taking place with my health and LIFE (very important) and he listens well. Things that take place in your life may determine that certain meds may need to be adjusted or you have to discontinue one med and try something else. My gastro introduced me to a personal physician in my area to follow up with my health care and I absolutely really have faith (key word : faith) in what this doctor says to me. Yes we have tried a few things and they did not work but we had to try and there was not guarantee that those things would work. Pick up the phone, if you feel comfortable with your doctor make an appointment and go see your doctor again and speak to your doctor and explain your problems. If he or she refuses to listen to you then FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!! I have certainly run my course of doctors. I have actually walked out of doctor's offices because all they do is talk medical terms to you, tell you to get an endoscopy and then prescribe meds, see how many patients they can see in one hour (to rake in the bucks) and really do not have any idea what is really wrong with you as an individual (another key word: individual).You have some time before you go back to school. Grasp hold of yourself and don't let yourself go down. Use your youth to help you here. FIND THE DOCTOR WHO JUST SEEING THEM MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, THEY EXIST, I HAVE THAT TYPE OF DOCTOR AND YOU TOO CAN FIND THAT TYPE OF DOCTOR!!Hope this has helped and you can email me directly with any other questions or for just support. We are here for you and will be here for you.Mark

 

[Guest]

Thank you all for being so kind. The past few days have been ok, I am having normal movements, but still wake up with the gas and pain in the morning. I think I am going to try the caltrate plus anyway, I figure give it a whirl before school starts. Hopefully it will ease the gas in the mornings. I am gaining some weight back, my friends wanted to know what "wonder diet" I went on...i told them try to live on bread, and water for 2 weeks. Thanks~~Donna

 

[zigmissus]

I think for a lot of us, IBS flares up during times of change--moving, a new job, breakup of a relationship, etc. Going off to college would certainly qualify. This is NOT to say it's "all in our head," but worrying does make the all-too-real symptoms worse. Once you get settled into a routine at school, things should calm down. Will you have access to a good, understanding dr. there? As I remember, you are allowed to miss 2 or 3 classes in each course without it affecting your grade. If your IBS tends to act up during certain times of the day, maybe you can schedule your classes around it. Also, consider that an estimated 15 percent or more of the population (especially female) has this condition, so you're not going to be the only one there with IBS by any means.

 

[SteveE]

A couple suggestions from my own experience:1) Read-up on IBS. My favorite book is IBS Relief: A Doctor, Dietician & Psychologist Provide a Team Approach to Managing Irritable Bowel. Why do I like the book even though it didn't cure me? Because I understand what I'm up against better and it helps me get by.2) I'm actually an academic advisor at a university who suffers from IBS, and I'm here to tell you first of all that missing class can be a serious problem. Here's what you need to do... a) Schedule classes as best you can to avoid the times of day you know will rock your world--I've got the morning thing too! You might even consider scheduling a lighter than typical load your first semester just to get used to the idea of being at college.

Don't panic! There is always a sympathetic ear somewhere on campus to help you through! Academic advisors can keep you informed about your options when the going gets tough. Find out from them what your course drop/withdrawl policies and deadlines are before you get into trouble. Many times just knowing these things helps soothe the soul a little. Also, college campuses have plenty of counseling offices where you can discuss the day-to-day stuggles of being chronically ill. Getting that stuff off your chest helps! You might even get proactive and forma support group on your campus. IBS frequently hits people in their late-teens and early 20's. Mine hit while in graduate school..and made it difficult to finish my Ph.D., but I managed to get the M.A. and I enjoy the job I have and the people I work with--especially all of the wonderful students like yourself that I meet everyday. Good luck and know we're always here for you!