[19029]

i have the peculiat sense that cleansing the irritated areas, ie. colon, intestines; will help ease IBS symptoms. I am currently in the preliminary stages of fasting and colon cleansing, after about 10 months of colon and GI tract problems, and I will keep updated here.my history: in february of this year, after eating a quite large meal and drinking some fluids afterwards, i was feeling "extremely full". the meal, having taken place very late in the evening, it was only a few minutes before we were in the car and driving home. now, i was so full that i couldn't really move or bend all that much, so while driving i was arching my back and breathing deeply, as when yawning, when the driver made a joke, whence i immediately bent forward, laughing, in a sudden motion. at the time of the motion, i heard, or felt, but i distinctly remember it being heard, a "pop" on my "left nipple line", at the base of my ribs and just tucked within them. i felt pain for a couple of days and got worried, so i visited the doctor. after 2 UltraSounds, a CT scan, and several different doctors, the diagnosis' came in this order: 1. "pulled a muscle", 2. (after an emergency room visit, perhaps induced by the smoking of marijuana, which has never occurred to me in 5 years of smoking, and the feeling of "dying" that was occuring in my body) i was diagnosed as a "possible" ulcer. i am now unable to smoke cigarettes or marijuana, as i feel very ill when i do. 3. saw and GI tract specialist. diagnosis, "IBS". 4. found a new doctor, whence i went through the second US, and some blood tests. blood tests come back positive for "Mononucleosis", and the US shows nothing "extraordinary or swollen" aside from some build up of what they said was basically "poop", in a key area of pain. so now my doctor, (who by the way, forgot i had mono when i went back to see him in 2 weeks), did a "complete" physical and said that i was healthy.i have symptoms of an unhealthy person, so i disagree with my doctor, this far. his physical did not answer my questions or deeply touch most of my physical or mental health. i'd say that it was all very superficial and "shallow". my symptoms include: swollen lower, left side, back, below the ribs. (this is persistant and not symmetrical on the right side), feeling of bloating and "tightness", along with swelling, on my belly, bellow my left nipple line. i am a thin and tall man, so i can notice swelling easily. from my left hip-bone, running down to my groin, along side my "six-pack muscles" there is swelling, that appears as a 8-9 inch stretch about 1 1/2 inches wide of swollon mass. much more so than on the right side. along with this i have general tenderness on the "middle" of my belly, and my breathing feels "off" or sometimes "shallow".my doctors have, thus far been ignorant of my condition. i have also done several x-rays and they show nothing "abnormal". the things is, i feel such acute feelings of discomfort that i can describe and show, but the doctors are looking for a more general or extreme disorder. i am very sluggish now and becoming sick easily (as shown in the mono) headaches are appearing on the left side of my head around my left temple. please, if someone can decipher this message and my symptoms and has any clue about what might have occurred and is occurring, please, please help me understand. if you know a really good doctor (and please be aware of the distinction that can be made between a "doctor" and a "technician") i need a wise doctor, who cares, is intuitive, more intelligent than "med-school book smart" intelligence, and is working in association with various other specialists, directly, please, please help me out. i want to cleanse my colon because i feel so bloated and discomforted when i bend to the left. the feeling is as though there are 2 volumes that are "overly inflated" and are pressing up against each other causing lots of pressure. this is only on my left side.also, the sounds that my digestive tract makes, now, are amazingly wierd. they seem to me, almost alien they are so strange. i am losing hope. literally. i feel that my life will not last very much longer, if this is not taken care of, and i am beginning to lose hope that i can be treated, successfully, at all.somebody who Knows what's up... please send me some advice. email me if you'd like or post on the board. i will be around and participating for some time i feel. i need help!!but, for now, i am beginning this fast, no matter what. with hope being lost, i am doing the only thing i can: empty it all out, and start fresh... or atleast, less polluted and compounded. One Love. I pray for you all.

 

[eric]

Are you beeing treated for the mono right now?Are you taking anything for it?You can get good information here to help yourself.If your new to IBS there can be a lot to learn.I would be really careful with the colon cleansing. From IBS Chat with the experts Dr Drossman"bowel cleansing is not clearly related to IBS or to health - no real evidence but obviously very popular"

 

[Kathleen M.]

The colon actually doesn't need to be cleaned.Most colon cleanses contain high doses of stimulatory laxatives and will temporarily ease constipation. Taking high doses of these laxatives too often can make your colon dependant on them and function less well.Finding a good doctor is important, not all of them understand IBS the way they should. Keep looking to see if you find one.I see Dr. Drossman at UNC-Chapel Hill who is a widely known expert in IBS and generally for me works really well. Here is the UNC website, if you contact them they might be able to recommend someone in your area, and there is a lot of good information. http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/welcome.htmRather then colon cleanses if you have no good doctors in your area I would look into a couple of things. Peppermint (tea or I use Altoids) can ease discomfort. Probiotics, a new one out Align has some good clinical data and can be mail ordered http://www.aligngi.com/index.shtml , Digestive Advantage IBS works for some people and can be found in a lot of pharmacies. I'd also look into Mike's Tapes which is a good home hypnotherapy program that helped a lot of people here. I did Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a clinical trial of Dr. Drossman's and it worked really well. That clinic also has a hypnotherapy program see http://www.ibshypnosis.com/ and they have trained a lot of people and one of them might be in your area and be a good resource for you.K.

 

[15983]

i am disappointed at the remarks by Dr Drossman i have studied colon cleansing it appears he has not. eric i have a lot of respect for you digging into the web to find more info for everyone i have read it all.......with an open mind as i have discovered many important new things about the colon that are amazing i will share but not in public yet if Dr Drossman has questions i will answer. the colon is capable of much more than people think..... way more ....

 

[eric]

TummyPro

quote:i am disappointed at the remarks by Dr Drossman i have studied colon cleansing it appears he has not.

I am sure he has seen more clean colons then most people on the planet.He has also study the colon more then most people on the planet and works with tons of other doctors around the world on how the digestive system works and functions.Have you ever read about his credentials and who he is in the field. Douglas A. Drossman, MDhttp://www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/med...dc/drossman.htm

 

[eric]

also"Colon Cleansing I've been hearing about something called colon cleansing. What is it, and should I be doing it? Not only does colon cleansing provide no benefit, it can be downright dangerous. Contrary to popular belief, the inside of the colon -- the end of the large intestine -- isn't dirty and does not need to be cleaned out. Mother Nature does that on her own by making sure that waste passes through and out of your body, taking impurities with it.Colon cleansing is a procedure that involves having an enema or using a laxative that completely evacuates the intestine. It has been touted as everything from a toxin remover to a cure for cancer. Some spas even offer the treatment. Use of enemas particularly scares me because it may involve unskilled personnel performing a procedure that could be harmful. The risk of damaging the rectum, and even perforating the bowel, is a real one.There is no medical reason whatsoever for having a cleansing enema. Enemas are only for treating stubborn constipation and for preparing the colon for a test (for example, a barium enema) or for surgery. So if anyone other than your doctor suggests an enema, just say no. If you want to flush out impurities from your body, have another glass of water instead. -- BY NANCY SNYDERMAN, M.D."http://magazines.ivillage.com/goodhousekee..._295910,00.htmlMayo Clinic ask the digestive health expert"Colon cleansing: Helpful or harmful?Q. I've read many articles on colon cleansing as the root of all ills. I don't believe it. Generally, colon cleansing sounds like a good way to clean toxins from your body. What do you think?No name / No state A.Doctors don't recommend colon cleansing for better health or to prevent disease. The only appropriate use for colon cleansing is in preparation for a medical examination of the colon.Your colon normally eliminates waste material and bacteria and absorbs water and sodium to maintain your body's fluid and electrolyte balance. Some colon-cleansing programs disrupt this balance and can be harmful by causing dehydration and salt depletion."http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colon-cle...AN00065/si=2765"How Clean Should Your Colon Be? By Karen Schneider "Changing Rhythms Naturally, the body empties its waste once it has absorbed the required food and calories it needs for energy through the small intestine. But by taking any form of laxative on a daily basis, individuals will cause their body to lose needed nutrients and fluids and also fall out of a natural rhythm. Continued use of products for "internal cleansing" can lead to bloating, cramping, dehydration, and disturbances and imbalances in electrolytes (such as potassium and calcium, which ensure healthy teeth, joints, bones, nerve impulses, blood sugar levels, and the delivery of oxygen to the cells of the body). More severe side effects may include cardiac arrhythmias, heart attack, kidney problems, and even death. It is possible for individuals to experience withdrawal symptoms when they cease such programs, including abdominal cramping, mild to severe constipation, bloating, mood swings, and general feelings of fatigue, but Natural Medicine Associates says these can also be taken as "symptoms" of parasitic infection. Your health problems may be a result of the treatment, not actual predatory parasites. "http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.194/news_detail.asp