[Guest]

Hi to everyone out there. This is my first post. And I just feel like I need to vent some frustrations if that's ok.I've had minor stomach problems growing up my whole life. I am 30 years old now...and have been struggling the last almost 5 months now with problems that caused to me to finally go see a doctor. I was having horrible gas, and abdominal cramps, and constipation. I was referred to a GE who says it looks like I have IBS....that was a month ago now, and I was set up to get a colonoscopy (which is coming up next week). I have had an abdominal ultrasound and and MRI already which ruled out anything else too serious.In the meantime. Its gotten to the point now where I've stopped eating almost everything used to eat...and am on a very minimal/bland diet. I was trying to figure out if certain foods were upsetting me...but now, I'm not even sure when I'm hungry anymore. I've been really depressed lately. because of all this..and was almost thinking my pains were phantom and all in my head. Mostly, I'm constipated, and feel almost chronically bloated and full, but I also know i'm hungry...and the depression is making me not want to eat...so everything I do eat is because I'm forcing myself to. I feel I may be slightly malnourished now because of this! Does anyone else have problems with depression and food like this. And have I caused an irrational fear of food now?!? When this all started my emotions were in check, I was just angry when I would keel over from gas, bloating, etc. Now, I think 90% of my problem is emotional, which isn't helping matters at all. Anyone else feel like this?

 

[Kathleen M.]

A lot of people react to the act of eating or have random symptoms but end up afraid of food because of it.If you can't deal with the fear and depression on your own you really should talk to your doctor about that. Not eating stresses the body which will intensify any health problems you have, and you can only undereat for so long before it becomes dangerous and being under nourished makes the depression even harder to deal wth.

 

[ziggy7]

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=112669try eating this diet it works really good basically saved my life iv never met a person whos IBS did not improve while on this diet just make sure you follow the diet 100% too the T xDand dont take any diet pills or fat blockers try to become drug free drugs can have carbohydrates in them =/also if you suffer from constipation you can try eating fiber like flax seedspeople with IBS-C the IBS should get better but the constipation part may be a little tricky it may take along time for your intestine muscles to get stronger so you may need to do alot of testing with fiber or maybe try soups for awhile or exercises im not sure

 

[Bowley Boy]

get screened for Ciliac disease. If you have it, no big deal. Dietary change and most of your problems (including your anxiety) goes out the window. Reguardless of the outcome get off gluten. Its horrible for anyone. Your body is also low in PH without a doubt since your freaked out and your stomach is probably producing gobs of acid. I was you. Im off gluten and I feel 30 times better in about 20 days. Also, start eating foods that boost your PH level. Here's two links. Please take a few minutes and save yourself the days, months, years of worry I had. It really is that simple.... really.http://mysite.verizon.net/felipe2/id18.htmlhttp://www.reynoldsoffice.com/ph.htmPLEASE READ THIS:http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/bsimkins/51415

 

[IBD/IBS Author]

Hi Angel,I'm sorry things are so hard for you right now. I've been where you are and it's not easy. Keep eating, though, even if it's just a little here and a little there. I don't know what you're eating but foods that are easy to digest include white rice, yogurt, applesauce, bananas, white bread, baked chicken breast, baked white fish, etc. I lived on white rice and baked chicken and fish for weeks when I was first Dx'd with both IBD and IBS more than 10 years ago. The colonoscopy is a good idea. Confirm beforehand that your doctor is going to take biopsies (tissue samples) from various places in your colon. These biopsies will then be looked at through a microscope by the lab after the procedure and they can show hidden inflammation that can't be seen with the scope.Both Ziggy and Bowley Boy have valid suggestions. Not all, but many people with IBS and with IBD find that changing diet helps ease their symptoms. The hard part can be figuring out what foods might be your problem. You may want to ask your gastro doc to test you for Celiac disease - it's an easy blood test to see if you are allergic to gluten. If it comes back negative then you don't have Celiac, but you could still have a gluten-intolerance and this can cause gas, bloating, and other issues. I'm negative for Celiac but am definitely gluten-intolerant. The best way to figure out what foods might be causing you issues is to do an Elimination diet - go to the Search function at the top of the page and put in Elimination diet and you'll find some discussions about this. It can be difficult to do but it is well worth the time if certain foods are adding to your problems. Since you're eating so little right now it could be a good time for you to embark on the diet. There are books that can help you with it, or a nutritionist could help you, or maybe even your gastro. doc, although many still are not hip on diet and its effects on IBS and IBD. You're on the right path, just keep forging ahead. It's hard but you can figure this out with time, patience, and work. Cheers,Elizabeth

 

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for the support and helpful diet tips. Today, I'm feeling a lot better and hopeful about everthing. Was having a really rough week last week. I have another doctors apointment tomorrow because I have a feeling that everything I was going though this past week on top of everything else may be another problem as well. My moods were just all over the place....been doing tons of online research (as we all do i'm sure)...and without seeing the doctor, I wonder if I may have become a bit iron-deficient anemic. So, hopefully they can test my blood and stuff tomorrow and we'll see. But, it makes a lot of sense with my poor nutrition the last few months, and then my menstrul cycle hit so, I think I crashed last week...which made me sink into the deep depression. But, I'm going to get help now...Regular doctor, and also made my first every appointment with a therapist...I see that a lot of things, research, and people say that helps a lot with people with IBS and stomach problems...so I'm willing to do anything right now! And I've also been really axiety filled with the colonoscopy coming up. 4 more days and counting...just gotta get through the week, and hopefully things will be looking up next week. Really grateful for this forum to know that others out there understand. Been hard dealing with everything myself, and trying to fill friends and family in lately when I don't know exactly what is wrong or how to fix it has been really adding to the stress and frustration! Day by day...trying to remain positive!