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DO I have IBS

227 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  wanderingstar
Okay This is a very long thread, but I have really wanted to run this by you guys for a longtime. Unlike Angry I value the insight this BBS offers, but I have always had some lingering doubts about my condition. I read Angry's post and he/she made one good point. I have been a lurker/poster on this website for a couple years now I guess, and during that time I have read a lot of post describing peoples symptoms. For the most part I do not seem to have the same problems with GERD, gas and bloating, severe abdominal pain, runny explosive diarrhea and long-term constipation that many of you have. My symptoms are few and simple. I ocassionally have gas, probably more than normal, but tolerable. If I am staying home and not doing anything I usually go to the bathroom maybe once or twice a day. However, if the phone rings I immediately have to go to the bathroom. If I am talking with neighbors and they ask me to come in and help them move something etc. I immediately have to go to the bathroom(if I go home though and actually go to the bathroom I usually do not have BM). If I get into the car to go somewhere I immediately have to go to the bathroom(usually I do have a small bowel movement if I go back inside). I can not go to concerts, sporting events, play golf, jog, take my dogs for a walk, go on vacation, out to eat, parties, friends houses for supper or any other activity which might limit may bathroom availability. Anytime I am not near an available bathroom I obsess about my colon, and my real or imagined need to have a BM. My bowel movements though sometime frequent are seldom unformed, runny or explosive. When I travel I can sometimes stop 8-10 times to go to the bathroom and have up to 7-8 BM all solid and well formed, but progressively smaller. I have had two complete stool analyses both normal for yeast, blood, fatty acids, parasites etc. I have had an intestinal permeability test run. It was normal. When I take an antispasmodic for more than 4 days on the 5th or 6th day I have cramping and explosive BMs. This has happened with Bentyl, Levesin and Librax. If I stop taking the AS the problem goes away, but my other problem remains. Imodium gives some limited relief. Calcium, Calm Colon, Mike's Tapes and peppermint oil have done nothing for me personally. I have never heard of the Roman criteria so I don't know how I fit there. I have worked with 3 different MDs over 30 years and none have come up with a solution. I have talked to GIs who won't perform a colonscopy because they say I don't need one. I have worked with shrinks who only ask me how I felt about my father and try and diagnose me by talking about Star Trek characters. I am sure I have put some Doctors kids through college. My problem has historically come on gone in roughly 2-3 years cycles though this present incarnation has been around for a miserable 5 years and has been one of the worst manifestations to date, and it has made me very depressed. I know this has been a very long thread, but I would love to hear other's opinion on my condition. Based on what I have said how many think I have IBS and how many don't? Thank you for your patience.
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Just my humble opinion...I don't feel you fit into the IBS catergory. No C, no D, no bloating,etc. You might have a little excessive gas, but so do a lot of people who do not have IBS. I would guess your problem has more to do with anxiety than IBS. You mention taking Immodium and anti-spasmodics, but no mention of any medications for anxiety, like Paxil or something similar. If you have not already tried an anxiety type medication, I definitely would think about it. From what you have said, as soon as you are placed in some type of social situation..you feel the need to use the bathroom, whether real or imaginary. Hopefully Paxil or something similiar might solve your problem.Good Luck------------------"Remember To Stop and Smell the Roses"Rose (C-type)
Just my humble opinion...I don't feel you fit into the IBS catergory. No C, no D, no bloating,etc. You might have a little excessive gas, but so do a lot of people who do not have IBS. I would guess your problem has more to do with anxiety than IBS. You mention taking Immodium and anti-spasmodics, but no mention of any medications for anxiety, like Paxil or something similar. If you have not already tried an anxiety type medication, I definitely would think about it. From what you have said, as soon as you are placed in some type of social situation..you feel the need to use the bathroom, whether real or imaginary. Hopefully Paxil or something similiar might solve your problem.Good Luck------------------"Remember To Stop and Smell the Roses"Rose (C-type)
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