I went to see my GI doctor yesterday.. Well his PA actually.. She is usually very thorough and takes her time with things.. Which she was... but I am really frustrated about how little they can offer in advice and dx for IBS.... I told her about the calcium and how it was helping she was agreeable with continuing it and see how it goes.. So she says it is probably bile salts not IBS causing my problems.. then I tell her I had stools and urgency before I had my gallbladder removed.... but has become progressively worse over the years.. with triggers.. getting things going... and loose stools increasing to numbers that are not normal ...then we say...ok probably IBS.. then I talk about pain... and well possible the diverticulitis she thinks..because that dosen't cause loose stools.. and certain food will get that pain going ... then I show her where the pain is.. well probably Ibs... too... More than likely to my trained eye... a combination of all of them.... I say.. but since I am only a nurse.. I can't dx myself... I told her according to the Roman II I have 95% of the s/s the only criteria I don't match is the 1st and that is the pain and period of time... everything else is textbook.. Any way... she recommends a barium swallow for the small bowel...to r/o colitis.... I go back in 6 weeks and see how I am doing and I will decide then if I will have it done... I am frustrated as I still have no official dx for IBS...I am frustrated that I learn more investigating myself on line then what I get at the doctor's office... Just needed to vent..
I am so frustrated......
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Hi Prudy: This is a frustrating condition and I will be glad when we find things to get us under control. I am currently trying the calcium carbonate. My engineer friend says they use that to plug up the well hole. That sounds good. I have been doing probiotics with HSO - Primal Defense. I can't tell you how that is working yet. I spent my entire week-end in the bathroom. I have calmed down for a while. I do better when I stay away from any grain but rice. I also had a look at the web site for align. www.aligngi.com. It was recommended to me last night on this site. I am sorry you are going through the frustration of dx. I hope they find your answers. I had 3 months of radiation to my gut and am pretty dysfunctional. I have some good days, but if I eat like normal people I can't live in their world. I eat chicken and veggies, no dairy, no carbination, no caffiene, light on the fat. I totally miss popcorn. Oh, well. This is definately a learning process. Hope you are feeling well today. I have started learning to make homemade soups and that has been a great help. It helps with the hydration.
Your diet sound much like mine as well.. I have added a very light whole wheat bread which seems to be ok... but like you.. I can't eat like normal people... I die when I smell popcorn too.. I haven't eaten that in years... and pizza... and pasta with a good tomatoe sauce... Oh... what agony to smell that stuff and know if I take one bite it will cause me such pain...Not red meat at all.. no fats/oils.. I use N.F. Margarine.. no milk products.. no eggs.. no caffeine at all.. tea or coffee.. No chocolate ... very little sugars at well.. only cereal I can tolerate is cream of rice... and I have puffed rice... but that tastes like cardboard... without milk or a tad of sugar.. I have Agave' and it is good ... but don't use too much of that...All I drink is water... and a diet lemonade and gingerale I found I can tolerate in moderation.. Totally forget any kind of lettuce.. or the likes.. I have started to add back fish as well.. so far I can tolerate shrimp and scallops.. nicely... do I am getting a better variety of protein rather then just chicken and pork.. Pork is very digestable because you can see the fat in a pork chop and cut if all off... very lean actaully much leaner then beef... But I tell my self every day.. I can live with it... I can do it.. to save myself agony.. I do it.. it is hard but.. a must for us who have to... I don't ever expect to eat like I did at one time.. Let us hope that one day they find something that will help all of us...
Prudy,Well, it seems to me the PA was just following you lead. When you said the calcium was helping then she said stay with it. So then she says it is bile salts. The loose stools before having the gall bladder removed well the gall bladder must have not been functioning properly for a while so it could have been the problem not IBS still bile salts in my mind. Diverticulitis probably not because your insides get infected when little food skins or pop corn hulls get stuck in the little pockets in the intestines and your stomach bloats up and the pain is awful. This is a trial and error dx just like most things the docs do. We have all been where you most likely because that is what the docs do.Joanna7,The calcium carbonate can plug up that well hole for sure and if you are trying it I would not us the probiotics or anything else that I could stop until you give the calcium a good try. If you want some help just send me an email and I would be glad to help you with the calcium.Remember when you start to feel better on the calcium with a little time you can add some of the foods back slowly and you may find that you can eat them once again.Linda
I know I love salmon... I am afraid of the bones though... Loaded with calcium... I know.. I know I could chew is really well and hopefully fine bones are not going to bother me... as they are so soft anyway..I will try it soon... I just don't want to add too many new things back... too soon.. Linda... the diverticulits has already been diganoised... when I had my colonoscopy 2 years ago... so were the CA colon polyps... but those were removed... and as of Sept of 05 no new ones...Also at that time he ruled out colitis in the colon.. as there was no inflammation he could see... as he and I had discussed it prior to it... taking a biopsy if it looked like there was anything going on there.. That is why she wants me to have the small bowel study.... r/o the possiblity of it there... Granted it may be partly bile salts... but the pain and cramping, loose stools and food triggers... I know what those are...
sorry you are feeling a wee bit down prudy
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if it helps any ive been frustrated for the last 43 yrs..
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i cant go the salmon
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funny thing is when i was young we lived right next to the sea and fish was on the table twice a week (weekdays and weekends) god if someone served me up fish now id scream.. we were practically made to eat the bloody things
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Thanks joolie... I guess I am trying to figure out what the heck the saying means... The golden years are the best... I haven't found that to be true.. after I passed 50... it has been all downhill... healthwise... I have been out of work so much... through these years.. my vacations are used that way... pretty sad... I am hoping I am on the up swing... and things will get better... I know in the 2 months I have cut out the red meats...and all the other things... I can't believe the energy I have... with the bowels doing better... I have even been able to do some uninterupted shopping... My next goal is to start walking..... that will be a test... Used to be I would get so far.... and I'd have to book it home to use the potty...
Prudy, You may have seen the colon health calcium test were done with this formula which is the same as the pink and white box of Caltrate Brand that had shown taking 2 tablets twice a day helps to prevent the return of colon polyps. This is just an added benefit of taking calcium.Linda
Yes.. I noticed all the different calciums that are for sale now...Actually I had been taking calcium prior to my last bout over the holidays... when I couldn't take anything.... I started the calcium once a day when they removed the CA polyps 2 years ago... As I knew it could help prevent them... It was only once a day... and the new chewable fudge type... so not sure they would have done the same thing.. though they might have... as up till the severe bout... I had been managing really well... or so I thought.. I had made some dietary changes... but was still attempting to eat some trigger foods that I thought I couldn't live without.. Now I know those are just out of the question... and have resigned myself to it.. and have revamped my eating plan to accomodate what I can eat and will eat from now on.. I am calling it my life plan... IE... today I am going to try ground turkey meatloaf.. I have egg substitue as the binder for it... I know I used to make it years ago when my kids were little... they didn't know the difference.. So hopefully I can repeat it now for myself...
I have been taking Align and the first week was bad but it gradually improved and I was ok. The sixth week started not so good and by W it got bad. I couldn't talk with my Doctor because Friday was a holiday and started taking antibiotics and suspended Align. Managed to get a sample but only could take it to the lab 9 hours later so I don't know if it will show any bacterias. I remember reading a similar experience but I can't find it anymore here. I have been taking lactobacili (Sinuberase) and suspended Align. I felt great and intoduces Align again, Benn good for more than a month and started D again. I don't know if a should suspend Align again or go on with it. Help Mariana
Here it is.. July... didn't know this had been bumped up.. I am still doing very well on the calcium, I still only need the half tabs daily to manage things. I also take Konsyl at night, and I eat yogurt with oat bran in the mornings.. and watch the diet like a hawk.. There are days when I do go about 5 times.. but most times it is formed with the last ones being looser.. this I take as a cleaning out period.... which is manageable to me rather then it happening daily with the cramps and pains..If I get the pains.. I know I have cool it with foods and listen to my body.. I will then switch to the blander foods until things are right. When I do try a past trigger food and it causes problems with me.. I do not try it again.. it is done.. Those triggers that I have added back are done so on a limited basis and few and far between eating them. You just never know when they will cause a problem.. therefore why risk a good thing.. I have chosen my routine as opposed to the Questran the GI wanted to give me.. because I prefer to do it this way first and use medications as a last resort.. I am far from deprived in my eating, what I can have I like and enjoy eating it and not having problems.. What I can't eat.. I just don't and try not to smell things like tomato sauce, or pizza, or the nice olive oil/vinegar on a fresh salad..neither of which I can have.. those things just are not worth eating and getting sick from it.. I can get my lax and calcium over the counter and don't have to worry about prescriptions... and etc.. and for me it is working and that is what counts..i know not everyone is that fortunate, I wish they were. No one knows anothers pain but themselves. I don't walk in anyone else's shoes.. I do what is right for me.. I thank God daily for getting me to this point.. I was in alot of agony for many years before I came here in January after a serious bout and started doing my own research about IBS..
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