[Guest]

i don't know if it more stress than normal or what but today at work i had 5 bowel movements, mostly formed but all urgent and a little mushy. then my stomach started to swell up and i was getting rock like cramps that were visible to the eye - like part of my stomach look pinned up under my ribs and the rest was undulating. i couldn't extend my stomach out fully to sit up straight. mind you, i get this symptom every day, but today it was extreme. i was also sweating and itching.by the time I was home I was in tears, could not stand the feeling of my loose clothing on my skin, couldn't think at all, felt hot and cold at same time, was still sweating and itching, and had MASSIVE headache. went home and threw up though i never felt nauseous. more like throwing up when you have a lot of stomach pressure and a headache (like a sick headache).when I get this way, should I go to the ER? i feel full of gas still, but otherwise what is wrong??I don't understand.

 

[Guest]

Maybe this is IBS and the flu, some kind of combination.

 

[Charbeaner]

I felt the same way yesterday--just horrible and still feel bad today. My stomach is very upset and I am nauseus--didn't eat anything last night and ate a bland cookie this morning to get my meds down.I'll bet there is a flu going on and with what else we have going it really makes it horrible. I wish I were home in bed instead of my desk at work.Hope you feel better soon, or better yet, do you feel better today?

 

[BackFire44]

I also hope you are feeling better. Let us know!

 

[Guest]

thank you all for responding. i don't think its the flu -but just really ibs. my stomach never feels balanced (muscle-wise) and when the ibs is really bad it becomes super tight in areas. i was wearing clothing that was loose, but hitting me in some weird spots - i think this was the cause - as strange as that sounds - b/c i've had these episodes before when wearing similar outfit.can anyone relate - its like my muscles recoil if touched positioned and I end up with such bad cramping. also, its impossible for me to distinguish if my colon is affecting my abdominal muscles or viceversa. i've scoured the web on abdominal muscle spastic disorders and have only come up with : stiff person syndrome (which I wonder if i have), dystonia (possible, but unlikely), myelitis (which doesn't fit me).if anyone has any info on the above disorders, I'd really appreciate it. -signed, Twisting Into Oblivion

 

[kel1059]

hypersensitivity knows no bounds. if i don't get rid of mine then i don't know what i am going to do.

 

[crankypants]

Kel wrote:

quote: hypersensitivity knows no bounds.

What an apt remark... When I get seriously bloated, sometimes my entire nervous system seems to go nuts, in a sort of cascade fashion. Brain fog, dizziness, chills, things like that. The same thing frequently happens if I go out walking around wearing something that is too tight around the belly, or wearing a fanny pack (I've pretty well given up on those). Elastic waistbands began taking over my wardrobe at a very young age because of that.Joanofarc--you mentioned in another thread that you had been on a very low fat diet for a while. Are you still? If so, maybe you should slowly increase intake of some good fats? I don't think dietary extremes are good for us.

 

[bkitepilot]

Hi joan,I am also very sensitive to touch anyplace on my abd. I can't wear anything even vaguely snug or even resting on my abd. I pull all elastic bands down across my hip bones to avoid it. Looks like I'm a skinny mom rapper carrying a load in my britches! Since I've been so ill.... it's always pj's now. I can't rest comfortably on my sides either with the pressure, especially if my own arm is lying on my side..YIKES! My poor husband can't even roll over in bed and hug me without a scream!I've done deep breathing exercises where you have to pay attn to expanding your abd and not your chest with inhale and just that alone will set my gut into a twisting frenzy.Wonder why God didn't give us a warranty on body replacement parts. B~

 

[Guest]

yes hypersensitivity doesn't know any bounds, Kel. its the worst part of ibs for me. well, that and the bloating, but they go hand in hand.bkpilot i TOTALLY know what you are talking about. I really do think the reason I went into that major spasm mode yesterday was b/c of the outfit I wore - it was slightly resting in the wrong place. i'm not talking about tight, but just resting about the navel and also when things confine my legs, I tend to get pressure in my gut. ???? I too wear things below the navel (your description is hilarious) and luckily I have hips so i can keep up my clothes with my bones alone. The weird thing is, years ago I could wear really tight stuff around my really tiny waist. I still have a tiny waist but only when not bloated (very very infrequently). Otherwise it stays as large as my hips - so its actually getting difficult to keep the clothes on lately as I'm sausage shaped. I have reverted to being in nitegowns recently, but I'm so scared I'll need to be in them 24/7 - right now I can work but yesterday made me really scared that some day those days will be over. The hypersensitivity and bloating seems strangely progressive - like eventually I will become bothered by wearing anything and will bloat to its dimensions. But oddly enough, I feel bad when I'm naked too as the total lack of pressure can cause spasms and an uncomfortable feeling, like i'm uncontained. So I have to reach the ideal pressure of touching but not squeezing, but not tickling - this is like wardrobe hell I go through every morning. What the hell is this?????Bkitepilot - forgive me for not remembering, but do you also have bladder sensitivity? Also, you say you have pain, I don't, just weird sensations, squeezing and pressure plus mucous in my bowels and slightly alternating D and C (I don't have really bad C but do have really bad G retention). When the pressure is bad I may describe it as pain, but its not true pain. Also, does being cold turn on your symptoms too?Crankypants, - yeah I was on a very lowfat and high carb, hi calorie diet and anorexic and very skinny despite all the carbs. all my problems started at that point. i started out with diarhea almost every day for a year - which is probably how I lost the weight. Not sure why a high carb, low fat diet would cause so much D - but at the anorexic time, I was actually happy about it - how sad.Flux, i'm curious what your thoughts are on this hypersensitivity issue. I've heard of ibsers having visceral sensitivity, but is the above even within the range of ibs? Also, you've said before that this sounds like obstruction or pseudo-obstruction, but I'm wondering if hypersensitivity to this degree could mean the instestines are also so sensitive and spasming to a degree of pseudo-obstruction or atleast to cuaes the anaconda look - what I suspect.

 

[Guest]

just to clear up - I'm not long eating low fat. I eat lots of fat now, but my symptoms persist. I sometimes wonder if really low fat - as in no fat, can lead to depletion of myelin that surrounds nerve endings - aka why my nerves are so hyper-wired. am I nuts?

 

[bkitepilot]

Joan,The only true pain I have is in my RUQ which I don't believe is related to my twisting and bloating and insane gas retention. My gut gets highly uncomfortable with the twisting and pressure and makes me short of breath.The only bladder involvement I have is pressure when I'm full of air and I feel the urgency to go. I do have bladder spasms on rare occasions, but that's from old surgery adhesions. I find my belly is also highly sensitive to my position. Lying down can cause much worse symptoms or tucking my knees to my chest (duh) or even sitting slightly slouched during my couch potato times.I sure hope you get to feeling better soon and as with ALL of us!Belinda

 

[Guest]

Hi Belinda,I really feel for you too - our symptoms seem similar though yours seem much much worse - I'm really sorry for that. I don't know how you deal with it. It sure doesn seem like in your case that you might have an obstruction. I worry I might too. I'm amazed that docs aren't taking care of you every day - your case seems rather severe. Hope we can all get some help - this is a nightmare. The only good part is when you have a good day and it is like PURE heaven - and you really really appreciate it. I had a good day today - despite last nite, and it was amazing!!! I'm now bloating back up again with all the strangling pressure. I'm trying to stay positive, but its hard. Feel free to PM me - I'm 32 year old female from San Francisco. -Susan

 

[Jhouston]

Geez, I too have problems with my abdomenal muscles in that I cannot wear snug pants or the elastic waistbands make my muscles spasm. never thought of it as a part of ibs. always thought it was a nerve/back problem. I love the new styles good ole hiphuggers. I am taking full advantage of them. so sick of wearing baggy pants. I lost 14lbs this year and my beely still looks bloated. bummed Joann

 

[Guest]

i hear people talk about not being able to wear tight things, but i always thought that was because they were bloated and the tightness increased the pressure. in my case atleast, all i have to do is FEEL something on my stomach - that causes abdominal and colon spasms. its like my colon becomes very small and everything gets tight. i then get a feeling of everything getting very small at the waistband and ballooning up at the top of my gut, near my diaphragm - soon i cannot breathe and my eyes get bloodshot and my face will actually turn red like everything is constricting - the vein on my neck becomes engorged and pops out. i can even get this way from wearing things that are tight on the hips or legs and that restrict movement. Basically, eventually I'm going to have to buy a tent to wear.Wish Flux would get on this thread - curiuos to know what his ideas are on this. No, its not standard IBS, but what is it? Seems like some kind of hyper-sensitivity issue to me. How the **** do we treat something like this!!??

 

[Jhouston]

Joan, have you had an abdominal ultrasound? from what you say about turning red and vessel constricting...sounds like circulatory?

 

[bkitepilot]

Susan,Have you been following what flux has written to me on "drugged on levsin"? My mind isn't too clear this a.m. from vomiting in the night. (I think you've followed it) But yes I do believe it possibly is an obstruction as my doc in MT is very adament it is. And its like food/fluid builds up in the stomach and into my sm intestine and if nothing moves through.... I start twisting, bloating, having ungodly pressure which pushes on my diaphram making me really short of breath. I have to sit down if I'm up or I get light headed and try to faint.From what I've been told, the docs don't like to mess with you in the dirty south without insurance. I've paid dearly out of my pocket for a GI specialist and he just tells me to increase my miralax. up to 2 capfulls 3 times a day ...good grief I'd have explosive diarrhea and would surely need IV's for fluid on-top of all the urping. You know the paradox of being to ill to work, therefore insurance gets the big lapse. My husband is a pilot so health benefits are pretty nil. Regarding clothing... thank god we can get by with the old hippy clothes.... so if out in public we can style without belly pressure. HA! Too bad we couldn't be like 'Ethel' on 'The Streak'.I hope you have good day today.Belinda

 

[Meredith974]

Dear joanofarc and bkitepilot- I am so relieved to hear that someone else has the same symptoms! Of course, at the same time I am sorry that you have them if you know what I mean... joanofarc said - 'i then get a feeling of everything getting very small at the waistband and ballooning up at the top of my gut, near my diaphragm - soon i cannot breathe and my eyes get bloodshot and my face will actually turn red like everything is constricting - the vein on my neck becomes engorged and pops out -'I totally know that feeling - my heart seems to beat faster, my face gets flushed, feels weird to swallow and it is hard to take a deep breath. The best way I can describe is that I feel as if I have been hanging upside down for too long, like a kid on a jungle gym.I can find no rhyme nor reason for it either! I hope you feel better and I will post if I come up with any brilliant ideas!Meredith

 

[california123]

Hello all, Just a little food for thought. Take care.Anxiety SymptomsSmothering sensations and Shortness of breathRacing heart, slow heart beat, palpitationsChest PainLump in throat & Difficulty swallowingSkin losing colour (blanching)SweatingShaking or shivering (Visibly or internally)Neck & shoulder pain & numbness in face or headRapid gastric emptyingIndigestion, heartburn, constipation and diarrheaSymptoms of urinary tract infectionSkin rashesWeakness in arms & tingling in the hands or feetElectric shock feeling anywhere in the bodyDry mouthInsomniaNightmaresFears of going mad or losing controlIncreased depression & suicidal feelingsAggressionSymptoms like 'flu'Distorted visionDisturbed hearingHormone problemsHeadaches & feelings of having a tight band around headSore eyesAgoraphobiaHallucinationsCreeping or pins and needles sensations in the skinIncreased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smellHyperactivity Dramatic increase in sexual feelingsPain in the face or jaw that resembles a toothacheDerealisation and depersonalisation

 

[bkitepilot]

Meredith,Oh I'm so sorry to hear about your symptoms. But it is always sooooo comforting to have another who can relate to what I'm feeling. I don't share the circulatory strangling that you and joanofarc experience until your neck veins pop out, etc. Wow my opinion would be that you are having pressure on one of your major vessels in your trunk from all the bloat. I would REALLY seek medical follow-up on this. Kinda scary to me.B~

 

[Guest]

Belinda and Meredith,well its good to have others who understand - despite feeling bad that you do experience. I don't think this is anxiety b/c I've suffered from that for years and it does not feel like this - this is definitely intestinal b/c as soon as the gas passes all symptoms stop - even the bulging neck vein and heart beating fast. I think you can get some of the same symptoms as an anxiety attack though b/c the pressure from the bloat affects breathing and may even rest on the heart.Belinda, I spent my formative years in the south and I bolted once I was 18. I'm from Virginia and I'm so glad to get out of there - though it is beautiful land, beautiful houses. Being on the west coast now I realize what it was - how if you are not rich and part of prominent southern family and not exactly like everyone else - you end up getting marginialized and pushed down - even land is mostly reserved for private use and rich folks - there just isn't much out there for people who don't have a ton of $$ and dare to be different. On the west coast its soooo much free-er, there isn't much legacy and actually ... that can be a good thing. New ideas, nice people, open-mindedness beyond belief, innovation and especially with health care. So I know what you mean about the dirty south. Every area has its drawback. Now I'm in flakyzone - just elected a horrible mayor, and look at the governor!!! But I still love it, I just hope it keeps its flavor.Anyway, I'm interested if you guys have C or D and exactly how C or D are you? Belinda I know you are C, but sounds like you do have D some. Do you go for long periods without having any bowel movements? If so, how long. I go everyday - which makes it hard for me to envision I have a physcial or even pseudoobstruction. Infact, on days I go the most, I often feel most bloated and get these pressure problems and twisting. Though it does feel like on those days that my colon becomes very small, perhaps twisting off and not letting new liquids and food pass. Does eating ever help you? It does me sometimes.-Susan