[Guest]

I need help. I have had mild to major pain for the past 6 months. I have been told it's probably irratable bowel. But that doesn't sit very well with me, since I'm afraid it could be something worse. I have cramping every day in every imaginable spot of my abdomin. Upper, lower, sides, sometime my lower back. Sometimes it's sharp, sometimes dull and tingly. I occassionaly get D, but not often, it's usually looser than normal bowel movements. At times my stomach is very sensitive to touch. I've had blood tests for ulcers, a sygmoidoscopy, a series of lower bowel x-rays, stool tests a cat scan and general x-rays. All Negative. I'm currently taking a pill called LEVBID, which helps, but dries me out. I'm concerned that this drug could hide a more dangerous problem. My symptoms are a bit different than the others I've read. Sound like irratable bowel? Or should I really be concerned?------------------InPAIN

 

[Guest]

It is alway important to rule out everything else, before IBS is diagnosed. I have just been diagnosed after 10 years of misdiagnosis. My doctors have been concentrating on my ovaries, and never evn checked my bowels. I also have pain every day, normally 30 minutes after eating, and I can put my finger on exactly where the pain is moving to, presumably around my intestines!So, after losing faith in doctors, I can only advise natural supplements, and watch your diet very carefully. I have stopped dairy foods, and my D stopped instantly. I now have lactaid, which is milk with 1% lactose in it. Soy products make me bloated. Enteric coated peppermint oil is amazing, stops my cramps and pain for days on end...if I remember to take it! Also try cal'dophilus, which brings back the good bacteria into your gut. I hope some of this helps.

 

[Guest]

Your story sounds a lot like mine, garyvader. IBS is essentially diagnosed by ruling everything else out, so you can expect a lot of tests to come out "negative" if that's what you have. The only test you haven't had is a colonoscopy (like a Sigmoid, but they push the tube in further, and put you to sleep for it). I wouldn't be too anxious to get a colonoscopy, if I were you...If you're experiencing D and/or loose bowel movements, check out the posts on l-Glutamine. I've been on it for about 36 hours now, and I already see improvement. IBS is a "good-days/bad-days" kind of ailment, so it's too early to say whether the improvement is the l-Glutamine or coincidence, but I'm cautiously optimistic.------------------Never give up! Never Surrender!

 

[Guest]

Gary, your problem sounds very similar to mine. My whole abdomen is tender and hurts at different spots daily. Everything is always moving inside my colon, too. I don't have diarrhea daily either. I recently had a colonoscopy and they found nothing but a VERY spasming colon. They also put me on Levbid which I've been afraid to take. Does it make you sleepy? What did you mean by "dries you out"? It sounds like they've done everything on you BUT the colonoscopy. If you're really worried, I'd rule everything out by having the colonoscopy. It's entirely painless (you're asleep). The worse part is the cleaning out the day before, which really isn't that bad. The best thing for everyone is knowing there is nothing really serious going on and a colonoscopy will determine that. Good luck!