[Guest]

Hello everyone~ I am new to this board. I am hoping to find help, suggestions, and support. And most of all I am hoping to not feel so alone with this problem anymore. I have been having this problem since about two or three months after I gave birth to my daughter in October. I am 24 yrs old. I thought maybe my problem was related to the hard pushing I did during the delivery. I pushed for two and 1/2 hours because my daughter was stuck in my small birth canal. But, the doctor and GI specialist said that it can't be related. I am sooooo fustrated and upset with the problem. I have no problems with constipation just the opposite. I have lots of bloating and pain too. Usually the pain is on the left but sometimes the right and on the bottom. I have tried the caltrate plus without much improvement and the Gas-x doesn't seem to really work either. The doctor had me on some medicine that really worked but I got side effects from it. I am always nervous to go out in public for fear that I may need a bathroom and won't be able to find one fast enough. The other night when my hubby and I went out with another couple I had to excuse myself two times in a row to the bathroom and spend at least ten minutes in there cramping and using the bathroom. Needless to say, I didn't eat much dinner. I feel like maybe I should just stop eating all together... My doctor told me not to eat broccoli and cauliflower. I had two tests run...the lower scope and the barium enema. He didn't even do a blood test...what tests have ya'll had done? My friends and family say I should get a second opinion... I just don't know what to do but I am tired of suffering... Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated. I just can't imagine having to live like this the rest of my life. I am afraid to leave the house... Thanks for listening to me run on and on! I just need to talk to some others that have the same problems and someone that understands... Hope all of you are doing well today~

 

[LindaB]

Hi Cremson. You've definitely found the right place for "help, suggestions and support". I'm short on time right now, but wanted to at least say hello and get you back up to the top for others to respond. My quickie advice is not to accept a "diagnosis" of IBS and the typical advice of so many doctors that "You'll just have to learn to live with it!" At least not until they have thoroughly examined all other possibilities. That's what I had been doing for the past 2 years until I found a doctor who was willing to work with me (a DO who is my primary care doc) and find the cause rather than just treating the symptoms. I'll check back with you later today.

 

[annette]

Hey Cremson,I totally understand how you feel. I've had ibs for about 8 years. I too am afraid to leave home. I even quit a great job because the 15 minute trip to work was too much to handle. The only medicine I take right now is Bentyl and Levsin. If I know I will be going somewhere, I take exlax two days before so I will be cleaned out by the big day. Then on the day of the trip, I won't eat anything. I take both medicines and some immodium tablets. The immodium really helps. I can't take the liquid because it burns my stomach.So as you can tell, even a simple trip to the grocery store takes major planning. Oh, I forgot to mention, every time I leave home I have panic attacks just thinking I might get cramps and can't find a restroom. So, I bought a commode chair and have to put it in my brother's van. So I have to borrow a vehicle on top of all the other planning.So, you see, you are not alone. I wouldn't have even considered going out to eat with friends. I hope you don't get to this point.

 

[Guest]

Imodium helps me. I also kept a food diary and learned that caffeine, chocolate, greasy stuff, "gassy" vegetables, etc were problems for me. Maybe try to see if eating a bland diet will help with the D. I am very careful not to eat trigger foods in public - though I know there are been periods where no matter what i ate sent me to the bathroom with D. I've had every test imaginable - blood tests, upper GI, sigmoidoscopy, lactose intolerence test, etc, etc. Read all the posts here, lots of great suggestions. While I have given up on doctors, my symptoms have decreased considerably since going off the pill. So, I wouldn't suggest that you give up on the doctors yet. Find one to give you all the tests out there before you resign yourself to living with it.Take Care

 

[Judy]

More tests definitly but in the mean time Immodium works great. Not bad side affects and not a dangerous drug to take long term. It will dry you out though an may make you tired and a little dizzy but all mild and easy to live with. Anything's better than the diarrhea and the anxiety it brings. Depending on how bad your D is you may need anywhere from 1-3 a day. Start out slow an experiment. It can cause constipation. You may need one before each meal or just two in the course of the day or maybe just one a day. I think it depends on how big a person you are, how much food you eat, if you continue to eat the foods that trigger your D etc. I have been taking the Caltrate Plus Chewables recently. Up until now the other calciums have not helped me but this chewable kind really must be absorbed more easily because it will stop me up big time. so if taking the two together (Immodium and Calcium) be very careful. Hope this helps. if you have any more questions just ask. Somebody will probably be able to help. And the advice about the trigger foods and eating a bland diet are great too. Keep a diary of the fooeds you eat for a few weeks and you may begin to see some things that really bother you. they are different for everyone. Don't despair. There are alot of things you can do to improve things.

 

[Guest]

Pain and bloating and excess gas were my main problems for months. I know what you are going through. I started on Citracal and found relief!

I mean real relief. I can go out now, I went by myself on a 4 hour trip to my daughter's home. We even took her two little ones out to the Coliseum to a Dog Show! I didn't once think of where is the bathroom. Come to think of it, I have no idea where one was... I didn't think of needing it once during the whole time we were there.I hope you find something that will help you too!

 

[LindaB]

If you decide to seek a second opinion you might find good help and info with The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders at1-888-964-2001. They can help you find a specialist in IBS in your locale. They also have a web site at www.iffgd.org and an email address for contacting them.In regard to your answer about tests, in the Summer of '97 when this all started, the internist ordered an abdominal ultrasound (normal), abdominal CT scan (normal), a barium upper GI (normal), and the full spectrum of blood work (all normal). Then she sent me to a Gastroenterologist (my candidate for jerk of the century) who did a colonoscopy and pronounced that I had "some" diverticulosis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. He gave me a Rx for Dicyclomine and told me that I "wouldn't die from it, but I would die with it." I tried all the recommended "naturals", carefully watched my diet, and it all just kept getting worse. Last summer, my new primary care doc, the Osteopath, changed my Rx to Hyoscyamine which seemed to work better than the Dicyclomine, but I still had problems with major C and inability to eat anything with fiber. Last fall, they did another abdominal ultrasound, and this one showed "multiple" gallstones, but my symptoms weren't "typical" for gallbladder so it was not removed. Then they did a barium enema xray and that showed I had now progressed to "extensive" diverticulosis. My primary doc finally said he thought they were all concentrating too hard on the colon, where the symptoms were, and not enough on possible causes, so he ordered a hepobiliary nuclear scan on the gallbladder (the HIDA part) which showed normal. After an education on this board by Charlie and Heykate, I told them I wanted the CCK-HIDA scan (both parts) and that if it came back normal I would pay for it! Not necessary they said and sent me to the surgeon for a consult on gallbladder surgery. She didn't think it was gallbladder at all, and sent me for another CT Scan (which showed a "filling deficit" which she said could be a "mass". How's that for a scary word! That was followed up with another barium upper GI (normal) and she sent me back to the jerk gastroenterologist for an Endoscopy to clarify the discrepancy between this CT Scan and the upper GI. That consult is another whole story covered in one of my posts. The Endoscopy was normal - no mass, no ulcers, no irritated stomach lining. So the surgeon reluctantly agreed to take out my gallbladder but told me she didn't think it would solve my problem. But surprise, surprise, when she got in there it was covered with adhesions and was totally non-functioning (which the CCK-HIDA scan would have shown). The gallbladder has been gone almost 2 weeks now, I'm feeling great, and eating any damn thing I want now, just in smaller quantities because my stomach has shrunk from living for 2 months on nothing but Ensure "Enlive", white rice, and Milk of Magnesia. As you can see, I'm a long winded old witch, but this is the answer to your question about tests. Might not hurt for you to have the CCK-HIDA scan either, since I've read that gallstones frequently develop during pregnancy.

 

[Guest]

Hello Please read my post CLASS OF 1999Think if you did not start to have panic attacks about your IBS you just would not think of it and worry and panic. Read it and God Bless you, it is all pretty psychological.

 

[Guest]

I just wrote a note to Susan about the same topic. Check it out. I am scared to do a lot myself!!

 

[Guest]

Hi Cremson:I am also new to this board, but it seems like you can learn a lot of helpful information from reading others posts. I have been suffering from IBS-D for about 10 years now. I also gave birth in November and went through two hours of the pushing stage before going in for C-Section. I do not think that is what caused your problem. I am doing pretty well right now and attribute it to the following: watch what I eat and avoid greasy fatty foods, caffeine, soda, m.s.g. and sugars. When I was really sick in the past while working I think Zoloft saved my life. It slows down digestion, so food gets absorbed better. I stopped taking it when I became pregnant because they don't do studies on pregnant women and still am not taking it, but a low dosage anti-depressant might help you if you are not nursing. I also eat Raisin Bran and yogurt every day and I think that the bran bulks up the stool and the yogurt gives your intestines that good bacteria that they need, so you don't get a yeast build up. My heart goes out to you because I have been in your shoes. Just be thankful that you do not have to drive to work every day. I am definately thankful I do not work anymore, but I got a mini-van with a porta potty just for peace of mind. Have not had to use it, but I know it is there if I need to.