[sarahdancing]

My fiance has had IBS for 10 years and it is triggered by stress. He cannot control the amount of stress in his life but he has been able to maintain the flare-ups of IBS through exercise and diet. Now, the latter two don't seem to help. He used to take Propulsid and it worked during flare-ups but it is no longer sold on the market due to its side-effects. I need help! Any suggestions?

 

[Elariel]

taking calcium helped mine out a LOT.. lots of people on the board use caltrate.. the kind with vitD , but without magnesium.. i take TUMS with extra calcium.. maybe he could try one of them.. just start out on the low end and increase slowly to see if it helps..might be 1-2 weeks before you get results so be patient.. try 'calcium' on the search here..i bet you'll get tons of info.. and i have no idea why, but if i eat an egg a day it helps out if i'm not taking calcium.. not sure if it's just me or what lol..

 

[M&M]

I'm guessing your fiance is diarrhea predominant? Has he tried taking immodium? Does he have any anti-spasmodic drugs from his doctor? If not, it might be worth trying. I also take calcium within the first few bites of my meal and this has helped immensely. I can almost gaurantee I will get sick if I don't take my calcium. Also, since I bounce back and forth between diarrhea and constipation, I find the best way to "stay on the right track" is to keep myself as regular as possible by take fiber supplements, eating Fiber One cereal every morning, and drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day while not taking in any caffiene. Of course, for some, the fiber does more harm than good. Best wishes to you!~Mrs. Mason

(edited to add the following):Also, in part, this is the normal course of IBS. This is why doctors have so much trouble telling us what to do to "fix" our IBS. Something that has helped us for years will suddenly stop helping, or something that has made us sick for years will suddenly not make us sick anymore. It is a constant battle to stay on top of what is making us sick this week and what isn't. You might want to read some of the articles on the site here, they might give you some ideas. I hope you and your fiance can figure something out soon!

 

[sarahdancing]

Thank you for your responses. My fiance is a director of a fitness Center so he exercises a lot. He has taken all dairy products out of his diet and uses soy products. His problem is not diarrhea but constipation. He takes Hycosamine(sp?), an anti-spasmodic. He suffers from a lot of acid reflux and gas. If this isn't bad enough, he has also been diagnosed with a paralyzed vocal cord. The doctor gave him an anti-depressant to try and calm him and his stomach. I bought an IBS cookbook and I have been trying to get as much information about IBS. He's even trying accupuncture.

 

[Nikki]

What about Hypnotherapy? www.ibsaudioprogram.com

 

[sarahdancing]

Is there a site where I can look for specialists in my area (NJ)? My fiance has been going to the same doctor for years. Another opinion couldn't hurt.