[Greymom]

I am in the process of being diagnosed with IBS-D, which is to say I've had an upper endoscopy, all stool studies, and all blood work done, and am awaiting a colonoscopy on 1/8. My last colonoscopy, done for screening purposes only, was 4 years ago and totally normal. My symptoms started in late summer with morning diarrhea, nothing else. It got worse and worse to where I finally gave in and went to the doctor and started the process of ruling things out. He has already prepared me for a possible IBS-D diagnosis. Probably after colonoscopy he'll just do a CAT scan and that'll be it. I am frustrated because I feel whatever is wrong with me is controlling my life more and more. I am currently taking Prevacid and Bentyl, which help, but things are continuing to slowly go downhill. The diarrhea started at 3:30 a.m. this morning and I couldn't stop it until I took Imodium. This always stops it, but I pay for it later. My other symptoms are mild to moderate pain, which worsens with exercise, around my navel and to the left of it, a general feeling of malaise, chills but no fever, and alternating hunger and then loss of appetite. It's as though my body can't make up its mind what it wants. I am a 52 YO thin, active female. Do these symptoms sound familiar to any of you? I never spent a second wondering about my GI system before, and now it has taken over my life.

 

[california123]

At 52 I began having chronic D, which lasted for 6 months. My GI diagnosed IBS-D but none of the meds or diet changes made a difference. Being the daughter of parents who are sick, elderly and demented, I decided to take something for my ongoing anxiety---Xanax. Within 48 hours my D stopped. I tell you this only because it turned out I had anxiety-induced D caused by my chronic concern about my parents. Others will address a variety of possibilities, but just wanted to mention this in case it is worth considering. (Although my GI wanted me to have a colonoscopy, once the Xanax ended the D I decided not to go through with it for now.) Take care.