I am wondering who else out there has seemingly non-stop physical symptoms day in, day out? In general, my IBS is manageable, but I am always uncomfortable. Bloated, gassy, distended, upset stomach, acidy stomach, little pains, big pains, pressure on the rectal area, constipation, gurgling, occasional D. And then there are the non-digestive symptoms: headaches, weakness, excess tiredness/fatigue, general malaise, mood swings. What is going on here? What can I do?Here is what I am doing currently that does help some:- Soluble fiber supplement (relieves constipation)- Magnesium supplement- Probiotic - Anti-depressant med- Immodium (to deal with D on occasion)- Herbal teas (Fennel, ginger, licorce, chamomile, etc)- Peppermint capsules- Therapy- Massage- Chiropractics- Acupuncture- Stress relief yogaHere are things I have tried that I gave up:- Anti-anxiety med- Multi-vitamin- Omega 3 supplement- Licorice root- Dietary restrictions- Self-hypnosis (thinking of giving this another round)
Non-stop symptoms
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When the IBS was bad it was day in and day out (which is the more severe end of things, milder cases may have some normal days between bad IBS days).The only noticeable break during the bad almost year or so was when I had a GI infection and while the diarrhea was really obnoxious it was almost worth pooping water every 20 minutes because for some reason it took the pain away. 
The IBS was bad even with medications although it was much better with meds than without.Luckily the Cog. Behav. Therapy broke the cycle enough that I started having good hours then good days and then good weeks and months and eventually didn't need the meds to help keep things under complete control.Have you had the fatigue evaluated to make sure you don't have thyroid, anemia, or fibromyalgia, etc. types of things going on as well as the IBS. Fibromyalgia, in particular, is more common with IBS than it would be by chance alone.
The IBS was bad even with medications although it was much better with meds than without.Luckily the Cog. Behav. Therapy broke the cycle enough that I started having good hours then good days and then good weeks and months and eventually didn't need the meds to help keep things under complete control.Have you had the fatigue evaluated to make sure you don't have thyroid, anemia, or fibromyalgia, etc. types of things going on as well as the IBS. Fibromyalgia, in particular, is more common with IBS than it would be by chance alone.
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Kathleen,Did your CBT deal directly with your IBS symptoms? I've been seeing a therapist who uses CBT and that has helped me with coping strategies for anxiety and general negative thinking. But we've done nothing directly with the IBS symptoms. I wonder if that's something I need to try.I have been tested for anemia and thyroid issues - all normal. Fibromyalgia hasn't been discussed per se. I'm not having all the aches and pains in my joints associated with it. Is that something I should pursue? Maybe I just need more B vitamins...
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