[nothingworks]

I am 25 yo, diagnosed with ibs-d/c in 2008 but suffering since 2002. I have some undiagnosed OCD as well. I have tried pretty much everything I could find on the internet and nothing has worked at all. Here is everything I have triedrobiotics- several brandsyogurt- dairy and soypeppermint teadiets- ibs diets, as well as othersexerciseprune/plum juiceprescription medsloperimide/immodium- currently on one a day-just exacerbates the constipation but is better than having diarrheafiber- just makes me extremely bloatedrelaxation techniquesquit a stressful jobguess i just have to wait until some breakthrough miracle happens, if one ever does

 

[Kathleen M.]

Which prescription drugs have they tried.Often controlling the constipation is more important when you alternate.Is there a reason you won't get the OCD treated as that doesn't help.Have you tried a low dose osmotic to keep from getting constipated?

 

[nothingworks]

Thank you for replying so quickly

I was on lomitil for about 6 months and it basically did not the job an immodium would do. I haven't got the OCD checked out for 2 reasons a) at the time i had been diagnosed i had ben to the doctor a bunch of times in a short amount of time and didn't want him to think i was a hypochondriac basically and b.) its not really severe enough where my every day life is affected too bad, im a bit late sometimes to places or get to bed a bit later but thats about it, i just leave a few mins earlier before a go somewhere. Also, I know its a bit weird but I kinda don't want to be officially diagnosed with it if you can get what I mean. I have seen some research that link the ibs and ocd together so who knows. I have not tried a low dose osmotic, what does that do? Just clarify, the ibs c/d i get happens in one day, i will be constipated, go to the bathroom to pass it and will have to go a few more times that day and it will gradually turn to diarrhea.

 

[Kathleen M.]

So usually in that case the diarrhea is a response to the body trying to get the more constipated stool out.An osmotic will keep the stool from drying out, and the idea is to prevent that slower moving stool from getting hard and dry and hard to pass so you don't have to then "flush" it out with looser stools/diarrhea that then come out once things finally start moving.

 

[nothingworks]

Wow, thank you, you have been very helpful. How can I get these osmotics? are they OTC or prescribed?

 

[Kathleen M.]

Probably the easiest one to dose especially since you can go to diarrhea is magnesium oxide (in the dietary supplement/vitamin aisle).I'd start with a 100-250 mg tablet (and usually these you can cut in half) for a few days and see how it goes. If that isn't enough than you can up the dose until you get up to 750-1000 mgs.The USRDA for magnesium is about 400 (a little more or less depending on the group) and a lot of people don't get enough of this needed mineral anyway.Miralax is an over the counter osmotic as is Milk of Magnesia, but I think getting a lower dose magnesium tablet may be easier to play with the dose to see if it works. So easier to start pretty low then work up a bit at a time.