[txdave37]

Hey guys,I continue to ride this misery rollercoaster, now into my 7th week of this IBS hell. Last week, I went to the doctor. At the time, I was having pain on my right flank. Mostly a wasted visit, but I discovered something interesting. The Xray showed a lot of stool right in the area where I was hurting and no gas. So gas buildup isn't causing the pain, it is stool!Over the weekend, my girlfriend came down to visit, and I remember feeling depressed because my stomach was cramping and aching, and here I'm trying my best to ignore it and enjoy myself. Now here is the amazing part. We went to a steakhouse, and I said screw it, I was going to enjoy a big meal. I ate a big helping of nachos, casear salad, chicken fried steak and baked potato. Instead of feeling worse, my symptoms improved! The next morning, I almost shed tears of joy over my bowel movement. Out of nowhere, I had a good long thick bowel movement, the best sign that my problem is going away. It had been 7 weeks since I had a BM that wasn't broken up. I could finally put my fears to rest that I had a bowel obstruction like colon cancer. I was pain free, and enjoyed feeling good all day on Sunday.It was a short celebration. Monday night, the back pains returned. Sharp stabbing pains in my mid right that hits when I move around especially getting out of bed, but my bowels were still normal. Then all hell broke loose yesterday. I had 4 freaking bowel movements, one was like 2 feet long. The last one came with IBS D cramps, and was just a huge mess of loose stool. Today, I got the cramps and pain in my right side again.Now I'm back to worrying. IT scares me that the pain is mainly on my right side, and I don't understand how in the world is my body producing so much stool! Anyone have symptoms like this?

 

[Kathleen M.]

No one thinks the amount of stool coming out makes sense.When the stool is loose to watery it has a lot more volume of water in it, so that makes it look a lot more than it would be. Remember your colon sheds the lining all the time, like your skin does and the bacteria in your colon add to the total amount of solids as well. Each cell is small, but there are a lot of them and they all add up.That you had a good day is a good sign. No one goes from IBS to perfect in one day all at once. But when you start having some good days try to focus on the idea that you will have another good day soon rather than get all depressed it wasn't a permanent switch to good all the time. How your worry/mood is can give feedback to the gut and typically "this will pass and I'll have a good day again soon" gives different feedback from "oh no I will be this way forever and I can't do this forever". That screw it I'm going to enjoy something is also different feedback from worrying and fretting over how a meal will effect you.IBS pain can be anywhere the colon is so right and left are both part of IBS. Where stuff accumulates (stool, gas, doesn't matter) tends to distend the colon and that can lead to pain. Usually a more even fullness is better than too full in one spot and too empty in others.

 

[Jackmat]

Dave, you had a perfect bowel motion after taking a risk. Thats telling me that there is nothing PHYSICALLY wrong with you and that your BRAIN is causing your pain.Negative, stressful thoughts are creating and exacerbating your problems.I succeeded by tackling my gut problems psychologically, and I believe you can do the same.Cheers,Jackmat

 

[TummyDepressed]

It is possible, though, that what you ate, suited your digestion.Lots of nice fat there and not too many grains/veg. Is there any chance you could have SIBO?