I am a 30 y/o female struggling to cope with terrible IBS-C (I think). I have always had constipation, but the pain, bloating, incomplete evac, etc started almost 2 yrs ago after delivering 2nd child -- 13 months after 1st child. Since then I am fine for about 1 week of the month, constipated the rest of the time. I am lucky to have 2 BMs per week. Right now I am suffering from alternating constipation and diarrhea with pain, bloating, etc after having no BM for a week.I have seen 2 dr's so far. Tried Zelnorm for a while but no real relief. GI doc said maybe not IBS but chronic constipation--how to tell the difference? I feel as if these docs think I am a headcase by the way they kind of blew me off. But this is seriously affecting my quality of life. I am so uncomfortable, feel fat and bloated, and it makes intimacy uncomfortable if you know what I mean.I have a sweet hubby and 2 beautiful toddlers that I cannot fully enjoy because of this disease. I do have lots of stress due to finishing my PhD right now and everything else.I am just looking for a place to start to relieve my symptoms. Any help is appreciated!
struggling to cope with symptoms
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Sounds just like my life. I too have 2 children and feel like I am letting them down all the time because I have a 'bad tummy' (as they put it). I have been searching for something to relieve the pain and bloat for almost 20 years. I, fortunately, am pretty regular but I do take stool softners and drink lots of water to stay that way. I also drink the peppermint tea at night to calm my stomach. I also find that if I do not get a good nights sleep that the next day will be a bad one. Sorry I cannot offer anymore advice, I have never tried all of the vitamins, drinks, diets and pills that others do. Hey, but if it works. One thing I do take is an anti-depressant. Might help take the stress edge off.Best of luck to you,Mindy
I have not yet tried everything either, but am at my wits' end! I exercise daily, eat right, drink water, etc. I am about to start trying a juice fast for a day or two, along with lots of psyllium fiber, and an enema. Just got back from the store to get the latter 2 things. My juicer came in yesterday and I started using it today. Maybe this will help!I have thought about getting on meds for anxiety, but I always talk myself out of it. But perhaps I need something to help me just get through these next few months when I have abnormally high stress trying to finish school!
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hi April--to answer your question about how to tell if it's chronic constipation--a sitz marker test can be used to diagnose that. so you might want to ask your doctor about that, since it always helps to know exactly what the problem is. and both you and Mindy, since you've had children, might want to ask your docs about have a defography test to determine if pelvic supports problems--such as a rectocle, cystocle or uterine prolapse-- might also be aggravating your constipation. just a thought...there's been a lot of talk on this board about these tests--also on the GI test board.and yes, you're both right--stress certainly does make the c worse. and chronic c sure does adversely affect one's quality of life.
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another thing the defography test can reveal is if your problems stem from a non-relaxing pubo-rectalis muscle--where it doesn't relax properly to allow a complete b.m. sometimes that is the problem. Spasman had some posts on that earlier--maybe you've read them.good luck with your dr appt, April. and best of luck to you, too, Mindy.
April,I also tried Zelnorm with no results. My doctor gave me a prescription for GlycoLax and it has worked great for relieving my constipation. It takes around 3-4 days to start working. When I know my IBS-C symptoms are starting I will take the GlycoLax once every morning with a glass or water for 4 days; no taste either! It frees me up until the next food/stress triggers my IBS off. I don't use it everyday because I guess it could become addicting. It is very mild and does not stress your colon out like other laxatives. I believe MiriLax is the same thing.
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