[Borrellifan]

After a year of pretty steady symptoms it seems my symptoms are now getting worse. I have been passing quite a bit of clear/yellow maybe even some faint red mucus over the past few days and have been having alot more pain and cramps in my lower abdomin. The bowel movements have been about the same, maybe less, almost like my D is turning to C. I have never experienced this before since i have almost always had lots of D when my symptoms act up like this. Also feeling heavy pressure in my lower left abdomin like squeezing of air or something? I'm wondering if its worth it to try and see the GI again or what to do? I have been tested for every thing possible and nothing has showed up and i have regularly been on a healthy diet and taking healthy supplements all along? Really confused now. Anybody else experience this?

 

[crstar]

i have written about this many times.........check my other posts............ibs, if u don't find the base cause, it will get worse........it may take yrs or decades to get worse, but it does get worse..........& by the time u get worse, the damage may b permanent.......then u can't get it cured.........u can only maintain ur problems with pharmaceutical drugs that do nothing more than mask symptoms..........when u mask one symptom or symptoms of a condition, ur body has to go out of it's way to get ur attention........if u keep ignoring it, then u get something that just might kill u in the end...........when D is the issue, ur body is saying there is something is wrong, there's something that's deficient, something is out of whack........but u can bet ur ass, there were other symptoms leading up to the D, way b 4............check into adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism & candida..........these just may answer some long standing questions..........

 

[MrBumwe]

In contrast, I have seen many health professionals and read plenty into IBS and never heard claims that it grows in severity with time, or that left alone will result in permanent damage, i have been re-assured its a quality of life problem rather then a serious health threat, so sure thing look into any and every potential treatments with some caution but most definately get second opinions and re-assessed if your symptons are changing...

 

[Borrellifan]

i have written about this many times.........check my other posts............ibs, if u don't find the base cause, it will get worse........it may take yrs or decades to get worse, but it does get worse..........& by the time u get worse, the damage may b permanent.......then u can't get it cured.........u can only maintain ur problems with pharmaceutical drugs that do nothing more than mask symptoms..........when u mask one symptom or symptoms of a condition, ur body has to go out of it's way to get ur attention........if u keep ignoring it, then u get something that just might kill u in the end...........when D is the issue, ur body is saying there is something is wrong, there's something that's deficient, something is out of whack........but u can bet ur ass, there were other symptoms leading up to the D, way b 4............check into adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism & candida..........these just may answer some long standing questions..........

Well, it seems whatever slight constipation I was starting to feel is gone, I went to the bathroom 4 times today. Still pretty bad cramps and pain but the mucus has also stopped? It was like a 3 day thing where I wasn't going much and had severe pain, gases, spasms and mucus. Almost like there was a blockage or clog or something? I really wish i could figure out the cause of my ills. I have researched much of what you have posted and i have also tested many, many theories that are out there, probably all of them. I was taking heavy amounts of oregano oil and pepermint seed extract as well as taking a product called oxy-cleanse to wipe out any Candida or other type of fungal infection. I have taken all sorts of antibiotics to try and wipe out any type of bacterial infection. I have had numerous stool tests and blood tests for bacteria and or allergies. No matter what i do or try my doctors and I am clueless. I currently take 2-3 Immodium a day, drink lots and lots of peppermint tea, take pro-biotics and other natural supplements and im still miserable and now my symptoms have/had gotten worse without any cause??? How does this happen if im doing all these supposedly healthy things? I continue to do hypnosis (2nd course) to no avail. I excersize daily, I surf, play golf, tennis and ride bikes when the weather prevails. I eat healthy. Its not like I'm some 250lb out of shape, unhealthy person.There must be a reason, my body is not doing this for no reason.

 

[BQ]

There must be a reason, my body is not doing this for no reason.

Yeah you have IBS.. and unfortunately it can flare up, and wane off on it's own with no apparent rhyme or reason. You are doing all good things.... so do not ever think it is 'your fault' that symptoms seem to be worsening. Also if you are able to execise daily, surf, play golf & tennis & ride your bike.. you are doing very well and better than many folks here.Sometimes I find I am better off just managing the symptoms, then getting on with my life and not constantly looking for an answer to "why?" that simply doesn't exist yet.

 

[Borrellifan]

Yeah you have IBS.. and unfortunately it can flare up, and wane off on it's own with no apparent rhyme or reason. You are doing all good things.... so do not ever think it is 'your fault' that symptoms seem to be worsening. Also if you are able to execise daily, surf, play golf & tennis & ride your bike.. you are doing very well and better than many folks here.Sometimes I find I am better off just managing the symptoms, then getting on with my life and not constantly looking for an answer to "why?" that simply doesn't exist yet.

Yeah, I hear ya. I am able to do all those things but i feel like absolute ###### while doing them and am always worried about my symptoms rather then being able to just let loose, relax and enjoy myself. Ever try hitting a tennis ball or hitting a golf shot and get a stabbing pain in your abdomin at the same time yet try and remain focused like nothing is wrong? Not much fun, and most days i wake up in so much discomfort that i can't do those activities and i miss out heavily.What bothers me the most about it is that for 21-22 years of my life i have never had any digestive problems or health issues and then all of a sudden this comes about. Thats why i feel there must be something more i can do because i must have acquired this IBS somehow therefore there must be a way to get rid of it?

 

[BQ]

Hon try carrying around babies, food shopping, attending parent teacher conferences, attending the kids' games, graduations, ceremonies etc... weddings ..funerals..... ETC>>>> and/or just plain old parenting with 10+ pain while trying NOT to frighten the kids or alarm those around me. Trust me.. I get it. And I wasn't being a smart alleck! Sports are like a luxury to me. I'm talking about just trying to do the basic parenting and taking care of the necessary things of life....nevermind elective sports. So if I sounded a bit dismissive.. that's why.And I got dx'd 20 years ago with NOT much more in the way of GI stuff before that other than the usual kid things.So??? I have IBS...

Thats why i feel there must be something more i can do because i must have acquired this IBS somehow therefore there must be a way to get rid of it?

I don't think that is necessarily true. Experts don't know that so I don't know how you can say that. We simply do not yet know. And that's why I am not going to spend ANYmore of my life or time on trying to figure it out than it already steals from me everyday!

 

[Kathleen M.]

Typically IBS starts after a GI infection.Sometimes it will eventually heal up, sometimes it doesn't.Inflammation in the gut has been demonstrated to damage the nerves in the gut wall that control and sense every single thing the gut does. The organs in there cannot just run by themselves without being told what to do.The nervous system and other regulatory parts often are hard to find the exact spot of damage and the fix, if any, is unlikely to be simple.I mean if the nervous system was so easy to fix no one would be paralyzed as we could just zap it back to normal.

 

[Borrellifan]

Hon try carrying around babies, food shopping, attending parent teacher conferences, attending the kids' games, graduations, ceremonies etc... weddings ..funerals..... ETC>>>> and/or just plain old parenting with 10+ pain while trying NOT to frighten the kids or alarm those around me. Trust me.. I get it. And I wasn't being a smart alleck! Sports are like a luxury to me. I'm talking about just trying to do the basic parenting and taking care of the necessary things of life....nevermind elective sports. So if I sounded a bit dismissive.. that's why.And I got dx'd 20 years ago with NOT much more in the way of GI stuff before that other than the usual kid things.So??? I have IBS... I don't think that is necessarily true. Experts don't know that so I don't know how you can say that. We simply do not yet know. And that's why I am not going to spend ANYmore of my life or time on trying to figure it out than it already steals from me everyday!

Well, im glad that you are dead set on accepting the fact that you have "IBS" and don't want to think anymore about it. Well, what is the purpose of you being on these forums then? Personally, I think IBS is nothing more then a non-diagnosis. Basically doctors don't want to look stupid by saying "I'm sorry but we just don't know whats wrong with you" so they say you have "IBS". I honestly think that is a load of ####. Something has to be causing it, whether its nerve damage, bacteria, stress, infection, etc. You just don't go about aquiring things like this without cause. There are plently of people on these boards who have cured themeselves and found what was causing there symptoms and plenty others who are not on these boards who we never hear from. I refuse to just chaulk it up to being "IBS" and that im going to live with this forever, not me.

 

[BQ]

don't want to think anymore about it.

I think about managing my symptoms.. plenty.

Well, what is the purpose of you being on these forums then?

To learn to live the best life I can WITH IBS and to help others do the same.

Personally, I think IBS is nothing more then a non-diagnosis.

I disagree. I think an IBS diagnosis is a legitimate diagnosis. And I do not think an IBS diagnosis was developed just to coddle Doctor's egos.

Something has to be causing it, whether its nerve damage, bacteria, stress, infection, etc.

YES>>> And many times it HAS been mentioned it appears after an infection etc>>>>> So Y-E-S it IS from "something". THAT fact however, and unfortunately, does not lead directly to a "cure" no matter how much ANY of us want it to. Not yet.NO ONE with IBS has cured themselves. I'm sure if and when that happens... it will be BIG news.They have simply learned to manage their symptoms is all.

I refuse to just chaulk it up to being "IBS" and that im going to live with this forever, not me.

Well good luck to you then. It is your choice to endlessly seek a different answer.If you do not think you have a proper diagnosis.. BY ALL MEANS seek another opinion.

 

[Kathleen M.]

And I am unclear that any of the "X cured me" in the few cases where X isn't something they have to do every single day to get relief are really the X that did the curing.A good percentage of IBS eventually resolves itself and it isn't clear that any X ever does that (after all a lot of people in clinical trials get cured by the placebo with IBS so it is more likely that during the however many months or years they did the whatever they were one of the lucky ones).IBS isn't always diagnosed properly and isn't always well explained by the doctors but that doesn't mean it is just some made up words the doctors agreed to in some dark room so they feel better about themselves.There is actual physical things they know are going on, but knowing that is broken doesn't always lead directly to a good treatment or a quick fix cure.I mean they have no idea why I have high blood pressure. Almost everyone with high blood pressure has idiopathic high blood pressure meaning no one knows why it is there, but it can be measured so it is there. There isn't a cure for it either, but it can be treated. I mean you could say it is something the doctors just make up to feel good about themselves because they can't cure and they can't tell me why I have it so it must be completely imaginary. Some people do find the "this is what I have how do I manage it" helps them much more than endless tests by endless doctors and endless quacks when they run out of doctors seeking some quick cure that doesn't exist. You get to choose how you deal with it, but that doesn't make other people bad and wrong if they chose a path that works for them.If the struggle and fight is causing more problems than it helps than sometimes it isn't worth doing that to yourself over and over. Some people do find accepting it and managing the situation they are in is what gives them the best control over time as the anger and the stress isn't good for them.

 

[Borrellifan]

Kathleen, do you have any studies or any proof that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a real disease? In all seriousness i would be interested in reading them. I know that doctors know that something is wrong and isn't working correctly in many of us, but that something isn't necessarily the same for all of us or caused by the same thing either, so how do all of us have "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" if everyone of us may have something different? I know for myself, i didn't have any type of pre-infection that caused my IBS to start. Atleast no infection that i could tell i had.

 

[BQ]

Check these links out:http://www.ibsgroup.org/linksRead the articles for yourself... seriously.I really don't think reputable institutions like the Mayo Clinic, The Univ of North Carolina Center for Functional GI Disorders, John's Hopkins etc... would be a party to any conspiracy about IBS....

 

[BQ]

Also here is another one:http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs/index.htm