[topsytopsy]

Hi everyone - I just posted on another board, but after reading some of the messages here, just had to post again. Here's the story - the usual symptoms - nausea, diarrhea, pain, gas getting progressively worse from 1990 to 1995. Tried all the diets - no wheat, no dairy, high fiber, etc., and OTC medications were worthless. Was tested for bacteria, parasites, etc, and underwent two colonoscopies (by different doctors) that showed nothing. Diagnosis - "IBS". Treatment - "Just live with it."Eventually lost a good job that took me 20 years to get, because I couldn't stay off the toilet long enough to do my work any longer. The diarrhea just got worse, and finally I couldn't leave the house. The urgency was so great, I couldn't make it to the bathroom half the time. By then, other things were going wrong, too - hair falling out by the handful, severe fatigue, weight GAIN, painful aching muscles and joints. Everything I had read up to that point said 'hypothyroidism' - EXCEPT that hypos usually have constipation, not diarrhea. Long story short - some hypos DO have diarrhea - something many doctors don't realize. When I finally got a correct diagnosis - severe untreated hypothyroidism - and started on GOOD thyroid meds, my diarrhea dried up completely, along with the nausea and heartburn.It wasn't "IBS" - it never was. Thirteen years of thinking it was IBS, two years in bed, a good job lost....because of all the doctors who were too busy/lazy/unconcerned/uninformed to take the time to figure it out.Unfortunately, thyroid disease and it's treatment is a subject that's barely touched on in most medical schools. Just a reminder - if you have any similar symptoms of thyroid disease, ask your doctor for a TSH test - it's a simple, inexpensive blood test for thyroid hormone. See Mary Shoman's board at thyroid.about.com for more information about thyroid disease. Constipation and diarrhea are major symptoms of thyroid problems. Thanks for listening and good luck.

 

[Guest]

Are your "IBS Symptoms" gone now? How is a thyroid treated/cured? Does it affect your lifesytle etc. Im curious as this could be a thing for myself to look into sometime down the road.

 

[squeaker]

It is possible to have both. I take thyriod medication for hypothyriodism (i have been taking it for many years and have regular blood tests)and i also have IBS-C. When i first started having IBS symptoms my TSH was checked and no medication adjustment was needed. It doesn't hurt to have it checked if you are having IBS symptoms, its just a quick blood test.

 

[hzleyes001]

I had my thyroid removed 2 years ago, I think too that my thyroid problems/or lack of a thyroid have a lot to do with my bowel problems, have been diagones with ulcerative colitis from one specialist, then re diagnosed with IBS from another specialist, first specialist said nothing to do with thryroid, 2nd one said it did have something to do with it and gp dismisses the thyroid/bowel connection all together, have suffered for 10 years, from chronic diarrohea, havent been able to hold down a job or friends for that matter, social life is non existent, getting pretty fed up, just found this site, hope I can find some answers. All the best.