[willybobo123]

So here's my deal -- About 2 years ago, I had a horrible experience -- dunno what happened -- but I was on the bus and all of a sudden I felt a BM coming on. I got off the bus, felt a bit better. Got on the next one, no prob. I get to my train and the **** hits the fan, no joke. I scramble like a maniac as my wife will confess until I finally get to a restroom. I do my business. Explosive D, might I add. And off we go to my home. Since then, as far as I can tell, I've been royally screwed. Dunno if this situation was the cause of what was to follow or not, but it's the obvious candidate for the trauma. Anyway, I've had these feelings---upon reading many posts on the board-- I'm still not sure I would describe them as pains. Basically, for lack of a better term, I get the feeling I may #### my pants all the time. Do BM give me momentary relief? At times. But frequently no. So me and my fiancee at the time discounted it as some sort of stress related to getting married. Anyway, that went off without a hitch.Throughout this period, I've been to my GI several times. FIrst they gave me the stool test--no dice--no mucus--no nada--all's good, although I swear the stuff's yellowish many times---next they tell me to go nuts with the metamucil/then they switched to citrucel. So I take the stuff--yum--like tang--and no improvements. My new bride had been very understanding but it frustrates her as it does me. Anyway, last time in the doc gives me a prescrip for nulev i think and I've only been driven to use it once (I am paranoid of any medicines and I'd rather have a poddy problem than a cardiac one, if you get my drift). Anyway, whn i used it---it did little except stall the knee-jerk **** need I was feeling, until I got to a restroom. And then another explosive D.Interesting side notes---which also make my IBS (I have been formally diagnosed) hard to swallow for others---These feelings of #2 coming on are usually worse when I'm with people. When I'm alone, reading a book or listening to my CD player during my commute, no problem. I had given up on the citrucil, but I'm going back on although it seems to have little effect. When I'm home, I can go without a BM for 12 hours or so. When I'm out, I guess mu mind gives me the heeby-jeebies and I freak out and have to go many times. But even this is hard for me to believe--I've tried the whole self-relaxation thing many times to no avail.OK, I know I took the long way to my question but I guess it's good background for whoever can help and damnit it just feels so good to actually type this stuff and get it out of my system. very therapeutic. ANYWAY, so i have this buddy, who tells me that he also has IBS. Now this does not make me happy as this buddy of mine is notorious for chasing down chili cheesedogs with a blue slushee. And i think, hey my diet is pretty well-balanced. Anyhows, he tells me I should just pop a few Imodiums when I feel I have to go constantly. I have never taken his advice, and when I asked my GI, he said it could actually make things worse.SO, if anyone out there can tell me whether or not Imodium sounds like it might do the trick for me, PLEASE let me know.By the way, I've eliminated caffeine from my diet and have started drinking camomille tea.Little effect, have i noticed. Pardon the yoda affectation.I have also gone through the whole go to toilet before you go anywhere, and again before you leave period.

 

[Susan Purry]

Sure, imodium would help you out. You can take it for acute diarrhoea, when you take say 2 tablets after the D to prevent you getting it again. Or, if you have chronic D, you can take smaller doses of Imodium regularly. You mentioned that your symptoms are worse when you're around people, but not when you're alone and relaxing. Perhaps there is some anxiety around? Anxiety can really bring on a bad bout of D. It may be that after the first time you had the D, you've been a little worried that it will happen in front of people. The worry (anxiety) then sets of your bowel. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy sadly. You can get a handle on this by using relaxation techniques, and if that doesn't work well enough, you could consider investing in some hypnotherapy recordings for anxiety or gut-specific for IBS.

 

[knothappy]

It sounds like you wrote my story, fine alone, but the second I have to somewhere with someone, big time diarreha. My GI doc has me on 4 Imodium a day, sometimes it works, othere times not. He says it is a safe drug that I can take for the rest of life if I have to-go figure how different doctors think, if they do not know what the heck they are doing how can we?I also take 3 Caltrate calicium a day and Nulev if I am out and start that horrible feeling, but like you said all it does is delay things!!

 

[Jeanne D]

Hi willy,I'm sure a lot of us can relate to your experiences. I know I can.I find that , like you I am generally fine when I'm at home, where I am the most relaxed,but the minute it's time to go anywhere I get a lot of cramping and D.I have also gone out and felt fine, until I started worrying that I would have a problem, and then I would start cramping . I would change my train of thought at that point and then I would be ok again.Stress can definately affect your IBS, among other things.As far as Immodium goes.. I don't use it all the time, but I have used it, especially on long trips , and I have had positive results.It has definately helped me stop having D. I have to be careful not to take too much because it can give me C, and then I start having bladder problems as well.Basically , I am saying that it can really help during those explosive D episodes, and especially in stressful situations , when our symptoms seem to intensify.Another thing I do is suck on Altoids peppermints.They calm my stomach and eventually, they stop the cramping I sometimes experience while I'm out.I always carry them in my purse.These are just a couple of suggestions for you.There are other options as well..You know as you experiment, what works best for you.I hope you feel better, and get the D under control.Take care,Jeanne

 

[AntonioRI]

Hey Willie-B! You're the first person I've spoken with whose IBS came on just after getting married! It's now sort of an inside joke between my wife and me that she makes me sick

I have the exact same symptoms you speak of, though frequently the urge is there, but no D. I took Immodium for the first time the other day and it worked, and worked, and worked.....I couldn't even pass gas for a whole day! Anxiety plays a huge role in most people's IBS. If you didn't have it before, you certainly have it now! I started Paxil 3 weeks ago and I am having some success with it (though at first it made things worse). I also take a Calcium Supplement three times daily with each meal. I am also planning on starting therapy soon. I know my IBS is emotionally charged as I have very stressful living conditions (emotionally stressful) and I think if I deal with that the IBS will get better too! Please see your doctor -- I'm glad I finally started medicine for this, it's the only thing that seemed to work. Good luck and let me know how things go!

 

[Kathleen M.]

As long as you take a low enough dose so that you do not constipate yourself the medical studies seem to indicate that long-term even daily Imodium use to control IBS is safe and effective.Some people may find the knowledge that they took the dose helps with the mental aspect of the whole "what if mode" that can cause an attack.Learning stress reduction, doing Hypnotherapy or CBT for the IBS symptoms can help to. The mind talks to the gut nerves. So the mind can "talk" in ways that sets it off, or calms it down.Peppermint is an antispasmodic and is helpful for a lot of people, but if you get heartburn it can make that worse.K.

 

[nmwinter]

hi willyyou're story isn't that unusual at all. I guess that's good news and bad news

I myself have IBS that alternates between D and C so it's a little different but I completely understand the whole situational D problem. Frankly, I prefer C since i never ave to worry about getting to a bathroom RIGHT NOW!!Imodium can be your friend. I'm not sure what your doc meant by it causing more problems unless he meant that it can constipate you. And yes it can for some of us so I use it only when needed or to give myself that extra layer of prevention, especially when traveling. But long term use isn't a problem form all I've read and heard, including from my docs.I highly recommend you look into both calcium and hypnotherapy (or other similar therpaies). Like you, I have a huge aversion to medication. I know that it's absolutely necessary under some circumstances but not for me for IBS. I have had tremendous luck with hypnotherapy - it's given me the ability to better actively control attacks even when I can't prevent them. I haven't had to make a mad dash to a bathroom in months although I have had some bad attacks (difference between being able to hold off and having an accident). I've also found fewer attacks. I plan to continue down this road and am confident of even more success.I also use calcium supplements. Calcium carbonate constipates so people with IBS D often have good results. I have to add magnesium to the mix personally since I tend to consitpate anyway. For more info on hypno and other similar therapies, check out the CBT, anxiety and Hypno forum (see coping tools). For more info about calcium, look at the OTC forum I believe. There is a really long thread there on calcium successes.nancy

 

[Tucker]

Hi. I'm a male, too -- 34 years old. My doctor prescibes me four Immodium a day. I've been taking it for about four years. I take it at night right before bed. I never get diahrea anymore. Your doctor doens't sound very bright.

 

[willybobo123]

Wow!You guys are awesome!In under 2 hours, I've gotten better advice from this board when compared to countless GI visits. And yes, I fear my doc is none too bright. As a matter of fact, twice I was seen by a different physician instead of the I'm-too-busy-esp.-when-it-comes-to-some-poor-schmoe-with-IBS-like-you doctor.Anyway, I will definitely try the peppermint altoids. But as far as Imodium is concerned, one of the reasons I also hesitated was the steep price. $10 for 6-8 tablets, while healthy for my ass, is not healthy for the wallet my ass sits on. Any suggestions? I'd read in other posts about generic brands? Any recommendations?By the way, the fact that it hit when I was getting married definitely sucked. I can't tell you how bad it made me feel that the $2 diagnosis was stress because of a marriage. Especially when it's supposed to be the happiest moment of our lives thus far. Fortunately, the honeymoon went off without a hitch.Funny, I never get an attack when I'm with my mistress though. BAD JOKE. Sorry.Anyway, thanks a million for your help -- each and every last one of you!!!

 

[nmwinter]

generics work well. I get mine at places like Target or Walmart. If you can get to a place like Costco, it's really cheap. I've also heard of some people getting loperamide as a prescription so insurance covers it. That;s just generic imodium. I've never looked into that since I doubt mine would cover it and I don't take enough to warrant that. But something to think of if you are taking it daily. and I would still look into the calcium if I were you - another cheap and effective way to control D. If you were female, I'd recommend it even stronger since all docs I've even ad love the fact that I take calcium regularly - saves them the lecture they normally give women

nancy

 

[Kisha]

I was on Imodium for at least 10 years and I didn't have any side affects. My doc doesn't think that there is a problem with taking them because he also doesn't think there are side effects.

 

[qheart]

If you have a Dollar Store, they are cheap! I can get a lot of things like this WAY cheaper at the Dollar Store, than I can at Wally World, K-mart, or Target, or any drug store!I think a lot of persons seem to have this thing against going to "A Dollar Store", but I sure don't because it saves me cash!! I get all of my cleaning supplies, washing powders/liquid, shampoo, conditioner, cough medicines, tylenol/aspirins, etc....there as well, and they also sell some boxed and can foods, just like Wally World and K-mart do!The bad thing....Immodium, of any sort, does not work for me. Nor does Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate, however spelled, and most of the prescription drugs either! After 18 years of this it would be fantastic to find something, affordable, that actually worked completely!