[lockett]

Hi guys,I must have BM more than 7-8 times every day. I can't remember a day in the last 18 months when I haven't had one. I remember blissfully the times when I didn't have this problem and its really annoying me that I do now. I don't have diarroea (or D as you guys sensibly call it) very often, and I can't say I have constipation as that means you go less than twice a day, which I clearly don't. I rarely go for more than half an hour feeling empty and fine, then the farting/flatulating starts. It never smells, its just gas. And if I don't go at exactly the right time, I end up with trapped wind and excessive flactulence for the next hour or so. If I try to go then all that happens is I sit down for half an hour with the occasional blow of air from my bum.The fact that my diet seems to consist solely of 'trigger foods' is not good, but what else would I eat!Does any one else have this problem, just needing to have 'slug' like poops all day long. I haven't had a good log for ages!I look forward to hearing from you guys.Charlie (19)

 

[MaritimeGirl]

I hear ya loud and clear! Been there, done that. First of all, if you want to get better and get some of a life back, kick your ass, stop feeling down and avoid those damn trigger foods. Your not hurting your friends, they're out having a good time, and you, you can't even answer the phone because you can't leave the crapper! Here's my advice:1. You need to stay away from your trigger foods and get your gut settled a bit to slow down the "D".2. For the next 1 - 6 weeks (maybe a bit longer, maybe a bit less) STICK TO a plain white rice, plain baked chicked and plain baked fish diet (no canned fish). Don't add anything to it. The blander, the better for the time being.3. ABSOLUTELY no caffeine, fruit juice, pop, etc. SIP on room temperature water all day and lots of it! No candy, no ice cream, no breads, no potatoes, no wheat, no cereals, no alcohol.4. If you can handle taking a multi-vitamin do so (although for me it made my "D" worse and I couldn't take anything).5. Give yourself at least 7-14 days of this really bland diet and then try introducing something new. Maybe a piece of fruit (low citrus fruit) or a vegetable with your meal (cooked would be easier on your stomach). If you get "D" then ease off for another day or two and try something else. 6. Eat smaller meals more often. You're definitely in for pain if you eat too much at one sitting.Good luck. This really works for me when I'm at my worst. It sucks but it helps. Hang in there.

 

[iambalthazar]

This was really good advice. I needed somewhere to start with diet!

 

[lockett]

The advice seems to be aimed at people with D (that does mean diarrhoea?). I maybe have that once every 3 months, and with 7-8 BM's a day that's very rare.What about people who just have to do normal poos, admittedly often hard/lumpy/'slug'/snake like, but thats still not D.

 

[MaritimeGirl]

Sorry Charlie. I thought you meant you were having "D" (yes diarreah) 7-8 times/ day. It stil wouldn't hurt you to follow the diet and then start adding foods in to see what helps and what doesn't. ABSOLUTELY stay away from processed foods. Processed breads, bagels, cereals

are a killer. Go to your health food store or health food section and get some flax seed oil, psyllium, and stuff like that and start slowly adding it to your diet. You can sprinkle it on top of whole grain cereals from health food section, make yourself some chicken & rice soup and stir it in as a thickener, get creative. You still need LOTS & LOTS of room temp. water (at least 8 glasses day) because anytime you start adding fiber you need the water to push it through. If you don't drink the water with it, your "C" and gas pain will just get worse and harder to move.

 

[blonde21]

Charlie, Thank God there is someone out there like me!!!I have the exact same problem as you. I go 4-9 times a day. I don't have D and I obviously don't have C. I find that you and I are in a rare group. I've been on this board for years now, and I rarely find anyone who's got our symptoms. Do you also experience a lot of pain? I get really bad pain sometimes until my colon is completely emptied. Then I'm fine. I go all moring long, and sometimes after dinner. It seems if I eat I'm going to have to poop. BUT it's NEVER D! I might get D once or twice a month as the last BM I had for the day. The only thing that seems to work for me is to drink Metamucil a few nights per week. If I take too much, it's makes things worse and I go even more. My stools (sorry if this is gross) are always usually formed. The Metamucil helps make them fuller. Otherwise they are like pencils with a playdough consistancy.I don't know whatelse advice to give you becase I eat like #### too. I gave up on finding "trigger" foods. I went and got tested for food allergies, though, and knowing those helped out a lot. I basically eat what I want, don't take vitamins, and just stick to the matamucil. One of my worst episodes happend the day after I ate a really healthfully (turkey, veggies, etc ...) so I give up! I just figure I'm going to be on the pot for most of the morning having my 4-9 FORMED BM's. Good luck, E-mail me if you want to talk more about your symptoms, etc ... Sarah (26)

 

[Stedwell]

Hi Lockett.I know what you are experiencing first hand. It really gets me down sometimes that I waste so much time in the loo. It's really embarrassing at work as I am always in there. Like you if I don't go then the gas and wind starts. I also have to be empty to feel comfortable. I must go at least 5-6 times a day but never 'd'.

 

[Arnie W]

Can I join in this exclusive club? I have all that and more - I get the horrible bloating and smelly gas. Have never had pain which makes you want to reach for pain relif, bur get discomfort which is somethin like having stitch. Several BMs a day, but, fortunately, these are often not urgent, and that means not having to worry about where the nearest loo is. Often get the 'pebbles'.I'm interested in the aforementioned diet, esp as chicken and rice make up the bulk of my diet anyway. What would be a good way to make up the chicken soup to get it a bit tastier and more interesting?

 

[lockett]

Its strange to be happy that someone else is experiencing these problems, but it is nice to know that other people go through the same things you do.I'm lucky enough to be going to New York this xmas and new year (I live in the UK) but I'm really worried about how impractical my IBS is going to make it. Ideally I'd love to spend new years eve in Times Square but that will be impossible with IBS! I've read that you have to be there from around 12pm and realistically you can't move much from the spot you find. There aren't any public toilets so i think my family are gonna have to miss out on this. It's depressing that my bowels can affect other peoples enjoyment, but I can't help it!

 

[matrixd]

have to join the club also. i'm neither D or C. but need BM up to 4 times everyday. get all the unconfort after meals but unlike others everything seems to be a trigger for me, i just need to empty out after any large meal. although some things are worse triggers than others such as dairy products, cakes and breads, heavy meats like steak and chocolate and fast foods. all the junk food really. i'm using ibsacol to try control things at the moment. also my worsed symptom is anxiety induced ibs. in these situations i get full on D. the fear of not been near a toilet or performance related anxiety causes me to get really bad symptoms like some-one who is full ibs-D. cramps, gas, bloating, nausea, D etc. i'm thinking about perhaps maybe anti-anxiety meds. any suggestions??