Introduction: Evrblue

Welcome to the forum Jen, this is a good place to get information and more importantly vent and realize that you are not alone! I don't have IBS, but I have other digestive disorders, namely some remaining side effects from gallbladder surgery and an internal rectal prolapse and resulting hemmorhoids/fissures! So see, where else can one be so candid about such previously taboo topics! LOL!

Re: the diarrhea? I feel for you, it feels sometimes like our lives revolve around the bathroom! Some people have good results from taking calcium supplements? What is your doctor saying about this?

Welcome to the HW family Jen. You've landed in a wonderfully supportive group of bowel issues people, I glean info from 3 forums here - IBS, ostomies and Ulcerative Colitis. I guess you could thrown in Crohn's while we're at it. While reading the UC forum I discovered others touting probiotics in pill form and now I take Renew Life Critical Colon, 80 mg each night at bedtime, on a completely empty stomach. But like you I struggle, day in, day out to minimize my IBS-like symptoms, you see I found myself in this situation after my temporary colostomy was reversed 12 years ago (I had rectal cancer). I'm missing the bottom 1/3 of my colon and on top of that my gall bladder (my doctors discovered I had "hundreds" of gall stone during a pre-op cat scan so while under for my colon resection, they took out the GB too). Long story short, my life has never been the same in 12 years. I work part time as well and have a great family. In a perfect world, I'd stay home forever never working but at least my piddly little job gets me out of the house and I am able to contribute to our family's income in a small way (mainly to help offset college tuition for our youngest daughter).

Over 12 years I have tried so many things - high fiber, then low fiber (low residue diet), Fibercon pills, Immodium, retraining my bowels with suppositories, etc. Now I just eat plain foods, take Colace twice a day, the probiotic and always know where bathrooms are located. I wear Stayfree Ultra thin maxi pads, XL or overnight type a lot too. For extra protection.

My latest tactic seems to help - organic liquid yogurt from a local dairy, the cows are grass fed and this yogurt is so thick, I almost picture it coating my colon walls as it's ingested. Silly thought I know, but hey I am seeing some benefit from this product. I try to drink a 4 oz glass 3 times a day.

Well, once again, I know what it feels like to struggle with bowel issues, especially when the rest of the world has normal colons. Do have a pet Jen? We had a sweet golden retriever who passed away last Dec., we had her for 11 years. Now we have a new puppy, he's 11 months, he's not quite there yet with becoming my personal therapy dog, like my old golden (bless her heart), but having a dog to hang in the bathroom with you, is the next best thing to having no bowel issues IMHO. I imagine a cat would suffice too (grew up with cats).

Please stick around, you'll fit right in and meet many nice people here.

Mary/Marsky