Hi all!
How thankful we all seem, to be able to share stories/experiences and get advice/support from fellow IBS (or is it?!) sufferer's! As the problems we suffer from are not "visible", it is hard for anyone else to realise/understand what we are going through! there is much worse out there, however, eating/drinking/toileting are basic, essential daily functions....and it's not a lot to ask, just to be able to poo easily!! What does it mean to have a "normal bowel movement" anymore...I for one, cannot remember what this is!
I started to experience symptoms of bloatedness/fullness and stomach pain in 2008. Symptoms were put down to "stress" by my GP, as I was about to move to Australia from the UK. I certainy did not feel stressed, and had moved from the UK before an appointment for a gastroscopy arrived. When in Oz, my symptoms became increasingly worse. I began to experience mild rectal prolapse, this became progressively worse, as did the bloatedness and I also became constipated ( I think the prolapse was blocking the stool, I have never suffered constipation prior to this). I was taking a combination of lactulose, movical, coloxyl with senna, and mircolax enema's! Things got so bad one night, i was scared that I had bowel obstruction, and so took myself to ED. What a horrible time, and it has not got any easier! Eventually in May 2011 (aged 28years) I had a colonscopy and gastroscopy. I then had surgery to correct the rectal prolapse. Again, a horrible experience/time. Since then, I have been dependant on laxatives. I was takign coloxyl with senna every day for a year following the surgery. My surgeon said he could not explain why someone of my age (and have not experienced childbirth!) got rectal prolapse in the first place,or why I have a slow gut! I saw a dietician who told me I was doing everything right dietary wise (which I knew, but was so desparate, willing to try anything!) Some days, 2 coloxyl wasn't enough, so increased regularly +/- lactulose.
This year, I was referred to a functional gut disroder (FGD) clinic. I was told I had IBS, and to stop taking coloxyl, but to take movical daily. I started this immediately. I was also asked to see the dietician at the clinic. I did this, to show willing! I was advised to trial the low FODMAP diet (google it!) and have been doing thsi for almost 3 months, with little improvement in symptoms. Infact, times have been so bad where I have felt so uncomfortable with constipation, that I have taken 12 movical sachets, coloxyl with senna, and a microlax enema...alll in one day, with minimal effect :-(
I then requested to see the gastro consultant. I was advised to see a bowel physio for biofeedback therapy, and have an appointment for this later in the week. I was also given a 2 week trial of Prucalopride. I took it in the evening, the first night...I was awake, feeling very hot, headaches, stomach pains, very gassy, and had to use the toilet in the night. Day 1 & 2, I took my movical with the Prucalopride, as I did not want to omit it and become worse! Tonight,I have taken the 3rd dose without movical, as I was awake last night with terrible wind, and to use the toilet, and today have experienced diarrohoea all day long! yet, it still feels like my rectum is not empty!!!!! what next?!!! who knows, but at least, at this rate, I can say I have tried EVERYTHING suggested!!!! I have also been referred back to the surgeon to check that the prolapse is not returning, I hope not, I do not want to have to go through that operation again!
Anyhow, there's my story. We're all different, yet suffering in much similar ways. It's frustrating to experience the symptoms that we do. I guess the one thing we can take from this forum, is the reassurance that we are not alone, as it very often feels that way!
It would be good for people to keep their experiences/advice coming....what helps one, may help another (fingers crossed!) meanwhile, happy eating & good luck emptying!!!!
Post Edited (pompid) : 12/4/2012 3:59:10 AM (GMT-7)