just came accross this site so thought it was worth a post... please read on
Okay, i guess it's a good idea to start from the beginning
about 6 years ago (I'm now 21), i started getting symptons which were consistent with IBS. Mainly just loose bowel movements and wind, but also the big D and sometimes C. These symptons got worse, and more frequent, and after a while i think it became pretty obvious i had some form of IBS.
I went to the doctor a few times to try and sort it out , but i was easily put off taking things any further - so i just tolerated it. BTW, i have to say that after reading some of your guy's posts on this forum, i feel my IBS is not a severe form.
Well, things continued like this up until about a year ago - my typical symptoms are loose, upset stomach, poo which is long and stringy (sorry if this is too graphic), bloating and wind - sometimes this is extremely painful and then usually followed by D or a rapid bowell movement + sometimes C. Despite this obvious inconvenience, i can pretty much function OK on a day to day basis, by preparing myself and 'going' at home before i go anywhere - but i hardkly do anything spontanoues or overly-exciting anymore - its been over 3 years since i went on holiday.
Anyway, about a year and a half ago i had to go into hospital because the fluid around my brain was not draining properly from one compartent to another - to cut a long story short i was put on steroids to stop the swelling and this problem was also easily rectified
The thing is - after i was on the steroids for a few days i noticed a massive improvement in my condition (although at first i became constipated). After about 10 days i swear it was like being sympton free! All i had was integestion and slight bloating, but i think that is a known side effect of steroids and also due to the fact i was eating so much!! I was so happy because i was having the first normal poos i've had in years!!
Unsuprisingly, once i came off the steroids - i went back to normal (i know it was the steroids because the only other thing i was taking was paracemtol) Having experienced these 'normal' bowel movements, i went and saw my doctor again and plucked up the courage to finally having a colonscopy - i figured i could have collitis because that is a flamatory diease of the bowell and steroids have an anti-inflamitory effect
The colonoscopy proved there was nothing 'physically' wrong with my gut - although the doc who did it did notice a lot of spasms - i was then diagnossed with IBS
I'm posting here because i've hit a bit of a brick wall, over the past few years i've tried various things like
an exclusion diet - didn't really make much difference
pro-biotic pills - tried these but didn't seem to work
Colofac (Membeverine?) for the spasms - didn't seem to have any effect
Colpermin (pepppermint tabs) didn't seem to work, bu i only took them for a week
Anyway do you guys think perhaps i should try a specific type of probiotic pills or give the peppermint tabs longer to work + i know there are other kinds of anti- spasmodic drugs that might help
But what i really think might be a good route for me is aloe vera gel(not juice). I know i can't take steroids for the rest of my life, and i don't think i could find a doc to prescribe them anyway! - but aloe vera is often described as a natural steroid - so would surely make a good choice. The one thing i don't want is added D, which i've heard mite be a problem because aloe vera is used as a laxative. However, i've read that this only occurs with the juice, because it is obtained from a certain part of the leaf - the gel is obtained from another part which is free of lactose
I think i'm gonna give it a go anyway, but i would really appreciate people's views and experiences with aloe vera products.
Thanks for reading and sorry for long and probably grammatically incorrect post (but 2am here!) It feels good to get this stuff of my chest at last...