Hey, I'm new here

Hey, it's nice to see a support board. I have suspected IBS, onset after a traumatic death in my family.... I have on/off D/bloating/severe cramps… I haven noticed some mucus in my stools. I also have immediate urges to have a BM.   Some of my history.... It started after my grandmother's death. I was 19 years old. I would have up to 10 explosive bowel movements a day. I thought it was just from being stressed, but they continued. And were sporadic. Some days I would be fine, others I would spent half the day in the bathroom. I had severe cramping (that sent me to the ER a few times) and bloating, which, once I had a BM, would go away.   It's been 4 years now and I'm just going to my doc about these symptoms. I have made appts, but cancelled them simply because my cramps and diarrhea would go away, (and then re-appear!) and I didn't feel justified in making an appt. I think I was in denial.   Has anyone had dumping syndrome w/ IBS? Occasionally, about 1-2 hrs after I eat, my food comes right out of me. It’s the same food that I just ate. Clear as day. I know this is a symptom of dumping syndrome, but was wondering if anyone else has experienced this as well? It probably only happens a few times a month, but enough to “notice” it.    Right now I suffer about twice a week w/ the "D" and horrible, horrible stomach pains that have me running to the bathroom. Some weeks it's better, (w/ none) some are worse. Some days it's 4 times a day, the next none, the next 1, the next week none, etc etc.   I am going into my doc next week to continue discussing this with her. I know they can do a gastric emptying scan to test for the dumping syndrome, but are there any tests for IBS?   Thank you!   edited to comment: my father has collitis (sp?), my 2nd cousin has spastic colon....... does anyone know the % of this being hereditary?   Post Edited (mdgirl) : 12/1/2005 10:53:51 PM (GMT-7)

Hi mdgirl,
Hi and welcome to Healing Well!! :)

Basically IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. They will do tests and if they don't find anything and your symptoms are consistent with, they will dx you with IBS. The most common IBS tests are fecal occult test (testing for blood in the stool), parasite testing, barium enema and/or colonoscopy (w/or w/out biopsies).

IBS is a functional disorder. Even though they don't see anything on your tests, it doesn't diminish the symptoms that we face with it. Your gut is more sensitive than the average person and they symptoms can range from annoyance to debilitating from one person to another. Its very important that you get the necessary testing done to get an official dx. Even though your symptoms sound right on the money for IBS, you need to make sure.

There is no cure for IBS. Fortunately a lot more focus is being done by doctors and researchers to find out the causes and treatments of IBS. There seem to be many different theories and many of them make sense. More and more studies are showing that there may in fact be a genetic factor on why we are more likely to develop IBS. My mother and grandmother have it as well.

Many people have found relief through probiotics, calcium carbonate, food diary (my personal fav :), etc. Many more will share their experiences. We are very glad to have you here.

Please let us know what the doctor says and take care :)

Hey, thank you everyone for your replies! They were very helpful and I feel better knowing I am not alone. I go to my doc in 2 weeks so I will let you know what goes on.....

Interestingly enough, my boyfriend has Crohns and he had been symptom-free for almost 20 years, and this past Spring he had another flare-up, (the tummy-aches, "D", imflammation of small intestine) but it's been controlled now w/ the use of meds. (he is on 6 a day!). He feels fine, and is active and in good shape.... you would never know that him (or myself!) had anything "wrong". We've talked about having kids in the future (after marriage, etc) and we are hesitant because him having Crohns, his sister having spastic colon, my father having Collitis, and myself having IBS, we worry we would give our poor child a bad GI gene! I would be very interested to learn more about the genetic factor as well!

Those tests sound fine, w/ the exception of the colonoscopy. Ugh. My b/f has had 3 and while he said they weren't "nice", it was't too bad. I just hope they would dope me up w/ Versed so I wouldn't remember anything!!

Thanks again for your replies!!

Take care and I will be checking back on this board tonight. I see a lot of info here!

Post Edited (mdgirl) : 12/2/2005 10:37:14 AM (GMT-7)

Crohn's is definitely herditary. My mother's father has two or three brothers with it and my mother's sister has it. My great uncle Bill had it before they even knew what it was. It appeared in him during the War; I don't know how long after that it was that they came up with a name for it. Which means if you are tracking incidences of it through your family, you won't be able to track back very far. But, as you can see from my family, not everyone has it. My grandfather and his other four or so brothers don't have it and neither does my mother or her brother. I don't have it either and my aunt's son doesn't have it (although he's still a teenager and it usually doesn't manifest until the 20's or so). I'm not sure what the actual chance of passing that along is. Obviously higher if it appears in your family too, even if you don't have it.

Along with that, gall bladder disease is herditary. I can't imagine, then, that IBS and other gastric diseases aren't also passed along. But gastric diseases, however unpleasant, aren't life-threatening. My great-uncle Bill lived to be 82. So he lived with Crohn's for 60 years or so. There are plenty of people in this world who have a family history of cancer, but don't think twice about having a child. Obviously you hope your child never develops cancer, but no one, much less two people, is free from genetic defects which can be passed on. The only people who really have to refrain from reproducing are those who will definitely pass a terminal condition on to their child. If you chose to not have a child, adoption is always a wonderful option. Personally I'm always amazed at the lengths some people will go to to reproduce themselves when there are perfectly good children in Russia, China, and Africa that are in desperate need of a parent. Obviously you have to shell out a good deal of money to get one, but you might as well get used to that; you're going to be the First National Bank of Mom and Dad for the next 22+ years!!

You should check out the Crohn's board; I'm sure some of them over there will have some statistics for you. Some of them who have Crohn's have had children (way difficult given the meds some of them have to take); they can at least offer their own thoughts on it. Also, some of the people on there don't have Crohn's but have a spouse who has it and they offer support and advice with how to help out.

It's actually fortunate that you two have found each other--no one understands gastric distress like someone who has it. If my fiance ever comes down with something or eats something that doesn't agree with him, he knows he can come to me for medicine. When we go on our camping trips I take a plastic shoebox with me that's full of medicine. I'm ready for anything--from a twisted back or blown-out knee to every type of stomach distress imaginable. My mother's a nurse, so I'm used to her having a well-stocked pharmacy and first-aid kit to treat all of my ills--so I guess I get that from her. Just take care of one another. I think that bonds people closer than anything else.

Have you searched online for "Gastric Dumping?" I remember finding an article about it several months back. I think I posted it here, but Lord only knows where it is or what it was entitled. I think it had tips on how to keep it from happening (certain things could trigger it and certain eating patterns could help keep it from happening). I think there may even be medicine that can slow it down.