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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 12/5/2006 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I'm 18, and this is my story.

I went to college and got the 24 hour flu. Upon getting the 24 hour flu, nothing has been the same. The first 2 weeks I was constipated, and had to use an enema to finally go. However, within a month, I was back to the point where I could go on my own every 2-3 days. However, certain things persisted: nausea primarily. For a while I would have a burning sensation in my stomach, and if I didn't drink cold water, it would cause nausea with fatigue. I'm doing a little better now, but can still feel some bloating in my bowel area, and nausea that typically comes before or after eating meals. I have had h-PYLORI, Colonoscopy, and CT-scan, and they could find nothing. Sometimes I feel a little nausea after going to the bathroom as well. Thanks.
Posted 12/5/2006 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried probiotic pills, acidophillus milk and/or yogurt? Those "stomach flus" can wipe out the good bacteria in your guts and leave you not functioning properly. Also, when they are empty like that, it's easy to get an infestation of bad bacteria. Reintroducing good bacteria through the aforementioned items might get you back in balance and settle your stomach.

Also, did they test for h. pylori with a sample taken from your stomach during an endoscopy? I have heard that the blood tests for h. pylori are no where near as accurate as the sample. Burning sensations can be from too much acid in your stomach, or from h. pylori trying to form a stomach ulcer.

Have you also tried taking an antacid? Too much stomach acid can leave you nauseated. Also, lay off the typical college male food fare for a while: fried everything, pizza, cokes/caffeine, and beer/alcohol. All of those things are very bad on an irritated stomach. And make sure you eat regularly; going for too long between meals can increase your stomach acid and it will start causing you problems. Hopefully, though, if you baby your guts for a little while, they'll get straightened back out and you can go back to eating normally.
Posted 12/5/2006 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Ker,

I have been careful as to what I have been eating here, or tried too. Pasta with very little sauce, sandwiches on wheat bread, and some turkey bacon wraps. I drink only juice and water now. You're recommendation for yogurt is something I must look into. I took the H pi where you quickly drink a certain amount of fluid, than breath into a bag for results. I'm assuming too much acid in the stomach can be caused by something viral like 24hr flu? The thing is my roommate got it, as well as his sister, and nothing ever happened to them. Odd...
Posted 12/5/2006 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Matt,
Welcome to HealingWell! :-)
One of the best yogurts for the most friendly bacteria is Dannon Activia. See if you can get your hands on some of those. Also, you can try taking Tagament or Prilosec OTC for preventative heartburn. Stay away from peppermint or anything acidic like tomato sauce or citrus fruits (including bananas). If you're drinking apple juice that may also be adding to your bloat. Apples are notorious for causing gas, bloating and cramps.
Posted 12/5/2006 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the tips guys, you're my new best friends.

My doctor gave me the "cadillac" of heartburn pills- protonix. I guess it helped a little, but not enough to make me think heartburn is the central cause, I guess. You guys seem to know more than the doctors. Thanks again. I'll continue to eat right as well.
Posted 12/5/2006 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
As 7Lil said, Activia is a very good yogurt. I just started on it and I havent felt this good in a long time (especially after I took two rounds of antibiotics... eck). I found berries to be very good for the gut too.
Posted 12/5/2006 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Protonix is no cadillac. Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid and Aciphex are all considred good but some help one person and others help someone else. Protonix made me much worse and I know it must be the cheapest because it is the one most the HMO's use. You don't have to feel heartburn to have acid problems. I don't know why doctors don't make that clear. I would definetly try the probiotics and basically you should stay away from red meat for a while, eat chicken, fish, white food, things that are easy to digest. Cooked veggies and canned fruit and stay away from dairy for a week and see how you feel. The slowly add food back. Lazy Lady says berries help but they about they are hard for many to digest. Activia does work for some but I think the probiotics ar a safer route if you are not sure what is causing the problem.
Posted 12/5/2006 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for making that clear, Canyon. My doc's a good guy, but he must have been very incorrect in this subject. Is activia not as safe as probiotics?

Ah, the plot thickens...
Posted 12/6/2006 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
Matt,
What Canyon means is that Activia is yogurt - and for some people with lactose intolerance/allergy, it might pose a problem. Sometimes not though... it all depends on how bad the intolerance is.
Posted 12/6/2006 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry, I get it. I have been having cereal with milk everyday for awhile now, so I think it may be that the flu wiped out some of my good bacteria. Still, it bothers me that my friend and his sister never got any side problems with the flu...
Posted 12/6/2006 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
It is more than just the lactose it is different enzymes needed to digest dairy according to my Dr. If you want to continue with the cereal try either Lactaid MilK, Soy milk or Almond Milk which I love the best. However, I found when I am going thru a "spell of IBS" that cereal doesn't agree with me.

Matt, there is nothing wrong with Protonix. One of my Drs. preferred it as he said it was cheaper and did the same thing but for me it didn't. The only one I haven't tried is Aciphex. I have some here as I will take whatever the Dr. hands out free as they are all expensive. Just for the heck of it though, go a week without any dairy including cheese, ice cream, cream sauces and see if it helps. Many people find it has helped them in just a couple days get back on track and for the time being eat sort of bland food like I mentioned. It is worth a try at this point. You can always add things back if it doesn't work.
Posted 12/6/2006 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
You're right. I just wish I knew if I really had IBS, it's so darn hard to tell. I'll try everything you mentioned. Once again, chances are that because the stomach flu was involved, and my tests ruled out most other venues, it's probably IBS, right? Doc just doesn't know.
Posted 12/6/2006 5:53 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds to me more like a stomach imbalance than regular IBS. I bet if you really try these things that eventually all will be back to normal in the not too distant future. You dont get IBS from the flu but it can mimic it and if you stomach is out of balance it can take awhile. I would definetly continue the probiotics. and try the new diet. Let us know in a week how you feel but just keep watch for a week.
Posted 12/6/2006 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
You guys have been invaluable. Talk to you in a week.

Oh, btw: When I was constipated, I took something called metamucil fiber. It was in the shape of a graham cracker. When I took this fiber, I would get chills and feel like I had to vomit. However, when I take a different type of fiber, such as fiberchoice chewable tablets, I'm fine. Any explanations?

Post Edited (Sir Matt) : 12/6/2006 8:20:33 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/6/2006 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
Matt,
Our bodies are all different - that's why we have some many options for similar meds (i.e, aspirin & tylenol). You try one and it doesn't agree with you, so you try another. Fiber is the same way. I can handle Metamucil pills but when I took Citrucel pills I thought I would explode.
IBS is all about trial and error (I guess that can be said for pretty much everything).
Posted 12/6/2006 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
That's true 7. I once heard a doctor say, "The human body is still a mystery to us. We really only have a 40% understanding of how it operates. As for the other 60%? We act as if we do know."
Posted 12/10/2006 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Guys!

I started taking the Activia yogurt twice a day for the past 5 days and it really seems to be helping. I'm not as nauseous, and the odd feeling in my bowel (whatever it was) is greatly reduced. I'm noticing that when I try to decrease the dosage to once a day, I start to feel odd after awhile, so I just wanted to know how long I should keep taking the yogurt. Also, I still have to try the probiotics, but I'm not quite sure how to acquire them. I guess my body needed some of that “good” bacterium after all.
Posted 12/12/2006 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Matt, I've been having the same problem. I got out of balance after taking some antibiotics and I'm having on again, off again problems with my bowels that aren't the result of anything I've eaten, anything going on in my life, or from my usual excess bile problem. I'll get better after a few days, go off the yogurt and acidophillus, only to get messed up again.

Yogurt has both calcium and probiotics in it, both of which can do you some good. So long as it seems to be helping, just keep taking it until you get so sick of yogurt you can't stand to think about eating another carton of it. Then see if you can function normally without it.

If you want to boost your probiotic intake, you can get some at a pharmacy or grocery store pharmacy. You can get plain acidophillus pills in the herbal section, or you can get more expensive probiotic mixes like Digestive Advantage or Culturelle (you may can only find them in a phramacy, not at the grocery store). You can find them in with the other intestinal medicines (like with the Imodium and fiber drinks). Probiotic pills have a lot more good bacteria than yogurt, but, like fiber, they can make you gassy while you're adjusting to them. I haven't adjusted at all to the Culturelle, although I am better with the plain acidophillus now. I take a pill at night so that I can sleep through my gassiness.

I'd take the yogurt and/or probiotics for at least two weeks--not that taking them for a month will hurt you. If you get completely well, good! But don't forget to return to them if you get sick again. Some people are just more supceptible to having gut problems than others, so it never hurts to keep yourself boosted when you get sick, when you have to take antibiotics, or even when some "bug" is going around the dorm or you're in the middle of exams and are stressed out. Our intestines are actually a big part of our immune system; if you keep them in shape, you're less likely to catch stuff or suffer as long. My GI's nurse said she took the Culturelle a week before she went to Mexico, all three weeks she was there, and for a week afterwards; and she was the only person in her group that never got "Montezuma's Revenge". She swore by probiotics to keep you healthy.
Posted 12/12/2006 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Probioitcs that contain sugar, artificial sweetners or un-necessary additives can also contribute to getting gassy/bloated, find one that contains only potato starch or rice starch for preservation, the one I use is primadophilus rueteri made by natures way...you can get it from most healthfood stores or possibly even order it online...it must be kept cold so you'd have to make sure if you order it online the company ships it cold-packed.

:)
Posted 12/12/2006 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
I might have to try that, PB.  The Culturelle does work when I take it when I'm on antibiotics (it keeps me from getting D while taking them and kept me from getting D after taking antibiotics time-before-last).  But there's something about it that makes it too strong or something.  Even taking it before bed, I have gas cramps until mid-morning.  Better than D, but it keeps me from taking it any longer than I absolutely have to.  I think that's why I ran into problems after this last round of antibiotics; I stopped taking the Culturelle as soon as I stopped taking the antibiotics, forgetting that the doctor told me that those kinds of antibiotics stay in the system another week to 10 days after you stop taking the pills. 

Unfortunately I can't take DA because it has sorbitol in it.  I absolutely must not have so much as a trace of that stuff; 1 gram put me in the bed for 2 solid days in unbearable pain and with uncontrollable diarrhea.  But I don't know what the Culturelle would have in it that my guts don't like so much, except a butt-load of probiotics.  I don't have a problem with any other kinds of sugar, just the sugar alcohols. 

Posted 12/12/2006 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
Keri,
Culturelle only has 1 strand of bacteria... Lactobacillus GG. Could you be less toloerant of that one? Seems a bit odd, but probably possible. I take Culturelle and have never had gas or bloating with it; not even in the beginning when I started it. ???
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