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IBS Beyond My Breaking Point.

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 4/15/2007 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
I am 23 years old and I have IBS, I've always had a really bad spell once a month but things got worse a month ago. I ended up in the hospital after having diarrhea for over 72 hours straight. They gave me some anti-nausea medication as well as medication to ease the stomach cramps, I couldn't even walk upright.

Month later I'm having a bad spell, I've had diarrhea since Tuesday, it's now Saturday. I've been vomiting for three nights from the constant pain and discomfort. I can't eat anything, hold anything in or function. I'm suffering and going back and forth on suicidal thoughts, the pain is too much to handle. I've dropped three pants sizes already..just keeps getting worse. I thought about going back to the hospital but they'll just tell me to drink Immodium, which causes more stomach cramping.

Any advice? Please?

Posted 4/15/2007 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
I just joined this forum, and i feel for you. IM not even sure if i have IBS, but what you describe is about 100 times worse than what i can imagine. Sometimes i get depressed that i can't go out and do things when my stomach hurts, and i just sit at home. But the thing is, dont' give up. YOu are just 23, you have a long life ahead of you with lots of medical break throughs ready to happen. And no matter how bad it seems, there is always someone out there that has it worse. Maybe thats not comforting, or trite, but its true. hang in there.
Posted 4/15/2007 3:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Tanqueray,

Welcome to HealingWell!  :-)

Your symptoms seem extreme to be IBS.  Have you been scoped?  Nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and cramping are all signs of IBD (UC or Crohn's).  Do you have diarrhea too?

Don't get me wrong, the above mentioned symptoms can be IBS as well, however, usually one doesn't vomit (especially that much!) or have such a drastic weight loss.  What sort of tests have you had to get to the IBS diagnosis?

Have you tried drinking ginger tea?  It really does wonders for nausea.

Has your doc given you any antispasmodics for the pain?

If I were you I would really go back to the doc and ask for a second opinion.

If you're still vomiting and not able to eat I would go to the ER or Urgent Care.  You need some IV fluids.  Maybe you can demand more tests.

So sorry you are feeling as bad as your are.  I hope you can get answers soon....

Posted 4/15/2007 4:09 AM (GMT 0)

Gracie's Mom-

I've been to one Internist but she was a real "Hippy" and didn't want to treat any of this. She said I needed to let things "run their natural course" and modify my diet. She tried to blame my weight on all of it. As far as the hosptial, been there a lot in the last 6 months. I'm always dehydrated now because I can't keep anything down. They always set-up an IV and give me fluids and send me packing with a few pills. I've never heard of "lactaided ringers " before. I've never been tested for crohn's or anything. My symtoms were checked and they said it was IBS and triggered by stress but this last time they said they thought I might have Crohn's but without proper testing there was no way to be sure about it and with the state I was in it seemed like a bit much to put me through testing that may be unecessary. I don't have health insurance or a regular doctor so doing any follow-up has been impossible for me. I don't know what to do. I'm at the end of my rope. I don't know if I could go to an urgent care because like I said I don't have insurance. My only option is the hospital because they will send me a bill I can make payments.

7Lil-

I've never been scoped as I said to Gracie they didn't want to push last time I was in for any further testing. I always have diarrhea, this time it is pretty bad. As for tests they said that you could just as easily go through symptoms to diagnose IBS as well as doing the Iodine testing. I don't know, just hoping that there is something else I can do besides making things worse with medical testing, scopes and anymore pain inflicted... sad

Posted 4/15/2007 4:35 AM (GMT 0)

I'm sorry you are enduring all this.  It sounds miserable.  You definitely need a colonoscopy at least, especially if you are having constant diarrhea.  Where do you live?  Do you qualify for Medicaid?  Most hospitals can put you on a payment plan so you wouldn't have to put up a bunch of money up front...have you asked the hospital business office about this?

I too have very bad stints with this thing (not sure what it is, either) where I'll have profuse, watery diarrhea more than 20 times a day.  Occasionally have required IV fluids/hospitalization as well.  It sucks, I know. 

In the meantime, while you figure out what to do (and how to pay for it), there are a few things you might want to try: there's an anti-diarrheal medication called Lomotil that is functionally similar to Immodium but may be easier for you to tolerate.  Also anti-spasmodics such as dicyclomine or hyoscyamine provide some people with relief.  Have you kept a food diary?  Have you tried drinking some lactose-free Ensure?  It can be easier to tolerate than food when you're having the really bad days. 

While you are so dehydrated, you absolutely must keep drinking - I always recommend Gatorade diluted by half with water, or Pedialyte. 

Keep us updated...

Posted 4/16/2007 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Today is another day and still feeling the same as always, miserable and unable to move much. I will have to do the scope and get futher testing done clearly, but I'm always hoping for temporary fixes to help things along. The persistant vomiting seems to me to be a side effect of the discomfort and pain but not part of the IBS itself exactly.

I was told not to drink any tea, caffiene products, overly sugary drinks or carbonated drinks, I've stuck to that pretty well. I've been hungry but chicken broth seems to have oil in it and wrecks hell on me. Yogurt makes my stomach hurt worse. I've been trying to figure out what to eat that won't make me get diarrhea worse or make me more nauseated. Been feeling like I have a lot of pressure in my abdomen but it doesnt quite feel like gas and I took a few Gas X and it didnt help, I have two medications I am currently on for anti nausea and for abdominal cramping, theyre not helping either.

I guess Ill keep avoiding food, enjoy the weight loss and hope I can talk to someone at the hospital. The free clinic in my area is too hard to get into, you have to have a rejection letter from social security and state medical, they also want proof of income, proof of medical need..way too much for me to deal with. Hospital might be able to offer some assistance. Stress makes things worse for me health wise and I'm already a Married University student, I don't know how much more stress I can take.

The hippie doctor was such a nightmare, man..she said it was in my head and I was making myself sick. Things needed to run their natural course! I'd be fine! Thank god that I saw her and paid 400 dollars for that.

Posted 4/16/2007 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,   Where are you from??   If you go to the hospital with all those problems they have to help you..  Demand help!!!  Tell them you are so sick you feel like you are going to die..  Whenever I went they always did a cat scan of my abdomen..  THat would rule out diverticulosis, apendix, and some kidney issues.. At least that would be a start..  Sometimes you have to be rude to get help..  Hope you get some help!!!  I feel for you...  Take care....
Posted 4/16/2007 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone checked your gall bladder? That's the most common digestive tract disorder to cause both D and vomiting. In fact, that should have been the first thing someone checked when you presented with those problems, especially since this has been going on too long to be food poisioning or a stomach "flu".
Posted 4/26/2007 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
that sounds like me. Have you ever tried primal defense? It sounds really crazy but it helped my boyfriend so much. He is also on a specific carbohydrate diet- I know you can't eat though but maybe soon. I know everyone is different. sad
Posted 4/26/2007 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
I'm taking Bentyl regularly, I've got Levisen for breakthrough diarrhea, and something for anti-nausea/anti-vomiting. I'm taking the Bentyl before I eat and not eating much food. The Bentyl makes me sooo tired, I sleep constantly and I get headaches really bad from it. Diarrhea has subsided for now but that is probably just temporary relief, a blessing either way.
I'm going in to have nuclear testing Friday to go over my gallbladder and they're probably going to remove it but the specialist I saw this week said that I will continue to have IBS but it will reduce the symtoms some. I'm hoping.

I'm tired, I'll keep posting when I can.
Posted 4/26/2007 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
I still have D problems too, even though mine is out, but I don't hurt anymore and I don't vomit and I don't get nauseated for no reason. Big quality of life improvement. And I'm on Welchol and calcium, which pretty well keeps the D under control all the time. I have to be a little bit careful about what I eat, but not a whole lot is taboo. If that is your problem, with you having been so sick, it should make you noticably better to get it out.
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