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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 8/7/2008 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I was diagnosed with IBS this morning.  I am very, very happy with my diagnosis (glad it is not IBD).  I just do not understand it.  I started having problems in May:  gas, nausea, burping, cramps, diarrhea, blood, mucous, etc...  The colonoscopy indicated inflammation and ulcers.  They say it didn't look like UC or CD.  I started Colazal.  Upper endoscopy and ultrasound looked good.  The first appt they had with the GI was today.  She says she thinks it was an infection that caused the colitis and now I have IBS.  She said it is not uncommon to have IBS for 1-2 years after an infection.  They never did a stool sample until they gave me the kit today - she said the infection should be long gone though.  I am doing another colonoscopy next week and gave blood for the IBD 1st step today.  Hopefully, my colon will look clear and the blood test will be negative. 

What are the symptoms of IBS?  Does it include my current symptoms:  hands swelling, nausea, gas, burping, hiccups, diarrhea, night sweats, mucous, abdom. pain, fatigue, bloating?  My bleeding has stopped.

My Dr. didn't ask me any questions other than "what is going on?"  She didn't ask about any specific symptoms - I left some out because I forgot - and she didn't do a physical exam.  Is that typical?

She also said my nausea is anxiety driven and basically in my head.  What??!?!?  I am not anxious.  I was anxious prior to my visit - I feared she would diagnose me with IBD.  She did absolutely no assessment for anxiety.  And, I know how I feel.  I also know when I am anxious and nausea is not one of my symptoms.  Is nausea a symptom of IBS?

She is a top GI doc in Denver.

Thank you for any and all feedback!

Pam

Posted 8/7/2008 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
hi and welcome payton. i am surprised there was no phsyical exam!!! but i also think you should get your blood tested for h-pylori! it makes ibs symptoms worse, and that is jumping out at me as a possibility with you. Nausea could be cos of the swelling forcing your stomach further up. I even had fainting spells before being told it was IBS. But request an examination, i would also get a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy done. ( thin scope put inside the rectum) But with my symptoms i also had an endoscope(down the throat) , you can have all done with sedation, and it is pretty cool watching th screen. But i wouldn't worry, there can be lots of meds to try, or new diet. And if it is h-pylori that can get cleared up with a week with a combo of pills. take carexx
Posted 8/8/2008 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
I went thru a lot of nausea when I was diagnosed with IBS. I had to take ginger capsules. I absolutely hate nausea. I did take Acidophalous/Bifidus (Pro-biotic) and eventually it went away completely so I do think it was from some stomach imbalance. At that time many people on this forum told me that nausea is not a usual symptom of IBS so I don't know what I had but I had it big time. Hope you get some answers. I don't think hands swelling would have anything to do with IBS. As for the exam I have never my gastro lay a hand on me except when I am having a colonscopy or enoscopy or when he is shaking my hand. Other ones I had poked around.
Posted 8/8/2008 3:53 AM (GMT 0)

I was testing for h-pylori in May and it was negative.  I have already had one colonoscopy and the upper endoscopy.  I have another colonoscopy scheduled for next week.

That is weird about the nausea.  That is and has been the most consistent symptom - with both the possible infection and now.  I think it is a symptom of ibd, that confuses me.

thank you for getting back to me.

Posted 8/8/2008 4:17 AM (GMT 0)
I have never heard that it is involved with IBD but don't know much about IbD. I just get it when my stomach is out of balance. I started once after a colonscopy and felt it was because my cleaning out cleaned the good stuff out with the bad. They just keep saying take more Nexium and itwas making me worse till I started on the Probiotics(on my own) No Doctor ever has mentioned them to me.
Posted 8/8/2008 9:48 AM (GMT 0)
it took 6 months of neg blood test on me, they kept taking blood cos they were positive it was h-pylori, but i was sent for an endoscopy and that day my results came back positive for it, as well as they could see with the scope. But i was told that it is very hard to diagnose, you can also do a particualr type of breath test, that is the more accurate, but they dont do that test here close enough to me. so i had to wait the 6 months, and as soon as it was diagnosed the meds cleared it within a week.
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