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Could this be IBS??

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 1/24/2010 12:01 AM (GMT 0)

Ok, I was diagnosed with IBS back in 2003.  At the time, though, I was under extreme stress.  My husband had just been sent to Iraq, I had just moved back to my hometown, my grandfather (whom I was very close to) had been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, and my sister's kids were just taken from her.  She had receintly divorced due to his cheating on her, and it affected her in a bad way....she started drinking.  After losing the kids though, she straightened up and got them back several months later.  But all of that was going on all at the same time.  Also, they were using my husband as an infantry soldier, instead of a cook which is what he is.  So, he was going out on missions everyday.  I started getting severe lower abdominal pain and would have to rush to the bathroom.  There were many times, the pain was so severe I would have to control my breathing to try to get through it.  My doctor diagnosed me as having IBS.  Well, shortly after my husband came back from Iraq, the symptoms subsided greatly until they completely disappeared.  Well, my husband was sent back, for his second tour in Iraq, last March 2009.  He is due back very soon.  I went to the doctor, receintly, due my having alternating 3 days severe constipation (sometimes w/manual removal of feces the only way to get it out) and 1 day of diarrhea.  It started last November (about 2-3 days before my period was due).  I assumed it was PMS.  But it didn't go away, even after my period was over.  I still have it now.  I haven't had a normal bowel movement since it started, two months ago.  My husband isn't being sent on missions everyday, like he was for his last tour.  He is required to stay at the camp and is doing mostly paperwork.  So, I don't really have a lot of stress there.  My kids are high needs (1 has moderate ADHD and the other has severe adhd/mild autism) but they have been diagnosed, and on meds, for at least three years now, so I'm pretty used to their routine.  I know I have to have at least a little bit of stress, since I'm raising them w/out my husband at the moment, but I don't really feel stressed.  I did get really stressed out about a month ago, but I took a nice, hot, bubble bath with relaxing music, after they went to bed, and it relieved my stress.  But I felt like that after the symptoms started.  I went to my doctor about it earlier this month, January, and she ordered blood work and a fecal test...both of which came back w/in normal limits. I'm going to be 31 in April.  I have also lost a good amount of weight, 27 lbs. in the last three months.  But I was able to quit taking meds that had caused me to gain weight over four months ago.  I've always had a very fast metabolism, and believe the weight loss is due to getting the medication out of my system.  Also, I don't think this is related...I think it's just a virus, but will mention it anyway, just in case it may be related.  My son came down with the stomach flu last thursday night.  I know it was stomach flu because I took him to the dr. the next day.  He had vomiting, diarhhea (normal green color) and fever.  My daughter caught it Friday morning, again, took her to the dr. as well.  She had diarrhea (green color like my son's) and vomiting but no fever.  Last night, I got diarrhea.  But mine didn't look like their's at all.  Mine was straight water, bright neon yellow, and very very copius.  Also, I became fatigued after the second bout of it, to the point that I couldn't get to bed fast enough.  When I did, I simply collapsed on the bed, breathing very deep and heavy, and fell asleep instantly.  I got plenty of rest the night before, so no lack of sleep caused it.  My doctor referred me to the GI clinic, but my appointment isn't until February 3rd.  Also, I tend to burp quite a bit.  Nothing too drastic though, about 50-70 times a day.  I even burp when I'm not drinking anything at all.  Could these symptoms be IBS?  What about the neon yellow diarrhea?  Could that simply be me catching the virus my kids had, or something else?  I know that the neon yellow color meant too much bile was in it, but I don't really know what that means or if it could be dangerous or not.  I had a total of about 5-6 bouts, last night, altogether and some of it actually leaked out into my underwear between bouts.  This morning, I am still having the diarrhea.  It is still yellow, but not the neon color.  Also, it has a tannish color with it as well.  Could someone please enlighten me?  I would have made a dr. appt. for myself today, but it's saturday and they are closed.  Also, I haven't really had much of an appitite for the last three days, including today, though I've been trying to eat.  But all I've had today is a muffin, which took me over an hour and a half to eat. 

Post Edited (cloudmom) : 1/23/2010 5:09:27 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/24/2010 7:11 AM (GMT 0)
not really quite sure why no one has answered me yet. I ended up getting bit of a fever earlier, but it's back to normal now. Getting a headache though. I am still going to the bathroom, but nothing comes out. When I wipe though, there is yellow stuff smeared on the paper. I'm really quite worried about this, so I hope someone can help me with it tomorrow. Have a good night.
Posted 1/24/2010 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
I have both IBS and IBD. Maybe you could call your primary care doc and get something like an anti spasmodic to make you feel better in the meantime. I've had symptoms like yours many times before. The yellow is just that there is probably nothing left in your system and you are seeing bile. Are you able to hold down water or gatorade? Don't let yourself get too dehydrated. When you have IBS or IBD, getting a stomach virus is most miserable. Hope you feel better soon cloudmom. The sacrifices that military families make are considerable. I don't know how you do it. Thoughts and prayers go to you and your family for your husband's safety and your family's health.
Posted 1/24/2010 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
This year has been especially hard on the family, with my husband being gone. All of the things that happened would have happened anyway, but would have been much easier to handle with my husband here to help. My van broke down so many times that we had to get a new one, my computer crashed, the heating element went out on my dryer, my big screen's bulb went out, and the list goes on. Also, I've been sick five times now just this season, my 9 y/o daughter four times, and my 7 y/o son, once. Usually I only get sick once (bronchitis) and the kids only get sniffles and slight colds. He is coming home very very soon though, as he left last March and their tours are usually a year long. I have decided to make a dr. appt. for the yellow diarrhea, on Monday. That way, the info will be in my medical record for my GI appointment this February 3rd. My doctor's is closed on Sat. and Sun. and I refuse to drag my two kids to the ER with me unless I absolutely HAVE to go. My fever broke last night, right before bed. It never got too high, just 99.7. Also ended up with a migrane right before I went to bed, but that was caused by getting too much sleep the night before. My period started very early this morning, though. So I now have moderate cramping and my lower back is aching. So, the cramps might make it more difficult to eat, again, today.
Posted 1/28/2010 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
Get a GI doc. Ask about possible crohn's disease. Perhaps even post on the crohn's forum--they are all very knowledgeable and seem to have very similar stories.
Posted 1/28/2010 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
My doc already put me in to see the GI clinic. My appointment is Feb. 3rd. Had several bouts of painful diarrhea again, this morning, but nothing since. I went to the doc Monday about the neon yellow diarrhea, and he said that given my symptoms and family history that they'll probably want to do a colonoscopy. I asked my dad about that, since he's had one, and he said the procedure, itself isn't bad, but the prep is. So, I'm not TOO stressed about it. I am just afraid of what they may find since I saw how my Grandpa suffered when he had Colon Cancer. He and I were extrememly close. He passed in 2005. The doc put me on some metamucil and told me to take the stool softener religiously. I'm going back to see my doc, again, this evening but not for the digestive issues, more to see if she can put me on Chantrix to quit smoking. Also, we have a smoker cessation class that meets every wednesday at my hospital on base. I am going to also ask her to send me to the nutritionist however, because I know I am not eating very healthily. I love spicey foods and I know that at this point, they are a big no-no. Right now, I'm trying to eat more oatmeal, but other than that, I'm not really sure what to eat. I don't particularly care whether I eat fruits and veggies or not. I like them both, but I don't really care if I don't eat them. I know I need to be eating more of them though. My total weight loss, as of last Monday, is 27 lbs. I've gone from 176 lbs down to 148 lbs. I'm 5'7" and 148 puts me back into a healthy weight zone. But since the weight loss is unintentinal, it has me a bit worried. Thanks for the Crohn's advice. I will go post there, later this evening and see what they can tell me. Right now, I have to finish dinner so the kids and I can eat and leave for my appointment. WoW, I can't wait until my husband gets back from Iraq so he can help with a little bit of this. He is a cook, and a nutritionist, so he'll be able to help me with better food choices as well.
Posted 1/28/2010 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
wow... I'm a new member myself, obviously stated under my name, but have not been diagnosed w/anything except "it's probably IBS, no big deal," from my GI doc. Crazy thing is, my General practitioner thinks it's Crohn's--but he's been watching my health go down the toilet for a few years. I'm sorry that you lost your Grandpa! Do you know if anyone else has had any type of bowel issues in your family?? Your GI will ask. Unfortunately, I didn't know when asked the first time, but just found out a month ago that apparently my grandpa's sister had many surgeries taking out parts of her intestines and eventually died of stomach cancer. I think my GI doc won't consider crohn's right now cuz of my lack of family history... that, or he doesn't really care--which I think is more the case. Anyway.. not until reading your post did I think that there was anything 'not' normal w/yellow D... cuz that's what I've been having today. Maybe it's just that your tummy is so emptied out that it's getting rid of what is actually left in your stomach=bile? Make sure to write down EVERY symptom you have for your visit. I've gone to two GI docs, both seem like know-it-alls that don't listen and don't actually care. IF it is something more serious, like Crohns, I have heard to stay away from fiber--NO raw fruits and veggies cuz they tear up your stomach--that and hard foods like chips and popcorn. Also, I just tried miralax for the first time--I had two doses yesterday fairly close to each other, and finally this morning, after a week and a half, movement. Miralax might be less harsh on your system because it's not fiber. Maybe just try a soft foods diet right now and maybe oatmeal isn't helping either--isn't it kind of rough on our systems, isn't it??
Posted 1/28/2010 6:13 AM (GMT 0)
I don't understand how your doc could tell you IBS isn't a big deal anyway. When I was diagnosed with it, back in '03, it had been brought on by incredible stress and was just excrutiating to say the least. I remember having to slow my breathing and pace it to try to get through all of the pain while I was on the toilet. I had one episode hit me, while I was driving home from walmart. Thank god I was only ten minutes, or less, from my house. I don't know how I got through that one. OH and once while my husband and I were driving somewhere (I think we were on our way back from visiting family in another state), I had to have him stop the car so I could poop! If he hadn't stopped, I would've literally pooped myself! The stabbing pains in my belly were SOOO painful! He quickly found a bag, and I used that in the back seat of my van! How embarassing! I don't care how long someone has been married, if that were to happen to them, they'd be quite embarassed! While I am having some pain, this time around, it's not the same kind I had back then. And the color NEVER changed either. It was the same constipation and diarrhea, but the color was ALWAYS normal. This time around it isn't. This morning I had three more bouts of diarrhea, all a light tannish yellow color; I almost want to call it clay colored. Like that sandy, beige color. My doctor said she isn't sure about putting me on the chantix to quit smoking due to some of the possible side effects: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and so on. She's having me attend the smoker's cessation class this wednesday and see what they think. Personally, I'm just going to wait and ask the GI docs when I see them. I think they'd be more qualified to answer that question, anyway. She also seemed a bit concerned that I am feeling so tired some days. I think I am lucky, too, that my husband is in the army. We don't have to worry about losing our insurance and if I don't like the doc I am seeing (or don't think he/she is getting the job done), I can always request someone else...very very lucky for that! As far as family history goes...Colon Cancer is on both sides of my dad's family. My gram (his mom)'s brother (my great-uncle) died of colon cancer when I was around 14 y/o. Then my grandpa (my dad's dad) died from it in 2005. We were living in Germany, when we got the red cross message that he was going to pass any day. Since my grandparents helped my dad raise me (I lived at their house as much, if not more, than at my dad's house), the military paid for my plane ticket back home (Ohio). I thank my lucky stars that I was able to be at his bedside when it happened. I was sitting beside his bed, my cousins were also sitting in the room. My gram was on the other side of the bed holding his hand. He looked at me and told me he loved me. Then he looked at my gram and told her how much he loved her...then he passed. I'm still not over it, but I don't think a person ever does get over things like that. I feel so bad for my gram. Her brother first and then her husband. As for the rest of my family history, my gram developed diabetes shortly after my grandpa's death. She also has had diverticulitis and has had that for as long as I can remember. She has had sleep problems for many, many years. My cousin, also, has diabetes, but hers is juvinile onset. It gets pretty bad, she takes insulen and had to have c-section's for all of her four kids. They also had to take all of her babies early. My mom was adopted, but found her immidiate family a few years back. She said her natural mother had stomach problems, but I forget what she told me she died from...but I think it had something to do with her stomach. But no horendous cancers on her side, as far as she knows.
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