Please share your remedy

To cure my IBS, I have tried a lot of things like probiotics, antispasmodic med, tcm, digestive enzymes, endoscopy, colonoscopy etc. but none was effective. I feel very helpless as I don know what else is left to try. Can you all share with me the remedy you are pursuing now and if its effective for you. I want to know what else I can try. Thanks.

I have alternating diarrhoea and constipation but its not that common now. Mostly I passed very small stool, like pellets. My symptoms are dull abdominal pains, bloating, smelly farting, feeling the abdominal/stomach/intestine tightening like someone is squeezing it. They come and go usually regardless of what I eat. . The most life disrupting symptom is the pains. Sometimes it so bad I feel like dying. The pain is usually relieved if I have diarrhoea and pass motion.

To make matter worse, I am a very anxious person. I get nervous easily and this cause the butterfly feeling in my stomach which then I have to go to the toilet immediately. I can feel my my stomach churning whenever I feel nervous. I have been like this since young but IBS only started 2 years ago when I have random diarrhoea. It wasnt so bad until I went to see a specialist who diagnosed that I have H. plyori and gave me med to cure it. After the med, I cannot even take any form of oily or fried food. It seems like my conditions are getting worse.

I heard about doing hypnosis or therapy but I am very skeptical if it really works. I do believe my anxiousness is partly causing the problem and is further aggravated by maybe a weak stomach to begin with.

I understand there is no cure now :( but I would like to hear how do you all cope. How do you all manage the symptoms such that it doesnt occur too often. Now I am getting them like almost daily. Thanks for your reply shawn, its comforting to know somone is listening. Look forward to your reply.

I faithfully kept a food diary for 2 years and was diligent about recording every single things I ate or drank, if I took medications, enjoyed desserts (writing down if I had 5 M & M's for example), was under undue stress (holidays are good for adding stress), traveling (vacations or family trips are a challenge).

Over time, I listened and paid attention to what my touchy gut wanted. Such as: plain food (mostly low residue), small portions, not 3 large meals a day, greatly reduced my stress level, trying fiber supplements but have settled on Colace, 50 mg, taken twice a day and Renew Life, Critical Colon, 80 Billion count, one or two capsules at bedtime. I also try to eat organic Brown Cow yogurt each day (2 or more servings).

I often compare managing my IBS like symptoms to completely a puzzle, if all the pieces are in place, I do okay. Sometimes better than okay. But if one piece is missing, I have trouble. A lot of trouble.

Upon conclusion, I've noticed the approach to IBS is different for each of us. We can learn from others, what works for them, might help us. So it's worth posting what works for us and what doesn't.

I have learned a lot more about IBS from medical forums such as this one, from actual people going thru it, than from any health care professional (doctor, nurse, etc.).

No, I'm not really using fiber. A low residue diet is low fiber. I found that high fiber made things worse for my GI tract, not better. The Colace stool softener is just that, a stool softener, it doesn't add fiber or bulk to the stool but helps create that stool consistency I've strived for. The probiotics just seem to restore order in my tract while I sleep. The one I use - Renew Life - is made specifically for the lower colon. The pill is encoated and doesn't dissolve until it reaches the lower colon - just where I need good bacteria the most. I read somewhere you should take it on a completely empty stomach so since I try not to eat after dinner, taking it around 10 or 11 pm works well for me. If you do take it with food, the stomach acid can break down the encoated shell of the pill and then the probiotics are wasted higher up in the GI tract. At least that is what I read, somewhere, possibly on the colitis forum here.

Fiber works for some IBS people but for others it makes things worse.

So if I had to sum up what I do it's this - plain food, small portions, eating for 12 hours on, 12 off (to give my insides a chance to relax and so I can sleep w/o needing a bathroom), sometimes skipping dinner for evening social events, stool softener, and probiotic.

This is just what seems to work for me. I've only been on the probiotic since May 2nd. But it does seem to be helping me a lot.

My entire goal since arriving at this IBS (multiple bm's, etc.) situation is to eat in such a way so as to coexist with family, friends with normal colons. No one around me has troubles like I do. So I just adjust when and how much I do eat and hope for the best. I know where every bathroom is located, no matter where we are - stores, mall, grocery store, public parks, the library. I always scout out where they are just in case I need one when away from home.

I also think I might do this well because years ago when I finally faced what this situation really is - for me, for life, I'm missing the bottom part of my colon - I seemed to turn a corner. Prior to that I was trying in vain to go back to my old life - one bm a day, eat anything I wanted - but once my colon surgeon drew me a diagram of what's left of me inside, I finally began to see why I do have this much trouble. I could have had a pity party but I decided, no Mary, buck up, make the best of this situation. So that seemed to relax my insides too - just letting go of the old me. Never to be again. Sounds corny, but true. I just face what I have now - a very touchy gut - and eat, drink and behave accordingly to manage it as well as I can.

i am new to the forum (because while my IBS is fairly controllable my reflux is not), but honestly i find that when i am overly stressed out my stomach is much worse. i'm sure if you could get the anxiety to lessen the IBS would be easier to cope with. i find the best thing for me to do when my IBS acts up is to relax (i know it is much easier said than done) take my fast acting meds, and when my stomach has calmed down i don't eat anything but a small bowl of some good home made chicken and rice soup (i prefer brown rice). and that is the only thing i will eat for a day or so. if i get a really bad flare up sometimes i have to just let my system flush itself out and eat like i'm getting over a stomach bug. i find the med that works best for my IBS is hyoscyamine (probably the wrong spelling). it is a very small pill that you can take as a tablet you swallow or you can just let it dissolve under your tongue. it is very fast acting and doesn't tend to bind me up for days like bentyl and imodium can.

maybe some part of this might help you and maybe not as everyone is different. i do hope that you manage to figure this all out soon, i know how frustrating it can be. good luck!

have anyone tried Rifaximin? seems to work for these people http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=382890&page=2

Yu Ming

The Rifaximin is for another condition called SIBO. Small Bowel Bacterial overgrowth and that is a type of antibiotic. The docotr that came up with this at first used a bad test to test for sibo in IBS patients and came up with a high number. But later studies found it was a much lower number and NOT the cause of IBS. This gets even more confusing. But unless you were diagnosed with SIBO I would not go that route.

"The more I read about IBS the more confused I get sometimes."

There is a ton of bad information on IBS on the internet. Read my IBS 101 thread.

A specific cluster of symptoms minus red flag symptoms produce an IBS diagnoses.

This sounds like what you have is IBS. Did you ever have a colonoscopy? I will explain some of this for you.

" I get nervous easily and this cause the butterfly feeling in my stomach which then I have to go to the toilet immediately"

I know exactly what causes this to happen. Its part of the fight or flight responce. Most people don't recognize this happening to them or sometimes even conciously perceieve it. It can also happen when a person doen't conciously perceieve a threat.

Gut Feelings: The Surprising Link Between Mood and Digestion

"If you've ever felt your insides twist in knots before a big speech, you know the stomach listens carefully to the brain. In fact, the entire digestive system is closely tuned to a person's emotions and state of mind, says William E. Whitehead, PhD, a professor of medicine and an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina. People with irritable bowel syndrome often suffer flare-ups during times of stress and anxiety, and even perfectly healthy people can worry their way to stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or other problems. Even if a doctor can't find anything physically wrong, the misery is real."

http://www.healtharticles.org/mood_digestion_081104.html

What is the "fight or flight response?"

http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html


also on the hypnotherapy it is one of the most researched and effective treatments for most people with all varations of IBS, which I will explain also, but its not just anxiety and stress reduction, it actually works on the symptoms as well. The anxiety and stress reduction are side effects of the treatement which is very safe and natural. I have the same kind of IBS you do and it helped me tremedously. I used a specific home program.

You should look at this site for diagnoses and other info. These are all top IBS highly respected researchers.

http://www.aboutibs.org/

Hypnotherapy info

http://www.aboutibs.org/site/learning-center/video-corner/


Why Consider Hypnosis Treatment for IBS?
by Olafur S. Palsson, Psy.D.


Hypnosis is only one of several approaches to treating irritable bowel syndrome and may not be the most suitable option for all patients (click here for discussion of treatment options for IBS). However, hypnosis treatment has some advantages which makes it an attractive option for many IBS sufferers with chronic and severe symptoms:

- It is one of the most successful treatment approaches for chronic IBS. The response rate to treatment is 80% and better in most published studies to date.

- The treatment often helps individuals who have failed to get improvements with other methods (see for example: Whorwell et al., 1984, 1987; Palsson et al., 1997, 2000).

- It is a uniquely comfortable form of treatment; relaxing, easy and generally enjoyable.

- It utilizes the healing power of the person's own mind, and is generally completely without negative side effects.

- The treatment sometimes results in improvement in other symptoms or problems such as migraine or tension headaches, along with the improvement in IBS symptoms.

- The beneficial effects of the treatment last long after the end of the course of treatment. According to research, individuals who improve from hypnosis treatment for IBS can generally look forward to years of reduced bowel symptoms.

http://ibshypnosis.com/whyhypnosis.html

There is a lot more to it all.

Managing IBS is a balancing act, the best approach they know now is to treat the brain and the gut. The gut has a type of brain as well called the enteric nervous system and creates most of the bodys neurotransmitters, which are a problem in IBS, specifically serotonin regulation.

So balanced diet and mental state are part of the management, along with meds if needed. Mild IBSers don't need as much help as moderate or severe IBSers.

The brain plays a crucial role in all this and in gut functioning, especially the pain in IBS.

Yu Ming

you have gotten some very good responses here.

IBS symptoms can change sometimes and also wax and wane. Hence also the "alternating diarrhoea and constipation."

So just pain and smelly farts might just be where your at with your IBS at this stage. IF the colon is contracting abnormally and trapping gas it can cause pain and smelly farts. This has something to do with how long foods ferment in the colon.

However, one thing after a course of anitbiotics can be C-diff? were you ever tested for that?

The antibiotic can just upset the bowel flora in general though and until it recolonizes it can cause upsets.

If you have new symptoms or something odd, its always good to get checked out again by your doctor.

How long did you take the VSL#3 for?

How long ago was the first scope?

I learned about the home program ten years ago. There is a long story behind it all. However, I know they have helped thousands of people. I will explain soon on this, but here is one of the sites which I manage so you know.

http://ibsaudioprogram.com/

If you decide to go that route I will help you through them if you have any questions.

Also if you have any questions now would be happy to answer them.

There are two other Hypnotherapy forums on the Internet I used to moderate where they also did the home program, so there are lots of real people responses.

Have your read my pondering of an IBSer?

http://ibsaudioprogram.com/ponderings.htm

I believe the "diagnosed with h. pylori" was with the endoscopy.

This is a upper gi problem while IBS is a lower gi problem.

This would also cause some red flag symptoms as well as a bad infection like an ulcer.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/h-pylori/DS00958/DSECTION=symptoms

IBS however isn't an infection.

Food poisoning can lead to PI IBS and you may not have actually noticed completely.

"My specialist could have blamed it on IBS because he doesnt know what is wrong."

Or because its IBS. IBS is diagnosed on a "specific" cluster of symptoms. Mnay of which you have.

One is relief after a bowel movement.

Pain or discomfort.

alternating d and c.

IBSer react to greasy foods, which over stimulates the colon, via the gastro colonic response which is exaggerated in IBSers. I'll go over that with you.

What your posting is more in line with an actual IBS diagnoses.

C. difficile

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/c-difficile/DS00736

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotic-associated-diarrhea/DS00454

There is a difference between what they call "organic diseases" like infections and IBS which is a gi disorder of functioning. The food poisoning might have left you with IBS. That is known to happen.

also your bowel movements don't fit some of these infections that would cause d, not really alternating or rabbit pellets. The bowel views the infections as a threat and gives you d and sometimes vomiting to rid yourself of the threat.

One thing here is if your gi doctor diagnosed IBS is to treat it as such and see what happens. I am not diagnosing you, just clearing somethings up for you.

chia seeds must be a type of fiber?

Your guts don't become chia pets I hope. ;)

You could possible have a sugar intolerence, like fructose intolerence and there are tests for that, but a problem with sugar in general is bacteria feed off it it causes more gas and the gas pressure causes more symptoms in IBS.

I would be careful how far your lmiting your diet though. You might want to work with a dietian. If you do that pick a dietian over a nutritionist as they know more.

You can take vitamins, but be careful with ones that are high in iron.

You shouldn't be getting malnutrition or weight lose with IBS, unless your not eating right or enough, but IBS doesn't itself cause malabsorbtion of nutrients, because foods are already absorbed in the small bowel and IBS is basically a problem of the large bowel.

food info

http://ibshealth.com/ibsfoods.htm

http://www.aboutibs.org/site/about-ibs/management/ibs-diet/

Yu

"may I also ask if its bad to see undigested corn in the stool?"

No its not bad an doesn't mean anything, that happens with corn frequently.

"Is eating some insoluble fiber good or bad for IBS?"

The links above go into this in depth and some people have more problems with insoluble fiber verses soluble fiber.

 

Shawn will give you the official explanation but since I have this problem - mere eating induces bm's - I've always heard there are chemicals released from the time people with IBS begin to eat that begin the colon wall contractions. For us the transit time for stool is often much faster than for those without IBS (the ones that struggle with too many bm's in a given day, not the people who struggle with the constipation side of IBS). I have had people ask me if I'm a straight pipe now since they know I've had about 1/3 of my colon removed. I'm not actually a straight pipe but sometimes it sure feels that way! The way I deal with this eating will bring on almost immediate bm's, is to eat light all the time so the stool that is already in my colon isn't much to begin with. And the current meal I am eating is still light. In other words, very little in, very little out. I've also read numerous times that we should not eat full or very large meals, certainly not the western diet of 3 large meals per day. These amounts are just too hard on a system already taxed with IBS.

In case you are wondering about the amounts I do eat, for breakfast I might have 1/2 of a bagel or english muffin. For lunch, I might have 1/2 turkey sandwich or a 3-4 inch cold turkey sub. Or lately what is really working for me is one hard boiled egg and about 5 or 6 grapes. I know that sounds like a piddly amount but I feel full and I'm not spending my afternoon dealing with repeated bm's. I do tend to eat more at dinner since that is the one meal a day I am sharing with someone (my husband) and his diet/amounts are more normal. I tend to linger and talk, and then pay for the onslaught of evening trips to the bathroom. But I also am quite hungry from not eating much during the day. So it's a vicious cycle isn't it?

I know Shawn will give you a better explanation.