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hi guys i'm new to the boards just thought i'd introduce myself

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 11/24/2005 1:01 PM (GMT 0)
i'm 29 with 2 kids and had been suffering with IBS mildly for about 3 or 4 years undiagnosed even tho i asked my GP directly if it could be IBS and she completely dismissed it (stupid doctors).  When i fell pregnant with my 2nd child i was having troubles with dairy and wheat products i was having diahrea every morning instead of morning sickness lol had a terrible pregnancy ending with a terrible delivery when my baby was 3 months i went to another GP who was absolutely useless i left the surgery in tears i went on elimination diets which helped i cut out dairy then cut out wheat and reintroduced dairy i found i was suffering with so much thrush it was horrible so i went on the anti candida diet for 6 months haven't had thrush since. i went to another GP about 6 months ago and he ran tests  for me i had a scan for gallstones came back negative finally i got referred to a consultant in gastro enterology and he diagnosed me with severe IBS i wonder if they had picked it up earlier whether i would have gone thru all this pain and discomfort.  I have been prescribe an anti depressant which is useless as all i can do is sleep on it one pill makes me sleepy for 3 days and mebeverin which doesn't really work for me.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions to help they would be great recieved cool

thanks in advance and look forward to chatting with you guys

Posted 11/24/2005 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Faerun, welcome to the site! :-)
What sorts of pain and discomfort are you having? Do cramps and bloating accompany your D (diarrhea) attacks? How frequent are they? Do you have C (constipation) aswell? Have you found out if you have Celiacs or lactose intolerance?
First of all, anti depressants are usually known for helping IBS. You should probably go back to your doc and ask to try a different one. There are many out there and you need to find one that works for you. If your doc is unwilling to help you, find another one. If your insurance requires you to have a referal then tell your doc you want a 2nd opinion; docs are required to grant your wish and refer you to someone else.
Have you tried exercising? Regular exercise helps decrease stress and promotes healthy intestinal function.
Are you taking probiotics? They are REALLY helpful in combating yeast overgrowth and promoting healthy intestinal function. Most of us on this site take them regularly (up to several times a day).

Do you have gas and bloating?  Gas-X and Beano work great for this.
Well, that's if for now. Keep posting because I'm sure we can all help each other.

Posted 11/24/2005 8:06 PM (GMT 0)

you name it i have it varying amounts of pain in varying positions of my abdomen generally across my tummy directly under my ribs i also get sudden attacks low down just above the pubic bone where its so painful i just have to run to the bathroom like i'm gonna have diarhea but nothing happens i am generally constipated when i get attacks.  i tend to get diarhea if i drink alcohol and that is along with pain in my kidneys aswell (i tend to try to avoid alcohol) i get very unpleasant gas and i bloat out til i look about 6 months pregnant but i only weigh 140 lbs so i'm not fat.  I find it hard shopping for clothes cos i buy something that fits then the next day its too small for me. i have had tightness down my right side of my back causing alot of pain and discomfort and right around my middle i can't drink fizzy drinks (cola, lemonade etc) it feels like it gets stuck half way down my gullet (not sure if that is normal for IBS) , not all the time but more often than not. the list is endless and on top of that i am MSG sensitive so i have to be careful what foods i eat (i don't tend to eat a lot of processed foods). Although, saying that i had a burger this evening but feeling uncomfortable and gasey atm (first one for months). My pain varies in strength and form sometimes its a heavy dull ache other times its sharp stabbing pains under my ribs on the right hand side, it was centred around there thats why i was sent for a GB scan. I also get waves of pain that only last a few minutes but they stop me in my tracks also up round the GB area.

i think that will do for now sorry if i missed anything feel free to badger me for more details :-)

Posted 11/24/2005 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Faerun,
There are only certain antidepressants that are known to be helpful with IBS symptoms. Lil is correct, you may be on the wrong one. I used to be on antidrepressants for depression and anxiety and I went through a few to find the right one. Has the doctor given you any other med options? These days there are more options than there were a few years ago to help with your symptoms. Antispasmodics are good for intense cramping. I agree that you need to find a doctor that will help you, unfortunately there are still a good amount of doctors out there that dismiss IBS as something real. Its a shame.
Take Care
Posted 11/24/2005 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
Faerun,
Have you had a hida scan of your gallbladder or just an ultra sound? Sometimes problems can only be detected through hida scan.
Are you taking anything for any of your pain and discomfort? Do you get enough fiber in your diet? If you suffer from C you might want to up your fiber by taking a supplement. You can also use prune juice or aloe vera juice. Lots of water and exercise helps too. Gas-X and Beano have been great to me for the bloating. Probiotics too have been really helpful (as mentioned in my other post).
I hope you will find some helpful information here.
Posted 11/24/2005 8:51 PM (GMT 0)

yeah i only had a ultrasound i'm in the UK so not sure if hida scan is available yeah i get a fair amount of fibre i eat alot of salad foods ie salad leaf and tomatoes, bread and potatoes i'm not a big fruit eater but i eat grapes and drink apple juice i don't necessarily eat 5 portions of fruit and veg a day as they say you should do i'm not a great lover of yogurt and i don't like anything too creamy so probiotic drinks i haven't tried, anything too creamy like full fat milk even half fat milk makes me gag. I do eat cheese on a daily basis but i don't eat excessive amounts (i have heard cheese can make you constiptated.  The last few days i have been very loose but haven't changed the way i eat other than i have changed my bread from white to brown i bought white cos the family preferred but i got selfish and thought stuff them lol. whenever i ate white bread i used to feel very uncomfortable i don't get that feeling eating brown bread.  I don't like eating brown rice and pasta i use the wheat free varieties and use risotto rice more than any other kind (arborio).  I was taking prescription strength paracetemol and codeine but the gastro doc told me to stop those as they are addictive and can cause constipation and i was also taking ibruprofen but he also told me to stop taking those so i am using an asprin based pain relief or just put up with it but saying that i haven't had a really bad attack under my ribs for a month or so now. I found something in the health food shop xs acid i think its calld it has aloe camomile and peppermint and other goodies in it and am feeling a lot more relief from that than anything the dr prescribed me.

I was under the impression that IBS doesn't cause inflamation so why did ibruprofen help when codeine didnt.

I have a follow up appointment with my GP on 6th decemeber i don't really want to be on anti depressants i would prefer more natural rememdies to relax my gut, I have problems with hormaonal meds i can't even take the contraceptive pill nothin diagnosed but my body just don't agree with anything hormonal been on anti depressants before after 4 months they were doing more harm than good that was for depression

Do you guys have problems with orange juice and dried fruits cos i can't eat them as they make me unwell and i have developed what seems to be an allergy to buttermilk although i haven't been formally tested but i can tell when i have ingested buttermilk as i get sinus head aches post nasal drip very congested and anti histamines relieve the symptoms also i can't eat pastry it gives me pain in my back.

I could relay my life story to u guys lol i'm an open book but i will stop waffling now lol

thanks for listening and taking me seriously cos sometimes i feel i'm not taken seriously people don't realise how this can be so debilitating

Posted 11/24/2005 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
You may want to stop drinking apple juice. It has been known (around this board) to be 'gas in a can.' Apples and the juice are suppposed to be so good but they cripple most of us with IBS. Tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, leafy greens and anything in the cauliflower family (broccoli, etc.) do a number on us. My doc has told me to stay away from all of those unless eaten in small quantites and/or eaten VERY WELL COOKED. Eating anything raw is hard on the gut.
If you have gas you may want to try Beano or Gas-X... they are both pretty natural and won't harm you. Gas-X is pretty much peppermint, which is soothing on the stomach and extinquishes gas.
As for probiotics, you can take a supplement (doesn't have to be through yogurt). That is natural too so it won't hurt you. Sometimes it gives people gas but that usually subsides with continual use.
From what I have heard Ibuprofan (asprin, advil, alieve, etc.) is not good for stomach inflamation. It causes ulcers. I remember I wasn't allowed to take it for a while when I was having a lot of heartburn. I also wasn't allowed to take it like a week before I had my scope (I had the upper and lower done). It's tough not taking it because the alternative is Tylenol, which has caffeine. Most of us cannot handle caffeine.
If you are having burning and/or yellow poops you may want to ask your doc about a hida scan for your gallbladder. I can't imagine it is not available in the UK.
Take care.
Posted 11/24/2005 9:38 PM (GMT 0)

Bell Pepper yes lol i don't touch them. they aren't too bad cooked but raw omg the agony. i have had yellow poo in the past but not so much recently but its not as dark brown as i would have thought it should be i have also noticed jaundice in my eyes but not on a regular basis tends to be if i drink alcohol.  I feel like i'm a hypochondriac telling the dr this long list of malady's some stuff has occurred since last seeing him or i hadn't noticed it before i don't like wasting peoples time.

I'm having a difficult time quiting coffee i was drinking herbal tea religiously then something happened can't remeber what and i started drinking it again if i don't have it i get tired easily i must admit the colour of my poo has gone back to brown all be it a lighter brown since drinking coffee again could that be cos of the caffeine or the coffee in general

Posted 11/24/2005 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
I tried antidepressants for my IBS-D and they didn't work. They made me worse. I was on Elavil and it was making my hiatal hernia worse, so they switched me to Remeron and I slept really well but it triggered my acid reflux, too, and it also made me very C!! So, then the GI doc switched me BACK to Elavil and it was still giving me heartburn problems at night......and my D was worse!! So, I came off of all of that and I take Tylenol PM, now, and I sleep great, no reflux in the middle of the night, and I wake up without any pains. I don't start having attacks now until about 2:30pm or so. So, I never knew that Tylenol PM could work better for me than antidepressants, but it has!

Hope this helps!
Michelle :)
Posted 11/24/2005 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
OH, I also take 3 scoops of Citrucel Clear Mix a day. I use Enzymedica Digest Gold and I take Primal Defense (Probiotic) and FYI (For your Inflammation) by Garden of Life. For the acid reflux I take Renew Life Heartburn Stop and Enzymedica Acid Soothe. These are just the ones that seem to work out the best for me. I've got so many ( TOO MANY!!!) supplements in my cupboard that I have bought over the past two years that are just sitting there because they either didn't work at all or made me worse. These are the ones that I have stuck with. I just quit taking Gas Stop by Renew Life for gas because it didn't work at all!!!! So, don't waste your money. I have talked to 5 other people that were taking it with me and it hasn't helped any of us AT ALL!!!!!!!!! I wonder what's up with that??? Why did it help NOT ONE OF US???? OH, well.......NEXT!!! HEHEHEHEHE

Hope this helps!
Michelle :)
Posted 11/24/2005 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
CRAP! SORRY, I forgot my actual prescription meds!!! I also take Nexium for my hiatal hernia. 40mg one time a day and lots and lots of Pepto and Gaviscon!! Imodium for D, 1/2 tablet once in the morning.......I think that's it! OH, and I can't forget slippery elm, marshmallow, chamomile and fennel tea!
Okay, now I'm done! I hope this helps one person out there!!
Michelle :)
Posted 11/24/2005 9:54 PM (GMT 0)

are there any IBS sufferers that don't rattle when they walk lmao why can't pharmacists find one miracle drug that works for all alot of meds are a loads BS from what i have discovered and what i have read on here.

mebeverin which i am prescibed seems to make my gas and pain worse if anything.

I have been waiting so long for a diagnosis and i'm still suffering *shakes head* it seems that drs only know what they are doing when there is something in the lab report or there is something obvious to diagnose

Posted 11/28/2005 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
It took them 5 years to diganose my bad gall bladder. It was dysfunctional, which meant that 1) it didn't show up as bad on ultrasounds and 2) when was functioning it didn't show up as bad on hida scans. Never mind I had almost every other symptom known to mankind--no one would diagnose it.

I had yellow poops when it was acting up and they burned. Nighttime attacks are almost universal for people who have a bad gall bladder. You get up in the wee hours of the morning hurting and will be that way for an hour or more and it is usually relieved when you finally have a bowel movement or vomit. Chills often accompany an attack, although you probably won't show having a fever. And when you are sick, you can't lay flat on your back. And when you eat, sometimes you will suddenly feel nauseated. Even thinking about food will occasionally trigger this feeling. And you may only be part-way through a meal when suddenly you feel so full that you think it might just come back up. I hurt up into my right shoulder and arm, although not all people do that. Also, I hurt across my diaphram and it wasn't until the very end when my gall bladder went on a real bender that I hurt on my right side specifically. A lot of people, though, hurt on that side most and are tender when it's pressed on.

If that sounds like you, then the majority of your problem is probably gall bladder. You may have IBS in addition to that, but gall bladders can cause gas and other problems as well, so it may be that by itself. For some reason women who are pregnant or who have had a child(ren) are more likely to have gall bladder disease. My mother said the old saying was "4F's--fair, fat, female, 40." The more of those you are, the higher your chances at gall bladder disease. Also Native Americans are one of the ethnic groups most prone to GB disease as well, although I doubt that's a factor in your case!
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