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Growling stomach and dark stools

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 1/5/2006 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hey,

Well ive not been here awhile, i was doing so well on the entocort ec my doc put me on for IBS. But, i do have a couple of questions?? First, I took my last pill about a week before Christmas, and was doing really well!!! Until January 2, 2006. I was eating things i normally eat, but i was getting bloated and my stomach was talking to me big time. I hadnt had a conversation with my stomach since october. So, i was getting very concerned. I do take pepto when this happen alot. So i was wondering if pepto bismol can discolor your stools?

Well, on January2, I had eaten blackeyed peas for supper, and at 2:00am i woke up running to the bathroom with diarreha. Then again at 5:00, then finally got up at 6:00 and had another bowl movement which was basically brown water. Im so scared that im going to get like i was in october when i had constant diarreha for 3 weeks and lost so much weight. I called my gastro doc and ask if he would refill the entocort ec, he said yes but i have to go in and get a blood test, liver enzymes. Well that scared me!!!  Does anyone else lose weight with this hellish disorder??? Cause i cant afford to lose anymore :(  Thanks so much for listening

Posted 1/5/2006 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Peppertree,

Yes, Pepto absolutely discolors your stool. You can expect it to be black, or really dark brown, for at least a day afterwards.
As for losing weight... yes, that happens too. Mainly because we are scared to eat. The dreaded D is not fun. Anyhow, I think it is important for you to go back to the doc. If even just to put your mind at ease. I don't know if you saw dbab's post - it is important to rule everything out before settling on IBS.
Good luck! And, don't worry too much. Your body may just be adjusting to not getting your usual meds. Not to mention any type of bean is hard to digest no matter if you have IBS or not.
Posted 1/5/2006 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Peppertree,
Pepto (generic bismuth) will make your stools dark/black.
Posted 1/5/2006 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry Lil... I guess we were posting the same time :)
Posted 1/5/2006 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much lil, and dbab, ive had all the tests done for everything else. I just dont know how people live with this crap everday!! I was diagnosed in 2001 and didnt have anymore problems with it till this year:( after a death in the family. Im so depressed and just when i was feeling better and gaining some weight!!! Im so sick of people telling me im to skinny, and i look ill ya know? I dont have a great appetite never have even before this ibs. But im eating and drinking ensure, and taking vitamins. and B supplements. When it started again in october, i did every stool test there is and blood test and they came back okay. I just feel like a failure, and its hard to go anywhere, cause im always afraid of not having a bathroom close by. But, you two did make me feel better, Thank you so m uch:)
Posted 1/5/2006 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
I understand what you are going through Peppertree. Hugs to you. I know how this illness can make you depressed. It changes your lifestyle and gives you limitations. I have anxiety that is made worse by my IBS and I take medication for it. I feel like a cloud has lifted. Although I am not a 100%, I have seen a great improvement. Life is what you make of it. I used to love going out with my friends (this is when I was abusing Imodium) and now that I don't take that stuff anymore I am very limited but I make the most of what I have. I now have hobbies that I do at home. I love to paint so I am constantly changing the wall colors LOL, gardening, I even made a piece of furniture. Yes I am at home doing it so I am close to the bathroom but I enjoy doing these things. You will find that happiness again Peppertree. I believe it.
Posted 1/5/2006 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
I really know how you feel..im a teen and basically, eating out with friends and then going somewhere usually leads either to major embarrassment or, abuse of Imodium! (which is really bad for you..says my mom...) I have a little bit of anxiety about IBS, because at school some teachers dont let students go to the bathroom, so I always worry about having to go during class and not being allowed!! Id probably just take the punishment and go to the bathroom anyway! but yeah I know how being anxious feels..I had massive problems with phobia-based anxiety (im terrified of throwing up!! like, out of my MIND scared..was in therapy for about 6 months..im finally getting over it) and I felt like a failure to my family because I caused them to worry about me and stuff..it will get better though. Nothing lasts forever. :)
Posted 1/5/2006 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
I lost a good deal of weight when I first started having gall bladder trouble. Then I learned to eat extra when I wasn't sick to make up for when I was. I ended up gaining all of my weight back. Unfortunately, now that I have my gb out and am fairly normal, I still have the very bad habit of eating when I'm not hungry which means I tend to gain weight I don't want. So it's a double-edged sword, learning to eat out of habit, not out of true hunger. If you need to gain weight, it's about all you can do, but if you ever get to the point where you aren't sick anymore, it's a very bad habit to have.

You're staying away from all sugar-free products (including gum and mints), aren't you? My guts don't talk at any time like they do when I've been in the sugar alcohols. They don't mutter growl or rumble, they curse like sailors! I also liken their frequent undulations as to their attempting to relocate to another zip code.
Posted 1/9/2006 7:11 PM (GMT 0)

Happy New Year Peppertee!

   This was new to me too..with the black stools,and the cramping,and the loud stomach gurgling noises...scared the heck of of me the first time I got these symptoms, and this all happened about three hundred miles away at the Colorado River. I was too frightened,sick and worried to make the drive home. Peptol did the discoloring,but that really scared me, I thought I was seriously dying. after waiting no more, I made the trip home and saw a GI doctor right away.No endoscopy yet,but the Colonoscopy,Upper/lower GI,and three blood tests showed Mild diverticulosis(not itis),Mild GERD,and IBS.

  I think I had a simialar experienced before back in the 1980's when My girlfriend and I split up..that was stressfull,I was dehydrated,cramping,

diarrhea, lost 27 lbs in two weeks,and the doc said it was either Gastritis or a Gastrointestinal disorder,mainly due to stress and anxiety.

I just thought I ate something bad, like food

poisoning. He gave me Donnatal.

   Back then, I don't think anyone knew much of IBS,and this could have been that. Now,with 20 to 45 million people (including kids) having this condition, more and more information is being discovered.

   I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy! I have my days. This bout lasting almost six months, I've lost 35 lbs. I'm also afraid to eat.    There seems to be alot of confusion on the diet on my behalf.  I've seen many IBS diets that say that fresh white bread like sourdough is great? but the gluten is BAD in any bread. Chocolate,and sweets are out. Coffee,and dairy is out. White Rice or Brown Rice?  Read and Black beans? Legumes are good,but the nuts and beans are bad. Whole grain foods are questionable because of the gluten...see what I mean about all this confusion? So I don't eat. 

  I wish you luck on normalizing your tummy. It will be a trial and error thing for the most part. They say excercise is good and plenty of water,but the thought of going for a brisk walk and drinking water makes me feel a little nauseus,because of my stomach pain.  I talked to several people that has had IBS, and theyr'e back to drinking coffee and eating what they used to eat again.

    You are not alone,if that's any consolation.someday,we'll all heal,and many thanks to this message board..it's the best resource I have found. Good Luck and have a great day!  yeah

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