How do you manage daily life with IBS-D?

Posted by pjss48 @pjss48, Dec 11, 2018

I have IBS with diarrhea. I'm taking med for it. Had several bowel movements already today. How do you get things done in house and go out on errands and going to Dr appointments? Driving me crazy!

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Profile picture for Lisa Lucier, Moderator @lisalucier

Hi, @dboesten - having watery diarrhea for 11 years sounds really tough for your husband. Is he considered to have IBS-D at this time?

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No, he hasn't gotten a clear diagnosis. No diet or med has helped much at all. Hopefully, the referral to Mayo is going to pay off!

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Profile picture for cjval52 @cjval52

I am 73 and have dealt with this since I was 4. At age 10 I knew where every bathroom was in Disneyland. I plotted out rest stops when I traveled. I made lifestyle changes for travel.
Hormones made it worse, stress made it worse….
Exercise made it better… probably because it reduced stress. Best wishes that you find something that works for you .

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@cjval52 has anybody considered maybe you have CSID Congenial Sucrose Isomaltase Deficiency? Being such a young age when you started with "IBS-D". But it is also for those adults when it's not congenial it is called Aquired Scurose. and it starts when we are older... which occurs because your intenstines have seen injuries that affect the enzyme that is created and thus your body can't produce the enzyme. Either way it causes diarrhea and all the sysmptoms that get labeled as IBS-D. But it is a much over looked thing and there are tests to prove it or not.

It just angers me to know these tests are there...the knowledge is there yet even GI docs won't look at things or test for things. Going thru that myself and doing my own research and learning things and now demanding these tests.

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I was diagnosed with IBS about 5 years ago now and I am still miserable as ever if not worse. I do have a lot of other medical things going on such as MEN1. Like anything else I have done some digging (because doctors seem to have no answers) and have found so many things that could be making things worse or maybe even be the real issue.
My question is for others what do you do to help with the diarrhea and urgency? I have started taking ibgard and my doctor also prescribed a muscle relaxer I believe it was and also an acid reducer. But now I’m unsure of what ones to be taking.
I have also debated trying an anxiety medication.
Have also heard things about pelvic floor dysfunction.
So yeah, just looking for tips or experiences from others.
Thanks all!

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After my sigmoidectomy (and ostomy reversal and failure) in 2016 I finally got to recovery. Took months. Actually years. I had diarrhea terribly. Interrupted my life. Once it started it would not stop. But I started on loparamide. Then I found the right regimine of TARGET specifically, probiotics (30 billion), basic target brand psyllium fiber and once my system adjusted to this, my use of antidiarrheals dropped dramatically and I was able to use them sparingly after a while and I had normal BMs and everything. Granted more issues formed that caused the opposite problem after a while (not due to the meds but healing and scarring issues).
But that's what worked for me. I had spend years finding it out for myself and my body. Once I did, I felt significantly more confident leaving or travelling or anything really. Good luck. I'm only 35 and have had to discover this journey over the last decade.
After major surgeries like this though, getting your PRObiotics back up is SUPER vital because all the antibiotics your body deals with.

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Profile picture for katydurgin @katydurgin

I was diagnosed with IBS about 5 years ago now and I am still miserable as ever if not worse. I do have a lot of other medical things going on such as MEN1. Like anything else I have done some digging (because doctors seem to have no answers) and have found so many things that could be making things worse or maybe even be the real issue.
My question is for others what do you do to help with the diarrhea and urgency? I have started taking ibgard and my doctor also prescribed a muscle relaxer I believe it was and also an acid reducer. But now I’m unsure of what ones to be taking.
I have also debated trying an anxiety medication.
Have also heard things about pelvic floor dysfunction.
So yeah, just looking for tips or experiences from others.
Thanks all!

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Hi @katydurgin - just wondering how things are going with the diarrhea and urgency? Are the meds your doctor prescribed helping at all?

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Unfortunately no. I am picking up another one today to try. I am praying it works. I just want to feel normal and be able to enjoy life like others. Thank you so much for asking. That was so kind of you

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Profile picture for katydurgin @katydurgin

Unfortunately no. I am picking up another one today to try. I am praying it works. I just want to feel normal and be able to enjoy life like others. Thank you so much for asking. That was so kind of you

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@katydurgin - I really hope the medication you pick up today works, too. That is a very reasonable wish to want to feel normal and be able to enjoy life like others.

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@lacy2 I am so sorry to hear you have also struggles with this. It’s terrible, absolutely terrible. Everything in my life has been affected. I am younger and I feel like I am missing out on so much and just always in a terrible headspace worrying about this. I am starting another medication tomorow and I pray it gives me my life back. People really just don’t understand the affects of this. Hugs to you

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@lacy2 I completely agree. I’m not really even ashamed to talk about it anymore. I rather people have the heads up then them just think I’m unreliable or rude when I need to walk away quickly.

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Again I was saved by taking cholestyramine powder [Quesran] 2X per day. But only for D. If constipated as well at times, avoid it.

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