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How do you manage daily life with IBS-D?

Digestive Health | Last Active: Oct 30, 2022 | Replies (182)

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@jcarndt

Are your constipation issues related to Crohn's disease by any chance ? The reason I ask, is that I have Crohn's and chronic constipation that has turned into a daily battle. I'm always looking for new strategies to try because I feel like I'm running out of options.

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Replies to "Are your constipation issues related to Crohn's disease by any chance ? The reason I ask,..."

No, no Crohn's. Just celiac disease and long-standing irritable bowel. In the last two and 1/2 years I have gone from being on no medications to being on three: metoprolol, prolia and repatha. There is a definite connection between the medications and the worsening constipation.
At the moment, while waiting to see the gastroenterologist, I am now swallowing tablespoons of that delightful milk of magnesia topped up with an occassional senokot. The m of m is helping. Also, one of the Mayo Clinic Connect members mentioned a product available on Amazon called H2Go (magnesium tablets). Waiting for my order to arrive.

I'm just now being tested and awaiting results on a Crohns or UC diagnosis with a specialist. When I had my initial appointment with him, he showed me 2 images on his computer of my recent MRI and my recent CT scan. They showed 3 sizable balls of stool in one image and 2 in the other image. I'd been pretty ill for 4 months with daily diarrhea 5 or 6 times every morning.
I had intermittent constipation too
While waiting one month for him to call me with his follow-up, in the meantime, he directed me to drink 2 litres of water per day and take 1 tsp of Metamucil per day. My constipation stopped, and my diarrhea improved! Two litres of water daily is a lot of water to drink but I complied because I was so ill. It may be worth a try for your constipation.
The doc has just ordered another Fecal Calprotectin test so I'm waiting again for a final diagnosis. I've suffered an awful outbreak of mouth cankers lately, which I've read can be a Crohns symptom, so my educated guess is that it may be Crohns. We'll see. I may have a colonoscopy, but the doctors say it would be risky for me due to my multiple conditions.
I hope this info might help you. My specialist is imminent in his field and highly respected by his colleagues.