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It would really be helpful for me to hear from others about what they're going through and how they cope with their IBS issues. I've never had this problem and could always pretty much eat what I wanted without any ill effect. Now if I accidentally eat even the smallest amount of gluten or anything with dairy I am sick for 2 to 5 days and I feel totally exhausted the entire time. First starts belching, then painful bloating and cramping and I become constipated. My upper abdomen hurts as if I had been hit with something hard, my gut feels raw inside and often unremitting nausea also sometimes happens. Once the bloating calms back down, out of the blue I experience urgent diarrhea that can come even if I eat even a few bites of "approved" food. (I've been on FODMAP since Feb). My appetite has gone away and I've lost 19 lbs since I started eliminating foods on the list. The diarrhea can last the entire day and by the time it stops my body is weak, i'm very tired and my abdomen feels tender for the next few days. I've become hesitant to eat, although I'm falling woefully short of calories nearly every single day. Food has lost it's appeal to me and feels more trouble than it's worth. My social life has been totally impacted by these problems and I pass up on fun activities that have been a part of my life forever. Going out to a restaurant is mostly a nightmare now. My GI dr prescribed Bentyl and Omeprozole, which didn't help much, and basically sent me on my way telling me that I need to work on reducing my stress levels. I have dealt with major depression and an anxiety disorder for going on 25 years, which is currently well managed with the exception of the anxiety that being this ill can trigger. I'm getting acupuncture twice a week and that does seem to help. The D.O. that is doing this for me also has me on a regime of Digestive Enzymes. He's also given me a recipe for a "gut healing smoothie" that contains several holistic ingredients, including probiotics with acidophilus/bifidus. I'm currently waiting for these things to come in the mail so I can't speak to its effectiveness yet. At this point I'm willing to try just about anything to get my life back. I feel that I am constantly complaining to my friends and family when they ask how things are going, The only thing that I can point to as what brought this all on, although my GI dr wouldn't agree, is that I had two colonoscopies within 6 months (March and August of last year) as a result of numerous polyps, one of which was difficult to fully remove in one session. None were cancerous but all were of the type that will eventually turn into cancer. Because of this she now wants to start doing colonoscopies every 3 years, which I totally dread just it case it triggers my IBS to become worse. If its not related to those procedures and their prep, can and did your IBS just come on suddenly with no warning and nothing particularly prompting it? Do you feel, or have you been told that this illness will be something that you have to live around forever? Have you ever heard of it going into remission and/or going away entirely? I've done a lot of reading on this subject but really need to hear from those of you who understand and can relate to what I am talking about. I feel alone in this and am afraid that this is my new normal. Thank you for reading this and for hopefully sharing a bit about your experience with IBS.
Replies to "It would really be helpful for me to hear from others about what they're going through..."
I am sorry to hear about your illness. I have had IBS-D all of my life. Then I got C. diff. after Antibiotic usage. I have tested negative but still, experience extreme upper abdominal bloating and pain and stretching feeling (like my abd. will burst.) I had also been on the low fodmapdiet for a year. So my point is ...I have been sick since 2/17. Just tell your friends you are fine. Tell the truth to family and get a second opinion from another G.I. person. Post your pain on the blog.
I am reading these posts because I am having difficulties too. I know that dairy is a trigger, but there is something else too, and I have not been able to pinpoint it yet. I am thinking at this point that it is possibly chocolate! The chocolate I eat is very dark 85%cocoa and has no dairy in it. Have any of you heard of chocolate being a trigger?
Fortunately, though I have no pain, just diarrhea. I have been to the doctor, actually the doctor's NP, and she insisted on testing me for celiac even though I have never had a reaction to wheat products.
I was thinking it was a simple lactose intolerance but since I have problems even when I am scrupulously careful about not having any dairy, I presume it must be more than that.
JK
Hi there, I do not have IBS, but I have an illness which creates digestive issues which can be very bad. There are two things that are very helpful. One is that I use powdered bone broth in juice at least once, sometimes twice a day. If I do not, I can be guaranteed extreme diarrhea for days after. I must use this. If you want more info about this, let me know. Bone broth helps your whole immune system and leaky gut, in general. Another amazing thing for your digestive system is Papaya. It is loaded with enzymes that normalize a bad belly. You will neither have constipation or diarrhea if you eat it. My mom was in a wheel chair and got very bound up being in one, and her care giver fed her daily Papaya. All constipation disappeared. Good luck. If you need more info, please get back to me. Lori Renee
Can't help but wonder if those colonoscopies were some kind of abuse to your colon. Did some kind of damage. Why would these problems start? Do you have any instinct in your soul what you should eat to heal yourself? Are there certain foods that you seem to do good with? Eat those. Stay with those. Even if you have to eat them a lot. Ginger grated into hot water is healing to your gut. Sip it. Don't let yourself get underweight or malnourished. Really try the bone broth. Easiest to use. Try it for a few weeks at least. Then try the papaya for a few weeks. It is hard to be sick. Very hard. Lori Renee
You just eat papayas fresh, as any fruit. You just cut a piece, and eat it! It's kind of a perfumey tasting fruit, and I am not crazy about it, actually. But it is great for belly problems. I know nothing about cooking it, or if it can be cooked. I just started using powdered bone broth because I thought it would be easier to deal with. I just put a few tablespoons into a smoothie or juice, and drink it down. But mine has to be drunk with some source of vitamin C. I do not know if they are all like that. I know if I do that every day, I will not have any stomach problems. So easy. I prefer doing the bone broth to the papaya, because it is tasteless and so easy. So try both and see which helps your stomach and what you like! Lori Renee
As far as I know, you can put it into tea. Could you handle hot apple cider? That has vitamin C. I put bone broth into my hot apple cider quite a bit. You may be able to find some herbal teas with vitamin C. Maybe go into a health food store and ask about bone broth, and how to use the powder. I know I can't seem to be without it. It normalizes the way my stomach works, for sure. Best of luck!!! Keep me posted! Lori Renee
You could drink bone broth with a vitamin C tablet. That is perfect. Why not? Lori Renee
Have you ever been tested for delayed gastric emptying? For years they told me I had IBS. I did everything I could for IBS and never got better. Finally a Dr tested me for delayed gastric emptying and found out food was sitting in my stomach for an average of 4 hours which is way too long. Basically food was fermenting in my gut causing the bloating, gas, diarrhea, and pain. Then I'd be constipated for a few days instead of diarrhea but then it reverses. I had surgery for the delayed gastric emptying and all has been good. IBS is a diagnosis they give when they can't figure anything else out. Good luck to you.
I am recently been diagnosed with UC. I have been told it is my companion from now on. I can go into remission, but this as of yet is not the case. I too have lost weight dramatically. I have not put it back on yet either. I have not had the food reactions you describe though. I began the food list recently and found out that I really don't know what is or isn't fiber... long story short - Special K is fiber !!!! Today has been rough with the cramping and pain. Oddly enough, right now milk helps this... I read to avoid it though. I guess we all are a bit different. At least Dr. said I can get the abdominal Aortic Aneurism taken care of while ensuring this UC crap.
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I can totally empathize with your situation. I also have IBS and looking back, I believe that it began more than one year ago although not diagnosed until later on. No real idea where it came from except possibly after many years of living in Mexico off and on, having numerous intestinal problems there and taking many antibiotics. To further complicate my digestive situation, I also have a serious GERD condition. I have been on the low Fodmap diet for about six months and have lost 25+ lbs.—some of which I needed to lose. But now I am trying to stabilize or even gain. Sometimes even “allowed” foods cause symptoms. I have not had much success in reintroducing forbidden foods—all that I have tried have caused problems. My understanding is that IBS is a permanent condition and I am resigned to, as you said, “the new normal.” I will probably have to have some type of surgery for my GERD since none of the medications are controlling those symptoms. After that at least I hope to be able to add some foods from the Fodmap “NO” list back into my diet—e.g tomatoes and maybe real coffee. Have you considered seeing a dietician?
I saw one who was actually quite helpful at least within the constraints of the restrictive low Fodmap diet. I am not inclined to try any of the meds like Viberzi after my GI went over possible side effects. He has recommended a probiotic called VSL3 which has been tested for IBS. Just started a week ago but so far so good with the bathroom activity—almost normal and no emergencies or constipation. Ask your doctor before you take it. Very expensive. I had heard that Align was also good for IBS and once tried that on my own. It seemed to help at first, but then aggravated my GERD so I quit taking it.
I have heard if some people having success with integrative or functional medicine doctors. You mentioned a DO and maybe that’s is what he or she is trained in. I am considering seeing an MD in integrative medicine later on for IBS but not until after I have the GERD situation under control. I have found that most GI docs are not real good at coordinating care for multiple conditions. Anyway, you still need a GI doctor so if you don’t trust the one you have, research the options and find someone else. I should have done that a year ago! Anyway, good luck!