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IBS or something else?
I was diagnosed with IBS last November. My GI has had me on multiple medications to treat the symptoms. It now seems like I have the exact same symptoms that I had last year at this time. I continue to have no appetite, loose stools, and weight loss. I started last March at 145lbs and am now down to 116lbs. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have done a food journal, changed my diet, etc....I am tired and need suggestions!
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What meds were you put on last year? Did they help? Do you still take them?
I do not remember the names of all of them. I know a few were anti depressants. The one I am on now that works 95% of the time is Lomotil (sp?). It's to stop the loose stools. I have also been put on multiple antibiotics in the beginning because they thought it was an infection. The only ones that helped were the Lomotil, which I continue to take. I am 28 years old.
I do not remember the names of all of them. I know a few were anti depressants. The one I am on now that works 95% of the time is Lomotil (sp?). It's to stop the loose stools. I have also been put on multiple antibiotics in the beginning because they thought it was an infection. The only ones that helped were the Lomotil, which I continue to take. I am 28 years old.
Maybe you need some vitamin B12. Because of my Crohn's I have trouble absorbing it and when my levels are low I feel the same way. I take a 1000mg shot every four weeks and it really helps!
For the loose stools I take colestid, which is actually for high cholesterol, but by binding the extra bile that my body doesn't use it really works to make things more solid.
Do you take anything for appetite? I'm so tired of battling this everyday!
No, but the vitamin B12 helps with that. Also if you have loose stools Iron is suppose to help with both of those.
You should ask your doctor, even your family doctor, just to check your blood for any vitamin deficiencies.
You folks will have to excuse me as I'm new at this... I am replying to your post because it's the closest one to my pridicament...First off... what is IBS...???
Secondly, this is the only group that even comes close to my situation.
My brother is 62 years old. He is a paranoid-schizophrenic with a few other things thrown in.
I am his legal guardian and he lives with me. He is taking psychotic meds every day and sees a doctor once a month for for this condition and to get his monthly prescriptions re-filled. It's the law in my state... Nevada. He receives SSI Disability and Medi-Caid.
He had been off medication for almost 20 years before I got my guardianship in April of 2008. So far this condition is in check and he really has come a long way with this illness.
About a year ago he started losing weight. From about 160 lbs. down to his present weight of about 134.
I got him the usual gamut of every test imaginable. Blood work... upper GI... lower GI... 2 endoscopy... 2 colonoscopy... 2 Cat scans... MRI... you name it and I took care of it.
His first blood test came back saying he was Anemic... but subsequent tests have proved other-wise... no anemia at the present time...
He was found to have a slightly swollen esophagus but cancer tests at Comprehensive Cancer Centers Of Nevada proved to be negative... also all the tests with his gastro-interologist... He was prescribed Nexium and Polyethyline Glycol powder and has been taking these meds along with his others for about 7 months.
The only diagnosis at the present time is "a small cyst" on his liver and he is scheduled for an "ultra-sound" in September and I am so beside myself at this tremendous weight loss that i have scheduled a 'follow-up" at the cancer center for next week.
Something is going on and for the life of me i can't find out what it is... have already been told it is NOT the mixture of meds he ingests every day but i feel it is something that is "hiding"... someplace in his body...
And he has a "huge" appetite and can eat more food than I've ever seen one person eat on a continuous basis.
His regular daily meds are:
Ambilify 30 mg... 1 per day
Nexium DR 40 mg... 1 per day
Prozac 20 mg... 3 per day
Respiridone 3 mg... 2 per day
Benztropine MES 1 mg... 1 per day
Ciproflocaxin HCL 500 mg... 1 per day for a rash on his back
Polyethyline Glycol powder... 1 capfull per day
Well... that's it... I hope I was explicit enough for anyone out there to maybe point me in another direction... sometimes layman's medicine is the best medicine.
Thank You...
email: powerpen1@cox.net
This is my personal opinion- I think many times vascular disease is over looked when it comes to the GI tract and symptoms. The arteries that supply the gut can develop stenosis for a variety of reasons. When this happens our bodies adapt by making collateral blood flow. In some cases the collateral blood flow is not enough and you can develop an abdominal angina.
Here is great link that explains it better: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/intestinal-ischemia/DS00459
When you take multiple antibiotics you kill all the bacteria in the gut (the good ones too) the gut has to stay in balance. You can replace the good bacteria with pro-biotics that are in live cultured yogurt or supplements.
Thank you Amber. I go back next week and will ask him about this. Just frustrating and seems like you can never get a straight answer from the doctors.