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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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@lacy2

Thanks. I know colonoscopies have a small percentage of possible problems like bowel perforation but reading that after age 65 is more risky so am nervous to have another, last one 2008 he said showed nothing (but when I got copy of my dr file saw his report, a few years later, which showed some issue with colon.
Although he said radiation from 1985 (for cancer of cervix 4 times a day each side for 5 weeks) he said radiation damage has healed.. but surely it scars the bowel or must do "something." It was about 10 years later diarrhea started occasionally and has progressed, with the help of too many antibiotics for uti's, to C.Diff in 2018 and another 140 antibiotics (VAncomycin) and then to fecal incontinence and never a firmed stool, just mush on and off all day.. so am pretty fed up along with other medical issues.
Not looking for sympathy but just dont think can go through another colonoscopy at this time.... but was interested to know if I could have mri or another xray of abdomen or the calprotectin test which my daughter just saw on tiktok.
Living with this (and other issues) at 77 is a life changer and, no, diapers do not soak up pasty and I had a problem while having blood test the other day, so embarrassing and a little goes a long way! ugh !!!

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Replies to "Thanks. I know colonoscopies have a small percentage of possible problems like bowel perforation but reading..."

I'm so sorry you are going through this and I hope you can get some help soon. I had radiation for endometrial (uterine) in 1995. I had episodes of diarrhea starting about 10 years later. I told the doctors that I was sure it was from the radiation but just like you I was told it had healed. During the years I had a lot of polyps so I had colnoscopies every 2-3 years. In 2015 exactly 20 years after the first cancer a Colonoscopy discovered a malignant tumor in my colon . Genetic testing concluded that the cancer was caused by the radiation. The surgeon removed almost 2 feet of my small bowel in addition to the almost one foot of the colon where the tumor was. He never told me that he would remove anything other than the tumor and margins around it. When i asked why he did that he said it was "funky " from the radiation and wasn't doing me any good. I had tried to tell him that I had a lot of radiation and my system was a mess but he said it was a long time ago.

Since the surgery I have episodes where stuff shoots out of me. I have cramps snd terrible gas and gas pains. I eat a lot of white rice and my activities are limited.

However I am not incontinent and am so sorry that you are. I am 78 and I have a Colonoscopy every year.

@lacy2 hi again Lacy. I just saw your second text, and I hear you. Same problems, same embarrassing accidents. Do look into having the CT Colonography and Faecal Protectin test. You deserve whatever tests that are available!