IBS Support Group

I would add this

*You need to see a GI doctor to really get anywhere

* You need to do a food journal for at least six weeks to see what foods trigger what reactions. THis will also help point out intolerances to certain foods.

hi lil miss merry sunshine. I'm new to IBS, and I'm confused still how all my stuff still happened. It sucks. I don't have an appetite to eat, i'm always gassed up. The docter gave me Bentyl but I don't think it's working. Please help me out this IBS is making me Stressed and Depressed.

I have suffered from darrhrea one day and constipation the next and straining one min and running to the bathroom every 5mins frustrating to say the least. this has been going on for years an i am going to make an app with the dr to discuss this issue. and the last month or so I have leakage as well (gross I know sorry) VERY EMBARRASSING to say the least. I have looked up my symptoms every where and it keeps coming back to IBS. does this sound like a severe case or what.

After my 4th c-section last year, I went for my 6wk check up and everything was fine. A few says later I was doubled over in severe pain...couldn't even stand up straight;walking hunched over. I ended up in the Emergency room thinking there was a complication with the surgery or they left and instrument or something inside like you hear about on tv! After hours of IV fluids, pain meds and testing, the doc. comes in and says, well I found out what's wrong with you, "you have an old person disease...diverticulitis". This came as a shock to all of us, as I had just turned 32. I was admitted to hosp. and given stong antibiotics through IV for 6 days. Almost 1 year later have not gone longer than a 2wk span feeling "normal!" My new nickname is "Hermie", b/c I am like a hermit-not wanting to leave the house - in fear of pooping my pants! Whether due to the urgency to go, or diarhea...I even fear passing gas! Anyway, had same pains 2 wks ago, went to ER thinking it was another bout of Diverticulitis. CT scan showed it was not. They admitted me and after 6 days of testing my blood, urine, 2 ct scans, endoscopy, colonoscopy, gynecological exam, internal and external pelvic ultrasounds, surgical consult, urologist consult, and poking and prodding, I am given the diagnosis of IBS! I was devastated! The resident said that I should be happy it's not serious like Colon cancer, "It's just IBS!" I grew even more aggravated and told him, you mean to tell me that in less than a year I have been diagnosed with now 2 chronic intestinal deiseases at the age of 32, that have no true rhyme or reason to flare ups or warning signs, and I am to be relieved? Of course I am glad I am not facing cancer...but there is no relief for the diagnoses I've been given. He told me to eat a high fiber diet, drink lots of water, and take an anti-depressant...all of which have been part of my lifestyle for years! Any other suggestions? Is there a recommended antidepressant that has specifically helped anyone? PLEASE help- I am at my wits end! Hesitant to leave the house and afraid to eat anything...my pains and diarhea are severe and almost instant! Laying curled up in a ball whimpering on the couch is not at all how I want my 4 kiddoes to see/remember me!!!

ugh. So frustrating, isn't it!? While I am quite aggrevated with my latest flare-up, my advice to you, hdigi, is to immediately stop the high-fiber consumption! No granola or high fiber cereals, whole wheat bread, raw veggies, fiber pills, etc! While oatmeal is considered a water-soluble fiber, eating oatmeal for breakfast just sends me to the bathroom for hours. Eliminate citris fruits, and cut down on milk products, and no yogurt....and no probiotics either. And do you take fish oil pills? If you do, stop. (I've switched to Flaxseed oil, but not sure if that is working either) Take a few days and just do the white toast, rice and chicken broth/soup diet so your gut has some time to settle. Lots of folks on here swear my Imodium. Try that as well.

I don't have the link anymore, but I found a site that had a great list of foods for the IBS sufferer to use- with water soluble fiber. Maybe if you google it you can find it.

Good luck!

Okay, so heres my issue when ever I am anxious or nervous I sweat from my rear which I believe to be a form of hyper hydrosis (extensive sweating) and my stomach cramps up and I feel the urge to have use the bathroom. I seen a GI who put me on a medication called chlordiazepoxide. It help slows the digestion because before using it I was going to the bathroom every 2 hrs or having the urge to go and when I did go I often felt that I had to go again. The combination of this medicine and Imodium helps but doesn't seem to stop the sweating. I often find myself checking just to make sure nothing has seeped out. It's terrible but you must learn to accept it and keep moving. I shower often; let me know if a better medication to use if possible to ease going to the bathroom as much or to slow digestion

Calmgut, what kind of testing have you had done to rule out a physical basis for your GI issues? Any GI issues or food intolerances that run in your family? I'm not side-stepping the major cause of your post, but I'm wondering how the GI issues might fit in with the sweating issue, and trying to figure out if there's a connection.

CalGal 37: I've had a upper GI test ran with a small bile series that shows that food passes through my system rapidly, this test usually can take an hour or two depending on your digestive track; for me no more than a 1/2 hour, the barium had ran its course and I was out of the testing at least within an hour or so. I also had a colonoscopy done: all was well! But I know something has to be wrong. I am 5'7 198 - 200 lbs. all gut mostly; so I'm going to begin to start working out again, watch my diet with portion control. As far as the sweating I believe that is associated with my anxiety as well as the IBS symptoms constipation and diarrhea both and the factor of my weight. Let me know what you think! Moreover, I'm going to try out the Aloe Vera pills as well as eat yogurt for the probiotics.

A little fast is an understatement if the barium dashed though in that period of time. The med the doc gave you will hopefully help with the anxiety.

Have you found any foods that seem to make things better or worse? Are you having any other symptoms that might not be strictly considered 'digestive?' Like rashes, extreme fatigue or sleepiness when eating certain foods, 'brain fog' or???

There's also a study out suggesting that probiotics taken in capsule form appear to be superior in action to those in preparations like yogurt, and the count you get in a capsule is typically higher, so you might consider capsules.

Why aloe vera pills?

I've seen Aloe Vera pills mentioned throughout the various threads just like that of probiotics; I'm going to try yogurt with probiotics and see how I manage thanks for the support I'll keep you posted!

Can anyone help me. Don't know what to do. My son, who is 23 just got told that he has crohns. I need help to understand what it is all about.

Joshsick2011, Crohn's is a hereditary autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the GI tract. WebMD has a great IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) board with a large number of people who could answer just about any question you could ask. Look for the 'Crohn's and Colitis Exchange' group on WebMD.