IBS
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free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 7:20 am

anyone else have this? how do you manage your symptoms?

made the mistake of having a drink of milky ovaltine yesterday afternoon..bad bad idea, I feel rough today Crying or Very sad

I know it's self inflicted but whenever I have a bad dose I end up with pains all over my gut and convince myself its appendicitus Confused

I know it's my own fault but BUT it's so unpredictable - I could have that another time and be ok and I feel the need to whine as it's dancing night and I'm most likely going to end up curled up in bed with johnny depp or brad dourif or a movie will do Cool

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 7:57 am

I've never been diagnosed as having it but after reading lots about it on the internet over the last couple of years when I started having my stomach cramps I put two and two together and IBS is what I came up with.
I don't have a severe case like some unfortunate people. As long as I make sure I have some fibre in my diet I seem to be ok.
I really don't want to suffer that sort of pain again. The severe stomach cramps that would have me doubled over in pain and as for that sharp, shooting pain that was like having a red, hot poker shoved up your whatsit. Not pleasant. Sad

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 8:05 am

it's a weird thing, for some people fibre helps, some it makes worse, it has to be a particular type of fibre..bloody annoying.

I got up one morning and keeled over, severe pain in my left side by my bottom rib, I couldn't straighten up. My mum called the ambulance, first question, are you pregnant? NO. went to A&E the dr. thought it was kidney stones although nothing really showed up on the x-ray or on later tests. The painkillers were nice though, for childbirth. Shock

Goes to my GP...it sounds like IBS, no cause, no treatment.
Thanks a lot doc Mad

Thing is to most people it doesn't sound very bad and how do you tell if anything else is wrong with you if you get abdominal pain/bloating/gas etc

Pain in the arse Laughing

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 8:18 am

Eve wrote:

Pain in the arse Laughing

Literally! Very Happy

The last bad attack I had was about 6 months ago. My boyfriend came home to find me rolling about on the floor. I was sweating like a pig and really wanted to go to the bathroom but couldn't stand up to walk to it and couldn't even manage to crawl without feeling like I was going to pass out. Strangely, lying on my stomach on the floor was the only position I felt comfortable in.
I'd had a similar attack before so wasn't too worried about it being anything else (other than my stupid bowels and terrible dietary habits).
Is yours triggered by certain foods?
I've not noticed that I get attacks after eating certain things but if I go a few days without fibre I start to get warning pains.

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 8:48 am

poor Toe, it's not nice. Crying or Very sad

well I know milk can set me off as can too much sugar and coffee sometimes having a big meal will trigger a bout not long after I've eaten. It's weird because it's not everytime, If I knew it was everytime you can count on that rather than having imodium/fibre pills/painkillers to hand and always wanting to know where the loo is if you go out. Cool

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 8:53 am

BTW I read that magnesium (and possibly calcium) supplements can help as works on muscle contractions, why it's often suggested for period cramps.

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 10:18 am

I totally understand what you are going through as I have had a bowel disease now for 19 years (Crohn's Disease).

I have to watch what I eat really carefully and have to live with the fact that I need surgery roughly every 5 years Sad

But hey, there are far worse off than me so I can't grumble, although it does get you down at times...

It's worth keeping an eye on your symptoms though as you want to make sure that it is IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and not IBD (Inflamatory Bowel Disease). Many people get the two confused and they are completely different complaints requiring very different treatments.

Take care

T x

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 11:23 am

I suffered for three years from IBS, here's what made it worse: Dairy, wheat, sugar, alcohol, fizzy drinks.
When I had a particularly bad case I found the best thing to do was fast Confused

I only drink water now and maybe the odd coke, I lived off meat, fish, pototo (mashed potato is great for when your stomach is really bad) and over cooked vegies. Oh and get some bacteria tablets, they work the best, I got the Solgar ones and had double the dose on the bottle to start with, spread out over the day then reduced. These made the world of difference. My stomach is a lot better these days but there are still foods I can't look at, chocolate, milk, wholemeal stuff, curries, yoghurt.
I know how awful it is, especially when you spend the evening on the crapper and everyone laughs saying they are going to call the undertaker Rolling Eyes

Mine was brought on by stress and as I settled back down (3years!!!!) it calmed a lot.
I think the homeopaths prescribe licopodium for the cramps but there really is not much that can be done, only diet really and learning not to stress too much. Try looking into massage, I know there are some techniques that can soothe the stomach area.
But yes mashed potato is best Very Happy

Funny I can tollerate butter Very Happy

Another thing I find helpful is cooking a whole chicken and nibbling on it all day. And yes small meals at a time, then you don't overload.
God I could talk IBS all day Laughing

I'm here if you want to pick my brains Very Happy

Just thought, Aloe Vera juice is excellent if you have had a really bad attack, I buy mine from Holland & Barrett, a mouthful of this on a poorly tummy really helps soothe.

free skin care · Tue May 31, 2005 11:40 am

I get mild IBS when I'm very stressed and I usually fast and take mastika tabs. I'll try the aloe vera juice though next time.

After the last episode, I bought some colon clensing tabs from H&B which had aloe in. They kind of helped too, with the fasting, but I did it before it got too intense.

It is such a drag to have and made worse by people thinking it is funny. Heres a huggle ((((((

))

free skin care · Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:30 pm

I really feel for you all. I think that bowel diseases/disorders are the worst, because even though a lot of people have problems, it's still such a taboo topic.

I had never had a problem until my last semester at college and what my doctor decided was stress-induced IBS, I almost had to drop out. It got to the point where I absolutely could not sit through a class or ride in a car with others. Even after I graduated & got rid of a lot of the stress, I still had problems, and I worked with a nutritionist to discover that I have a wheat/gluten intolerance. Now it's a lot better...although I still have a problem going for long car rides because I worry that a restroom won't be handy when I need it. Embarassed

Anyway, I don't have any pearls of wisdom because everyone experiences things differently and different things work for everyone, but I wish you the best in finding what works best for you. The one thing that I would suggest the most is really taking the time to try to rule out problem foods because I did it half-assed the first time and didn't notice that wheat was a problem, and I had to deal with another year of problems because of it. It does help to go systematically through everything to see what helps and what doesn't. Good luck! Smile

free skin care · Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:11 pm

Wow, I didn't know there is a different between IBD and IBS. Have to do some research later.

I hate the bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and the lovely pain that lasts for hours. It always feel like someone is learning to tie knots with my intestines. Whenever I go out for family gatherings and eat a big dinner, I can pretty much expect some form of abdominal pain Sad

I have tried taking fiber daily, acidipholius supplements, flaxseed etc and haven't notice any change.

I want to wish everyone luck in finding something that works. {{group hug}}

free skin care · Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:49 pm

My husband suffered with this condition for almost 10 yrs. and has just recently felt as though he's fairly cured. After all of the medications his gastroenterologist prescribed, the one that really started helping him was a powder called cholestyramine, which is added to water. But I wish I could remember the name of the pills he took last year -- he can't recall either. His doctor told him from the beginning that IBS sometimes cures itself and just runs its course, so in light of this, we can't be 100% certain that the powder started him on the road to recovery or not.

I know how much suffering you all are dealing with, especially Cheeks, and I hope you can get some relief. BTW, he also continues to take Culturelle acidophilus, and uses Immodium on occasion. Your stories about cramping, the urgent need to suddenly find a restroom, fear of long drives and certain social situations are all too familiar to me.

Good luck ladies!!!

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:58 am

it's good to hear from you all - of course not good that we have this but good that we're not alone, it seems to be more common than we realise and talking about it can only help us feel better, raise awareness that we're not just making a fuss about nothing.

marmur - my mother worked with a lady who worked part time and had to quit her job because she couldn't guarantee that she could be there on time because of IBS.

It's good to know what people have tried or are using to help keep things under control, even though treatment seems to be kinda individual it could give us some ideas of things we haven't thought about before.

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:30 am

It is very comforting to know that we're not alone with this problem. Smile

I definitely feel for your mother's coworker. I have felt like I might have to quit or find a new job many times.

It's under control enough now (when I don't eat wheat) that I can always get to work on time, but still have MAJOR problems in meetings, etc. where I have to sit still in a confined space for long periods of time. I think it's all emotional now, because I just get anxiety that catapults the symptoms into occurring, but if I didn't have supportive coworkers I'd probably have to find a new job. We have weekly meetings that I often have to stand through because the rumblings start as soon as that office door closes. I'm not sure why standing helps, but it does.

I'm sure people that don't know me think I'm weird for standing up in odd occasions, but it works. Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:06 am

mtview wrote:

Wow, I didn't know there is a different between IBD and IBS. Have to do some research later.

{{group hug}}

It's very common mtview that the two are compaired because the initials are so similar!!

The trouble is they do have very similar symptoms at times which is why it is so important to be getting treatment for the right condition.

With IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease - ie Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis)this condition can become life threatening and can require extensive surgery (I was only given a 50 -50 chance of surviving my first surgery because I was so ill and they had taken soooo long to diagnose it). With IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) the condition can normally be treated by reducing stress, changes in diet and medication.

Both conditions suck however!!!

oh the joys of having a 'bum' disease Laughing

T x

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:30 am

I'm also a mild sufferer of IBS, and in my case, milk, white flour and non-vegetable fats are the culprits. My stomach behaves at its best when I eat raw vegetables, avoid most types of bread, and drink a lot of water. Green tea is also soothing.

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:44 am

I have the symptoms of mild IBS...but haven't had a diagnosis of it. I use a supplement called greens plus..

free skin care · Sun Jun 05, 2005 4:31 pm

Cheeks,

Thanks for the explanation. My friend had ulcerative colitis (didn't know it is also known as IBD until now) and had to have his colon removed due to some precancerous lesions etc.

I work in an animal hospital and believe it or not a lot of animals have IBD. Poor animals and owners Sad

I am trying to drink more green tea and see if it does anything or not. I haven't touched dairy products in over a year now. Lactaid pills just didn't work for me. I really miss pizza though!

free skin care · Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:57 am

Hi everyone!! I just wanted to tell you of my success with an acidophilus product the has cured me of my lifetime of irritable bowel. I've suffered terribly for years...bloating, constipation and the terrible "can't stand up straight" pain associated with the disease. I ventured into my health food store and bought this fermented milk product called bio-k, it comes in little yogurt type containers, actually tastes alot like yogurt. It contains a minimum of 50 million live, active bacteria in each little 3.5 ounce container. It took awhile for it to start working, cause the friendly bacteria in this product was probably fighting like mad with the nasty bacteria in my intestines, but after about 3 weeks I can say I feel tremendous! I go to the bathroom everyday now, sometimes twice Shock

and I'm not so bloated up like a balloon anymore! I have actually lost some weight since taking it, this product has been a life saver to me! Very Happy

So I would highly recommend acidophilus products for a happy bowel Wink

free skin care · Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:22 am

I too have IBS, as part of fibromyalgia. Acidophilius seemed to help at one point, but looks like my system has grown used to it, so the effectiveness has dropped.
Most fruits are a problem, especially the ones with lots of pulp (citrus, pineapple). Onions too. And raisins, dates, etc.
A nutritionist told me that I have to eat «good» fiber, with psyllium. Doesn't seem to help either. Sad

free skin care · Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:17 am

Linnie I have to ration myself with fruit Rolling Eyes

Pineapple doesn't agree with me either. I love apples but they give me terrible wind.
The one fruit that I have no trouble with is melon especially watermelon.
For everyone who is allegic to Gluton, I just found out that Beer, Whisky, Root Beer, Malt Vinegar all contain Gluton.

free skin care · Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:47 pm

According to my nutritionist, the apple's skin has a lot of fibers. So that could explain your problem. So, you can try eating the apple without its peel.

free skin care · Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:34 am

I can imagine apples causing problems..anyone else think it ferments?
Linnie, I can't drink orange juice, although I can eat them Confused

Thu Jun 09, 2005 6:56 am

I've been diagnosed with a very, very mild-case of this, but don't seen to have too many problems. I have friends and an in-law who do have worse cases though. Embarassed

My Mum has Colitis. Horrible! I hope I never, ever take after her!

free skin care · Fri Jun 10, 2005 1:45 am

my doctor called it a 'modern disease' makes me wonder what is going on, is it our food? water?

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