Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment

Question by Jessica: Please help me with these bowel symptoms. Just IBS?
-I eat lots of fiber, I like to think it helps (a slice of whole wheat bread daily, only whole wheat pasta, and often eat all bran buds dry – no milk).
-Chocolate milk and Ice cream = INTENSE abdominal pain, needing a bathroom within 30 seconds or ELSE, gas, abdominal distension, nausea (although I have never actually vomited from it). This usually goes away after getting to a bathroom and staying there for about 10 minutes.
-I often get very watery diarrhea without any pain or distension for no explainable reason for a few days in a row (no trigger foods that I can think of).
-I CAN drink milk, if I down it very quickly it will make me sick or drink it on an empty stomach, however it doesn’t usually cause intense symptoms.
-sometimes I get the urge to need a bathroom immediately for no reason at all, when I haven’t eaten anything recently or have only eaten what is normally a “safe” food.
-During severe episodes I often notice that the food is very undigested in the diarrhea (sorry a lot of information but I figured it important)
-I have mucous in my stool every once in a while
-I never have blood in my stool.
-I am very often fatigued even though I sleep 8 hours a night and go to bed/rise on a fairly regular schedule.
-Last time I was at the doctors I had blood drawn and they said they would call me if anything was abnormal, they did not call so my LAB values are apparently all in line.

I am in my mid-20’s and these symptoms have been occurring since my mid to late teens. My mother and sister also experience them but not nearly to the severity that I do. I mentioned everything to my doctor and he said that I likely have Irritable Bowel Syndrome and left it at that. My symptoms vary in severity, I can go through a month where I have diarrhea every day and then a month where it is rare.

I AM going to bring this up again with my doctor and push to have it looked into but in the mean time I am curious of other opinions? It this just IBS in your opinion, what about lactose sensitivity, crohns, celiac? Anyone want to offer their input?

And please…no responses saying “Go get that looked at” that is already the plan.

Best answer:

Answer by geek_girl_JW
Hi Jessica, the bad thing with these symptoms can be narrowing it down to a definite diagnosis, since these are symptoms of quite a few intestinal disorders. Start a journal and write down both what you eat and all your symptoms after eating. This will be useful to take to the doctor. Also google “allergy elimination diet” and give that a try. Stick with it even though it might be tough, but it will be worth it. I’m betting you have lactose intolerance, I think that’s the most common food issue there is.

I had similar troubles once, and it turned out I had ovarian cancer! I’m not trying to scare you, I’m just saying women especially should never ignore symptoms like these. But don’t worry over it, since it runs in your family, I really think it’s a food issue in your case.

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Question by Christina: Having a lot of stomach and bowel problems, please help before I go to the doctors?
About a year ago I went to a natropath who put me on a detox that cut out any sugar, acidy and fattening food as well as alcohol for one month. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it. But ever since then, I have not been able to eat anything other than meat and fruit and vegetables.. If I eat anything else like sugary foods, deep fried foods, creamy foods, including milk or soy milk, I get horrible stomach pain normally just below the chest, not lower stomach, and then pass bowels that have runny consistancy. (sorry guys)… It has been happening for a year. I know this must seem awesome to some people cos I have lost alot of weight and I’m fitter but i have to constantly watch what I eat ALL THE TIME and can never get take away or eat at someones house. I also get free coffee given to me all the time at work and have to drink it to be polite and I end up on the toilet :( Does anyone else have this or something similar? Is it irritable bowel syndrome?? I am trying to avoid paying $ 50 to see a doctor… (stingey I know but I’m a poor uni student)

Best answer:

Answer by Subin
I think ,as much as possible you should try to make your mind free from tension and take proper rest with tension free.Thank you.

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Question by White Eyelids: Transparent jelly substance and no bowel movement?
so uh this is kinda weird, but i just went to the toilet and took a piss and as i walked out of the bathroom i felt as if i was sort of pooing without noticing, or without actually feeling it, i just noticed the warmth. thankfully this wasnt poop but there was plenty of this white/transparent jelly mucous thing on my boxers, it didnt come from my penis so to speak.

i had noticed this substance a couple of years back, but it would only appear in small portions when i’d poo, it was attached to the poo, right now i didnt have a bowel movement, it was just the jelly substance which came out of nowhere and it was a bunch.

i have been feeling this discomfort on my stomach for the past week and a slight strange headache, but i didnt think it was serious, ive had much worse pains and it hasnt been really serious, just your typical stomachache, and right now i still feel this discomfort, but it now bothers me.

ive been suspecting i have irritable bowel syndrome for the last couple of years, for a few reasons.

i also recently went to the doctor and was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and depersonalization disorder, i’m not sure if it has anything to do with this, i thought it might something to do with anxiety and stress, it causes so many things i dont even know.

so yeah, thank you in advance!

i’m a 19 year old male btw.
no, this wasnt semen.

Best answer:

Answer by Emily
I surgest you go back to your doctor and get checked for bowel cancer just to rule it out.

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Question by John Fattyson: Anyone with Irritable Bowel Sydrome. Help?
I went to a doctor recently because I experienced abdominal pains and problems having bowel movements. I was mostly afraid of it being colon cancer but he said that wasn’t the case due to me not having any blood in my stools or them coming out flat and thin. He said I could very well have IBS but he can’t OFFICIALLY diagnose me until the symptoms have occurred for 12 weeks. Since I seem to fit the bill, I’m relatively sure I have this. How do you cope with this condition? How do others with this syndrome live their lives with abdominal pains every day? I have depression as well which tends to make it worse. How would you cope with this? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Best answer:

Answer by scarlettrhett
I’ve had it for a long time. It’s fully under control for me now. I rarely have an incident anymore. There are really 2 types. One where you’re constipated another where u have diarreah. Both cause severe gas pains. First thing that I have to be careful of is certain foods. With me it’s the ones higher in fats. Like mayonaise, eggs and real butter for example. I have to be very careful. I can eat tiny amounts but not at all if it’s been a stressful week. Stress makes it much, much worse. So keep track of what foods set you off. This takes a while but is necessary. Try not to stress as a day or 2 later it can make you have an episode. I always kept immodium on me too. First sign, I took one. Keep going to the Dr till he gives you the for sure, but in the meantime watch what you eat and try to keep relaxed as much as possible. Good Luck…

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Question by Sarah: could i have bowel cancer at the age of 34?
for a few year’s now i assumed i had irritable bowel syndrome as occasionally when i go to the toilet it can be very painful but the pain goes after i relieve myself but a few week’s ago it happened again but this time it was very painful and i passed quite alot of blood, sometimes it was just blood and sometimes when i went to the toilet. for a week i felt very tired, breathless i was told this was due to the blood i lost. but 3wks later i’m having alot of back and abdominal pain in my lower left, i feel very bloated after i eat and find that i can’t eat as much as i used too. i feel run down. i’m very scared that it might be bowel cancer? i’m due to have a colonoscopy soon but wondered if anyone could help me, maybe someone that is going through the same thing? my blood levels are fine and the stool test came back negative. could it still be cancer???? PLS HELP. thank you :0)

Best answer:

Answer by lkas12
January 1, 2009 marks four full years on the SCD. March of 2009 marks eighteen months since the last time I felt a Crohn’s symptom. I considered myself to be in remission because I am on no medications, had no symptoms and my SED rate was a fantastic two.

Knowing how good I felt, I was very curious to see how good I looked inside so I recently had a colonoscopy. And now I find myself faced with a conundrum. The colonoscopy showed superficial ulceration and the biopsy came back as active Crohn’s. Furthermore, my doctor was surprised that I don’t have any obstructive symptoms given that four inches of my ileum is constricted by about half. He felt that given that I eat a lot of roughage I would be feeling pain, bloating and gas which I am not. This constriction existed before I began the SCD, so I wasn’t surprised that it was still there.

Allow me to backtrack a little. When I started the SCD, I had planned to stick to the diet, wait a year after my last symptom, then get some objective medical proof that the diet was working. This is why I elected to get the colonoscopy. My hope was that the GI would be amazed at how good my bowel looked and report that the biopsy was negative. I further hoped that he would then become enthusiastic about the diet, tell all his patients about it and I would have the satisfaction of helping others like me. I was so wrapped up in this hope that I caused myself a lot of stress.

From the time I scheduled the ‘scope to the time that I followed up with the GI afterwards, I was on edge. I didn’t sleep well, I got cold sores and finally shingles. In part, my stress was because I had put such a high standard of success on the outcome of the colonoscopy. The other aspect of my stress had to do with medicine. In my first consult with the GI he recommended that I take Imuran. I know lots of people find great relief in Imuran, but all the immunosuppressants scare the hell out of me. I knew that I would face a confrontation with my GI over this. After the ‘scope he again advised Imuran. I again declined. When he realized I wouldn’t budge, he suggested Pentasa. Again I said “no thanks”. I tried that drug in the early 90s and it made me sicker than a dog. It was worse than the disease.

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