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not IBS after all - it's a tumor .0
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Hi everyone,
Just joined group today. I am 22, was diagnosed with IBS late last year. Despite suffering with it since the birth of my son in 2006. I do struggle to lose weight and retain so much water because of it. Anyone had colon cleansing?
My son also has Hirschprungs Disease.
I struggle so much with the pain but cant complain, my son has it far worse than I do.
xx 0 -
hey I'm here hanging on by a thread. I have chronic constipation and am trying to figure out how to diet. A dietician told me 1000 calories. I can' seem to get full on the liquid diet and am miserable when I eat and miserable emotionally when I don't. I can't stand looking at my body and feel trapped as to how to lose with this worthless lump of a stomach. I am very isolated with all this, so hopefully moaning to you will help
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i'm Chani. i'm 26 and live in Ohio with my husband and cat. i am a social worker by day.
i think my story is a bit odd, so bear with me!
i had normal bowels until last year in September. i would occasionally get a stomachache or diarrhea, but nothing major. i went to Mexico for my honeymoon, and came back with E.Coli (or so the doctor thinks). i had a few days of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, inability to keep anything down. i was tested for Giardia, but my poop came back clean.
i was okay for a few months, and then my symptoms came back. diarrhea, nausea, some vomiting. goes on for a few days and then clears up. and this happens over and over again. when i get sick, i get diarrhea and extreme nausea...to the point that i can't do anything but lay down. when this happens, the only things i can stomach are saltines, bagels, and popsicles (not the best foods for weight loss!). i also get insane cramps that feel like menstrual cramps, only 100 times worse.
when i'm generally symptom-free, i have a very difficult time having bowel movements...i used to poop like clockwork, but now i'm lucky if i go once a day. i feel like i'm constantly constipated, but then i go to use the bathroom and BAM. it's actually diarrhea. but honestly, what bothers me the most is the nausea. i feel like i'm going to vomit 24/7.
i saw a GI doc in February who told me it could be IBS or something called increased intracranial hypertension (aka pseudotumor cerebri...which no, it's not). he basically said there's not much they can do, and suggested i increase my fiber, exercise, and gave me a prescription for Zofran for nausea. which sometimes works, but not always. i also have an rx for hyomax to help with cramping, which generally works.
thanks for letting me share my story 0 -
Hi I'm Amber and I am 26! I have lived with IBS-D for about 4 years now. I started to have symptoms and was diagnosed with IBS when I started my second year of college. I failed out of college because I was too afraid to attend classes and that I wouldn't be able to find a bathroom. I also worked at a daycare and missed a lot of work due to the IBS-D! I experienced depression simply because I was too afraid to leave the house for fear of getting sick. I just had a baby in October and while I was pregnant I experienced no symptoms of IBS at all! Weird? But I loved it! My son is now 6 months old and I have never had my IBS-D as bad as it is now. I'm having a very hard time managing my symptoms and losing weight. It's so depressing to sit at home, afraid to take my baby out for fear of getting sick! None of my friends understand what I go through! I am so happy I was introduced to MFP!
PS: I was also tested for food intolerance a few years ago and I tested positive to 14 different foods. Although, the food intolerance is hard to understand and the test is not very accurate.
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:flowerforyou: I was diagnosed with IBS-C about 5 yrs ago but I have had problems with constipation all of my life. the pendulum did swing the other way a couple years ago when I had diahrrea for about nine months. I am back on an even keel at the moment but was hoping to find other people who have the same thing we could swap tips. I don't eat milk or eggs. I hate soy milk except for baking. I have found however that I can tolerate greek yogurt. Anybody now of some decent tasting milk alternatives for cereal. I miss cereal and milk. Thanks for starting this group. I have been wanting something like this for a long time. No one can really understand unless they actually have it.0
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Hi I'm Amber and I am 26! I have lived with IBS-D for about 4 years now. I started to have symptoms and was diagnosed with IBS when I started my second year of college. I failed out of college because I was too afraid to attend classes and that I wouldn't be able to find a bathroom. I also worked at a daycare and missed a lot of work due to the IBS-D! I experienced depression simply because I was too afraid to leave the house for fear of getting sick. I just had a baby in October and while I was pregnant I experienced no symptoms of IBS at all! Weird? But I loved it! My son is now 6 months old and I have never had my IBS-D as bad as it is now. I'm having a very hard time managing my symptoms and losing weight. It's so depressing to sit at home, afraid to take my baby out for fear of getting sick! None of my friends understand what I go through! I am so happy I was introduced to MFP!
PS: I was also tested for food intolerance a few years ago and I tested positive to 14 different foods. Although, the food intolerance is hard to understand and the test is not very accurate.
I don't know what your diet is like but I would suggest cutting out deep fried foods, sodas, dairy and red meat to start. I did that when I was first diagnosed till I could get a handle on it. Then add them back and you be able to tell what your triggers are. helpforibs.com is a valuable tool. They have an IBS cheat sheet that helped me in the beginning. Fiber is important too, soluble and insoluble. Hope this helps.0 -
Hi everyone. I'm a 50 year old truck driver and have IBS-D all of my life. I recently started trying to eat right, well, better anyway, and lose some weight. Now all of a sudden, for the first time in my life, I am dealing with constipation. Drinking plenty of water, eating foods with fiber, etc. No idea why.0
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Hi everyone. My name is Amber and I live in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. I have suffered with IBS-D since the birth of my daughter almost 15 years ago. I have tried absolutely everything to deal with the symptoms and always give up. I am looking more and more into the diet for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) as studies have shown this may be one of the main causes of irritalbe bowel. Worth a try at least. Good luck to you all on your journeys as well. Take care.0
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Hi, I'm a 33yo from Louisiana who works in higher education. I was recently diagnosed with IBS in May of this year and still learning about it. I recently started reading the book IBS for Dummies (had to start somewhere lol). After a battery of test, incl a colonoscopy, my doctor said IBS. The original symptom I had was a pain in my right side that still periodically hurts. Part me wonders if this is the right diagnosis. ????0
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Hi I'm Kerri. I'm 21 and in my senior year of college. I was diagnosed with IBS-A at 17 although I'd probably had it for awhile at that point. I've worked hard to lose weight and avoid trigger foods.0
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Hello I am Jennifer, but most people call me Jenn. I have been diagnosed with IBS when i was 16. I have been made fun of all my high school life. I am starting a job, and I was wondering if anyone has any ideas to how to control bowel movements. I have to run to the bathroom, like all the time. Thanks Jenn0
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Hi, my name is Sheila, i am 36 yrs old, have 3 children and 2 grandchildren. I am a full time stay at home mom. I live in Minnesota. I haven't been professionally diagnosed with IBS, but i have all of the classic symptoms for quite some time on and off, however, on March 1st, this year (2012) i had gallbladder surgery and ever since then the symptoms have gotten worse and more frequent.
for example:
this morning, i got up as usual at 5 am, since joining MFP, the first thing i do is grab my water bottle which is 24 oz of water and drink that, and take my blood pressure pills and prilosec. then at 8:30 am this morning i got the usual stomach pain and gas, the pain is not excruciating but right up there as sometimes i am doubled over and can't move, then sometimes i will feel and hear a gurgling sound and that is usually when i know its time to run to the bathroom.....this time i didnt have that, i knew by the pain that i needed to get to the bathroom...and then spent 30 minutes in there, since then i am fine. i thought this was caused by foods i am eating...because it seemed like it would happen right after i ate, but now its obvious its not caused by eating since i have not had anything to eat today, just water, so its bowel movement related. i googled my symptoms and it said IBS so i went to webmd and looked it up and i do have all the classic symptoms of it. does this sound like typical IBS?
Thanks
Sheila
feel free to add me if you like!0 -
Hi Guys,
My name is Sarah, in 30. I live in Cambridge (UK) and work full time as a QA Games Testers, I have been professionally diagnosed by my doctor as having IBS. (IBSC and IBSD depending on the day)
At the time I was diagnosed, It was not bad I was half way through losing weight (the first time round) and close to goal. After being diagnosed and working out my triggers and cutting them out I didn't suffer or need pills unless I found a new trigger, I was very lucky!
A year on I had hit my goal weight, IBS still under control. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue again by my doctor, at the time I was fine all week while exercising in the morning but come the weekend (my rest days) I was crashing and sleeping for two days, my doctor gave me information told me to go "try and live with it" and come back in two weeks.
Two weeks later, I went back for a check up and my doctor was off, but left another doctor instructions. Needless to say this doctor was not as good and told me to stop exercising for two weeks, he claimed that was the cause of the fatigue. Rather than listen to my body I hopped the doctor knew what he was taking about.
Long story short I was ill for 6 months, my IBS went mad, I couldn't eat anything without it triggering, exercising was out due to pain, and the fatigue got worse too. It took 6 months to get the IBS under control with pills and food (no exercise). the fatigue is still bad, and still half my problem. I ended up putting all the weight back on due to not moving/exercising and eating anything that didn't trigger my IBS.
I am now after a year in a place I feel I can start over, though I will not lie my IBS is currently living happily on processed food more than fresh food, fruit and veg is down to a minimum as it still triggers (never did before)
I guess I am here looking for people who understand, more than anything. Work is sportive and gives me time when I need it but they really don't understand it, I have even been told "wow that's the best excuse for gaining weight yet!" which really hurt.
I know if I can get going and build up my exercise again to a regular thing I can get my IBS and Fatigue on track again, but it feels like an up hill struggle. :ohwell:
Its odd I know there are people out there with it far worse than me, I am lucky it was as easy as it was, but I find now I am not sure what to do.. I feel kind of lost. :frown: and have since been told by my doctor I have depression as well.
Thanks
Sarah
PS: sorry that's a little long, didn't mean to go on so much...0 -
Hello!
Like the PP I am also called Sarah (good name!), I'm 22 and am a British expat living in Asia.
Aged 21, in June 2012, I was referred to my gastroenterologist by non other than my gynaecologist as some but not all of my suffering was triggered by my periods, I put the rest down to the student diet! But apparently I had developed IBS.
My gynaecologist prescribed me a cocktail of drugs for severe dysmenorrhea which stopped my periods so I don't get a regular bout of IBS anymore.
This allowed me the time to discover my other triggers. The worst is carbonated (as opposed to live) beer, though all alcohol is a trigger. Carbonated drinks and acidic foods are also bad. I find wheat and dairy to cause problems occasionally too. Because it's unpredictable I still consume many of my triggers but now know there may be painful and messy consequences so I am careful. I also take ginger as often as I can. I am a self-confessed foodie and you can't take that away from me!
I joined MFP because since moving to Asia I have gained a lot of weight - they're bigger foodies than me! Being aware of what I'm consuming is great for both my weight and my IBS 0 -
Hi! My name is Michelle, I'm an Administrative assistant and I was diagnosed with IBS in February of 2012. But the pain and symptoms started July of 2011. I'm a mom of two and had my tubes tied in July so I could stop taking my birth control because the hormones in it was making my IBS flare up. Since the surgery I have been able to control it thorough diet and have not had to take the meds. I still have a hard time somedays because I don't know anyone else with IBS and when you try to tell someone you can't something they get mad and insist it's only because I don't like it not because it will put me in pain!0
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Hello, my name is Staca. I'm 42 years old and married with no kids (just a very spoiled cat). I live in Tucson, AZ.
I haven't officially been diagnosed with IBS yet. Over the years, I've been to many doctors about my GI troubles and have been told everything from "I can find nothing wrong with you, don't know what it is" to food insensitivies to lactose intolerance. I did see a GI specialist recently who ordered a colonoscopy (and who did a test that showed I was not lactose intolerant--to my surprise) and said he thought it could be IBS; my symptoms are pretty much typical of IBS.
I have had issues since high school. I used to suffer mostly from diarrhea and abdominal cramping, but lately I seem to have more problems with constipation and gas (terrible bouts of gas) with intermittent diarrhea problems. As I'm sure you all are aware, this can be embarrassing and troubling. It can cause issues at work events or meetings when I'm not sure what's going to happen with my bowels. I have had to take sick days because of my IBS, and I think my boss thinks it's all in my head or an excuse. I was on a tour bus one time that had a nonfunctioning bathroom, and I actually made the entire tour bus go to a fast food restaurant because I was having a sudden attack of diarrhea. It can also be difficult on my relationship; my poor husband has had to deal with many cancelled nights out, rushes to the bathroom, and it's really hard to feel intimate when you feel bloated and gassy.
I was prescribed bentyl by my doctor but stopped taking it because I didn't like the side effects I was experiencing. So I pretty much just take immodium if I need to, and I just started taking a probiotic pill to see if it would help. I'm also on an anti-anxiety medication.
I try to live as normal of a life as possible given the issues I experience. I do enjoy camping and hiking; I do some running and yoga; I like to read and watch old movies; and I love doing activities that involve animals (I used to volunteer at an exotic animal sanctuary).
I was happy to find this group. It's sometimes difficult for people who do not have IBS or GI issues to understand exactly what you're going through.0 -
Hi
I have been a IBS sufferer for over 20 years. I believe part of the reason I have IBS-C is because I also have PMDD and stress doesn't help IBS at all. Trying to find different ways to keep it under control EVERY day instead of just on good days. I recently went off medication for PMDD and think it has something to do with my IBS-C acting up again. It seems my medical issues are all fighting for dominance.0 -
Hello,
I have had bowel troubles as long as I can remember. I ran the full spectrum. I have both kinds of hemmorhoids now and am finally seeking help. The P.A. suggested a low FODMAP diet and actually gave me something for the sever bloating and harsh low abdominal cramps...I wish I would have done something sooner. I could have suffered less. I am interested in what the colonoscopy will reveal. Regardless I know I will have to and have started making nutrition changes. I am not going to totally restrict everything all the time, but if it helps me feel better than it is worth it. Food diary started with times and meals...see if I am particularly sensitive to anything. Hope all of you are taking good care of yourselves.0 -
Hello my names Sami and I'm 20 , nursery nurse and been suffering from ibs for at least 5 years though it didn't have a name for it to begin with. When I was younger monthly I would be sick on such a regular occasion I would get up for school be sick and carry on because it was normal to me because of how bad my ibs is. Every day of my life I feel bloated and that I'm carrying a huge heavy uncomfortable weight around, and every few days I get heart burn headaches, and feel sick as stuff is poising my system. I have joined my fitness pal in hope that more exercise and eating may help these symptoms die down mainly me being bloated. It's not nice at 20 looking at myself everyday and feeling crap cause of how huge and bloated my tummy feels and looks and it's also affecting things in my relationship. And advice on what exercises to do or food to eat would be very helpful as I've tried so much and nothing works.0
