IBS....anyone here have it?

[RonnieJo66]

We have just recently figured out that our DD (14) has IBS.....poor baby!

Just wondering what you have done and how it's helped you??

 

[C.Ann]

My adult DD and I both have it.. Not a whole lot of fun..

With DD she goes back and forth between constipation and diarrhea.. She also developed lactose intolerance at the same time.. For her, she has to take Lactaid pills when she dares to have any kind of dairy products and can only drink Lactaid milk now..

I have the type of IBS that centers more around constipation, bloating, gas, and intestinal cramps.. (Isn't this just the lovliest of topics? LOL) I used to drink Citrucel every single day and that helped a lot.. Stress is a huge trigger for me - as well as eating ice cream; cheeses; and any type of vegetables that would normally cause gas.. For the most part I can get away with taking stool softeners every day and avoiding foods that cause flare ups.. Stress is the biggest problem and can cause an episode that will last for a week or more..

I have seen in the drug store that they have new dietary supplements for IBS now that can be purchased over the counter, but I've yet to feel the need to try them..

I feel bad for your DD.. That's too young to have to deal with IBS.. Hope you can find just the right treatment for her..

 

[Robinrs]

I also have it. I went thru so many doctors and so many tests to no avail. I finally went to a nutritionist who tested me and took me off of milk products and told me to separate proteins and carbs. I was better in less than 2 weeks!

I would suggest that you go to someone who can talk to you about what she needs to eat and not eat. It makes so much of a difference. I still get flare ups but ONLY when I don't watch my diet. My son even reminds me to eat right because he knows how I suffer if I don't.

I agree, she is so young to be going thru this. It's not fun but it is manageable.

God bless,

Robinrs

 

[ead79]

I have IBS as well. What has helped me is learning my trigger foods, which in my case are garlic, anything that is very spicy, and onions. Avoiding those types of things helps tremendously. My symptoms are severe stomach cramping, and my doctor was able to prescribe a pill that works wonders called Levsin SL--the pill stops the cramps in about 3 minutes! Be aware though that the generic version of Levsin didn't work as well for me at all, so I get the name brand.

Also, we discovered that my IBS symptoms were tied in very closely with my monthly cycle. When I started taking birth control pills and got my periods regulated, my IBS symptoms decreased very dramatically, so that's worth looking into. Especially consider this if she seems to have more problems at certain times of the month (like right before her period or right around the time of ovulation, etc.).

I am very fortunate in that I don't have flare ups very often, and I am for the most part able to manage the IBS pretty easily. I do miss garlic rolls, LOL, but the pain just isn't worth it!

I hope you're able to get her help soon so she can learn to cope!

 

[AllyandJack]

I have a form of IBS called Spastic Colitis- actually, when I was diagnosed, it didn't fall under the IBS spectrum, but now it does. I'm on a drug called Bentyl. I suffered for years with doctors not knowing what was wrong with me. I was young, so they tended to brush me off. Then, I met a wonderful gastroenterologist who did a colonoscopy and found out exactly what was wrong with me.

For me, it doesn't matter what I eat. I can eat a gallon of ice cream one night and be fine and have a cup of tea the next day and be sick for hours.

The trouble with the Bentyl is that is knocks me out and you can't take it when you're going to be in heat or sun. But, it helps the pain, which is all that matters to me.

Make sure doctors don't just brush her off. I suffered for years with pain because of doctors. If the doctor isn't helping, move on to one who will.

 

[Virgo10]

I was just diagnosed with IBS. I'm on prescription strength generic Zantac. So far the results have been mixed. While I haven't had any more super severe stomach pains, (several weeks ago I had ones that were so bad we ended up calling 911) I have had numerous episodes of diarrhea with uncomfortable cramping. Monday no, Tuesday yes, today so far no.

I seem to go through spells of this. The longest episode was about 8 months. That was at least 3 or 4 years ago and this is the first episode I've had since that time.

The only food I'm 100% sure bothers me is milk although I can have very small amounts. A whole glass though is a no no.

The whole thing seems to be a trial and error experience. Best wishes to your daughter.

 

[Christine]

I hope that your DD has been through all the tests to rule out other stuff. So many doctors will easily slap on the IBS diagnosis when it could be a number of very treatable things.

I had diarrhea and cramps for 2 months straight. Lost 25 lbs. I had three doctors tell me I had IBS (not one test was performed) and I was referred to a psychiatrist. I knew that wasn't right and I went to see a GI specialist who diagnosed me with giardia (a parasite). I was 'cured' in one week.

If it is truly IBS and is of the diarrhea variety, I have read that calcium supplements help (specfically I think Citrical or Caltrate--can't remember). An extremely good internet resource is www.ibsgroup.org. They have very good bulletin boards and talk about coping strategies for the various forms of IBS.

 

[Serena]

Me too. It's no fun at all. Mine is stress induced. I've found something that helps me better than anything so far. Strawberry and banana Julius. I've tried making it at home and so far I haven't gotten the ingredients quite right, but I will.
Anyway, that strawberry and banana julious and a pretzel sooths everything and I won't get it at all or it'll be a lot less severe.

I don't know if it's the actual slushy that helps, or if it's just mental. But it does help.

 

[bananiem]

I'm sorry for your dd. Since there is no cure it can make life miserable. The best thing is to have a doctor that believes in you. Has she had the tests to rule out anything else? Stool samples, colonoscopy, endoscopy, xray of gastro-intestinal tract? It's really a diagnosis of making sure it's not anything else.
I have found that what works for me is not what works for everyone. Also, what works for others does not work for me. It's trial and error, as another poster said. What seems to work for me for months will all of a sudden NOT work.
I have diarrhea prominent IBS and take imodium daily. But knowing my triggers and watching my stress and what I eat helps me to take less. Feel free to PM me if you have questions. I can trace my IBS back to 6 years old but wasn't properly diagnosed until about age 35.

 

[RonnieJo66]

Thank you all for your posts so far...


My DD has the IBS in the form of constipation (for the most part)


Her secondary problem is that she is a very picky eater and does not eat meat...kinda sorta vegetarian

Shes loves carbs & dairy....I've tried to get her to eat more salads with bean proteins etc in them.

I realize that her diet has something to do with it....still workin' on it!

 

[C.Ann]

Thank you all for your posts so far...


My DD has the IBS in the form of constipation (for the most part)


Her secondary problem is that she is a very picky eater and does not eat meat...kinda sorta vegetarian

Shes loves carbs & dairy....I've tried to get her to eat more salads with bean proteins etc in them.

I realize that her diet has something to do with it....still workin' on it!

------------------------------------

Many of the vegetables could actually be aggravating her symptoms and causing flare-ups.. It's a fine line between getting the roughage she needs and avoiding the veggies that can contribute to the horrible gas and bloating.. Some of the "baddies" are onions; most beans; broccoli; cauliflower; etc.. Next time you're in the drug store pick up a bottle of Beano and read the list of gas-producing food products that it helps with.. Most of those same foods are the ones that will cause problems with IBS..

I can drink milk till the cows come home - LOL - but cheeses cause MAJOR problems - ice cream is "iffy", depending on what else I've eaten and if I'm in a flare-up already..

It's a miserable condition to live with, but once she finds her triggers and does whatever is necessary to control her symptoms, she'll feel a whole lot better!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I was coming here to post to ask if she had all the tests as well. I see a couple of others all ready covered that. It is extremely important to rule everything else out first before accepting the IBS diagnosis.

If you have done all that, then there is also so other really great advice here, but would like to repeat what Robin said about getting a nutritionist to help out.
and a for your DD because it's not fun to go through.