Irritable Bowel Support Group

[TinklednPants]

I thought the DIS might be a good place for us sufferers to share stories and tips and WHOOO! I GOTTA RUN ! I"LL BE BACK AS SOON AS I CAN!!!!!!

 

[Mrs.Reese]

Let's see if you must travel with stool softeners, metamucil, prune juice, oatmeal and pro-biotic yogurt then you belong in this club. I love vacation but traveling gets me nervous.

The most embarrasing part about IBS that you are a gas machine. When my gas is spent is when I worry.

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

oh count me in!!!! i was diagnosed in december 93, i was 15 and in high school, can you imagine the embarassment? even worse when i was in the hospital one of my teachers some how go the impression i was dying and told that to all the students!!!! today i can freely talk about it without being embarassed, and am very lucky in regard to the gas thing- i married an army man, and hell if i can deal with him and the aftershocks of him inhaling cordite(sp?) then he can deal with mine!!!


btw i had an entire colonscopy last friday completley 100 percent drug free!!! my doc was only going to do a flexor scope- five inches or so, well since it was going so well- not much inflamation he figured welll i may as well do the entire thing!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I may or may not belong to this club. Had the endoscopy/colonoscopy Tuesday. Got the results via phone yesterday and basically they told me a whole lot of nothing other than no medication (which is fine by me) but didn't tell me anything to help control my symptoms. I don't even know if it is IBS. I can't wait to be shut of this doctor's office.

 

[babytrees]

I belong to this group (though I am mainly self diagnosed...the dr. said if you think you have it more than likely you do...just mildly).

Worse case was just tonight...I have been a mess all day and had to work the sound boards for a musical.....I went to the restrooms right before...during intermission and BOOOKED it to the restrooms at the end...I hope I didn't run over too many people.

 

[flying_babyb]

i am a IBS sucess story. I did the food diary thing, ditched ALL my trigger foods for two years then slowly added things back. Now I can eat almost anything without the big D. I still get the big d if I dont eat trigger foods in moderation but its not that bad anymore. Ibsgroup.org helped me alot.

 

["Got Disney"]

I use to have problems with both the Big "D" and Big "C", but now only the Big "C".....no matter what I eat or how much fiber the Big "C" takes over along with the bloat. And the Bloat hurts. And at times can make me look like I'm 5 months Pregnant. Also after I eat I get sever stomach pains.

I do use VSL#3 and that works great as long as I continue. But I get so busy I forget at times to use it.

Had a Colonoscopy and was fine.

and yes....vacations can be tough. We do the DCL every year and I always worry about eating breakfast before going on the excursions having to run to the bathroom because of the bad pains...or if I do get that fun and wonderful urgency.

So how do you deal with your BLOAT

 

[Robinrs]

i am a IBS sucess story. I did the food diary thing, ditched ALL my trigger foods for two years then slowly added things back. Now I can eat almost anything without the big D. I still get the big d if I dont eat trigger foods in moderation but its not that bad anymore. Ibsgroup.org helped me alot.

Wow, congrats.

I, too, consider myself a success story.

I spent years taking care of my ex who had Crohns In 1998, I found myself getting the same symptoms as his. I lost 75 pounds, looked almost anorexic, and was sick with C or D almost everyday. I suffered with cramps that were literally debilitating. All this while working a full time job and being a single parent of my son.

In 2000 I met with a coworker's sister who had Lupus. She, too, had a horrible time with her disease but when I met her she looked totally healthy. She told me about a doctor she went to who taught her how to eat. I made an appointment that day.

This doctor cured me in two weeks of something gastroentorologists purely fed me with medicines for for two years. I no longer take any of my meds and feel about 90% better.

I still have occasional bouts especially if I've eaten something I know I shouldn't but it's gone the minute I get back on track. I've been "cured" for 9 years now and am soooooo grateful.

 

[onelilspark]

I used to take a daily medicine that slowed down my digestive system. Then I think I grew out of it (I was I think 14? when I was diagnosed) so I stopped taking it. Every now and then I feel sick, but most days are pretty good. Problem was that the medicine I was taking they were out of stock for weeks when I needed to refill it. Started taking another, had horrible side effects, stopped taking it and realized I felt better (no constipation since I wasn't slowing it down when it didn't need to be anymore) than I did when I was taking it!

So long story short...when I'm really stressed or anxious, my stomach is my worst enemy. Most days I'm fine though I feel your pain though. Good luck to all!

 

[JESW]

Count me in as a member also. I am having GREAT success taking a probiotic 2x a day! Have been taking them for almost a month now and have not had one single almost-accident! I bought mine at Whole Foods and you have to get the ones that need to be refrigerated. The price isn't too bad at $19.99 for 250. I find they calm my "stomach noise" down. I am hoping I can get my confidence back to get back to walking for exercise without the fear of having an accident. IBS does control your life. I am here at WDW now and doing just fine!

Jill...who does not work for the probiotic company!

 

[rcraw45425]

First flare up was when I was around 24, it was so bad that I used to joke that I knew where everyone in the county's bathrooms were! Stress related, ditched my "position" type job for a "job" type job that paid more, ditched the stress associated with having to "produce" (technical R&D position), got better. Funny thing is DH also suffers from this. Mine has flared up a few times, but mostly if I stay away from my trigger foods, mostly veggies like spinach, okra, cukes, and a lot of grease (lately have discovered that Chinese food tends to set me off?), then I'm okay. I feel for DH, he works ER and has different shifts so no real schedule. WE've also found that when we are at a healthier weight the IBS is more under control.

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

more than likely its the grease in the chinese food! i can't tolerate it either. and i love it : (

First flare up was when I was around 24, it was so bad that I used to joke that I knew where everyone in the county's bathrooms were! Stress related, ditched my "position" type job for a "job" type job that paid more, ditched the stress associated with having to "produce" (technical R&D position), got better. Funny thing is DH also suffers from this. Mine has flared up a few times, but mostly if I stay away from my trigger foods, mostly veggies like spinach, okra, cukes, and a lot of grease (lately have discovered that Chinese food tends to set me off?), then I'm okay. I feel for DH, he works ER and has different shifts so no real schedule. WE've also found that when we are at a healthier weight the IBS is more under control.

 

[C.Ann]

Count me in - diagnosed at around the age of 35 (I'll be 60 in the fall)..

I always had the "C" variety - until last year.. Ended up in the ER with a partial blockage and after doing what I was instructed to do, I ended up with constant "D" for almost 11 months.. I was literally trapped inside the house - couldn't go anywhere.. It was horrible - like being in prison..

Saw an excellent gastro - had some tests done - and that's when everything turned around for me..

One thing I learned about bloating was that because I'm a "mouth breather" at night, I was sucking in air that was filling my intestines.. Remedy? Breathe Right Strips - every night.. As for the bloating, cramps, and discomfort - Digestive Advantage Gas Defense Formula.. It's a probiotic that stops the gas and bloating before it occurs.. Not only does it work, but it has totally regulated my system (one BM first thing in the a.m. and that's it)!! I have neither "D" nor "C" now - and NO BLOATING!!!

Of course there are certain foods that I know I need to avoid - or they will cause a problem ("C").. But if I really, really want to eat that food, that night I will take one Phillips Laxative Dietary Supplement - Cramp Free (not the straight laxative - and the next day all is well again..

So for me, that's what's working "for now".. As most of you know, sometimes things change and suddenly stop working and you have to go on the "hunt" again.. Two years ago just eating Activia every day worked great for the "C" and the bloating and then after several months, it didn't work anymore..

It's a lousy thing to suffer from - really has a dramatic impact on your life - but for others who don't have to deal with it, it's difficult for them to understand how it can virtually make you a "prisoner"..[/COLOR]

 

[Mrs.Reese]

Those pro-biotics are amazing! The after-effects though are sometimes a littly "stinky." Is it sad that I know all the different kinds of meds to relieve the big "C"?

Gave some pro-biotic yogurt to my DFil and now he says he's "happy."

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Fiber One Honey Clusters is my savior. Hail, Fiber One!

 

[Pomlover2586]

I have IBS as well.....diagnosed when I was 15 [though I had symptoms starting at 13] and i'm almost 23 now. The first few years were not so bad......my senior year of HS was so bad [anxiety that I'd have to "go" at school] that i went on Independent study......though it would fix me.....haha right............

I became a hermit for almost a year.........couldn't go to dinner, movies etc without having an anxiety/panic attack. I was always afraid of having to use the bathroom for 10-15 minutes at a time.

I eventually saw a counselor and dealt with my anxiety and I was doing really well for a few years. Then about a year ago I went out to dinner with some friends and ended up getting sick in the car.......and had to go on the side of a country road because I couldn't get to a bathroom quick enough.....talk about mortifying.

I had some issues with anxiety in cars after and then in November I had a similar thing happen and again had to go on the side of a country road......

I now have anxiety so bad when it comes to getting in the car that some days I cant stand it..........I hate driving in cars and wondering if all of a sudden my stomach will gurgle and I'll have an accident.....

I force myself to get in the car and tell myself that worse case scenario I have an accident and have to drive home and change...........but so far my anxiety coping methods are not working as well as I'd like.

I don't want to go on anti-anxiety meds so i'm trying to deal with it myself.

Unlike many of you, when I did a food diary I had no "trigger" foods......anything i ate could be an issue. And usually my problem is "C" and not "D"..............

I also take Metamucil daily.

 

[DVC-Don]

Count me in too as a member. Usually the D but a week ago I wound up in the ER due to C.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

I had an extremely embarrassing moment the other day. I was getting ready for an interview and while waiting in the office to be brought back the gas monster attacked me. You guys knows fighting it doesn't work and I had to run out real quick or risk being heard. Somebody did hear me though and exclaimed "That's rotten! Are you okay?" Yeah, I don't think I'll be getting that job.

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

poor you!!! i know i was at walmart last month and was dying. had to take my little guy in with me and i went to the bathroom and two staff come in and one says to the other did you die in here? the other said dear god no it wasnt me. i bit my tongue very very hard!!!

I had an extremely embarrassing moment the other day. I was getting ready for an interview and while waiting in the office to be brought back the gas monster attacked me. You guys knows fighting it doesn't work and I had to run out real quick or risk being heard. Somebody did hear me though and exclaimed "That's rotten! Are you okay?" Yeah, I don't think I'll be getting that job.

 

[cherylp3]

I hate IBS, although I may get gluten tested to rule out that. I have added gluten to the list for now.