You sound as frustrated and controlled by your symptoms as I feel. Yes, I cannot remember a day in years when I wasn't focused on some sort of GI symptom: gas, bloat, cramps, pain, constipation, or even diarrhea. My life is ruled and dictated by my GI pain and symptoms. I do not go out because I'm usually at home with a heating pad on my tummy in my PJ's. I feel like my life is going by and I just want to cry, and often do, because I have no life! My friends have disappeared. I can't sit through a movie, I can't go to restaurant, or family barbecues and parties because I never know how my bowels are going to behave. Or, because I just feel so crappy I don't feel like being out and hurting. I hate this life.
Like you, I feel like I am doing everything I should be doing to feel better. I followed the diet, never ever cheating, I took the SFS, yet no relief at all from the pain and the constipation seems worse.
I also get worse as the day goes on. I try to eat lunch as late as possible at work, because I know the symptoms will be getting worse and this way, the time before I go home is shorter. I tried eating a little throughout the day, but I am not allowed to snack at my desk, so I can only have breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner.
The bloating, gas, pain are outrageous. I would suggest stopping the peppermint tea and capsules for a few days or a week, as I find that increases my pain! Some people can't handle mints. I don't know if the fennel is doing anything for me, but I drink it just in case it is. Heather says that it "untraps" the gas. So while you may be passing more gas while drinking it, at least the gas isn't trapped causing more pain. Like I said, I still don't know if it helps me, but I figure it isn't hurting.
Unfortunately, this may not stop and we may have to live like this forever. I know you may not like hearing that, but for some of us, I think maybe we never can be as stable as others. We are doing the same thing as them, so it might be our bodies are going to just be like this. It depresses the heck out of me. It scares me and oftem makes me cry.
I'm sure I haven't lifted your spirits any. I am just being honest about my own thoughts on my situation. You may find that another SFS works for you better than the citrucel. Have you tried any others? A lot of people have found that they must keeping trying different SFS until they find one their body likes. Some find that not taking an SFS is best for them. Some, like me, have tried 6 different SFS and find no relief yet from any of them. I think the only one I haven't tried is acacia and metamucil and Konysol. (the latter two are known to increase bloat and gas, so that scares me off of them). But others have reported that psyllium in those two products is the only thing that pushes the BM out.
Also, the Levsin may be constipating you most likely, especially if you are taking a lot, because it slows down the gut. Many IBS-C folks steer clear of anti-spasmodics because of that reason despite having pain.
Have you thought about an anti-depressant? You sound very depressed, and who wouldn't be. There are a lot of us on AD's! Just make sure you don't get one that increases the C!
GL and keep posting. I'm right here with you!
Oh, I've tried zelnorm but didn't get much relief so I stopped that. But it might be an option for you?
Also, many people take 2 to 4 stool softeners every day (colace, for example) and say it helps keep the stool soft and easier to go. My doc says it won't help produce a BM, but it will keep things soft so the BM passes more smoothly.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Totally with you
