What Is Wrong With Me?
#277332 - 08/06/06 06:33 AM
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MSP
Reged: 08/06/06
Posts: 5
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For almost two years now my bowel movements are loose and watery followed by THE URGE TO STILL GO BUT CANNOT.
At age 50, a colonoscopy gave me a clean bill of health, but the loose stools persist.
I thought I found the answer in the fact that I was taking too much Vitamin C. Stopped taking the 1000 mg a day and had a couple of normal bowel movements.
But it is right back to the same thing. Here is an example. This AM I had a Nutri Grain blueberry bar and a cup of coffee. Within 20 minutes I was heading for the throne.
After a very explosive and loose bowel movement, I felt like I had to take a normal movement, but I get constipated at that point and cannot go.
What the heck is wrong with me? Do I have intestinal blockage, a disease, what. I am convinced there is something wrong with me.
My medical doctor blames it all on stress but does not direct me to any help or relief.
Is there anyone out there that can help me and steer me in the right direction?
I always had a very normal bowel movement once a day up until 2 years ago.
I had my gallbladder removed almost 4 years ago. Is it possible I have too much bile in my system and that causes the loose stools.
I am at my wits end with this because I am pretty much a healthy person.
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well i dont know about bile but to me coffee is the worst thing to drink when your having trouble with your bowels. Have you read this web site there are amazing facts and information that can change your life try following heathers diet which basically consists of avoiding trigger foods, caffine being one of them and eating soluble fibre eg white bread rice corn and wheat cereals and avoiding dairy trust me it helps. I hope this was helpful to you stay strong it will get betterxxx
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Hi, MSP--
There are a variety of tests that can be done to try to determine the cause of your problems. Here is the link to where Heather (author of this site and several books on the subject of IBS) lists specific diagnostic tests that can help eliminate potential diseases:
http://www.helpforibs.com/footer/ibs.asp#tests
If the tests are coming back negative, IBS may ultimately be your problem. You mention you are minus a gallbladder... that can potentially complicate the issue, but if it turns out you are having a problem with bile acids, that is pretty easily fixed, and not in and of itself a case of "IBS."
If your current doc has not been helpful to you in determining the cause of your problem, it's time to find another doc. It is your health and your dollars, so take an active role in getting the best care possible... you are worth it. We all are. I chose to work with a specialist (gastroenterologist) rather than an internist or general practitioner.
Please also take a look at Heather's books ("The First Year: IBS" and "Eating for IBS"). I was fortunate to find them at my local library; perhaps yours has them, too. The books are a godsend.
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Check multiple sources and make the best-informed decision possible!
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I agree with stopping coffee. Start drinking peppermint tea. At least that will soothe your GI tract. I'm having my own issues right now. Initially, back in Feb 06, when I started complaining to my GI doc he put me on levbid. And, he said my IBS was a result of hormal fluctuations. Menapause......I recently ended up in ER primarily because of a new symptom with IBS symptoms. Thank God all checked out Gall, liver, panc, moderate diverticular, seemed to be perfect. GI doc looked at me with disgust and told me to follow up with MD. I did that on Friday same week of release from hospital. He thought we should do an MRI of back and rule out muscular??? Did that yesterday and said to begin eating whatever I what by increasing my fiber over the next three weeks if tht doesn't help that he is referring me to Colonrectal doc. Didn't even know there was a difference. Still feel lousy and like you am at my witts end. I stopped the coffee for now until I get a handle on this problem. Go back to the GI/Colorectal specialists for a solution. Good luck. Carol PS: My GI doc of 20 yrs didn't feel it was necessary to do an endoscopy or colonoscopy. Last colonoscopy was 3 years ago and never had an endoscopy. I guess the other tests gave him enough information.
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Quote:
... But it is right back to the same thing. Here is an example. This AM I had a Nutri Grain blueberry bar and a cup of coffee. Within 20 minutes I was heading for the throne.
MSP--the Nutri-grain blueberry bar also contains some ingredients that are known to be IBS triggers... seems like an awful lot of high-fructose corn syrup in them as well.
http://www.kelloggs.com/cgi-bin/brandpages/fileBlob.pl?md5=8ba55c930bb4ce0e04cef039b7a99121
From what I have read here on the boards, it seems that Luna Bars are the bar of choice for having a small meal or snack, etc. They are a little expensive, but also *VERY TASTY*, at least the ones I have tried so far... and they do contain lots of things that are good for you so I don't feel so bad about plunking down a dollar and change for each.
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Check multiple sources and make the best-informed decision possible!
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Thank you for your replies, getting off the coffee seems to be so difficult for me. I tried teas, herbal coffees, etc. but just missed the morning pick me up.
Now the question is this, if my MD blames this condition on stress and the gastroentologist gives me a clean bill of health but NO EXPLANATION on why this happens and how to fix it, then who do I turn to get my digestive system checked out, especially the possibility of two much bile in my system?
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Quote:
Now the question is this, if my MD blames this condition on stress and the gastroentologist gives me a clean bill of health but NO EXPLANATION on why this happens and how to fix it, then who do I turn to get my digestive system checked out, especially the possibility of two much bile in my system?
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes
You should come away from your GI visits with a diagnosis. Take the list of tests GaiasSong directed you to with you for your visit to the GI. Make sure to ask about Questran ( web page). Once all the tests are done and possibilities considered, you will have a diagnosis of some kind. If you don't, find another GI and take all your test results to him or her.
You don't say where you live, but you can dig through this thread and see if there are any docs listed in your area. If not, you can post and ask if anyone has any recommendations.
To me, your symptoms sound like classic IBS-D, including a dash for the bathroom after eating triggers. Coffee plus a NutriGrain bar containing HFCS and dairy and who knows what else would probably kill me. On an empty stomach it would definitely kill me. The "urge to go but cannot" is called "a feeling of incomplete evacuation" and is a classic - and maddening - IBS symptom.
I recommend you read all the information on this Website outside the Boards (click on "Home" to the left to get started) and try Heather's approach while you're waiting to see a GI. If it turns out you have IBS, the Diet should make you feel better and you're ahead of the game. If it turns out you have something else, you're not any worse off - except for your missing coffee. 
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Quote:
Quote:
Now the question is this, if my MD blames this condition on stress and the gastroentologist gives me a clean bill of health but NO EXPLANATION on why this happens and how to fix it, then who do I turn to get my digestive system checked out, especially the possibility of two much bile in my system?
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes
You should come away from your GI visits with a diagnosis. Take the list of tests GaiasSong directed you to with you for your visit to the GI. Make sure to ask about Questran ( web page). Once all the tests are done and possibilities considered, you will have a diagnosis of some kind. If you don't, find another GI and take all your test results to him or her.
You don't say where you live, but you can dig through this thread and see if there are any docs listed in your area. If not, you can post and ask if anyone has any recommendations.
To me, your symptoms sound like classic IBS-D, including a dash for the bathroom after eating triggers. Coffee plus a NutriGrain bar containing HFCS and dairy and who knows what else would probably kill me. On an empty stomach it would definitely kill me. The "urge to go but cannot" is called "a feeling of incomplete evacuation" and is a classic - and maddening - IBS symptom.
I recommend you read all the information on this Website outside the Boards (click on "Home" to the left to get started) and try Heather's approach while you're waiting to see a GI. If it turns out you have IBS, the Diet should make you feel better and you're ahead of the game. If it turns out you have something else, you're not any worse off - except for your missing coffee.
A million thanks for your post, I will try to do everything you suggested. Thanks again, especially the part about not fully evacuating being a classic sign of IBS-D. I am going to try a product called Caltrate, have you gone this route?
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Caltrate
#277698 - 08/08/06 08:15 PM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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If you mean the calcium supplement (web page), no, I have not. I take Tums for calcium. However, I'm pretty sure the Caltrate, like Tums, is a form of calcium carbonate which is a good form of calcium for IBS-D. I haven't noticed that the Tums makes any difference one way or the other for my IBS-D.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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It's early, but so far so good. I forgot to tell you the the GI gave me Questran about a year ago.(When I had the colon scope)at the time it did not seem to help all that much.
The last three nights at about 6 PM I take two 600 mg Caltrate for Colon health tablets, and one dose of the Questran mixed with a glass of water.
So far it has stopped the explosive situations in the morning, I know I will still have to watch the trigger foods and caffeine though.
So far so good, keep fingers crossed. Mike
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