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I was diagnosed at the age of 27; however, I had abdominal pain and constipation since high school. I remember specific times when the pain was so bad that I could not even stand up. I never said anything to anyone; it wasn't until I got older that the symptoms really began to interfere with my life. I am very grateful that I have finally found relief through the EFI diet. I refuse to take medications so this diet and stress relief has really helped me to feel TONS better!
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Mine started when I was 22 in 1998 then I took bc and got stable for about 2yrs and then i had my daughter and it came back twice as bad as it ever was. But since finding this site I have ben noticing some changes and so feel a little bit better. Emmasmom ibs-c gas gas
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I was about 12 when my symptoms started. So that makes almost 16 years now.
-------------------- ***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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Thanks to everyone who responded! I REALLY appreciate it! About six months ago, I found out that I'm not the only one in my family that has IBS: my aunt, my mom's two cousins, and my grandpa have it. The only difference between them and me is that I have the worst case of it. :crazy: Anyways, thanks again! I hope everyone feels good or is on the road to feeling better!!!
-------------------- Tierney
IBS-C
www.StandardProcess.com[/url] = the home of REAL supplements
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I had C as a kid pretty bad. Then as a preteen/teen I had several memorable episodes of D and thought it was always food poisoning. As that continued I realized it might be IBS at about 19. I started getting bloated at about 19 (started BC then and got married- hmmm). So I had alternating from late teens years and then goofed myself up really bad with correctol. I went to the doc in my early 20s but had no insurance. I got that in mid 20s and tried a few things with no help. Bloating has been the worst and I have had occasional D followed by C that makes it hard to medicate me. I am 33 now so it has been a long time!
-------------------- IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I always had problems with C and a bloated tummy since I was 10, now it has been worse D was a problem in my teen years and now I have both C and D bad. (up to 2 weeks with C). I am 29 and was diagnosed several months ago. There is little help I am getting from doctors..but this web site and Heather's books have helped me sooooo much!! Thank you!!!! I am thinking of trying the hypno next.
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My IBS started with a bit of mucous in the stool when I was 18. No other problems then. Over the next few years I started to get attacks with loose stool and sometimes D and maybe a bit of pain, but only like once every few months. The frequency of these attacks slowly increased and at the same time my bowels started to get more sensitive to and react more strongly to nervousness, like before exams and presentations et.c. Then in 2005 when I was 26, after I had had a really stressful few weeks at work and then had my vacation the IBS got bad. My bowels have more or less constantly been working too fast since then. I had to fight to get examined properly since my GP was of the old-fashioned-and-not-educated-on-IBS-kind. She was pretty much convinced the problems were caused by my worrying and wondering if it could be something more serious, which just goes to show how little she knew. Finally in the spring of 2006 I got my IBS properly diagnosed (though actually it wasn't specified as IBS but rather just a functional digestive disorder, but since I have pain too that is exactly what is called IBS). I found this webpage in the summer of 2006 and gradually switched to the EFI diet. I still need loperamide daily though and I think I will probably always need it unless they find a cure or a better medicine for IBS. I am just thankful that it works and I pray and hope it will always work for me.
My situation is a bit complicated because I had a paralysis condition as a child so I also have bladder problems and anal incontinence issues, the latter of which I am now waiting for treatment for. Unfortunately it can take years if I am unlucky so from mid summer I will probably go on full time medical leave as it gets too much for me to try to juggle work as a PhD student with hunting down doctors and going through the treatment program all at the same time.
/Ulrika, IBS-D
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I had some lactose intolerance issues when I was 12 and 13, which seemed to go away on it's own. Then totally normal until an infection with e. Coli 0157:H7 which had me in the hospital for a week in 2002. Things have not been the same since, I became really C and it got worse every year to the point I was having a BM once a week and had a giant distended stomach all the time. Found this site in March 07 and I've seen some improvement, but still trying to get stable.
-------------------- IBS-C
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Hmmm, if I think back, I've had tummy trouble for a LONG time!! My grandma tells me stories of when I was 5 and 6 with tummy aches all the time, so that could have been IBS back then.
I really got sick when I was 17. I was away on exchange in Italy for 3 months. I got sick there with a virus, and was eating a lot of unpasturized cheese, milk, etc. I came home and I couldn't eat anything. I got sicker and sicker. The drs did elimination diets - no milk, no meat, no wheat, etc. At one point all I could eat was rice products, veggies and fruit. I had all the tests - stool samples, barium tests, endoscopy, colonoscopy, biopsies for Celiac, lactose, etc.
Over two years of testing and finally just before graduation from grade 13 I got a diagnosis of IBS. The GI told me that I didn't drink enough water. If I drank more water I wouldn't have any more problems. He gave me a pamphlet and ta ta, sent me away. I didn't see him again for 12 years. I had to learn on my own what to eat, not to eat, until I found Heather's book, by accident! at Chapters about 6 years ago and it helped me out through a rough patch. Then I kinda went into remission - no problems at all - although I stick to the modified diet. Last Feb my world was falling apart - my dad wouldn't come to my wedding, my best friend and her hubby dropped out of our wedding party and out of our lives completely, my job is SUPER stressful and I can't seem to find another one... etc. So, that is when I found the board online and re-read Heather's book, got myself back ontrack and now I'm pretty stable again.
Thanks to Heather, Mike Mahoney's hypnonsis, some changes in my lifestyle and the love of a damn good husband. I'm also 45 lbs lighter! (A little too skinny) But I'm getting my health back, that is the main thing!
-------------------- Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up!
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I've had constipation issues for as long as I can remember. I know I went to the hospital with severe pains in high school and came home with the diagnosis of constipation! I was totally embarrassed at the time. I thought I was dying (the drama of high school!). I do remember I had problems with gas as well.
When I got pregnant with my first, I had gallstone attacks and had my gallbladder out after he was born. After that there were several foods I could no longer tolerate and it seemed that it got worse through the years.
About 2 years ago with the stress of my wedding, my job, etc. it got really bad. I couldn't eat anything without gas and pain. I had nausea, wasn't sleeping well, had night sweats and a general feeling of malaise. I went to the doctor because my husband and mother made me and was diagnosed with IBS. C, of course.
-------------------- Flipada - IBS-C "It's a gas, gas, gas"
**Lauren**
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