Please help!
#318336 - 11/10/07 09:27 PM
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SW10
Reged: 10/18/07
Posts: 28
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Hello everyone!
I have been suffering with IBS-D for over 2 and a half years now.. I went into the doctor about a year and a half ago and he prescribe me Librax that helped until I found out I was pregnant, then it just stopped working, so I stopped taking it.. I didn't take any meds(other than prenatal pills)and the pregnancy actually helped me even from the get go.. So I was wondering why this was? How could I live with this for years then get pregnant and basically eat everything and anything that I wanted, especially red meat??? 2weeks after my son was born the symptoms came back:( I am back on Librax and I am in the process of getting more testing done, but now it's even worse than before.. I can't eat anything without having to use the restroom.. It's sooooo hard, especially now that I have my son. I am always worried about having to go to the bathroom while out, so I just don't eat until I know I am at home safe and sound. I am just so confused on why I could eat basically anything before I was pregnant and even go out for drinks as long as I was taking my meds, and then while I was pregnant I could eat basically anything, but now I can't eat anything that I was eating before and I am back on the meds??? I have lost soooo much weight, which I didn't want to happen.. I was at 142lbs when I had my son and 2 months later I am at 108lbs! I can't afford to lose anymore weight! I have been just eating oatmeal and toast in the morning and deli turkey with toast and rice for dinner and it is just getting really old and I still have to use the restroom, especially in the morning after I eat breakfast. Please help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!
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I am sorry to hear how upset you are.. Maybe you should call the doc to find out what is going on? You didnt mention if you are taking Arcadia? I think you should if your not. That will help with the D. I have read some where on this site about how pregnancy changes your hormones and how people actually get IBS after having a baby.??
Best of luck to you..try to hang in there
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IBS-C gas, bloating and acid reflux
Babies is the plan for 2008!!Hope this IBS cooperates.
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Everyone is different but if I am having a really hard time with D, the only thing that works for me is cream of rice. Oatmeal is not as good. Toast doesn't work if it is made from bread with high fructose corn syrup. Deli turkey doesn't work if it has high fructose corn syrup or preservatives (buy organic--hard to find except at Whole Foods or buy Boars Head). One day last week I ate cream of rice for all three meals with organic salt free crackers in between. Top that off with hot mint or fennel tea and don't leave off the acacia powder in either cream of rice or the tea (I use 1 and 1/2 tsps. in the morning and in the evening). Talking to a doctor is fine but my experience was that they don't know what to do. I live near Houston, Texas and you would think the medical profession here would know about IBS. Go figure. They are clueless. Good luck to you.
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IBS-D, Gas & Bloating
Barbara50
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The others made good suggestions...finish all the necessary testing to make sure it's actually only IBS, think about taking an SF supplement like acacia, ESPECIALLY in the morning...a rough time for d'ers. Your experience with the pregnancy and feeling worse afterwards is pretty common. I myself had two pregnancies where I could eat till my heart was content on pizza and ice cream. It was a pleasure to feel constipated after always feeling the need to run to the bathroom. It has something to do with our hormones. I had another major set back again when I stopped nursing. My doc. said the changes in hormones affect so many things about us (think: menstrual cycle physical and emotional ups and downs  ). So don't concern yourself so much with it...just take the condition that your at now and try to work with it...you've found a great place on this site....Welcome. 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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Thanks for the suggestions and support! I really needed it!
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Line415..
#318420 - 11/12/07 12:53 PM
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SW10
Reged: 10/18/07
Posts: 28
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I was just wondering how you have handled your ibs-d? Diet wise? I am just afraid to eat anything.. I take my meds, but I am still scared because they really don't work. Were you on any meds for IBS-D? And do you know if birth control is worse for IBS-D? I have to get on some form of BC, but I am not sure what..
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Okay, in a nutshell, here's how I got stable:
Sept. 2006, found this sight, gave up coffee, and started to follow Heather's diet. Took fibercon for the d until my acacia arrived.
FAll2006, d attacks were less often and less violent with the acacia...I started to work up to 1/2 tsp 3 times daily.
I stopped taking Nexium which I was taking for gastritis b/c I wasn't sure if it was making my d worse. AFter stopping coffee and eating smaller meals, I didin't need it anymore anyway.
Started yoga but not daily...when I could and when I was extra nervous.
By JAn 2007, I had lost some needed weight from the diet and I was doing well but not stable. My attacks were let's say 3 times/month versus 2-4 times/week like before and I had reduced my immodium intake drastically.
Started Hypno tapes.
Feb. 2007...still feeling lots of anxiety so talked to doc about AD. I had been taking Librax which supposedly slowed the digestive system and also had an anxiety component in it. I stopped taking that and started lexapro 10mg daily. Horrible adjustment period of about 10 days (d and night sweats, nausea...) BUT SO WORTH IT!!!! Within about 5 weeks, I felt more calm and was a little more c, but the real effect seem to take place about 6-7 weeks for me.
REmember, still doing hypno tapes too...so who's to say what was helping. I think it was all of it.
April 2007 Finished hypno, started to get too c so I reduced my acacia (had been up to 3 1/2 tsp. daily)and increased more IF.
Summer 2007 Pretty good except some anxiety induced/food induced d (maybe 3 times all summer)
Sept. 2007 Major stress and anxiety induced d...saw doctor about maybe increasing meds...She told me I could increase to 20mg if needed or take klonopin more freely (which I had since February...very small dosage... .25mg when needed which I was taking about twice/month.)
Currently...majority of the stress subsided since Sept. so I am still at 10mg of lexapro but I am less hesitant to take the klonopin if I start to get anxious. I am still battling bloating and gas as you can see from my other posts but I really feel ecstatic that I have gotten my d under control and my life back. There are many threads about the pros/cons of medication. I feel it has really helped me, yet I would advise attacking your IBS from all angles as I did (ie., diet, supplements, yoga, hypno, meds). I should mention that I tried probiotics and digestive enzymes too but couldn't really tell if they were working b/c I wasn't stable at the time. I take lots of anti-gas stuff now still. I should also mention that I have been officially diagnosed with microscopic colitis (not as bad as full blown ulcerative colitis).
Okay, so much for being short! I'm going to add this to my favorite threads so I don't ever have to type it all again!!! I hope this helps you. Make sure you read all Heather's info. avidly too first. Have a good day. 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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Thank you sooooo much! I really appreciate you taking the time to type that, it means a lot. I have just been so down lately and I am glad I found this site, it's helping me to know that I am not the only one in the world who had IBS(which kinda makes you feel that way when nobody else understands-as I am sure you know)
I am currently trying to get this whole diet thing down while still taking my Librax.. Everytime I look through the food index I just get so confused on what means what.. I usually don't cook, so the whole cooking thing is going to be new to me.. right now I am only eating maybe once or twice a day.. I just get too nervous that I am going to get D after, but I know you have to experiment in order to know what works and what doesn't.. hopefully by this time next year I will be excited for Thanksgiving! Thank you again! One more ? for you... do you know a bread that I can purchase for the store that will work with this diet?
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