I've been keeping a food diary but I'm not totally sure....
#328684 - 04/22/08 05:04 PM
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kevnyc
Reged: 04/22/08
Posts: 9
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Hi everyone,
I'm 19 and at college. Starting in early February I started experiencing weird bowel movements...I felt constipated. However, my food intake did not change. And this went on for a while...I could eat anything I wanted and experience no pain or bloating or anything. I would, however, just not have regular bowel movements. I went to the doctor and he suggested stress was getting to me, and boy, I agreed-- I have a horrible roommate and I take a full course load. I really do not enjoy living at school.
So I went home for spring break and things returned to normal. I ate milk with cereal every day, had ice cream every night, ate meat, etc., without even considering that I could have IBS. I went to the doctor for a sinus infection and he gave me an antibiotic, which kept me up really late with incredible stomach pain one night, but other than that I really felt no pain. My bowel movements returned to normal-- normal color, normal consistency and thickness.
Since coming back to school in late May, though, it seems like I've just been battling bouts of diarrhea. I'm not sure if I have IBS (I am seeing the doctor this friday), but I'm looking for a little more personal experience with food and gastrocolic reactions from you guys for help.
About how long after I eat something that should be "dangerous" should I have some kind of reaction? Should I feel it immediately? Should I have to rush to the bathroom? For example, Wednesday of last week I ate a veggie burger and a bunch of soluble fiber stuff like barley pilaf and some rice. I still felt a little burning in my stomach after eating, however. Today I ate some macaroni with marinara sauce, no cheese, and I feel kind of uneasiness in my bowels immediately after eating.
But contrastingly, I had an Italian sub this afternoon for lunch (a ton of meat on it) and felt totally normal. That was almost 8 hours ago. I still don't feel any urge to rush to the bathroom because of it.
I guess my question is simple...does this sound like IBS? It doesn't seem like the foods I am eating have any effect on my behavior. Why would pasta trigger some kind of pain?
BTW I experience very little abdominal pain or cramping or bloating. I feel totally normal except for a burning in my stomach...
Thanks!
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The problem with IBS is that it is basically diagnosed when they check every other possible problem and it is none of those. There are some symptoms that a lot of people have, but since a lot of people have IBS + some other type of intolerance, or even when of the many different kinds of IBS- is really hard to say, yes you definitely have it and it should look exactly like this.
To me, it does sound like IBS. I can't imagine another disease would be so random like that and IBS is exactly that- SO random. One day you'll eat something- no problem, the next day you'll eat it and big problem. I think part of this is how you eat it (what did you have before? how much did you have?) and a lot of it is stress related- particularly for you since you say during spring break when you were home it was absolutely fine.
When you go to the doctor I would have him do all the tests. Then, I would consider trying the IBS diet for a few days and see how it goes. For you, it may not even help that much since its stress related, and in that case I would consider thinking about how you can manage stress (spend less time in your room with your roommate, take a yoga class etc). I don't know if you exercise already but sticking to a regular exercise schedule several days a week has made a HUGE difference for me. I was always alright about exercise but now I am really strict about it because that is when I feel the best.
I think the best news for you is that college will be over soon (right?) and if you were fine over spring break you will most likely be absolutely fine again when you get home this summer  )
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Thanks. Last night I had some oreos and felt fine. Went to the bathroom this morning and was fine. The color is off...but the consistency is fine.
I dunno if it's IBS. We'll see!
I just had some falafel for lunch too and I feel really fine. It's vegetarian, but deep fried and should be high in IF...could I have some type of bacteria or parasite maybe?
Edited by kevnyc (04/23/08 09:37 AM)
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Hi, to me it sounds like it could be IBS because it sounds kind of like me. When I first started noticing a problem it was very hit or miss, one day I would eat a sandwhich and have diarhea and other days I would eat a pint of icecream with no problem. I was very confused by this but eventually as I continued to eat these "bad" foods the problem got worse. But for a few months it was very off and on. I also had a parasite a couple years ago, and that was nothing like this, so it doesn't sound like a parsite to me. Well, good luck with whatever it could be, I'm 18 and know how it can suck.
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IBS-D
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Kev,
Obviously, I'm no expert either, but alot of what you described is what I have had in the last 9-12 months. IBS seems to be the diagnosis after the hack doctors come up empty everywhere else.
I don't want to sound cynical, but most of the doctors have been so awful with communication, getting to the root of the problem, etc, that I don't have a ton of confidence in them.
Frankly, these boards have more potential answers / solutions.
When i would eat something, typically, i would get immediate stomach bloating, which ultimately led to back pains, and would cause me to run to the bathroom. At times I had diahrrea, and at times I was constipated - which seems to be a trait of the IBS, who knows??
Everyone here has been verys upportive and helpful, hang in there, you'll get a handle on it.
Good luck.
Steve W.
AZ
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