Afraid and full of questions. I have a doctors app't tomorrow but
#52997 - 03/22/04 10:19 AM
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I am full of anxiety.
This past Saturday I experienced severe stomach cramping that went on on hours. I finally had BM's that were difinite constipation. These were followed by many episodes of diarrhea. This went on all night long. The next morning there were about 2 more episodes of diarrhea that contained fresh blood.
I have had the cramping and back to back episodes of C and D before but never quite as bad as this and I have never had blood involved.
I am very frightened at this point. Of course IBS and hemoroids are not a pleasant thing to have but I am fearing cancer at this point. Are there any people here who have been diagnosed with IBS and suffered from my symptoms?
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
I also suffer from gas, bloating, acid indigestion and reflux.
Please help.
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Hiya,
First of all, I am so sorry that you are feeling so poorly. I know you must be feeling really stressed out now, but hopefully you will get some relief when you go to the doctors and have someone try and figure out what's causing you so much grief.
My symptoms aren't the same as yours, but I have a good friend and it sounds like you suffer the same way she does. She gets the terrible cramping and C and D, and was especially frightened when she found blood. She went to see a GI and got tested to Crohn's disease (a colonoscopy), which came back negative. Now she's been told she has IBS and is trying to deal with that. I suspect your doctor might give you similiar testing to make sure you don't have an IBD.
I hope the doctor can better answer your questions and I _really_ hope you are feeling better.
Good luck tomorrow and let us know how it goes!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Thank you, Steph. I am almost in tears which I am close to at all times recently. It may be the change of life as I am 49 years old and I recently read that sometimes is when IBS shows itself.
Thank you for your kind words and I appreciate you sharing the experiences of yourself and your friend with me. It makes me feel better to know that someone else has experienced the blood issue. It is very scary to see blood.
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Hi KareFree!
#53010 - 03/22/04 10:48 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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It's so easy to say, "don't worry." What does that mean? What good does it do? But in this case, it really applies. The anxiety is really bad for your IBS and will only serve to make it worse. Don't anticipate what might or might not be. You could be worrying yourself needlessly while causing your IBS to flare up. Try to calm yourself until you see the doctor tomorrow. Pick up a trashy novel and curl up in a nice comfy chair near a window by the morning sun, let the sun warm you all over as you gently fall asleep......
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Hi,
I can totally sympathize with you. I have IBS-D with reflux and gas and bloating and cramps, etc. Two months ago I went through all the tests again since my symptoms had gotten so bad recently and included incidences of blood. I also thought the worst. Luckily, the blood was from internal hemmoroids.
I went on Heather's diet, take fiber, gave up coffee and recently the doctor prescribed new meds for me and today I feel pretty good. I take it day by day and hope for the best
Keep your thoughts positive even though I know that's hard to do when you worry over unknown things.
Write back with any more questions and let us know how you are.
Barbara
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Thank you. I don't have an trashy novels on hand but reading these boards has been a great help. I have already jotted down the name of 'equalactin' and also Acacia if the diagnosis is what I suspect it may be.
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Thank you. I have had acid indigestion and reflux for years now. Is it associated with IBS or are they separate? The severe cramping ,C and D are far less regular and this is the first time blood was involved.
Thanks again. There is much support here and I am sure I will be visiting often and soon.
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Hello,
Hey, you and I are the same age. I used to be IBS-D, but within the last two months, I became mostly C and sometimes D. I experienced sudden bloating, gas, and cramping. It was much different than what I was used to. The Dr. diagnosed me with an intestinal infection and I was put on medication for it; plus I found this web site at that same time and started the diet; which has helped tremendously!!
Anyway, my doctor wants to do a colonoscopy on me, but I'm still waiting to be approved for insurance so I can move on with this! I got on the boards that night and expressed my fear that it might be cancer, and it wasn't long before Bevrs had me laughing. (Her line about the trashy novel really cracked me up for some reason!) Well, I'm getting side tracked! Hate when I do that! I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.
I hate to think of you worrying cause I know how that feels and it's pretty darned scary, isn't it? Our imaginations can just make everything worse. At least you didn't drag your feet about making an appointment and getting checked out; so that's good. Let us know what you learn from your doctor,
Terri
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Terri, thank you for sharing your story with me. How long have you been waiting for approval? I was hoping this would be a quick diagnosis with little delay but it sounds like that may not be the case. After I see the doctor tomorrow I will probably order the books from amazon as I have gift certificates from there that will more than cover the price. I may be wrong but the diet looks like one I followed years ago by Susan Powters other than the whole grain ban in favor of white flour products. I know that it helped with indigestion and gas. The other issues are newer but I can see how it would help them also. Thanks for you message. I appreciate it.
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I've been waiting to be approved for insurance for a couple of months now. This diet is a lot like Susan Powter's diet. There's a lot of similarities!
Heather's books are quite helpful and you can certainly get plenty of information from this site, too, while you're waiting.
Hope you're better very soon!
Terri
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Thank you, Terri, I wish the same thing for you and all other posters.
I am speechless that you have had to wait so long for approval and can only hope that your suffering has been abated by the knowledge from the books and message board. Much luck to you.
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there are questions to ask your doctor, what tests you need to have, what IBS is and how it's diagnosed, etc. Look here IBS Glossary under the entry for "IBS".
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks again.
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I am so sorry!! I know how you feel. I am a constant worrier....but you said it was fresh blood - red right? My doctor said that that is nothing to worry about. He said if your stools are BLACK, then it is something to check out. That means the blood is in your colon. The blood you're seeing is most likely just because you are sensitive after all that D! I had the same thing.
I hope the doctor's appointment goes well. Best of luck!
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~Cara~
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Someone close to me just went to emergency for blood in the stool and automatically expected the worst. It ended up being diverticulitis that burst and it should heal by itself, but of course, you need to rule everything else out! Try to think of all of us out here pulling for you if that helps.
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Wow! I have diverticulosis and have had 2 diverticulitis attacks so far. I didn't know the diverticuli actually can "burst" -- WOW!
What else can you tell me about this? I'd like to know more.
Thanks!
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Bevrs
#53124 - 03/22/04 05:22 PM
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Well, I'm not real up on diverticulitis. Aren't there innies and outies?? Or does one of them have a different name. I'm guessing his must have been an outie and maybe got big and a BIG POOP must have popped it??? Didn't ask his wife the gorry details. He had some bleeding one day and then worse the second day. Went to ER and they admitted him for the colonoscopy and other tests and she just told me that it burst and will heal at home, like it wasn't serious. Geez, hope I didn't freak you out just wanted to let anyone worrying that blood doesn't always mean the worst diagnosis but for sure, it needs to be checked out. You should ask your doctor about this possibility the next time you see him. 
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Hi Bev
I have had that happen to me and had confirmed by barium enema that there was no cancer or polyps.
Present case of diverticulus is finally settling down. Bleeding though is not common unless you become severely constipated.
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Hi Karefree,
I too have experience symptoms similar to yours and can totally relate to being scared. My mom died of cancer and ever since then I'm constantly worried that something is cancer...and believe me, all the worrying does it make things worse (of course right?). Anyways, there are tons of other causes of blood in your stools other than cancer, so try not to worry about that. I have had a few really bad attacks over the years that have included blood and so far, I'm ok.
My doctor explained to me about some general rule of thumb rules for blood that may help you. Basically fresh bright red blood is something to not be as concerned about as darker blood or blood that looks like ground coffee (Gross I know). I know it can be freaky to see it, but I'm sure you'll be fine! Try and just relax and calm down...I noticed a lot of people here have given you great advice on relaxing so I'll stay away from that (I should heed it myself, I'm horrible at relaxing) and just say that I'll be thinking about you and I hope you feel better soon!
Kelly
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Bevrs,
Yes a "pouch" can actually burst. An abcess in the area can become inflammed and swell up. Small perforations can be formed and can leak out of the colon into the abdominal area. it can be cleared up with antibiotics. If it does not get cleared up with antibiotics it would have to be drained by a doctor. Which is not a huge deal they use a catheter and a small needle to do that. But if it is a large abscess it can cause problems if it leaks out and contaminates the area outside the colon. If it spreads into the abdominal cavity (the infection) it is called Peritonitis. This can be fatal. Does this help.?
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if God brought you to it. He will bring you through it.
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Thanks Shirl
#53202 - 03/23/04 06:33 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Yeah, that helps. OMG! Where's the Jack Daniels?! 
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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LOL !!!!!!!!!
It will be ok stay ON TOP of it and it will all work itslef out. If you need "Jack" well I am sure you will know where to find him when the time has come. HAHA
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if God brought you to it. He will bring you through it.
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BEVRS!
#53244 - 03/23/04 07:54 AM
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MissS
Reged: 02/11/04
Posts: 837
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Bev,
I also read yesterday on the net that by the time people reach 60 years old, one half of the population has developed diverticulitis; so Bev, you are certainly not alone. A lot of people don't even know they have it. At least you are aware and you've changed your eating (and drinking) to accommodate your colon! You're way ahead of the half that doesn't even know they have it. Plus, you know what an attack feels like, so it's not something you'd be likely to try to ignore. You'd seek medical attention and that's a big plus, too. Well, I just thought you might like to know that you're not alone and you are a step ahead of the game anyway!!
Terri
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Sweet Terri
#53262 - 03/23/04 08:14 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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You're a real dear heart, you know that?
Yes, I actually do feel fortunate that I know about my diverticulosis. I knew the percentages; in fact, by the time we're 80 years old, ALL OF US -- that's 100% of the American population -- will have it. That's pretty scary.
I also feel lucky that I have a mild case -- only 7 diverticuli, and they're all in one location, so if I have too many diverticulitis attacks, they can go in and remove just that one section of my colon (and not the whole thing). That's actually very good news.
Thanks again for your post, Terri. I'm real glad you're on the boards with us.
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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