someone help me
#292722 - 12/06/06 02:25 PM
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bethe444
Reged: 12/06/06
Posts: 3
Loc: michigan
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Hi,
I'm really new to this site. I'm hoping someone could enlighten me. My life has been miserable for years. Most recently I suffer from diarreha daily. I had my gallbladder removed last year, and since then I have had symptoms of ibs that are progressively worse. (I did have symptoms for years before, but controllable, and more predictable). I have acid reflux, occasional peptic ulcers -- taking prevacid, I have never had a lower gi, which im going to my family doctor friday to request this, or some sort of assistance. Just recently I have been taking metamucil pills, which seem to help a little, but I'm gassy. This is hard for me to talk about, it is embarrassing, and hard for me to deal with in everyday life. I cannot go out to dinner with my husband, I cannot go out to lunch with co-workers, or friends, and denied a 6 figure paying job because of my symptoms, its so dibilitating. I was wondering what others are doing out there for relief, what works, what does not. My gastro gave me cholestramine to take with meals, which does not really work, and im not sure if the prevacid is helping or hurting. I would love to talk to someone that has been in my shoes. This is ruining my social life, which is almost non-existant.
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Hey there,
I noticed you're from Michigan...me too! West Michigan. Wherebouts are you?
Have you gotten the Eating for IBS book yet? Or First Year IBS? They are both good reads and this Web site has a TON of information on it. You may find you'll get more responses if you copy this post to the Eating for IBS Diet Boards (first one listed). That one is more centered around the actual diet and supplements that may help IBS.
I'm more C than D, so I don't have any advice for you. I do know that Citrucel may be easier on your bowels, and give you less gas. I'm in pain and bloated nearly 100 percent of the day, so I feel some of your pain, but I don't have the urgency associated with the D.
Have you been officially diagnosed with IBS? If not, you need to have something other than IBS ruled out. It's good that you're going to your family doc, and you'll definitely need to see a GI doc as well...to get the colonoscopy and the other tests done to rule things out.
Heather's Acacia powder (fiber supplement) is really good and you may want to consider ordering some.
I've recently starting seeing a psychologist and was diagnosed with OCD and anxiety issues. I'm also 27 weeks pregnant, so we're holding off on any medications yet. You may want to evaluate you stress levels (which, due to your condition, are already elevated) and work to find ways to reduce any unnecessary stresses.
I did the IBS-Audio 100 hypnotherapy program with successful results (I need to do it again). Heather also offers that on this site as well.
Hopefully someone with D can chime in here soon.
Welcome to the boards (though I am truly sorry you have to be here). The people on here are GREAT!!
Take care,
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~jules
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Hey girl, you are in the right place if you need some support. I found just realizing I wasn't alone in my stomach pain made me feel better. Please get the books, you can even find them at the library if you can't buy them but really Heather's books are a great reference. And of course there's a ton of info on this website. Take your time and read up a little each day. It's hard to make a ton of changes at once but you'll start feeling better and can at least be on the road to recovery.
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Jules,
Thank you for your support. This site is amazing. I know of a few people with IBS, but there is so much information here. I look forward to see my doc on friday to get some testing. I'm east side of michigan, macomb county. Good luck on baby, Ive had 4.
Thanks again!!
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Re: someone help me
#292799 - 12/07/06 08:43 AM
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Toady
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 1299
Loc: A small city, Northwestern Ontario, Canada
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Welcome to the board. I'm sure you will find a lot of helpful information and lots of help, I sure do.
I don't have any suggestions in regards to your gallbladder however, I was also prescribe Cholestramine by a dr on-call who said it helps with the D. My GI said to stop taking it. It is not meant for D, but to stop your body from absorbing the cholestrol in foods, and a side affect of the medication is constipation, which may be why your GI prescribed it. Not to mention, you have to be careful because Cholestramine comes in regular or sweetened with saccrine or sucrolose (can't remember which) and artificial sweeteners are absolute murder on an IBS tum.
Read about the diet here, break the cycle, try and find out what your trigger foods are, etc. Heather's program is wonderful.
Best of luck and happy tummy wishes!
Cassandra
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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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Welcome to the Boards.
Metamucil is tough for people with IBS-D. It contains both Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber and if you're IBS-D you'll probably do better with a fiber supplement that contains only Soluble Fiber. I like Acacia, but there are a bunch of them on the market: FAQ on Soluble Fiber
I second the suggestion to get Heather's books. Her "The First Year - IBS" is particularly helpful since it walks you through everything step by step. In the meantime, you can get the diet information on this Website. You can click on "IBS Diet & Recipes" in the column to the left to get started.
You can also click here to start reading the opening chapters in "The First Year". Days 1 and 2 in particular would be good to read before you see your doctor. They'll explain what IBS is and what tests you should have. They also contain a discussion of cholestyramine and why it might help people who've lost their gall bladder.
A lot of people with IBS-D find Imodium is helpful while they're stabilizing. If you do a Search on the IBS Diet board you'll find lots of posts about this. (You'll have to do two Searches, one spelling it "Imodium" and one spelling it "Immodium".)
I had terrible IBS-D when I found Heather's approach and it's worked wonders for me. I hope it does the same for you.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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