POLL: How did you IBS start?
#12357 - 06/24/03 05:32 AM
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Hello again 
Well my IBS started when I was going thru a hard time last year. First, I started noticing that coffee will make my stools lose everyday... but It wasn't big deal. Also the Soy TVP was making me go a few times a day. I also noticed that my stools were loser on those days close to my period. After a few months after that I was a total mess. I had D almost everyday. But now, following heather's diet and taking Lexapro my IBS is kind of under control... I still have bad episodes though.
So for me, my IBS was due to stress... what about you?
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Hi Carlaveg; this sounds wierd but my IBS started 10 yrs ago.I believe it was a combination of things for me. I was working at the time, i quit smoking, decided 2 weeks before I got married to get married.The night of our wedding I awoke at 2 am with Diarehha!For the rest of the weekend I slept in between running to the bathroom. Call into work to say I have the flu. Finally got back towork but still having D.I worked in a meat dept.of the local grocery store,so it was not really good to be there. So for a while I would get to work,when I did make it, then have to leave . I ended up having to give up that job. I had a barium enema done,nothing, barium drink,nothing. Lactose Intolerance test,yes! Still having lots of D. plus all I did was sleep. WEnt to a specialist he did a scope down my throat,checked for Celiac;nothing. So this is when the Dr. decided it was IBS! Put on asacol. Continued this for a few years.About 5 yrs. ago I started bleeding. Scope done to check for polyps (found some but nothing major). Diagnosed with Proctitis Ulcerative Colitis. Now on dipentum (2 capsules 3 X a day. plus pentasa emema. On my last colonoscopy ( which is a real pain in the a..,excuse the pun)the ulcers were 2 inches up my colon. The bleeding is heavier at times when I have a flare up, considering of the ususal cramping, low fevers, diarehha (big time). Now in the process of control!! So I'm not sure what caused or actually started my IBS..I am still trying to figure it out.
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Mine started when I was about 15. I would have terrible stomach aches and constipation. My mom has IBS so she said that was what I had too. Even though I would miss school and cry all the time she never took me to the DR. We didn't have insurance. When I was about 18 and got my own insurance I went to the DR. They told me to eat more fiber and sent me home! I was at work one day about a year later and actually passed out from all the toxins built up in my system because I hadn't had a bm in about 2 1/2 weeks! Someone from my work drove me to the hospital and I was admitted. They did a pelvic (thought maybe pelvic inflammatory diease) nothing. Did an ultra sound, nothing. Did a D & C and laproscope through my belly button, just to "look around", nothing. Finally did a colonoscopy and nothing. So they decided I had IBS and sent me home with stool softners and Librax! I have tried all the IBS drugs, none seemed to worked for more than a couple weeks. I found Heathers book and this web site about 6 weeks ago. The diet is helping, I'm still working on finding my personal tolerances. I still have good and bad days but I am hoping to get stable and stay stable with the support of this board and Heathers diet!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I'd have to say that, looking back, I've probably had IBS most of my life. I remember having lots of "tummy" aches and "nerves" even as far back as elementary school. Tummy attacks all through school...even in college. My pediatrician called it "a nervous stomach".
I wasn't diagnosed with IBS until about four years ago. About eight years ago I had a colonoscopy, after having some minor bleeding and D. The colonoscopy only showed mild diverticulosis and the Dr. said the bleeding and D was due to infectious D. Now I never use a public restroom without putting either toilet paper or one of those toilet seat tissues down before I sit on the seat. I wash my hands and then use the papertowel to turn off the water and open the door before tossing the paper towel in the trash on my way out. Even here at work. Any way...back to the IBS....
My IBS intensified about four years ago after my grandmother passed away. I was very close to her and watched her deteriorate in the hospital the last three weeks of her life. I went through a horrible time afterwards. Depression, IBS-D practicall every day, sleeplessness, no appetite, etc., etc. My regular doctor wanted me to have another colonoscopy and my Gastro. Doc said I didn't need one and got me on my way to treating the IBS with diet, etc. My regular Doc eventually got me on Zoloft, but he wasn't much help otherwise and didn't seem to be listening to my concerns. So that's when I found a new doc whom I am very comfortable with. He suggested counceling/therapy and I was eventually able to get off Zoloft completely for depression.
Now I basically just watch what I eat...portion control, fat and fiber content, etc. I don't really follow a "diet". I just get suggestions, recipes from the this web site and Heather's book and other research. A lot of it is just "trial and error", too. I try to control my stress (although not very well at times.) I try to get exercise through walking, yard work, etc. and yoga when possible.
I basically have it under control as long as I follow what I know works for me. I'm no longer on any medication and only take Imodium on occassion.
Best of luck to everyone. I love this board.
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My life is total chaos so it probably started when my body couldn't handle the abuse anymore. My life is even more stressful now since I have IBS. My life gets worse and worse and I havn't got the faintest idea why life is hell for me.
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I used to have really bad sleeping problems. That led to worrying and stress. That sparked my tummy aches
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-Angela
Healed in Jesus' Name 
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Hello: I started with food allergies which I was controlling with domotol for a while and it gradually became that I had so msny food allergies that my two drs. figured it must be ibs. I did have a scope done to rule out anything else, especially when I got to feeling like I might have an ulcer again. I felt like I had a hole in my stomach it felt so bad. My doc. put me on paxil and I started feeling betterafter a few weeks.
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Hi Angel - I know you were looking into the IBS hypnotherapy tapes and checking out the board for that. Have you considered trying them? I really do think they'd help you.
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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In January, I was having bad diarrhea, and then I would be constipated and it wasn't going away, so I went to my doctor at that time and he only spent 10 minutes with me and he gave me Zelnorm and told me to take 1 a day and if i'm still having problems in a couple weeks, start taking 2. Also I start taking Metamucil, which really helped and I eventually switched to Citracel. I decided to go to another doctor and she was really cool and told me that I had a spastic colon and increased my Zelnorm to 2 a day. The Zelnorm took a while to kick in but once it did, it worked. I don't take it anymore, but I still take a fiber supplement every day.
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Mine started in January 2001. My daughter had just turned 6 months, I was toilet training my 2 year old and was preparing for my sisters wedding that summer. I had also decided to be a stay home Mom and was faced with only child conversation. All that stress pilled together lead to IBS-D and a phobia of driving as I once had a really bad attack driving and still panic if there is no washroom near. I am going through with Hypnosis now and hopefully I will be able to go on with life like the 30 years before all this IBS stuff
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I think I've had IBS since my teens - called the nervous stomach. It really flared up after the birth of my second child and two and half months after he was born I was in a serious car accident. That was seven years ago and I still deal with neck and shoulder pain and a year ago through counseling I realized I never recovered emotionally from the car accident.
Lesson learned in all of this - never let emotions rot inside you, because of the amount of physical problems it can cause.
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Hi Carlaveg
My IBS started after a horror year in 2002. My marriage nearly ended, I got GERD (reflux disease), I was stressed to the eyeballs at work, one close work associate died of stomach cancer aged 37, another committed suicide aged 41, and then I changed jobs after 24 years in the same job. One week after I started the new job I got severe stomach pains, nausea, shortness of breath etc etc. Had all the tests and bingo - IBS
All the best. 
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Boy can I relate! Fear of going out the door and getting in the car! <:0 This is my first day on this site--I just found this site and info. What a relief to read that I'm not the only one scared to death to be no where near a bathroom!
My IBS started gradually in 1997 when I got on the birth control pill, moved, and went through a period of terribly stressful events (moving 3x, child had brain surgery, children in car accidents, lived across from Columbine, etc., etc.). I think I have pooped in every possible location and type of bathroom or non-bathroom on the planet. Lived in the west at the time where there may be miles and miles of road with no facilities. More embarrassing moments than I can remember! About that time the panic attacks started and I was thinking of just killing myself so went to the doctor to see if she could figure out what was wrong with me. She ran all the embarrassing tests, made the diagnoses and eventually we decided the birth control pill had been the trigger, but I had tended toward constipation all my life, so it may just be in the genes (?)(many other women in both sides of my family have this). Put me on Metamucil, Levsin (but told me to take as needed--didn't help much, so don't know if I used it right), and put me on Effexor XR. Moved again to another city and a less thorough doctor who left me on the Effexor XR too long (2 1/2 years) until it started to make me crazy. Tapered that off and am done with it and now the IBS is returning gradually again. Had quit taking the Metamucil, but just started again.
I am a Christian and am beginning to find relief from the panic attacks with intensive Bible study, focused meditation, and listening to praise music--gradually seeing results after focusing on this for the last 6 months. Don't know whether or not to go back to the doctor, find a new doctor, or wait until the two books I just ordered from this site arrive and see how the diet helps.
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Hi, and welcome! Instead of returning to Metamucil, which can cause bloating, try one of the other soluble fiber brands instead (Benefiber, Citrucel, Equalactin). It's important that you work up to a high enough dose, and take a LOT of water all day long. That's crucial for the fiber to work and especially important for constipation. There's info here web page
Levsin can also cause constipation as a side effect for some folks - it's best for cramping pain if you have that.
Since meditation is helping you, you might want to try yoga. It's worked wonders for a lot of people in controlling symptoms, and also in reducing stress and worry overall. Check out the yoga board if you have questions.
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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I think I've always had it to some extent. I can remember being in elementary school and having D attacks. I also remember having to watch what I ate going places like the beach because I didn't want to have to go while at the beach. It really became a problem I think after I got married in 1999. I had an inner infection two weeks before my wedding, the flu before my wedding, no voice on my wedding day, another flu the week after my wedding, and another cold the following week. Then after the colds/flu were gone I got kidney stones. About four months later I was laid off from my job. I started having trouble then with the chronic D attacks, so I started the diagnosis quest. I was officially diagnosed in September/October 2003. I was on Lotronex until November when it was yanked off the market. I then started trying to eat soluble fiber and cut dairy and the rest. I discover Eating for IBS and used it. Then I found Heather's other book. A little over a year ago the IBS was slowing making me homebound and has given me alot of anxiety. I know I can get my life back and I will.
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Laurie
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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Hi
I'm going to get them but not anytime soon. They cost so much.
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One of those moments that I remember -- 2nd semester of 2nd year in university. 9:30 in the morning waiting with some friends to go into a Comparitive Politics class, I all of a sudden felt like I had to go. I exused myself and did my thing, but at the end I still felt a bit wierd. Once I got into the class though, everything just worsened, and I spent the entire time pacing myself until the class ended. Once I got out, the symptoms subsided, but reoccured every time I had another class to go to. Ended up just avoiding most of them. It wasn't very great for my grades, and I ended up just squeaking out the graduation in the end.
It wasn't until I moved the US that it got to the point where it was bad all the time and I really had to go hardcore on the diet -- until then it was just being in confined public places without a way 'out' that would bring it on.
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Hi,
I'm wondering what Zelnorm is? Did it help?
Thanks
Quote:
In January, I was having bad diarrhea, and then I would be constipated and it wasn't going away, so I went to my doctor at that time and he only spent 10 minutes with me and he gave me Zelnorm and told me to take 1 a day and if i'm still having problems in a couple weeks, start taking 2. Also I start taking Metamucil, which really helped and I eventually switched to Citracel. I decided to go to another doctor and she was really cool and told me that I had a spastic colon and increased my Zelnorm to 2 a day. The Zelnorm took a while to kick in but once it did, it worked. I don't take it anymore, but I still take a fiber supplement every day.
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Hello everyone!!!
Well it seems that a lot people started getting the IBS after a stressful period of time. Mine did, I know stress is not the cause but a trigger. So maybe, if we could decrease our levels of stress then we may see improvements. I used to do yoga all the time... and it helped a lot. Now I don't have much time to do it. But I definitely need to find the time.
Thank you all for your replies. It has been really interesting reading your posts!!
Carla
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Can it start because of too much meat in my diet? That was ages ago...I would eat lots of meat, all kinds, and not much veggies. Didn't know about healthful eathing back then 
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There have been a huge number of prior posts on Zelnorm...here you go...there may be even more, try a search...
Zelnorm
Zel-norm?
Zelnorm didn't work...on to Mirilax...
Zelnorm, Lotronex and gender
Lotronex and Zelnorm feedback from users, please!
New member IBS-C with gas/pain/bloating
Zelnorm anyone?
I have ditched the Zelnorm
Question for Artist, or anyone else who stopped Zelnorm
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