Getting the IBS diagnosis
#146535 - 02/03/05 08:10 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I was just curious how many people have been "officially" diagnosed with IBS by their doctors and how many diagnosed themselves based on symptoms and reading about the classic literature.
How many doctors did you consult before accepting this diagnosis?
How many tests did you have done and what were they?
Do you continue to look for other causes, or have you accepted the IBS diagnosis and have stopped looking for other causes.
Sorry if this is too similar to another post. But I'm interested in how much the doctors played a role in your conclusion on a diagnosis and treatment plan.
thank you all for your continual patience with me. And again, please bare with me and don't kick me off because I'm such I "high maintainence" poster. I do love all you guys! Does that help! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I've been told by 2 doctors that it's ibs, but i've never had official testing. I don't have insurance and they won't do the tests without good reason; meaning I'd have to be extremely ill and in an emergency room.
I've accepted the diagnosis because I've had my symptoms for so many years and I found relief with Heather's diet. I don't mean that I never have trouble; I mean that I'm much better.
I haven't replied to your posts before because during my ibs years, I've only been major "C" for a few months. I lean the other way most of the time.
I'm sorry you've had so much trouble Beth. I hope that things get better for you.
Terri
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Hi Beth
I knew I had IBS for about 1 year before I went to see a doctor about it - well I was fairly sure anyway. I was on this diet and doing all the internet recommendations etc. for IBS, certain that I had it. I finally went to the doctor on the urgings of my family (I am a fairly anti-doctor/hospital person myself - though I must admit that I was a little worried about what *else* it might be). Basically went something like this...
- hi I think I have IBS, these are my symptoms, this is what helps etc.
- yeah you probably do have IBS... have you tried this and this and this?
- yes
- ok go have these tests, most of which are terribly awful
---after tests (upper and lower GI [lower GI=barium enema], and blood tests)---
- well you have nothing else so here is an official IBS diagnosis. as you know, there is no cure. have a happy life.
LOL!  Ok well it was a bit more involved with that but you get the picture! Basically nothing changed from before and after seeing the doctor (except my loathing of hospitals increased tenfold after the lower GI/prep...ugh). My doctor really is very nice and I'm surely slandering him (lol) and he tried to be very helpful but he didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. I live in a different city now but when I went to my new doctor asking for an antispasmodic it was basically the same thing. Well, that's me and doctors for you I guess...
Even still though, I must admit that there is some peace of mind from getting the diagnosis - I mean, I'm not really stable or anything but at least I know there isn't something else terribly wrong with me like cancer or something. (That's the bright side! )
So yeah, I've accepted it's IBS and have stopped looking for other causes. I worry sometimes that having gone to the doctor basically telling him what I have maybe ruled out the possibility of looking for other things, and I haven't had ALL the tests Heather recommends (like stool tests or test for endo etc.) and I go through kicks of thinking (hoping maybe) it's something else (maybe I have gastrointestinal candida! I should stop eating wheat and sugar... that was the most recent one!) but I try to stop those things from getting the best of me. I totally understand what you're going through though - IBS is a crappy diagnosis (heh, sorry, no pun intended!): if you had something worse, they could probably cure it right? yeah I know... but at some point, you just have to start accepting it I think, stop letting it control your life and start controlling IT, by managing it (or learning to) as best you can on a day to day basis to basically make your life BETTER - or as best as it can be with IBS.
Sigh... hope this helps some! Hang in there! *hugs*
Cheers, Laurel.
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I was diagnosed at age 5. The doc told me to eat bran or I would get stomach cancer when I was older. Sheesh! Oh, and he gave me fibercon too.
Finding Heather's site has been HUGE for me! I believed I had beginning Nov. 02 and found her book around that time. Thank G-d! The docs did all the tests...adn they all said it's "Just IBS"
Have you been officially diagnosed Beth?
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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I knew I had IBS for at least 5 years before I was actually diagnosed. I was finally diagnosed by my GP - yup, just my regular doctor - last summer.
I went to her with - no joke - a typewritten list of all my symptoms, my entire medical history, everything. Based on what I wrote, and the fact that I'd had these symptoms with very little changes for so long (17 years!), she diagnosed me with NO tests other than bloodwork (which checked for potential thyroid and gallbladder issues, her only other thought based on my symptoms, and all that was negative).
Like I said in my post below, I've accepted my IBS diagnosis. I do know that I also have gallbladder problems that may be causing some of my persistent symptoms, but I've accepted that as well, for the time being. I am NOT stable, and I am NOT symptom-free, but I do believe in trusting my gut instinct, and my gut isn't telling me that it's anything more serious.
My doctor played absolutely no role in my treatment plan. She did recommend a fiber supplement, which I'm absolutely lousy about taking  but that was really it. I explained my diet to her and she said it sounded good. I think she can tell that I'm an educated patient and she respects that, which is why I like her so much... I'm kind of bummed that I have to switch doctors now that I've moved.
Stop apologizing. You're not going to get 'evicted', I swear... unless you start getting nasty and calling us names or something. 
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I first got one when I was 8. But the doctor said it was only a newly known about condition and other than fibre supplements (which made me worse) he couldn't do anything. Then I went to doctor after doctor after doctor who said I was just "sensitive in the stomach". Finally my current doctor sent me to a specialist who said IBS. He sent me home with info and high fibre diet. After all the d and weight loss and anemia they decided it would be best to have a colonoscopy to make sure nothing else was horribly wrong. Hope this helps.
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Amy
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I knew I had "nervous stomach" quite a few years ago, and as my anxiety has progressed, so has the stomach! Finally, about 4 months ago I had a stomach bug which made my symptoms worse, have been to the doctor about 4 times, who was completely useless, told me to "eat more fibre", which to me meant bran etc...! Useless! Told me he'd be angry if he sends me to a gastroenteroligist (however you spell it) if I was losing weight because I just wasn't eating enough which was really thoughtful - not! And that I just need to get over it! I told him I had IBS and he agreed with me?? Gave me a celiac test and bloodwork which all came back ok, except white blood cell count was low, due to viruses. But...after finding this web site and following the diet I have been much more stable!! So have kinda given up looking for other reasons - IBS seems the obvious choice!!
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family history=severe food allergies (dairy specifically) and several people including mom have Crohns disease and several have Celiacs... so I saw 3 docs... over a period of 3 years.. the first one told me I had IBS wihtout testing but sent me to a GI anyway.. that GI ran all the tests except for celiac.. ruled out Crohns, and pissed me off in the process- long bad doc story I posted here a long time ago.. anyway- things got worse and I made an appt with another doc in the same office who listened to me more, took me seriously, tested me for celiac.. looked at the other tests and pointed me to several helpful diets for IBS'ers (not all exactly the same, but similarities exist- others cut back dairy and red meat but not out, etc..) and I found this site along the way and it worked which I've since shared with her and she said she includes in the list she gives patients because I've had the best turn around as to longest periods symptom free of any of her patients!
anyway- I did have a relapse and wound up C- prior to that was mostly D with occasional short bursts of C and TONS of gas issues... that was caused by my antibiotic though, so I'm getting back on the bandwagon now...
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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Good question Beth.
I have been officially diagnosed by my family doctor. The GI specialist tells me that I don't have IBS but I most certainly do. I have had tests to rule out: celiac, IBD, gallbladder issues, woman issues, and some I am forgetting about.
I have accepted that I have IBS. As long as I avoid my triggers, try not to stress, try to sleep and have as much fun and laughter as possible I do quite well. 
You just need to find the proper mix to help you out Beth.
Oh ya, the Celexa that I am taking definitely helps me to be less anxious and in effect calm down my tummy. I am so glad that I read about AD's here because I am the one who asked my doctor to be prescribed an AD. He has had many other patients with IBS and Celexa has also worked wonders for them.
Can I say that I love my doctor?! He's so great. A very understanding doctor who truly wants to see your health (mental and physical) improve is essential in treating health concerns. He is very young and just out of medical school so I think he's on top of the latest in healthcare and has excellent bedside manner. They try to empahsize that aspect now in school. I also like my dentist. Maybe I have a "thing" for doctors. HA HA! 
My old doctor was close to retirement and wasn't nearly as up to date with things. He was extremely kind though. But he once gave me a liquid med which contained small amounts of OPIUM for my 'D'. The pharmacist was FLOORED and warned me that this was a narcotic!!! Needless to say, I wasn't allowed to share this with anyone although I'm sure my BF snuck some out of curiosity.
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I was diagnosed by two doctors. One GI (in Richmond, VA) in Fall 02, who just did bloodwork and a rectal exam for occult blood. He said I had IBS. He just gave me a list of "gas-producing foods" and told me to avoid those and he put me on an antispasmodic, that worked for about a year, then stopped working.
In Fall/Winter 03/04, I went to student health and then todifferent GI (here in Philly), who between them did a abdominal and pelvic CT scan and a colonoscopy and more blood work, including a celiac test. I was diagnosed with IBS again. I was put on a different antispasmodic (Bentyl) that I had an allergic reaction to, then a bunch of different antidepressants that I had nasty side effects to. The GI just told me to eat more fiber (but she meant IF, not SF). So yes, I've been diagnosed, but the doctors didn't really help much.
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Melissa
Friendship is thicker than blood. ~Rent
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First diagnosis was almost 15 years ago. I saw three different doctors only because I moved from GA to OK at the time. The doctor that diagnosed did the stool samples, blood samples, colonoscopy ect...He pulled me off caffeine, bc pills and put me on antispasmodic and a muscle relaxer. I stabilized and stayed that way for a very long time.
This last bout was triggerd a couple of years ago - once again major life changes going on, so I know stress is my biggest trigger. I saw an internal med guy whose initial treatment was based on my original diagnosis. When I got worse, he referred me to a gastro guy. Gall bladder ultrasound, full set of upper and lower GI xray series will small bowel follow thru, followed by small bowel biopsy and colonoscopy....all my insides working fine. The doc thinks I picked up a gastritis situation that triggered me this last time. I'm still trying to stabilize...that has been ongoing for most of two years. I am better today, thanks to this site, but still have to be careful what I eat, drink water, stay moving, do the SFS...you are familiar with my posts.
Personally, I expect my IBS will always be with me and probably worssen as I get older simply because of life-stress and the way my body handles it. I come by this honestly from my dad's side of the family, and on my mom's side I have lost 4 aunts and uncles to some type of gastrointestinal cancer and have and aunt and uncle living today who have both undergone chemo and surgery for colon cancer. I just accept it and do what I know I must to stay as healthy as possible.
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God is Faithful!
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I was diagnosis 6 years ago & yes I had to have 4 Dr. convince me I had IBS & wasn't dying of something else. I've had every test you can think of & even when to Houston
Where the TOP Dr's!!! Suppose to be. But luckly I found a
Very good internal med. Dr. With TONS!!! of patient's & lots of caring for his patients & he told me to not to go from one dr to the next. Which I no longer do & he see's me every
6 mos. And if I get a real bad spell (I am D) I get where I need some reasuring I call his office & he will call & talk me thru it. I still have bad day's but I try to tell my self it will be a better day tomorrow ! I read everything from anything I can get my hands on about IBS & hoping someday they will fix what's broken! I have found my #1
problem is STRESS! Good Luck, the people on this board are a blessing as at least you can go on here & someone as it worst then you do. So your far from alone.
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I was diagnosed the first time I went to a GI doc (colonoscopy). A couple years later, I saw another GI doc who also concluded it's IBS (colonoscopy). The second doc just did my 3rd colonoscopy recently & said it's IBS.
I honestly didn't question whether other tests were advisable.
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I had been suffering from constipation for about 15 years. My Cardiologist suggested Colace to help me out. It worked for a while, but as I got older (in my thirities) I had to add prune juice and over the counter stimulants. I suffered with this for 3-4 years more; then I decided to see a GI.
I got two opinions before accepting this diagnosis. The first GI gave me an "educated" guess. The second gave me a Colonoscopy, stool testing, blood work and many other tests to rule out anything but IBS.
After the test results returned with an "all clear", I accepted the diagnosis.
Although I have not had an "attack" for six months now, I still do not consider myself normal or stable. If I get a cold - IBS will flare up, if I get stressed - IBS will flare up; so forth and so.
I just consider myself as being "attack free" for six months and hope it continues.
Hope this helps a little.
Lene 
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God never promised life would be easy, but he did promise to provide a way out!
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I was diagnosed by my regular doctor (after having done no tests). Then I decided I wanted to really know, so I went to a GI doctor and had everything tested, except for a colonoscopy. The reason I didn't get the colonoscopy is that when I took the pre-colonoscopy laxative, it didn't work right! It kicked in around the time that I was supposed to have the colonoscopy done (I had already cancelled it), it was supposed to kick in like 12 hours earlier. Oh well. I had a colonoscopy a couple years earlier which showed nothing except internal hemmhroids. But the GI guy thought it sounded like IBS as well, espeically since being on the diet/taking an SFS helped me greatly.
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IBS-C
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