I had a formed stool - hooray!
#228290 - 11/30/05 12:43 PM
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Digby
Reged: 07/31/04
Posts: 453
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Yup, the frustrated IBS-D(er) had a formed stool this morning! But the next one was back to cowpie.  Well, it's some progress! I cut back my acacia to 2 t 3 times a day (I might reduce it more depending on how things "go"), and started taking 1/2 tablet of Immodium in the morning (started today.) Thanks for all your suggestions!
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I braved the elements and picked up some Immodium Advanced, this morning. No more apathy on my part.
I'm still having alot of coffee grind bm's, but I am being treated for an ulcer. Confession--and I know you'll get a chuckle, Digby--it was like a quadrouple decker melting soft serve icecream when I got that urge to go, at the store. (hehe...no wonder my bm's are so easy going as most everything gets food processed!)
Kate, IBS-D.
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Do they have you on anything for your ulcer besides the Nexium?? Where is the ulcer??
I am not as hungry as I was, yesterday. I don't know why. I had an attack at 2:30 and haven't been really all that hungry ever since. I think I ate too much, yesterday!!!
Hope the Imodium works for you. Even when I had my attack, I still had pretty normal BM's (thanks to the Imodium), just alot of pain and nausea. The nausea is the biggest thing that I cannot deal with.
Michelle 
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Hey, how did you get an ulcer when you don't eat anything but healthy stuff, for the most part??!!
Doesn't make sense, does it?? Me, too. I'm on the verge of getting an ulcer and I don't eat anything that would give me an ulcer (sweets, spices, alcohol, etc)! I don't get it......
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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You're a riot! I know exactly what you're talking about. Ye gads. Good luck with the Immodium!
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Well...
--stress? coffee? cigarettes? my former habit of drinking vinegar and eating lemons?
Actually, it's H.Pylori ulcer--basically bacterial infection.
Honestly, I don't know. I just know that I started having a lot of PAIN (like someone was stabbing me with a rusty nail) and vomitting coffee ground like substances/blood in stool/coffee ground stools. At the moment, I'm just taking Nexium for it. There is no more blood in my bm's--just coffee ground-like substances. I'm going to ask for another endo., I think, when I see my M.D. My guts feel "raw."
Kate.
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I thought the current thinking is that ulcers are caused by h-pylori (sp?), a bacteria. (You can Google this.) I was tested positive for h-pylori and was prescribed anitibiotics, but my doc agreed to let me try an alternative medication first. I went to my naturopath and was given capsules of guar gum (I don't remember the name of the product), which I took for a month--no side effects! My boyfriend took them too so we wouldn't pass it back and forth. When I went back to my original doc and was retested, the h-pylori was gone!
I wasn't told I had an ulcer, but I did have that upper stomach pain at the time.
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Yep, coffee and cigarettes will do it, Definitely. I had to quit both! It hurts too bad!!!!!!!!! I would throw up if I smoked right now, even though it sounds sooooo good!!!!!! It is the only thing that kept me sane for all these years. Now, I have really bad anxiety and panic attacks and I can't find anything to help me calm down. Well, chamomile helps, but I'm still having panic attacks.
I would definitely get another doc. They have me on sucralfate to prevent me from getting an ulcer, but I don't take it. It coats the lining of your stomach. It doesn't alter the stomach acid production at all,though. So, it seems pointless to me. It just upsets my stomach and gives me C!!!!! I took it a few times and it made me very C!!! And with me having IBS-D, it's coming out anyway!!! It just takes more time and hurts 100 times worse!!!!!! Yea, after that 4 hour episode, I quit taking it.
I got my Diovol Plus from Canada in like 4 days!!! I like this stuff. It's good stuff......thanks for letting me know about it. I haven't been able to find it here, anywhere. I wish our pharmacies carried it because I paid out the ying-yang in shipping (from Canada). Two boxes cost me like almost $30.00.
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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I've heard that Mastic gum helps the tummy but I haven't heard anything about guar gum helping. Benefiber is guar gum.....
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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I just did some research on Mastic Gum and it's supposed to be really good for ulcers. Might wanna try that. Says it has no negative side effects.....Have you heard anything about it, before???
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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I must look this up, thank you ladies!!! I was diagnosed with an ulcer...by a doc I don't trust...perhaps this would help.
I love these boards! You are all such a valuabe source of knowledge!
i love you gals *hugs* 
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Yes! They are caused by bacteria--I just haven't a clue how I
acquired it. I'm not taking any antibotics--but I am taking guar gum (I'm doing the natural approach, too, lol!). I just re-started it.
Kate, IBS-D.
Edited by Wind (11/30/05 03:08 PM)
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It's great...no side effects. Much better than taking heavy-duty antibiotics!
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Time will tell--but it has this bizarre soothing sensation.
My shot immune system just can't handle anti-biotics if I can avoid it.
The Immodium Advanced is working like a charm (I've taken 2 today as I am really loose and started getting the brown cow effect).
No bloating/gas either!
Kate, IBS-D.
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I'm glad it's working, Kate! Awesome!!!
Are you taking the Mastic gum, too??? I just ordered some, yesterday. I talked to a lady on another forum last night that has GERD and she took it for 5 months and said it didn't do much for her, so we'll see.....Everyone responds differently.
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Hey, Michelle! I think I plugged myself up, finally. Actually, I really truly do not mind having slowed my transit time--it's a huge mega relief. I strongly suspect, though, that I'll be plugging up a few toilets, later. I think 1/2 tab. daily should be fine.
I am impressed with how fast my D-streak related bloating is vanishing. When I have D attacks, repeatedly, bloating is a huge factor. It's vanishing ultra-fast.
3 daily features, max. is what I can deal with! When my bowels go into hyper-drive--that's enough.
I'm taking guar gum, but in the form of Benefiber.
Kate.
Edited by Wind (12/01/05 11:45 AM)
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Good! I'm glad you got plugged up, finally!! hehehehehe I'm sure it is a MAJOR relief!! Imodium is awesome!! I get the advanced kind, too because of the anti-gas. I had really bad D this morning, too. It's my turn, now. I haven't had D in a week so I guess it's overdue......So, I had to take an imodium this morning, too. I think maybe I should have taken 2 because I'm still going.....not as painful anymore but this morning was HORRIBLE!!!! I feel like crap today.....but, still forcing food down my throat. Sometimes it agrees and sometimes it doesn't.
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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...the Allergy Research Group brand. I took 2 capsules a day for a month because I tested positive for h-pylori. I was having upper stomach pain at the time. My boyfriend took it too, even tho he had no symptoms, just so we wouldn't pass the bacteria back and forth (this per my naturopath's orders). I don't know if it works for GERD.
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Well, things generally are a smooth paste.
Maybe I should make it chunkier???
Kate.
Edited by Wind (12/02/05 11:47 AM)
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LOL! Me too!!
#228837 - 12/02/05 01:37 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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I got one today. I couldn't BELIEVE it. I just looked at it...! LOL! 
Xmas comes early, LOL! I'm so glad you posted this, because I was going to post the same thing but got too embarrassed. LOL! What was I thinking? You guys totally understand.
~nelly~
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Here's what medicinenet has to say on the causes of ulcers...
Quote:
For many years, excess acid was believed to be the major cause of ulcer disease. Accordingly, treatment emphasis was on neutralizing and inhibiting the secretion of stomach acid. While acid is still considered significant in ulcer formation, the leading cause of ulcer disease is currently believed to be infection of the stomach by a bacteria called "Helicobacter pyloridus" (H. pylori). Another major cause of ulcers is the chronic use of anti-inflammatory medications, commonly referred to as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), including aspirin. Cigarette smoking is also an important cause of ulcer formation and ulcer treatment failure.
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol, coffee, colas, spicy foods, and caffeine have no proven role in ulcer formation.
H. pylori is just a common cause, but when you add in that IBS is a risk factor for GERDs which goes with excess acid, you can see why IBSers often get ulcers! Plus alot of us have taken NSAIDs alot in the past.
Also Michelle, didn't you use to smoke too!
Edited by Linz (12/02/05 01:48 PM)
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When I got sick again back in August I wasn't smoking. I had quit in January, when I was already stable.
But, I wasn't having GERD problems, either, in August. I was just having really bad D attacks from anxiety, stress and diet and all that. But, I got so stressed over my IBS coming back, that I started smoking again! Can you believe that mess???  Soooo stupid.  It was great for the first 2 weeks. I was better and relaxed......then the smoking started triggering my reflux and then I got really sick. That's when I came here, on the board. In September, I think. Ever since then, It has been a downhill battle and I wish I would have never started smoking again. I quit again about the end of September, and I'm sooo glad the nicotine is finally out of my system again. That Detoxing is no fun!!!
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Way to go. I totally get it and continute to work on it.
Kate.
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Congratulations, Nelly!!! So excited for you!!! Don't be embarassed!!!
You know you can come here and tell us pretty much anything and we won't mind.....I totally understand. My husband won't let me talk to him about "anything to do with my colon or BM's", were his exact words. LOL!!! So, I come here where I know people have been or still are where I am, now, and totally get it!!! (Did that even make sense??!!hehehehe)
*Hugs*!!
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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I don't know, though. When I quit smoking the first time I got sick in 2003, I quit from Nov 2003 to Aug 2004, 9 months and I still couldn't eat too much stuff off the IBS diet. I could eat a whole lot of chocolate, though by February 2004!! LOL!!
Anyway, I only smoked again for 5 months and just called it quits because my husband quit and wanted my support. So, I quit with him....felt great while I was smoking this time and could eat dairy, pizza, anything I wanted with no problems!! After I quit, I started getting anxiety, stressed out all the time and took on 2 jobs and just lost it. I got sick again withe the IBS..... so, I figured if I started smoking again, I would calm down and my IBS would stabilize again like it did before.....Nope!! Not this time!!!
I smoked for a month before I finally decided that it was only making me worse and not better and quit again!!
Does that make any sense??? Do you think when I stabilize again, that as long as I don't smoke I will be able to eat whatever I want??? I wish!!!
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Um, I'm not sure about the IBS, tho not smoking WILL help. I was mainly pointing out that you being at high-risk of getting an ulcer has nothing to do with what you ate, but is b/c you have IBS, a hiatal hernia and have been a smoker.
I think once you've really got IBS it doesn't go away, you can just control it with diet, etc. I'm never going to be able to eat anything with no problem but that doesn't mean I don't manage to have a good time!
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Thanks, guys!
#228901 - 12/02/05 05:50 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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Omg, I tried to talk to BF about my digestion lately, and he gave me that LOOK that said There's a line there!... You know the look!!
I had no one to share my good news with. Booooo! You guys ROCK!
~nelly~ wishing everyone a nice torpedo for the holidays...!
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Honestly, my mother just doesn't understand what it's like--but hey, she's been hearing EXPLOSIONS and hurricanes ever since I was a teenager. My grandmother gets it, though, I think. And my dad. Hey--I survived Thanksgiving dinner with only one LOUD trip (the bathroom is next to the dining room and has sonorous echoing acoustics). I explained it to her in gardening terms using a pipe analogy.
Now...pretty soon, I'll be a prize pooper.
Kate.
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I hate those bathrooms!! I've lined my bathroom countertops with nice folded towels, and have a plush rug on every horizontal surface just for that reason! Gotta muffle the noise!!
LOL! Hurricane! I would say my gut sounds EXACTLY like a toilet flushing... The sound will start on the left side(pushing down the lever sound), then move to the right(sucking, water rushing sound), back to the left(swirling, swirling), then WOOSH (WHOOSH!)! down the drain!
I tried to explain it to my doc this way but he just looked at me blankly. I'll try the hurricane metaphor!! I think he understands my other "painful, explosive gas" explanation. Never have tot do sound efects on that one!
~nelly~
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Oh I hate that WOOSH! effect/sound. I get that alot. Sometimes, it's "hail."
I'm elated, though, that my stool had some degree of form, today. (But, as I had D-attacks, yesterday, I did eat more SF, and potatoes are really good "binders" or absorbers for me. Rice works wonders too. Immodium plus SF foods to thicken and absorb).
Yes, I agree with you re: M.D.'s--the "painful explosive D explanation/description works best, expecially when you include the part about fear of flatulence." They get really grossed out when you start comparing it to raw cake mix versus raw cookie dough, etc. Natural disaster metaphors, are less grotestesque.
Kate, IBS-D.
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