Pls help a newbie, sort of
#239121 - 01/17/06 09:34 AM
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I've had IBS for about 15 years, but I've learned how to manage it pretty well. However, over the holidays I picked up a stomach bug and I've been miserable every since. Currently, I'm on an antibiotic, basically humoring my doctor that I don't have C. Difficile. Two days left on it and my whole colon is just inflammed and crampy. My day goes like this...wake up, feel ok, maybe eat something, like a bagel, take citricel, take the drugs I'm on...effexor, bentyl, and vancomycin. Then, I have to use the bathroom. It's painful diarrea, which is then followed by powerful cramping and overall abdominal pain. Hyoscamin used to help me but it's not at the moment. I feel like I need to take something that will juse soothe my whole colon. Any ideas? I am drinking peppermint tea and fennel(tummy mint) tea like crazy. I have ordered Heather's acacia fiber. I just want to try to get through the day at this point. I've missed so much work!
Please remind me, since I haven't done the diet in forever...what SHOULD I eat while my symptoms are this bad? Are there any other herbs or supplements I should take, and how much? On the good side, I guess, I have lost about 16 lbs in the last month. I hate doing it this way though.
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Check this link out. It is for what to eat when you can't eat anything.
Anti-biotics can make things worse because it kills good bacteria in your digestrive tract as well.
http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/what_to_eat.asp
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You sound like my twin. This is what I'm doing to keep the pain to a minimum.
Banana in the morning (8am)follwed by a Bentyl and an Immodium if needed. At lunch I eat noodles with olive oil or with Healthy Choice traditional spaghetti sauce. I take an Immodium again if needed. At dinner around 5pm I take another Bentyl and eat piece of Sour dough bread with Smart Balance spread and more noodles, chicken, or fish. I take another Bentyl around 10pm.
This is keeping me from cramping and I cannot eat much more than this without triggering an attack. I hope this helps considering you seem to be having as bad of a time as I was.
The tea never did anything for me, but if that helps keep using it.
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How long after you started doing your routine did you start to feel better? I need a light at the end of the tunnel! Currently I'm just fasting, except for the teas. I don't know if that's better than eatting those safe foods or not.
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I'd say go back to the Break The Cycle diet for a few days. Heat might help the cramping - ThermaCare makes wearable "heating pads". They feel wonderful. Imodium might help the diarrhea, although if you're into "runaway freight train" mode, you might need something more powerful. If you can tolerate codeine, consider Tylenol plus codeine - it will ease the cramps and should shut down the diarrhea. Obviously you'll have to talk to your doctor about how that would mix with everything else you're taking. (This is prescription in the US, but I gather it's OTC in the UK.)
You might also look into probiotics. If you do a Search on "probiotic antibiotic" (don't use the quotes) across all Boards with no time limit you should find a lot of posts on this topic. Here's one thread that stuck in my head - it has some tips on how to take antibiotics (a little late, I know) and a heated discussion on taking antibiotics and probiotics.
HTH. Feel better soon.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Don't fast!
#239328 - 01/18/06 04:05 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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That would make me loads worse as there would be nothing to absorb or lessen the cramps! Tiny snacks of SF foods throughout the day would be my suggestion....so you're never empty but you don't give your tum too much to cope with at once either.
And get some good probtiotics! 
You will gradually get better once your antibiotic course is finished....I can't say when exactly. But SF and probiotics will help speed up the healing process (as will starting on Acacia as it's a prebiotic so it will "feed" the new bacteria you're going to need to grow!).
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Some of your symptoms sound like what I had (painful cramping)It was the worst in the morning. I have been taking Juice Plus (no alarms please...yes, my wife works for the company) and it has really helped me.
Terry 
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What is Juice Plus?
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Juice Plus
#239593 - 01/18/06 04:39 PM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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old thread
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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I made a post about it several months ago. I think if you do a search for Juice Plus you will find the thread. There are mixed opinions about it, but I have had great success with it. I will try to link back to my old post.
Terry
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