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Hi Jolley.
I read your words as though they were my own! No one ever seems to be listening, as you say, it always just seems as though people are waiting for their turn to talk. 
And I understand when you say that you do not wish your husband to have IBS, but would merely like him to "understand" what it feels like to be in so much pain, to have a chronic condition. There truly is nothing like it. Sometimes, I'd like to be able to squeeze someone's hand and pass the pain through both our energies, just for a minute or so, so that I can finally be taken seriously; so that I can finally have someone empathize. I'd like to think that in my lifetime, there will be a "cure". In the meantime, I do what I can to make it through the day.
Do you find that there are certain foods that make your symptoms worse? What is a typical day for you? Do you have pain/discomfort pretty much all the time? Where do you have most of your pain and what does it feel like for you? Do you feel as though outside influences worsen your symptoms (daily activitites and things that you have no control over--like your husband's stress!)?
Hang in there--i'll be thinking of you.
Saralou
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I haven't noticed swelling but I know my stomach is bigger than usual. My stomach is usually flat...but lately I look 5 months pregnant, but I"m not....I might add that sweelign of my stomach happens when I eat....I just get instant bloating....its terrible!
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Hey Saralou. I'm just an old fashioned farm girl, so bear with me. I'll try to answer your questions for you and hopefully won't confuse you too bad  ) I am at the point right now where I really don't want to go to another doctor. Since they act like its in my head or that I'm a lab rat, I would rather not see them. I have had several bad encounters with doctors and would rather try to live a life where I'm not in their office every week. It really does make you feel alone. Since I have been on several different pills (for my seizures and stomach) I don't have much left of an immune system. They don't know how well my body will recover from the procedure of reducing my colon, or if it would really help. They think it's not worth taking the chance. They talk more about doing it until they saw how my body responded during the colonoscopy. They also had to take a biopsy inside of my stomach and found out I had an infection in the bottom of my stomach. Ok. I am around 5' 1 1/2" feet tall. I weigh around 110 pounds. So, I'm kinda a small girl. I would normally wear a size 6, but with my swelling I normally have to buy 9-10 size jeans. Unfortunately, if I get my swelling to go down, those jeans fall off of me. It's a real inconvenience. My swelling flucuates. Some times it will stay swollen nonstop for several days or weeks. Sometimes it changes day to day. That really depends on my diet and stress. I have always noticed a problem with my stomach. It just became more severe with time. It seems like the pain gains strength as each day passes. For trigger foods, I'm an oddball. Normally, anything sets it off. I have the best luck drinking a pepsi with rice or crackers. Pizza, greasy foods or red meat tears me up pretty bad. I haven't been to good at following heather's diet. I work sun up to sun down. I work through the day as a Marketing Assistant and I build houses during the evenings and weekends. I normally sacrifice eating well to get an extra hour of sleep. As for my IBS being related to stress. My guts either have spasms or they don't move at all. I stay constipated until I get stressed out. Then my intestines go into spasms and I get the runs. They had been treating me for severe IBS for several years before they discovered my colon. They never tested me since I was told I had no family history of colon problems. Then, four years later and several doctors later, my slipped and told me my grandma died of colon cancer when she was thirty. That's when they tested me and found out the colon is twisted. The doctors have told me I do have intestinal problems. It is just just in my anatomy. I'm not sure if I have answered all of your questions or not. I'm not sure I have all the answers. I don't understand how IBS is such a commom problem, but no one seems to know anything about it. I want someone to tell me what is going on with my body and how to fix it. I want to know what to expect before it hits me. I hate wondering if it is related to the IBS or if it is something totally different. By the way, my real name is Sarah and it has been a please chatting with you. It has really helped to have someone to talk to. Hope to hear from you soon. Take Care.
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Hi Sarah!  As you might have suspected from my screen name, we have the same name (how cool is that)! But I spell mine: s-a-r-a. As I read your email, my heart goes out to you. My mother wonders why I do not rush to the doctor's office to run more tests, and you explained it perfectly. I am also tired of being a guinea pig and I am tired of so-called "specialists" not being able to tell me how to "fix" this. I feel as though I am on my own doing trial and error with food, activities, etc. and am constantly frustrated when I do not see any progress or change when I have followed all the possible rules. There are times when I just want to give it all up and I feel that nothing and no one will alleviate my pain. I'm afraid to get into a relationship (it's hard enough dealing with myself and IBS, let alone having to deal with someone else in an intimate capacity). And to top it all off, we are supposed to be happy and stress-free to deal with IBS but life is stressful and so is the syndrome--it's like a cycle that never ends.
There have been times where I have been tempted to hurt myself so that they would have to treat me in the E.R. and do every possible test and finally take me seriously. And yes, like you, often I get worried wondering if it is not something else, something more serious that requires meds, etc...and no one has found it, which of course just makes my symptoms worse!
So, soda and crackers, eh? Maybe I'll try that. I'll be sure to keep you posted if I find anything. So far, I only feel better when I do cardio at the gym or when I take a hot shower (I stand with the nozzle placed on the "spot"). So, to make sure, they found out about your colon when you had a colonoscopy? And they only performed one years after you had the initial pain because you mentioned your grandma having died from colon cancer (sorry to hear that)?
Thinking of you Sarah!
Sara
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Isn't that crazy. We are too peas in a bod. Same name and same bump. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? Don't you really get tired of doctors. I always wished I could live a "normal" life. I figure everyone has their problems and I've got to learn to live with mine the best I can. I just wish someone could give me some answers. I have been to the point of giving up several times. I have also thought of hurting myself. But, the more I think about it, they would probably try to examine me mentally, rather than get to the root of the problem. Isn't that our luck? I was scared to get into a relationship. I dated several guys who were abusive and downright mean to me. I decided I was going to give up on relationships and take care of myself. Then, I accidentally ran into someone who caught my eye. He has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. He tries hard to help me with any problems. It's hard because he really doesn't understand, but he tries hard to be good to me. He has accepted me and all of my problems with it. So, don't let the IBS control your life. Don't let it stop you from being happy, obtaining goals or just meeting someone. You want someone who will be there for you and willing to help you. This will really put them to the test and show their true colors. Being with Chris has improved my health. He makes me laugh and cheers me up when I have the blues. He just can't do everything for me. He can't cure me and he can't take the pain away. You will find someone who is true to you and loves you for who you are - both good and bad. Never sit with a frown cause you never know who might be falling in love with your smile I worry a lot about what is really making my health this way. I was told it might be hard for me to have kids, due to all of my problems. That has always been a dream of mine. I always think Chris doesn't deserve to have to put up with all of this. He should be withone someone normal, who he can spend time with without them getting sick. But then, I remember it is his choice to stay. I don't force him. He stays because he loves me. The best food I have found is rice. I make beef stew and put rice in it. Or sometimes I'll go for chinese food with rice. That settles ok. They never discovered my colon until I had my colonoscopy done. I went to a specialist for four years. Four long years of taking different pills and tests. Then my mom spilled the beans and they checked my colon. I'll never understand why she wouldn't tell me. Anyhow, have you found any food that has helped you? How long have you had IBS? What do you do to help? Take Care.
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