IBS, tinnitus...and I really don't know what to do anymore...
#299514 - 02/11/07 07:48 AM
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professor
Reged: 07/19/05
Posts: 77
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
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Hi everybody
After being diagnosed with IBS more than a year and a half ago, I was able to get by on Heather's diet and 7 grams of Benefiber a day only for the first year and a half, I would usually get no more than one d-attack a month and was quite happy with that.
Last fall, I started to have more frequents attack (one to two a week) to the point I had trouble to tolerate anything outside the BTC diet. I started to take one half of an Immodium a day and it quickly resolved the problem. For two whole months, I did not have any attacks and was feeling great, I even cheated a few times and had a few drinks without any effects.
Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with subjective Tinnitus, a «syndrome» that produces an intermitent buzz noise in my right inner ear. And it's very much like IBS, there is NO cure and you basically have to GET USED TO IT!!! On the day I was diagnosed, I had my first IBS D-attack in two months. I was very much depressed. In the last two weeks, I started to cope with the Tinnitus to the point where it does not bother me much anymore. Then I had an IBS-D attack last wenesday night and one again this morning. I'm getting very much depressed about it and I really don't know where to start, so any kind of advice would help at this point.
I think I have put too much emphasis on the diet portion of my IBS management and not enough on the rest of it. Here's a list of things I want to do in the coming months, please feel free to comment:
1) Right now I'm taking 12 grams of Benefiber a day and I have lots of gas and bloating, would it be a good move to switch to Acadia and increased to 15 grams a day?
2) I've tried hypnotherapy and some relaxation tapes, it does not work for me. I really need to develop some sort of stress management program cause I have none right now and I don't really do sports. Any suggestions?
3)I really need to find more medical support. Since I've been diagnosed with IBS, the only follow-up I had was in an hospital emergency room where they did the same old test with the same old result, «YOU HAVE IBS! DEAL WITH IT!»
Any of you know any good doctor in atlantic Canada?
4) I need to have more medication to support me. Right now, I am thinking of increasing to one Immodium a day. Any counter-indications on that? How about a low dosage of anti-depressant like in Heather's book? Any of you had experiences with Elavil?
Well, that's what I will be trying... 
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Hi there,
I'm really sorry for you and can truly empathise (though not with the tinnitus) with you as it seems we have some similiar symptoms going on.
it sounds like you have a good plan worked up - I know you said you are not overly into exercise but I was wondering if walking or yoga might interest you?
Just that these two things have helped me a great deal in the past (I'm itching to get back to Yoga to try to help myself stabilise again now but just had a baby so have to wait a bit. Both things are really good for the mind and body.
With the benefiber switch to acacia I can't really comment as I havent tried the acacia. I use benefiber and have found it great. I'd love to hear how you get on with the acacia though if you try it.
all the Best,
kerrie
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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
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As I am far from stable, I can't help you much on that part. As far as the tinnitus, I have had it since I was a child - at least 30 years. I've become so used to it that I hardly hear it unless I'm listening for it. The only time I notice it getting louder is when I get sick. Not sure why that happens. I always turn the radio on (sleep button) when I go to bed, because it is also more noticeable when everything is totally quiet, although right now, I'm listening to the hypno program at bedtime instead.
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I can certainly see why you're having frequent attacks. It seems to me you're on an emotional rollercoaster and that in itself is a trigger. I too was stable for some time and felt as though I could "cheat". Unfortunately, I believe bc I let myself slack off my system eventually worked against me and I'm also right back to where I was with my IBS-D. I can't comment on the Benefiber/Acacia thing. I'm terrified to take any kind of fiber but have ordered the Acacia from Heather and will see how it goes. Hypnotherapy also does not work on me - I don't respond to suggestion. Yoga - no good for me either. I do the occasional walk and I walk a lot on campus at the school where I teach. My biggest stress relief lately is chatting on the boards. There's a journal website where you can go www.dailystrength.com to journal your thoughts and feelings. May be helpful. As far as medical support is concerned. My Gastro never really did anything to help me so I don't really trust Western Medicine in their treatment of IBS. The ONLY thing she ever did was prescribe Xifaxan which helped for a while (it's an anti-D) obviously not for everyone. Immodium? Never helped me. My D was so bad by the time I took the Immodium, it never helped. I did take Prozac (very small doses) for some time and that seemed to help. Remember that our gut is tied to our emotions. It will be hard for you to stabalize until you've dealt with how you're feeling. I sympathize with your Tinnitus. I get that ringing (as though someone is talking about me) every once in a while. To deal with it always MUST be hard. Hang in there. We're all suffering together. Do you have the option to go seek some type of counseling. That helped me a lot in the beginning.
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IBS-D, Acid Reflux, ???
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i don't know if it works for buzzing in the ear but ginko biloba has been shown to help with tinnitus with ringing in the ear, not sure if they are the same, but worth a shot, look it up on google and see what you find for info.
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I suffer from tinnitus in both ears. It seems to get worse when I have a bad attack of IBS - especially if it is anxiety based. Here is a bit of what I found.
An over view of Tinnitus
Cedars-Sinai Health Center
Ginkgo biloba has been used to treat tinnitus, with mixed results. The largest placebo-controlled trial to date failed to find any effect of 150 mg per day of ginkgo
University of Maryland Medical Center
Given that nerve damage and certain blood vessel disorders can lead to tinnitus (the perception of ringing, hissing, or other sound in the ears or head when no external sound is present), some researchers have investigated whether ginkgo relieves symptoms of this hearing disorder. Although the quality of most studies was poor, the reviewers concluded that ginkgo moderately relieves the loudness of the tinnitus sound. However, a recent well-designed study including 1,121 people with tinnitus found that ginkgo (given 3 times daily for 3 months) was no more effective than placebo in relieving symptoms of tinnitus. Given these conflicting findings, the therapeutic value of ginkgo for tinnitus remains uncertain. In general, tinnitus is a very difficult problem to treat. Talk to your doctor about whether a trial of ginkgo to alleviate this frustrating symptom may be safe and worthwhile for you.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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