Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Need advice. Am really lost.

I was hoping I could tell you my story and maybe someone could have some insight for me. I am really lost and don't know if this is IBS or what. I am sorry this is so long.
In February 2005 I started suffering from constant nausea. For two weeks I could not do anything I felt so nauseous. At this time my stools were a weird dark green color and did not look normal. I finally went to the doctor. He tested my stool to see if there was blood in it. There was not. I also had an upper colonoscopy. I had Esophagitis and a hiatal hernia but besides that I was normal. He put me on Protonix. After about three weeks or so, I was okay and my stools normal (normal for me, which I don't think they are what they should be. They are hard, and I only have about 3 BMs a week).

In September 2006 I got the same symptoms again: nausea off and on several times a day and my stools are also the weird dark green color again and they are like that every time I go to the bathroom. I also at times I also feel a lot of "activity" in my stomach and bowels like they are gurgling and churning (had this last time too), though I feel no pain or anything. After a few weeks of this on the advice of a friend I drank a bottle of Magnesium Citrate to clean myself out. After this I was back to normal again. These exact symptoms would recur one more time a few months after this one. Again I drank the Magnesium Citrate and was fine.
Well, in February 2007 (I think I was having some slight nausea again at this time in the mornings but it is hard to remember) I ate some pizza and did some alcoholic shots with my friends (I rarely drink). This sent me into a full blown attack of all my old symptoms plus more. My stomach hurt really bad and was violently upset. I got really nauseated and sick to my stomach. I never threw up but I came close a couple of times (and this was not due to being drunk. I was not drunk. I guess my stomach couldn't handle the liquor).

I couldn't eat and lost weight. I ate some liquids and what little I did eat a little would make me feel instantly full. I also had the dark stools again. I was miserable, couldn't do anything but lay in bed. I went to an emergency clinic where they gave me Reglan. This did help with some of the symptoms, but the side affects were absolutely horrendous and I stopped taking this.

Since this time, I have had constant symptoms; I never have a moment's relief. Though I am not as bad as the initial attack that the drinking started off, every day I live with nausea and indigestion. I have bad bloating, and what feels like a lot of pressure in my abdomen. I feel sick a lot. I am constipated with hard pebble like stools that are hard to pass. I also later developed chest pain. My stomach and bowels are constantly upset and gurgling and rolling. It feels like I always ate some bad food that doesn't agree with me; I always feel sick. It never goes away. It is hard to tell exactly where the gurgling/rolling/churning upset feeling is coming from. It feels like it goes from my stomach down a couple of inches or so past my belly button. It is hard to tell if the stomach is involved. It feels like it is, but maybe that is just the intestines right next to it. I have looked and looked online for someone else with symptoms like these and I can't find anyone else experiencing this. Could this be constant stomach cramps that just feel to me like an upset, stomach and bowels that are rolling and churning? I can't find anyone else that seems to have these symptoms. Do people with IBS have days they feel ok? Because I never do. I can never get away from it.

I went to a couple of doctors. I had several tests. At the time I went to the doctor, I was experiencing upper abdominal pain around the middle and left of my stomach. Acid reflux pills really helped with this, so I am assuming I had acid reflux problems. I tried to tell the doctor that I also had discomfort lower in my abdomen, but he brushed me aside saying must of my problems were Upper GI, and I don't think that is true. Well I had a HIDA scan with a low ejection refraction rate. About six weeks ago I had my gallbladder out. The surgeon said my gallbladder was scarred from gallbladder attacks and it was hard to remove. I don't really feel any better since having it removed (and I still have chest pain, probably not was often, and know that some people with gall blabber problems have this symptom; it is worse when lying down for me). I am wondering if the dark green bowel movements and nausea and everything I was experiencing in the beginning were gallbladder attacks but what I am experiencing now is something different? I hadn't really had the green bowel movements in awhile (though I did have it a couple weeks after surgery when I ate potato chips � got bad upset stomach and stomach pain and the next day I had a dark green bowel movement).

I should also mention I had an endoscopy that was normal before I had surgery as well as a CT scan that was normal (except for a mildly fatty liver � the doctor said it looked normal, and not to be concerned). A biopsy was taken for Celiac, it was normal.

The only thing I have taken that has helped me �and I have tried a lot of herbs and over the counter stuff � was to eat a bowel of high fiber cereal every day. This made my bowel movements more normal (though I still get constipated and my stools are not completely normal�have pebbles in them) and seemed to cut down on the nausea and sick feeling. Though I still have these symptoms�nausea and sick feeling--they are not as bad as they were (I started this before the surgery so I know it was that and not the surgery). Absolutely nothing has helped with the 24/7 churning and rolling of my digestive system (or the bloating and uncomfortable feeling).

The doctors aren't much help; one didn't even want to do anymore testing, gave me Ativan (which made me unbelievably depressed) and sent me on my way. I also tried the more alternative methods with acupuncture which didn't help. I consulted a digestive guy and for three months I took digestive enzymes, probiotics and blue green algae, and took Dr. Shulzue's colon cleanse pills (I cleansed for like 5 weeks), and the pills to try and getting me having BMs everyday (I must say those gave me bad stomach cramps, I could never quite get use to taking them). I also ate a strict diet of steamed or cooked vegetables, whole grain brown rice, and some meat (no dairy, only ate wheat like 5 times in the three months). And I didn't feel better at all. The digestive guy informed me this was unusual, he told me everyone gets better on his program. I am not sure what that is supposed to mean. I followed that program perfectly; I wanted to feel good so badly.

With me to, it is hard to relate this to any food. I feel sick all the time. My stomach/bowels are always upset. Sometimes I feel worse, but I always feel bad. Sometimes I eat something, I feel maybe a little worse, but then I can eat the same thing later and not feel worse. It's not like I eat a food and get a big reaction to it (except for the alcohol that I mentioned earlier). Very rarely do I eat a food and I can tell that it's made me worse. I thought people with IBS have noticeable reactions to food?

I can't tell if this sounds like IBS or not. Can you give me some advice? I am so lost and feeling suicidal. I am 31, and feel like my life is over. I can't work; I can't do much of anything. I ordered the Acacia Tummy Fiber and stared on that about a week ago and also got Heather's book. I just don't know if IBS is my problems or not (my one doctor said it probably was, another thought it was my gallbladder, but I don't know). Also have you ever heard of someone's stomach/bowels doing what mine do constantly � the never ending churning and rolling? Thanks so much for your time.

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator