I'm off to see a new GI today!!
#81434 - 06/21/04 08:13 AM
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jules
Reged: 06/17/03
Posts: 1140
Loc: Michigan
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Here's the notes that I'm bringing with me to share with him:
PROBLEMS (began in August '02):
*Painful, uncomfortable bloating (daily)
*"Trapped" gas under left rib cage. Can push around.
*Lots of mucous. Sometimes go in for a BM and only leave behind mucous
*Do not have BMs daily. But not completely constipated. Will explain.
*Sometimes I look at food and my stomach cramps, then bloats up. Sometimes I eat anyway, because I have to.
*Depressing and causes stress cycle.
*Very hard to accept that "this is just the way my life is"
*Gained 10 pounds in the past year.
*Getting married July 10 and DO NOT want to have to be concerned with my tummy.
*Conscious of my stomach 24/7.
MEDS:
*Zelnorm...very bad stuff
*Levbid...seemed to work. Ran out of Px and never refilled.
*Anti-histamine stuff...knocked me out cold.
*Peppermint oil...works well.
*Relora...sress control and appetite suppresant...workes well.
*Acidolphilus...too soon to tell, but seems to work well
*Exercise (think of that as medication)...6x/week. Works really well.
TESTS:
*Blood work, stool sample...normal
*Upper GI barium test...normal
*Not sure if I've been tested for celiac, food allergy, lactose intolerant.
Is there anything else you'd advise me asking? I've never actually been diagnosed with IBS. I "quit" my old GI doc before he could slap me with that label. Long story but he was an arse.
Any words of wisom, advice, etc. you can give me would be great!!!
Thanks all!
jules
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~jules
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Good luck!
#81437 - 06/21/04 08:20 AM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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I don't have any advice, as I still don't have an IBS diagnosis myself, and it's been years since I've been to a GI doc. I just wanted to say good luck today, and add that your notes seem really thorough to me.  In fact, you've just inspired me to start jotting things down for my appointment on the 8th - I figured I'd trust my memory, but that's probably not a good idea. LOL So thanks!
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Jules,
The only thing I can say to you is best of luck, I hope you have the kind of GI that we all wish for!!! Other than that, you look very very prepared and you know what? I'd say 98% of your problems/symptoms match mine. I've actually saved your thread for future reference, so thanks!
Please let us know how it goes. Keeping my fingers crossed for ya... 
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Jules, Wow, I am impressed with your list!!
Wasnt it he Levbid you ran out of? Girl, that is the best thing I have taken for the cramps. I take the timed release once a day, my GI told me to take it every day. It helps me so much, that is all that I am concerned with. Though it does cause my eyesight to be blurry! That is a bother!!!
I hope this doc is a good one, I want to see you feeling better for that wedding!!! You are a beautiful young woman!!!! What a lucky guy!! Good Luck today !! gayla
gayla
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Hiya,
First of all, good luck today at your doctor's appointment! I think it's a good thing that you have all the things you want to talk to him/her about clear in your mind. I usually write them down and bring them along with me because sometimes I get flustered once I'm there and end up forgetting all my questions.
I hope you get a really good doctor, and he can help you out. I feel about 70% better than I did 3 weeks ago, and I think a lot of that isn't just my new meds but actually seeing a doctor who was nice to me, understanding of my condition (ie. not dimssive like all the others I'd seen) and seemed really eager to get my stomach stuff sorted out. Before I went, I was really hopeless. I was on the diet, getting more and more sick and the last doctor I saw had been useless. After I saw this new doctor, I felt so much better right away, just becuase I got some hope back!
Good luck!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Hi,
Good luck at your doc's visit. It sounds like you have been pretty thorough and it's a great idea to take along your notes. I do that, too.
I have a question about Relora. I looked it up on-line and it sounds pretty interesting. I don't really need to lose weight but the stress part sounds good. Does it really help with the stress? Can you sleep better? Do you get it online or through your doc? Did you have any side effects? I am on Librax (prescription) to help relieve my stress and relax my stomach. It works really well.
Good luck
Barbie
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Hi all,
Thanks for your speedy responses. My appt. is at 2:15 and I'm getting really anxious. I'm hoping that I will not be dismissed like I was before by the other GI doc that I saw. I'll keep you posted as to how it goes.
As for the question about Relora. I think that it's working. I need to lose about 8 pounds or so, and I'm definitely a stress eater. I got it at a health food store but I've seen it online. It's not a prescription med. I started taking it about halfway through my Power 90 workouts, and I've lost weight and seem to have gotten my appetite under control.
But, I'm also going to be wearing a strapless wedding dress in three weeks and I'm consciously trying to eat better so that I can look great.
Thanks all again for the comments that everyone posted. I hope that this guy IS the "GI of my dreams" lol... the hopeless diagnoses that I got last time just depressed me. I hope that this guy is more positive and open to different treatments until we get this under control.
~jules
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~jules
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My new GI is awesome! He used words and phrases like "I need to do a full work up before I toss out the diagnosis IBS...Ok, let's get started on our battle plan...IBS is not all in your head...I lecture on IBS and know that while a person can look healthy, they are feeling really really bad inside..."
And on and on... it was great!
Here's my question:
I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy (my first ... EW!!) and have it scheduled for July 6, THE TUESDAY BEFORE MY SATURDAY WEDDING! Will I be ok? I just don't want to be all messed up on Friday (rehearsal dinner) and Saturday (wedding).
I am also scheduled for lactose intolerance test, celiac, thyroid test, and other blook work.
He said that he knows the cause of IBS and will aggressively treat it once he has ruled out all other possibilities. He also said that diet has nothing to do with IBS and that all the supplements that I'm taking (sfs, acidolphilus) are really not helping. He said that IBS is possibly caused by low (or messed up) seratonin levels. So, we shall see.......
Thanks for reading. I was so uplifted after leaving the office (I waited an hour and a half b/c he was running behind... but he didn't try and rush me at all) because I felt that there was finally hope.
He did say that I was a touch overweight. He was very frank about it and, for some reason, I wasn't offended at all.
Anyway, thanks for reading and for any input you have about the colonoscopy question.
~jules
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~jules
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For Jules
#81803 - 06/22/04 06:03 AM
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bz
Reged: 06/18/03
Posts: 105
Loc: Brooklyn, NY
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Hi Jules,
I am so happy for you. I'm glad you found a nice doctor who is concerned and takes the time to listen to you.
As for the colonoscopy, I was fine the next day and didn't have any lingering effects. I know everyone reacts differently but those I've spoken to are ok the next day.
Best wishes and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. May you always have love, health and happiness.
Barbara
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Thanks Barbara for your kind words and also on how you reacted to the colonoscopy. I think that I'll keep my appointment.
Amazing what a little positive energy can do...
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~jules
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