Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Thanks for the note Shell! I had Gastric Bypass one year ago today. I have lost 110 pounds. I am happy with my weight loss, but have developed IBS since the surgery. I haven't found anyone else, yet, who has experienced this. For months and months my doctor ran tests to see what the problem was. No one could figure put why I had the chronic diahrea, gas, stomach pain, etc. I was following my doctor's instructions and eating all the "right" things. No matter what I ate I was in the bathroom within 10 minutes with diahrea and stomach pains. For a period of 9 months plus, I had only 2 days without constant diahrea. I became so depressed at times because I felt I was never going to find an answer. I could even tell that my doctor's office dreaded to hear my voice when I called! Though it is a good practice with over 400 sucessful, happy customer GBypass surgeries under their belt, I felt I was their "failure". Everyone was concluding that I was just in the 1% of gastric bypass patients that experience chronic diahrea after the surgery. I kept hearing empty promises that it would pass after 3 months, then after 6 months, then 9 months....nothing helped and all of the tests I had showed that all was well with my body after the surgery. Finally, I was put on a medicine for diahrea that a lot of IBS sufferes take...Bentyle. It helped alittle but I was still almost a prisoner in my home, in my bathroom! I was afraid to go out to eat...go on vacation, anywhere that might take me away from a bathroom. Even going to dinner at friends was out! I wasn't enjoying the weight loss from the gastric byapsss because I was so miserable! Finally, one day I decided that if I was taking medicine for IBS then, maybe, I should study and familize myself with IBS. I hadn't been diagnosed with IBS, but I just had this urge to seek out any information i could on the subject. I had heard of IBS, but knew nothing about it. I checked out seveal books on IBS at the local libray, one being Heather's "The First Year Irritable Bowel Syndrome". It was while reading this book that I realized my problem wasn't necessarily my surgery, but that I met all of the "symptons" of IBS except for consipation. I had, also, had all of the listed tests needed to eliminate other health problems when trying to determine if someone has IBS. I even saw that I may have unknowingly started having some symptons of IBS before my GBypass surgery, but had at the time chalked up any digestive changes to getting older. I think the surgery irritated these symptons and may have accelerated something that was on it's way to my body! The book was a life saver for me! I went out and bought both of Heather's books, highlighted and highlighted, started Heather's diet 2 months ago, and my life has finally made a turn around for the good! I finally feel like I have a life again! I called my doctor's nurse and told her to let my dotor know what I was doing and that it was helping! As far fetched as it may sound to some, I am a Christian and I personally believe God lead me to go to the library that day! I can fianlly go out and do my volunteer work, go to church, go out to eat without all of the worry of what may happen. Without worrying about getting sick after I eat something. There are things I miss, of course, like a good, cold strawberry milkshake, but when I think of all that I have endured this past year...that milkshake is not worth the risk. I have discovered that I like Japanese and Asian food...something I had never allowed myslef to try before. I am just thankful that I found Heather's book, and most of all, thankful to know that I am not alone in this. For awhile I felt so alone! I can live with the IBS knwing I have tools to work with, and that I have some conrol of my life again! I appreciate the newsletters and updates. I encourage you all to keep up the good work in getting the word out there to so many who I know feel the way I did~clueless and desperate! Thanks for listening to my story. I know you hear dozens a day, but it was a relief to me to tell it and know there are others out there who understand! Pam "pumer"

Edited by pumer (02/24/05 02:19 PM)

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