please help...
#367072 - 03/22/12 05:02 AM
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hey guys. im new to the board.let me give some background. im 36 years old. 5 ft 9, 150 lbs. 3 years ago i developed abdominal issues, which included bloated abdomen, pain around the bottom right part of the abdomen, alternating d +c, and lots of pushing when i would use the bathrrom only to have small amts of stool and mucous in the toilet. they did every test known to man, from a colonoscopy, to an ultrsound, to a stool sample, blood tests, etc. everything came back normal. they concluded it was IBS, since i had gotten gastroenteritis about a month before all the problems had started. i changed my diet, stopped eating large meals, and tried to eat more grilled things instead of friend things and spicy things. it worked. however every couple of months (usually 3-4) it comes back with no warnings. the bloatedness, pain, c+d, etc. right now, i have it again. i have found that drinking alot of water helps a little.
i take equalactin twice a day, and when the IBS acts up, i take fiber tablets and gas tablets. it usually goes away within weeks. right now, i have very bad constipation, including liquidy, bubbly stools, and then in the morning after taking 2 equalactin the night before, alot of diarrhea. i have the pain still on the lower right part of the abdomen (if u look at your belly button go all the way to the right of your front and thats where it is).
does this sound like IBS? i always like to have an actual diagnosis, and hate the fact that IBS is a diagnosis by subtraction. everytime it comes back i think "is it really IBS even though thats what they diagnosed me?" does anybody take the equalactin every day?
i have ordered kit #2 and am waiting for it to come in the mail. until then, i just wake up every morning feeling good, and then 2 minutes later, the bloating returns...
gimme your thoughts..
thanks
dave
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I'm very sorry that I'm going to give you a very classic answer but it sounds to me like it is IBS and that it's likely that some sort of stress is triggering the return of the symptoms. I do recall reading somewhere that men can go though a similar hormonal cycle as woman(obviously minus the bleeding) so it might have something to do with that.
I suggest taking notice of everything about the day which you IBS symptoms flair up, I dare say something will come up as a constant if you're taking careful enough notice. Remember that when it comes to 'stress' as a trigger I'm referring to all sorts of stressers and not just the common work pressure or emotional distress, weather can be a stresser so can illnesses. Unfortunately the cold hard fact is that these flair ups will happen and above coping with the symptoms when it happens there's not a whole lot that can be done. I carry around any thing that's helpful(anti-spasmodic medication, peppermint caps, peppermint lollies and anti nausea medication) so that no matter where you are you have the things necessary to help minims the disturbance caused by the symptoms.
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Welcome to the board,
What you describe sounds like IBS. Presumably this is the diagnosis your doctor gave you.
Have you tried following Heather's Eating for IBS diet especially increasing soluble fiber foods and decreasing insoluble fiber foods? Equalactin is a soluble fiber supplement. However, when you say you take fiber pills. What fiber pills are you taking?
I too have pain in the right quadrant likely from gas production in the ascending colon. Beside following Heather's diet I also reduce the gas using another clinically tested dietary approach. You can read about it in the first three links in my signature. I and others use it in conjunction with Heather's diet quite successfully.
You will likely get more and quicker responses if you post questions like yours on the IBS Diet board. 
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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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