Ok I have decided to be brave! HELP!!!
#187598 - 06/20/05 05:04 PM
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daliatree
Reged: 07/10/04
Posts: 1176
Loc: Manhattan, New York
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Well the fact that I am typing help in capitals really helps illustrate how brave I truly am....:-)
Anyway...today I met a new gastro referred to me by my amazing new GP and he LISTENED to my story - he didn't say 'you look great - go out in the world and take your mind off it all' - 'ok you IDIOT, don't you think if I could leave the bloody toilet that I would be out enjoying myself?????'.
Anyway - after ten years os IBS - and the last year of being A instead of C following a tummy bug a year ago, he has convinced me to have a upper GI barium series and a colonoscopy. Ok - I am sooooo scared of these, mainly because I am phobic of puking and I am so worried that the prep for the colonoscopy and the barium thing is going to make me sick. I HATE being empty inside, it makes me feel so nauseous eg like after lots of D - the prep sounds like a nightmare (apart from the fact its a really good excuse to drink lots of coke for once, which really helps nausea for me). I have a choice between taking 3X 8 fluid ounces of fleet phospho soda OR 40 tablets with water...he does not need/want me to take that huge gallon thingy, which is a relief in itself.
Which one is better? What do I choose?
Also, my IBS has been draining me so much and no diet intervention seems to be helping - I am not one to pop pills but am at the end of my tether psychologically - he gave me levsin - how is this drug? I popped one this evening and it made me feel floppy and kind of blurry eyed but my belly seems callllllmmm (don't want to speak to soon but if it is I think I am going to dance around the room with joy!) - I had a long nap. Of course I hope the floppiness isn't a side effect and is just because my IBS had me up part of the night - but in all likelihood it is...so give me your experiences on levsin! He has told me to take it twice a day.
Thanks XXXX
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Feel the fear and do it anyway!
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You'll be FINE!  I had my scopes done before I found this site so I had no idea what it would be like and didn't have any expert adice on how to prepare! BUT...I got through it. The D was truly horrible, but no throwing up at all, promise. And to be honest, the D was so horrific and I was then so tired that I was falling asleep the instant I got off the loo, that I didn't have time to feel empty (which makes me nauseaous too normally)...and in the morning I got the procedures done and it was over! 
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attn:daliatree
hi i am also NY'er with IBS ---i am looking for a good GP and GI...who are you going to that you like so much????
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When I went to the ER a few weeks ago, the doctor gave me Levsin to lessen the horrible, horrible stomach cramps I was having. I've since read that it is used for patients with diarrhea, so even though I have a prescription, I have yet to take it. It certainly made me feel a lot better, though.
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Elizabeth
all those years it wasn't IBS - it was celiac!
send me an email: liz@dopple.net
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hey thanks! did it make you feel all weird and floppy and spaced out...kind of stoned?
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Feel the fear and do it anyway!
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Hi Dalia!
I've never tried the pills but I can tell you about the phospho soda. I've tried the gallon of water one, and compared to that, the phospho soda was a breeze. BUT!!... it will make you sick to your stomach for a short time. I never threw up, but I felt like it for about a 1/2 hour after taking it. Once I started going though, it went away. The good thing about the phospho soda is that you don't have to drink a lot of it and it's quick and painless (no cramping). It tastes really yucky, but by adding something like Crystal Light to it, it goes down a little easier.
You should try doing a search on the pill one, I'm really not sure if it's been discussed. Is it something new??
I know you're scared of the throwing up thing... I don't really have any words of wisdom in this department, except to say, I'm sure you'll be fine. We'll all be here for you if you need us though!
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~ Rachel (IBS-C)
If life hands you lemons, make lemonade!!
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Quote:
I have a choice between taking 3X 8 fluid ounces of fleet phospho soda OR 40 tablets with water...he does not need/want me to take that huge gallon thingy, which is a relief in itself. Which one is better? What do I choose?
I haven't taken the tablets, but I have taken the fleet phospho many times. My doctor said I could have anything that was clear, which ment jello and koolaid were on the list. That was a BAD combination with the fleet phospho! I still haven't had jello or koolaid since.
The next time I did it, I tried it with chicken broth and flat 7-up and did great. The chicken broth helped keep me full, even though it was just broth.
Quote:
Also, my IBS has been draining me so much and no diet intervention seems to be helping - I am not one to pop pills but am at the end of my tether psychologically - he gave me levsin - how is this drug? I popped one this evening and it made me feel floppy and kind of blurry eyed but my belly seems callllllmmm (don't want to speak to soon but if it is I think I am going to dance around the room with joy!) - I had a long nap. Of course I hope the floppiness isn't a side effect and is just because my IBS had me up part of the night - but in all likelihood it is...so give me your experiences on levsin! He has told me to take it twice a day.
I LOVE levsin! It's the only thing that works for really bad attacks. However, it does cause the goofy drowsy feeling, so I don't really take it that often. Only if I start to have a really bad attack or if I am going to be somewhere where I really don't want to have an attack (i.e. airplane). When I was taking it regularly, the goofy drowsy feeling lessened - but since I only take it a couple times a month, I have to be careful that I'm not driving home or something when I take it. It is nice when my tummy is hurting at night - instant sleep.
Hope this helps!
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- Jennifer
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I tried Levsin once. I think the side effect that I didn't like was that it gave me heart palpitations and it scared me so I stopped  I'm a big chicken when it comes to new medications. Maybe had I given it time the side effect would have went away? Who knows but I never gave it a chance. Librax made me feel the way you are feeling. It may go away though the longer you take it.
As far as the prep. I did the 3 8oz phospho soda stuff. Only could handle two of the 8oz glasses. I seriously did not need 3 as at the time I only weighed like 80 some lbs. Oh I was cleaned out for sure with only 2 glasses. I found that when I mixed it with Iced Tea or something it was even grosser. People say ginger ale or sprite works good. ALSO if you use a staw and put it toward the back of your throat you really don't taste the stuff. I ate all I could ALL day. I had made up little containers of jello (except the red dye jello's)had a million cups of chicken & beef broth, ate tons of gum and candies. (I'm sure my glucose level was sky high  ) You'd be surprised how you won't feel that empty. I'm emitaphobic BIG TIME and yes I won't lie, I nearly gagged and threw up after the first glass. I ran to the toilet a few times but NEVER threw up. For some reason it stays in. God only knows why! IT's the weirdest thing. The procedure itself it the easiest. You won't feel or remember anything.
Lots of luck and let us know the outcome!
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~~~Lisa~~~
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Thanks Rachel! The Dr said I can take an anti emetic before I down the fleet stuff to hopefully help with nausea...the reason why I prefer it is because the fact there is less volume makes it seem easier to take. Was your nausea awful with it? (sorry OCD emetaphobic questioning here)....Thanks so much for your support!
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Feel the fear and do it anyway!
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Hey Dalia,
I'm sure you'll be fine...my procedure was a breeze I hear you on the nausea/throwing up issue, I'm petrified of throwing up. I had some Gravol on hand for my prep, and I'm glad I did. I did the Fleet and I was fine with the drink, I didn't get nauseous until about halfway through the night...I took two Gravol and it calmed it down pretty quickly and I never threw up.
I've heard from some people that taking some Gravol prophalactically (sp?) helps so you might want to try that.
I've also never tried the pills (they're not available in Canada) but I have heard some good things about it from people. If you have a really weak stomach it might be a good option because even though you don't have to take a lot of the Fleet, it does still taste pretty unpleasant
Good luck!
Kelly
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