Confused
#346878 - 06/05/09 08:56 AM
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PMartin
Reged: 08/05/08
Posts: 140
Loc: Niagara Region
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It seems the more I try to figure things out, the more confused I end up.
I picked up Heather's book Eating for IBS and went straight to the "What Is IBS And How Do I Know If I Have It?" section. Although I've suffered from chronic diarrhea with urgency and incontinence for years, it seemed to me like my problem could be attributed more to a malfunctioning gallbladder and my bodies inability to handle bile acids (also referred to as Habba Syndrome) than IBS. However, I've been taking Cholestyramine/Questran for about a month now and can't say that it's solved the problem. So, what's my next step?
The thing that baffles me the most is that my symptoms are most prevelant in the morning, every day no matter what. I never have pain, bloating or instant reactions to anything I eat or drink.
I'm just wondering if anyone else's IBS manifests in the same way?
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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Mine does as does my mother's. Neither of us suffers from stomach cramps, but I do get a bit of bloating now and again. Everyone is different, but you do sound similar to us. I also do not have instant reactions. It could be stress from a month ago or something I ate 2 days ago. I never know. That keeps things interesting, to say the least. 
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This is exactly how mine is. I don't even seem to have diarrhea. I just have extreme urgency with soft stool. I do not get cramps or bloating or anything else that everyone else seems to get. On occasion I have gotten nauseas but went away after I had a bm. I to tried Cholystermine but had side effects. It seems if I could just find something to help the urgency I wouldn't have any problems. I take immodium for now but plan on asking for something to help with my anxiety because now that seems to play a big role in all of this and its just a crazy cycle.
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I can't thank you enough for replying. It's not that I take pleasure in other people's suffering but it does help to not feel so helpless to hear I'm not the only one.
Of course now the big question is what's out problem? Is it IBS? Is there a way for us to treat this in a more targeted way seeing as we know our symptoms are a morning thing? I too have anxiety, which I can't deny is sometimes more of a problem than the problem itself...do you take anything for that?
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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I seen my doctor 2 weeks ago which he wanted me to start taking the immodium on a daily basis but he did say it seems my anxiety is making things worse. When I go back on Tuesday I am going to ask him to put me on a anti-anxiety med. I have research some meds that will help with anxiety that their side effect is constipation. I don't want something where the side effect is diarrhea. So hopefully that will help settle things down a bit. I don't mind taking the immodium because it does help I just feel we need to find the actual problem in whats causing my urgency. I did not have this issue until 2 months after I had my son. The only things that I started taking were birth control pills and a diet pill. Once I started having these issues I quit taking both but it didn't seem to help stop the urgency. So I am like you I'm not sure where to go from here. I know I will have an endoscopy done but am pretty sure it will come back normal like every other test done. Have you tried getting a second or third opinion? Sometimes it just takes finding that one doctor to do a certain test nobody else thought about.
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I have found that the less I focus on IBS the better off I am. That sounds tough...believe me, I know, but it can be done. I have gone weeks without even thinking about it. The one thing I have done is to not focus on it by not discussing it, not coming to these boards to talk about it, not bringing it up in any way shape or form, not reading about it, etc. I only come here on occasion, and my life has gotten so much better. IBS is almost a non-issue for me at this point. The last time I had urngency was a good two months ago. The hypnosis cd's helped tremendously. I am getting ready to do another round of those, and that is the only time I truly focus on IBS. Remember, what you focus on expands, what you leave be, contracts.
I have never taken any meds for the anxiety or IBS. I refuse. I think it just makes things worse in the long run. There is a core reason that I suffer from this, and I prefer to get to the bottom of that, rather than mask my symptoms with drugs. The only drug I have used on occasion is Immodium, and only 1/2 a tablet, very seldom. Only if I am in a period of D, and need to go out. I haven't used that drug for months. I have found a way that works for me, so I hope you find a way that works for you.
Lynn
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Quote:
Sometimes it just takes finding that one doctor to do a certain test nobody else thought about.
This is what I can't help to wonder about. It's always one of those friend of a friend type stories but I've heard of people suffering for years until for whatever reason (I.e. they move to another city) they get an opinion from another doctor who finds that the problem was something never looked at or thought about. The problem is, we depend so much on doctors. Afterall, they are the professionals just like we go to a mechanic to fix our car because we don't know how to fix the problem.
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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Thats where it gets frustrating. I am like you I am not ok with someone telling me, oh you have ibs live with it. There is something that started all of this craziness and like you I want answers. Until then for me I will take my immodium every day just to live a somewhat normal live but will not stop until I feel I have used all options in answering what is causing this urgency.
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As mentioned, I'm putting more effort than ever (or at least since first developing IBS 15 years ago) into finding an answer. Unfortunately, Habba Syndrome and taking Questran was a bust.
Has anyone else looked into STEATORRHEA? Essentially, it's oily/fatty stool, due to excess lipid, that is soft (but not diarreha) and floats. Possible biological causes can be lack of bile acids (due to liver damage or hypolipidemic drugs), defects in pancreatic juices (enzymes), and defective mucosal cells. It is a characteristic of Coeliac disease which I've ruled out as having myself but this describes my typical BM quality.
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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I've never heard of this. How do you get tested for it? I hope you get answers soon as to what is causing your symptoms.
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