New to IBS
#366931 - 02/26/12 11:38 AM
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Hi all,
I am 24 and was just recently diagnosed with IBS. I have been dealing with bloating, constipation/diarrhea issues my entire live. In the past I have been told to use a variety of medicines and that I needed to stop eating dairy.
Five months ago I started having severe lower abdominal pain that seemed to be constant, but got worse with eating and bowel movements. This pain seemed to have no rhyme or reason. The pain gets so bad at times that I am hunched over in agony and have had numerous hot flashes, flushed in the face, and almost past out due to the amount of pain. This was getting more and more concerning to me as I am a Fish Biologist and must be out in the woods and was concerned that I might have a bad pain attack and pass out. Not only is the pain awful but there is bloating/constipation/diarrhea that has continued throughout the course. Again all of the symptoms seemed to have no rhyme or reason.
I have visited a wide variety of doctors about the issue. Finally after ruling out every other possibility they came to the conclusion that I have IBS. The doctor has suggested numerous things including anti-spasmatics, dietary changes, peppermint capsules, pro-biotics, and elimination diets. They also suggested I check out this website, which has been very informative and I am purchasing the IBS Diet book.
I am writing to all of you, for advice as I have a million questions and am a little over-whelmed by it all. Are these symptoms normal for an IBS attack? Does IBS just come on like this?
The doctors made it sound like I am going to be managing the symptoms for the rest of my life. Does the pain ever subside? Does it come back with no rhyme or reason? If I am correctly managing the symptoms how often/long will the pain/bloating/constipation/diarrhea continue?
Should I continue to be worried about passing out from pain in the wood?
I would appreciate any advice possible, to help deal with all of this. This website is very informative.
Sincerely,
Concerned Patient
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Re: New to IBS
#366932 - 02/26/12 01:39 PM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Welcome to the board,
The scenario you describe is not uncommon. Many of us have experienced similar problems and intense symptoms.
The good news is that using a variety of dietary approaches and other tool such as gut-directed hypnotherapy it is possible to manage IBS symptoms to a point where you can get on with your life.
A good place to start with Heather's Eating For IBS diet paying particular attention to difference between soluble and insoluble fiber.
In addition you might look at supplementing this information with the FODMAP approach which has been clinically tested with excellent results on individuals with functional GI disorders such as IBS. The first two links in my signature will provide details on FODMAPs. I have been using a combination of Heather's EFI and the FODMAP diet for a few years with reasonably good success. It isn't a cure but it is an excellent manage approach.
Many people on the board have used the gut-directed hypnotherapy Cd's with good results. Clinical studies have shown that sometimes when dietary approaches don't work well, and even if they do, and particularly in younger individuals that this type of hypnotherapy can be a powerful tool for managing symptoms.
Ask lots of questions.  It is best to ask dietary questions on the diet board and hypnotherapy questions on the hypnotherapy board, etc.
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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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Thank you Syl for your words of encouragement.
I have been dealing with the intense pain for five months and have never had to deal with that much pain before. I was extremely concerned and frustrated when the doctors could not find an answer. A final hiatus scan to check my gallbladder went terribly wrong when I started having excruciating pain after they injected the hormone that would simulate eating. When they looked at my bowels they told me they were contracting 100 times more than the normal person after eating. Thus due to the fact that nothing else was fitting the symptoms and the bowel movement I was diagnosed with IBS.
I had been given very wrong perceptions of IBS, as I had been told that usually only elderly had IBS and it was unusual for people in their twenties to have IBS (I live in a rural community with fairly poor medical care). I started immediately looking on-line for any information possible. Finally I went to a gastroenterologist that tried to fully explain what is going on.
I am a program manager for a non-profit company that restores habitat for fish, which is a very exhausting and stressful position. This along with five months of pain and not knowing what was wrong has been physically and mentally exhausting.
Currently they have put me on Donnatal (an anti-spasmatic) and Amitriptyline (an anti-depressant that they say works better to turn off my pain receptors). Has anyone ever been on either of these medicines?
I am a little concerned about the anti-depressant due to the fact that how will I be able to tell if there is anything new going on if my pain receptors are off. I have asked this to the doctors and they have reassured me that this will not be an issue. As a matter of fact they want me to be on these consistently for the next month.
Is this normal, does every one control the pain first by medicine then work on the diet? What has been the coarse of action for others? My doctor is suggesting controlling the pain by medicine first then working on the diet. What has been your experience?
I already know that dairy and coffee are trigger foods for me (as a matter of fact I have had issues with both for a number of years) so I am attempting to eliminate them. I am curious if in dairy it is just lactose that is the issue or dairy as a whole? Has lactose free dairy products worked for anyone? Is it better just to have soy substitutions? What about Almond milk? I know that Almonds are high in fat (which is a suggested trigger category). Does Almond milk work for some people?
The doctors have also suggested that IBS may make it harder for me to have kids. My husband am I do want children in the future, this came as quite a shocker to us both. I do not quite understand how IBS could make getting pregnant harder. I could believe that it might make a pregnancy harder but how does it make getting pregnant more difficult?
I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around everything that the doctors are telling me. Is all of this generalities? or worst case scenario?
Thank you for all of your advice, It is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Concerned Patient
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