Re: Medication question
06/13/05 12:59 PM
|
|
|
|
Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
|
|
|
Quote:
Well it has been about 2 months since my last post. I took all the advice and went for the colonoscopy. The doc said everything was fine and he concurred with my diagnosis of IBS. I'm glad all you tests were normal. Sorry you have IBS, but it's better than something more serious. Really - even when it doesn't feel that way.
They have me taking 2 different pills 4 times per day. What pills are you on?
The cramping and D is not any better. I have lost almost 40 pounds and I am sure I am not getting any nutrients at all. I wouldn't be surprised if I am not dehydrated. OMG, I'm so sorry. That sounds awful. I seem to remember people on the Board saying dehydration itself can bring on or worsen diarrhea so perhaps you're caught in a vicious cycle.
Everything I eat and drink, (I am on the when you can't eat anything list and have been for 2 months) goes straight through me. Whoa! Two months? I'm pretty sure that is supposed to be a few days only diet!
I am at my wits end and have now found it is easier to stay home alone rather than be around people, plus it is closer to my now favorite room. I know the feeling, but it gets awfully boring, doesn't it? Especially if the bathroom is small.
My question is: Has anyone tried the digestive advantage? You should search on Digestive Advantage on this Board. (If you don't know how to Search, please ask.) There have been a number of posts about it and the report is mixed, to say the least.
I don't know what else to do. My doc is about as sensitive as a wart on a mules butt so continuing with him is not sounding all that good to me right now. LOL - love the image of your doctor. Did you check this thread to see if there's a good IBS doctor anywhere near you? Any doctor who ignores 2 months of D and a 40-pound weight loss sounds less like the wart and more like the mule's butt to me.
Here's some stuff to try:
- Immodium - that might slow down the D. I know a lot of people are reluctant to use it (I was, too), but it can help. Try taking one tablet at night and one in the morning to see if you can ward off the diarrhea before it starts. If you get a D attack anyhow, follow the package directions.
- Get on a more normal diet. Take a look at the Break The Cycle diet page. I'm NOT suggesting you try that diet - it's just a variation of the diet you've been on for 2 months. However, read down a little and you'll see what Heather says about coming off it and beginning to incorporate IF into your meals. You can follow the same steps for getting more different kinds of food into you, too.
- Have you tried peppermint tea and/or peppermint capsules. Peppermint is a natural anti-spasmodic.
- Are you taking a SFS supplement? It sounds contradictory, but the soluble fiber can "sop up" the excess water in your colon. I take acacia - I'm up to 8 teaspoons a day, but you have to start really low and increase really slow.
- If Immodium and peppermint doesn't do it, there are other, more powerful, anti-diarrheal agents you can try. There are prescription anti-spasmodics and anti-depressants. Even if an anti-depressant like Elavil only provides temporary relief of your diarrhea, it seems like that would give you a chance to catch your breath, get some nourishment in you, and make sure you're hydrated. Again, what pills does your doctor have you on now?
I haven't tried probiotics like Primal Defense, but you can do a Search on this Website for Primal Defense itself and for probiotics generally.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions about stuff I've suggested, please ask. I'm so sorry you're having such a terrible time.
--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
