Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: I need some help....

I agree too that you have a sort of IBS-D. You don't mention exactly what your BM are like so from that it's hard to tell. IBS-C people are prone to get hard, dry BM and IBS-D people are prone to get more or less loose BM. I have IBS-D. For a few years before it got bad last summer I had what I call mild IBS-D with occasional attacks, every few months or so. But even if my BM were ok, i.e. not too loose, it happened pretty often that I went to the bathroom in the morning and didn't feel like I "had to go", but then before breakfast and/or after and/or when I was ready to go out the door I'd have to go. I'd either think I was done or I'd feel like there was more that needed to come out but it just didn't want to come out. This always put me in a really bad mood. This thing with not getting everything out or feeling like you haven't even if you have is very typical for IBS.

About your trying Imodium or some other brand of loperamide here is what I suggest. Look into the different types of loperamide available. If your BM are loose rather than hard and dry then you can probably take regular Imodium as I think that contains loperamide hydrochloride. But start at a low dose and see what happens. If your BM are more sort of hard and dry so you'd be worried about getting constipated if you take regular Imodium then I believe there are other loperamide types to try. I'm not sure about this (it's late and I'm tired and it's been a while since I read it) but I think there are meds containing loperamide oxide (or whatever it's called in English) that is absorbed more slowly and doesn't slow the bowels down as much I think. That type is typically prescribed to people with anal incontinence to help increase the sphincter tone and reduce BM frequency for people who have firmer BM. Check with your doctor to be sure!

Good luck!

And don't worry about grossing anyone out on these boards. I think we're all quite familiar with the topic of BM!

/Ulrika, IBS-D

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