Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | someone help...so overwhelmed!

DISCLAIMER: This is a long post but it's my first one and I'm just getting started with the book so I need all the help I can get. Please read!

I've had stomach issues for as long as I can remember-gas, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, etc. My mom told me when I was a baby, I couldn't keep down milk-based formula and was ALWAYS spitting up (sorry mom!) Now, I'm 23 and have been seeing doctors regularly about my irregularity for just over 2 years. The very first gastro I went to told me it was "probably just IBS." I felt like he was completely blowing me off. Another dr. said all my issues were the effects of anorexia (I became very angry at myself after hearing this). My current dr. ran a series of tests on me from celiac to lactose to gallbladder to ulcers to crohn's to a colonoscopy to a endoscopy. Everything came back negative despite my constant stomach aches. Just last week she told me that she is sure I have IBS and a very sensitive stomach. I am mostly constipated but do have those awful diarrhea attacks when you just want to curl up and cry. Anyway, my most recent stomach ache attacks have radiated into my back, making it very difficult to take deep breaths. It feels like stabbing pains all through my abdomen to the point that I have to just go to sleep to make it go away. My doctor said it's all gas pains/everything backed up in my system (she did a colonoscopy and found i have a "twisted colon"). More or less everything moves through me veeeerrrryyy slowly. The moral of the story is: I just can't take it anymore.

The other day (after weeks of crying because of all of my negative test results...yes I was praying for some diagnosis other than IBS so that I felt I had a definitive answer to my problems) my boyfriend bought me Heather's book. I've read through it at least a half a dozen times in the past 3 days. I went to Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and my local food store twice already. I've tried a few recipes and spent almost $150 on new groceries. I'm very excited to explore this new diet, but I am also very overwhelmed. The past two nights I've had non-dairy cheese. Last night I had mozz with casein because I didn't realize it was a dairy product. Tonight I had a totally vegan mozz (Daiya), which was alright. Both nights I've had headaches so who knows what that means. Is casein really that bad for IBS suffers?

Finally, all of my doctors have told me to take fiber supplements. I would try for a few weeks, but I also would feel noticeably worse (MORE bloated, gassy, constipated). However, Heather swears that the fiber supplements are essential to figuring out this mess, so I figured I'd give it one more try. I bought fiber gummies (I know I sound like a 3 year old) and am just wondering if they will work the same as the powders and other products Heather recommends. They have 4g of soluble fiber and are delicious, but I want to make sure that I am not wasting my time taking them.

Can someone just calm me down a little? I feel like I went on a wild shopping spree for all of the food/health products she recommends and now I just don't know where to start (besides eating gross vegan cheese).

Thanks in advance,
Your fellow IBS-A victim Jenn

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IBS-A...just looking for some answers!

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