Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Effects of trauma/surgery on IBS

I'm a 32 year old woman who has suffered for about 10 years from the constipated form of IBS. I had tried every diet and supplement you can imagine, including those offered on this site, but still experienced severe symptoms (I was never able to fully empty my bowels due to weak peristalsis and a spastic colon that would seize up, which left me bloated and miserable all the time). Then an amazing thing happened: in late March of this year I had orthopedic surgery on my thigbone to correct a bone deformity. When I started back on solid food in a couple of days, I felt an amazing thing: peristalsis--the actual urge to have a bowel movement! That was something I hadn't felt in an extremely long time. My diet was exactly the same as it had been before surgery, but now I have the urge to go--and full emptying--every single morning, like clockwork. My digestive system hasn't felt this healthy since I was in college. Last week I suffered a pulmonary embolism which was an unfortunate side effect of that orthopedic surgery, and in the emergency room I had the strongest urge to "go" that I've ever felt in my life! Under other circumstances I would have found this discomfort intolerable but it was such a relief knowing that my digestive system was clearing itself out when for years my colon had been a stagnant painful backed-up swamp. A week later I am still having my bowel movements regularly in the morning and sometimes again later in the day. While the surgery and embolism have made my life difficult in other respects, this trauma is a blessing in disguise if it has meant the end of my IBS! Has anyone else experienced this kind of miraculous "cure" of your IBS after surgery or other physical trauma? How does it work? I'm mystified but so grateful. Thanks for any insight!

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator