Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | 6 new diagnoses are not getting me down!

After a 10 day cruise in February, my IBS FLARED.... do you blame it - rich food, too much food, rocking back and forth across the ocean going island to island, a ton of fresh fruit and veggies, lack of sleep and altogether cheating on my part. So, after a battery of blood work, faecal samples, an upper and lower GI scope (yep, the real fun ones to prep for

) I finally saw the GI and got the "new" diagnoses...

Post Infectious IBS, brought on from the cruise, even if no parasites were found in the faecal samples
Enteric Neuropathy, all Chiari's fault! (I have a neurologic condition which sends signals at the wrong times to my GI tract)
Enzyme Deficiency - Lactose, Sucrose and Fructose
Intestinal Metaplasia - Small bowel lining found in my stomach, but even though it can be pre-cancerous, he said it is not concerning at my age
Alkaline Acid Reflux
Chronic mild colon inflammation without any sign of colitis or Crohn's disease or diverticulitis

With the doc's suggestions (I actually took Pepto-Bismal for a week to reduce the chronic inflammation), diet (well... still working on it! He said no cookies, cakes or chocolate...) and my usual acupuncture treatments, I'm feeling relatively good. I'm off ALL GI medications except for Dexilant for the hiatle hernia / alkaline acid reflux (without it, it is UNBEARABLE). I haven't been off of anti-spasmodics for, oh, at least 10 years... maybe 20. My frequency has been cut by 75% most of the time... WOW. All in all, I'm feeling much better. I've even put on a pound or two, but overall he was happy with my weight. Months of malabsorption issues hadn't left me ultra skinny, but my mum was concerned. Taking 4000iu of Vitamin D per day as well.
I hope everyone is well and not overdoing it for Christmas and Hanukah!!
Be blessed!

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Cassandra

Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.

IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up!

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