IBS

[kari257]

I am 20 years old and have been suffering from colitis for about 2 years now. It has recently gotten really bad. I went to Africa 2 summers ago and brought back an intestinal parasite, after i got rid of the parasite i was hit with c diff. Ever since all this has happend i have not been the same. I not only get sick often but i dont feel like i can go on with my life. i feel like i am always cancelling something because of my stomach. I have developed a fear of being trapped and having to go to the bathroom. Every time i have gas i panic because im afraid more than whiff of air might come out. I am constantly thinking about my stomach, and it has becoming such a pain and i feel like no one understands. i dont ever want to get in a car with someone fearing that i might have to get them to pullover. Traffic is the WORST thing ever. It's like right when i realize i am trapped and can't go i start to literally have panic attacks and immediately have to go. I hate going out to eat because i have a fear of getting sick while i am eating or having to go to the bathroom on the way home. Pretty much this has ruined my life and i can't ever get it out of my mind. I have been dating my boyfriend for 3 years and i know we will get engaged soon but i am scared to death to walk down the isle fearing that i am going to get sick. I am a very anxious person and i know this doesn't help. Is there any kind of medicine i can take for panic attacks or to mentally calm me? i am not the same person i used to be, fearing leaving my house.

[jtigeyo]

I too had Ulcerative Colitis for 4 years.  I got a parasite in Japan and it turned into Cdif, then UC.  My first bout of it was bad and with meds I was fine for 2 years.  Then I got pregnant.  I was fine until a Dr prescribed me an antibiotic for a resp. infection.  No one told me that antibiotics could flare the UC.  I nearly lost my baby.  Then during my C-section they gave me another antibiotic that flared my barely settled previous flare.  After that I never got better.  I was sick constantly and had to have my mother take care of my baby for the first month because I was physically unable.  Finally after seeing 3 surgeons I decided to have the J-Pouch procedure (illeo-anal anastamosis).  Its 2 surgeries.  Research it.  Its 2 surgeries with a illeostomy bag for 3 months.  After the 1st surgery it took a couple weeks to get back on my feet.  After the 2nd it was about a week.  The illeostomy bag was a little hard to handle too.  But would I do the surgery again???  ABSOLUTELY YES!!!  Infact I wouldnt have waited 2 years after my baby was born.  I missed out on so much of her life.  I cant even remember a lot of it because I was so sick all of the time.  A really hard part for me was finding out that when they took my large intestine out of me, it was DEAD.  Black and Grey is what they told my family.  They had to check with the pathologist to see if there was more than UC.  If I had - had the surgery after my daughter was born, I wouldnt have missed out on her first 2 years.  She wasnt even taken to the park until she was almost 3 because I couldnt go anywhere without a bathroom.  Now I am cured of UC, no chance of Cancer and my life is 1000% better.  Do research on the J-Pouch and talk to your Gastroenterologist.  It really saved my life.  Take care  Ps.  I was on 31 pills a day before my surgery.  I am on 0 pills now.  Life is good!!!

[kari257]

thanks so much for the imformation! i really appreciate it and im definitely going to research it!