diagnosed with IBS on top of chronic pancreatitis:(

Hi, I was recently diagnosed with IBS, and I have chronic pancreatitis too, I have diarrhea up to 12 times a day {i counted once lol} and it doesn't matter what I eat or even if I don't eat at all. My pancreatitis has been acting up again so I'm always in pain with that and very nauseaus and this diarrhea is miserable! I've just been prescribed lomotil,it helps but it makes me feel weird,so I don't take it often. I've also noticed that every time I have diarrhea that there's a reddish ring around the toilet bowl and the rest is bright yellow. I'm so sick of being sick:{ I know I'll have to make another trip to my GI, but in the meantime, is there anything I can eat that won't make me run to the toilet, have pain or nausea? I'm getting so that I'm afriad to eat.

Thanks,
Tanya

[sunnyc]

Hi, I'm not a doc. but I've read that if your stool is yellow and greasy and floats it is a sign of Pancreatic Insufficiency.  This is a condition where your pancrease doesn't produce enough enzymes.  Ask your doc.

[Nanny]

How long have you had chronic pancreatitis?  Has your doctor prescribed enzyme supplements for you to take when you eat (IF, you can eat, that is)?  The steatorrhea that you are experiencing is an indication of pancreatic insufficiency, and usually the pancreatic enzyme supplements will help stop the diarrhea, nausea  and pain from eating.  

I don't know what dietary changes are necessary for IBS, but I would think that your pancreatitis low fat diet would be helpful for the IBS conditions also.  Have you been able to pinpoint any particular foods that bother you more than others?

Keeping a food diary when you eat, and a record of how you feel afterward can often help isolate those foods that bother you the most, you might try doing this.  

Sorry I can't help with the diarrhea, since I started enzyme supplements with my chronic pancreatitis, I seldom have problems with it anymore, usually only during an acute attack.

Nanny

[Dollylama]

I have been having a lot of diarrhea.  I was interested in your comment about the reddish ring around the toilet, because I've seen that too.  I don't think it's blood because if I wipe it off and let it dry it doesn't darken like blood does but maintains an orangy pink colour, like undigested food, carrots or tomatoes.  Do you know what the red ring is?  What were your symptoms of pancreatitis?

[tld73]

Thank you for your replies:) I have had chronic pancreatitis for about year and a half, but have probabaly had it longer before diagnosis, I did try the enzymes but they had no effect on me, maybe I need another type of enzyme? I was taking Ultrase. I have pain with almost everything I eat, sometimes I'll just eat toast or crackers, bland stuff, and it seems to help some, I also started on a daily vitamin recently to help replace some of the stuff I'm losing in the toilet. Nanny, what enzyme do you take? To dollylama = As for the ring around the toilet, I don't know what it is, but symtoms (symptoms) of pancreatitis are severe pain in middle upper stomach, sometimes through to back, nausea, vomiting, sweating, racing pulse, if you get an acute attack these are the things you'll experience and you'll need the ER. The best thing to do to get info on pancreatitis is to search the web, theres alot of info on pancreatitis, I think I've visited every site there is on it lol!

Thanks again
Tanya:)

[Nanny]

Tanya,

I'm taking UltraseMT20's, 2 with each meal and snack and they work fine for me.  I have heard others say that they took Viokase and had better results, but with the non-enteric coated enzymes like Viokase you also have to take an antiacid with them to be effective.  I've tried those also, but just prefer the Ultrase.  You might want to try enzyme supplements again and see if they give you any relief.

[diarrhea queen]

I have that ring too. I have diarrhea no matter what I eat as well. I am afraid to eat before I go anywhere or when I am at a place because I am afraid that I will have to go 12 times while I am away from home. It doesn't matter what I eat either. How did you get the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis if you mind me asking ya? Diarrhea is so uncomfortable when you are away from home.