Still IBS?

[planetmars]

I was diagnosed with IBS last February. I had a two month episode of diareah upon IMMEDIATE waking in the morning and several times throughout the day after eating anything .  I could only eat starches in small amounts.  I had some stressful months the prior Nov. and Dec. and when those stressful problems had let up and by eating only starches, my IBS problems just went away.

*I am 38 years old and have always had a nervous stomach and problems with BM's.*
After that doc visit, I was fine.  I did not experience any diareah in the day.  I had a semi normal BM in the morning.  I still had gas occasionally and some times loose stool, but no more runs out of the blue.

Lately, I have had semi-urgency in the morning with loose to watery stool without a full emptying.  The color is usually normal but sometimes can be on the lighter yellow side.

I have taken Fibercon for 6 years and I take Acidopholous every day.  I don't have urges to go throughout the day but EVERY TIME I EAT something, my stomach gurgles and growls as though I may have to have diareah...but it always is gas.  I always have gas and I always have noises.  And I notice I get alot of the gurgling sensation on the left side of my stomach.

The Gastro doctor had perscribed "Levbid" to me last year but I never needed to take it because by the time I got into see him my symptoms had dissapeared.  He diagnosed me with IBS without doing anything invasive and said he would see me in three months and if I was still having problems he would want to do a colonoscopy.  When my 3 month appointment came up and they called to remind me, I said I had no problems so they told me they didn't need to see me.

My problems now are alot less since I don't have the urgencies throughout the day but now my concern is about the loose stool in the am as well as the constant gurgling in the stomach.

I might mention I have anxiety and last years episode really shell shocked me into a mental tizzy of being concious of every noise my stomach makes.  I have recently started working out vigorously every am and watching my caloric intake to 1400 calories a day (mostly pasta's, fruits, bread and some veggies, peanut butter-reduced sodium and fat, part skim cheeses since I have bad reactions to high fiber veggies or meats and proteins)  

Here are my questions...
*What does the Levbid do and should I start to take it?
*Is worrying causing these gurgles?  Sometimes they come on with just thingking about them!
*Do you reccomemend Colon Cleansing?  Could this be why I am having gas and gurgling since I don't feel I empty myself out completely
*Is loose stool OK to have if only once a day in the morning and can that be nerves/IBS
*Why does my stomach gurgle on the left side?  There is where it "gurgles"...it "growels" all over at different times in different places
*Should I go back to see the Gastro doc?  I don't have any other symptoms of other problems...just that gurgling, gas and loose stool in the morning.

Maria

[Kevin Pho, MD]

To answer your questions:
1) Levbid is an antispasmodic agent used for IBS.  I cannot make any recommendations whether you should be taking it or not without examination.

2) Difficult to say.  You can consider various upper GI diseases - such as GERD, an ulcer, or inflammation of the upper digestive tract.  An upper GI series would be a reasonable test to start with.

3) I do not recommend colon cleansing.  There is no data to support its use.

4) Loose stool can certainly be caused by IBS.  If it continues, you may want to consider a colonoscopy to look for inflammatory bowel disease.  The stool can be sent to the lab to look for an infectious causes.

5) If the symptoms continue, I certainly would follow-up with you GI physician.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

[Allnicknamestaken]

Maria, I am anxious and hoping for some replies to your question.  I could have wrote it.  I have the exact same systoms..urgent mornings....frequent watery movements in the morning.  Then ok.....until I eat.  Loud growling in stomach...not all day but enough for me to notice.  Also, have blood in my urine.  I am going to a urologist on the 16th.  I lost my job of 25 years and have found myself without insurance. I cannot afford to go through all of these test..I know they already want to do a CT scan.  I don't know if I have two different problems. One for the blood in urine and the other being diarreha.  I am totally frustrated. I have taken myself off all medications zocor (cholestrol) and vitamins.  I'm told it could be a kidney stone.....have already been on cypro in case of urinary tract infection but it didn't stop the blood from still showing up.  I had an episode last summer with major stomach pain and probably urine in blood.  Then the stomach pain went away and I just let it go.  So, it is possible that I have had blood in my urine for over a year and half.  I too suffer from anxiety and have been on Diazapam for over 15 years.  Low dosage only 10mg that I take at night.  I'm wondering if that is what could possibly causing the problem.  The only other thing I am on (which I took removed today is estradiol patch...estrogen therapy).Had a colonoscomy done this past November. Nothing showed up there. Have had stool samples checked nothing there.  I have been all over this internet and am getting the idea that everyone has gone through pretty much the same test and still no answer.  Hope the Doctor can help me out with how to get to the bottom of this without going through unnessary costs.  Sorry I just went on and on but your posting was exactly what I am going through.  Please keep me informed as to what progress if any you have made.  Good luck to you.

God Bless
G

[planetmars]

Hey G...I know it's very frustrating trying to get to the bottom of this "IBS"...I remember asking my Gastro doctor about the noises and I don't remember what his response was, but it must not have been anything significant for me to start being concerned about it again.

I take .25 of Xanax every morning.  I feel that the morning time is when I start to worry about whatever it is I worry about to perhaps bring on these bouts of stomach issues.  I have my own business and fear everytime I leave the house I may start having the problem I did last year of constant diarreah...but I think the xanax helps me to not worry about worrying about it!  If that makes any sense!

As far as the blood in your urine goes, I would definatley get that checked out.  It could be a stone, it could be a kidney infection...but that would be more concerning to me than the IBS...I know my mind can cause me to have stomach issues, it's almost expected...but I still worry it could be something more.  Or  more than that, that I don't want to live like this anymore and what can I do to stop feeling this way.  I have gotten so afraid of having problems, I haven't eaten out in a restaraunt in over a year...if I get something from a restaraunt, I get it to go as to eat it in my own place...I've been to Vegas twice last year and I opted to have a fridge in my room and go grocery shopping rather than eat at any of the zillions of buffets they have.  And anytime I eat anything, I won't leave my house or wherever I'm at for at least an hour in case it goes through me and I have to use my bathroom!

I'm so in tune to my stomach and the noises they make, if I get one gurgle or growel while out...I will take a half immodium just in case (as well as another dose of xanax).

It's pretty disabilitating and I hope some answers can be given for both our sakes!

Good luck on the urology test!  I know it's hard when money is tight or insurance isn't there, but it's just way to important to  get it tested at whatever cost just to get to the problem and lead a better at ease life!

maria

[Allnicknamestaken]

Hi Maria, Just having someone to talk to that actually "knows" is helpful.  I was actually excited to see a response from you. I too plan my life around those bouts and it does take the fun out of life.  I will try and take a lose dose of diazapam in the morning and see how that works.  Although my diarreha actually wakes me up and then its major trips for the next 2 hours. So not sure if I would even have time to take it.  As far as immodium...is that ok to take? Can taking that be more harmful?

A thousand thank you's for "being" the one out in internet land that is going through exactly the same thing.  Please let me know what your Doctors is saying and if you have finally found something that works or better yet CURES it.

Take good care,
G

[planetmars]

Hello again...
yes, immodium is very safe to take which I confirmed a year ago with my pharmicist.  I don't remember reading whether or not you take Fiber of any type but that is also a key factor in IBS...there are fibercon pills, metamucil, citrucel, etc...you would think fiber would "Cause" the problem but what it actually does is either bulk it up if you tend to have loose stool and losen you up if you are constipated.

Also try Acidopholous which is the good bacteria for your stomach.  These are some of the things I take as well as eating a lof fat high starch diet...and YES, you can lose weight with these foods, you just eat them in moderation!

Go to your search engine and type in "Heather Von Vourous IBS" (I think that's how you spell it) and there will be a couple of websites for her IBS help and treatments!  I actually had ordered a few books last year and that's where I learned about trigger foods, etc...

Good luck!  Try these changes for a couple of weeks, but if it persisits...get into the doctor just in case!!

feel free to contact me anytime!

maria

[planetmars]

About the immodium...it is safe to take as long as you don't have a virus as in a stomach virus because it will keep you bound up and then whatever "needs" to come out might come out the other end!  They say take Pepto for viruses...but for IBS my doctor and pharmacist tells me Immodium is safe to take for that!

[Allnicknamestaken]

How grateful I am that you are who you are.  Thanks so much ..I will try the immodium and try adding the good bacteria.  I was surprised that Fiber would actually help. Ill keep you posted for sure.  

Make it a great week and again many thanks.

G

[alana miller]

I am a 28 yr old female who has been having alot of digestive upsets, one thing I wanted to let you all know is that I used to take imodium (immodium) about 4 days out of a week and I think now that it has caused a big problem by keeping me from the elimination process. My stools now look strange and have a bad odor to them. A friend who is into herbs says that I probably have things built up in there and need cleansed out and that I may have a bunch of stuff that has been trapped in there and needs cleansed out. Just wanted to let you all know so that you don't over-do the imodium (immodium), Good luck!

[spiritofhope]

A related discussion, IBS-non-classic symtoms was started.