Really just IBS? And, if so, what should I do?

[DigDug73]

For five and a half years I've had terrible abdominal cramps, dark brown stools with mucus and occasionally fresh red blood, and acid reflux. (I've always had digestive trouble, but it's gotten much worse during the last several years.) In that time I've seen three gastro docs, had four upper endoscopies, three colonoscopies and two CT scans of my digestive tract. All the docs said there were no signs of inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease, but my symptoms persist. I've been prescribed Hyoscyamine over and over (and over) again; it doesn't help. At this point my quality of life is pretty much zero, and I get the feeling that none of the docs took me seriously. (They became remarkably uninterested in me after performing the tests, and I practically had to chase them down to talk about the results, ask if maybe a different med would help, etc.)
Has anyone else had these kinds of discouraging experiences? I hurt and I'm exhausted, and I have no idea how to handle it anymore. Please help.

[patient915]

Are you still having the blood in your stools?  Have your doctors tried you on any medications to help the acid reflux?

[DigDug73]

Thanks for responding. The cabbage trick is news to me, but at this point I'd be willing to try just about anything! Good luck to you and your boyfriend at the doc.

[DigDug73]

Thanks for your response! No, the docs never said anything about the blood after I described my symptoms to them. And they've never prescribed anything other than Hyoscyamine. Whenever I take it, I think, "Really? This little thing that dissolves on my tongue and tastes like candy? *This* is what they give me to stop the horrible, near-constant cramping?" I might as well be eating a Tic Tac for all the good it does.

[kbapbp]

I was told the secret to showing your symptoms is eat a bunch of cabbage the few days before yet painful will show your symptoms this was a trick I was told by a friend who also suffered my boyfriend has had the same problem for about 10 years now we are heading back to dr soon wish ya luck

[patient915]

Welcome to the IBS community!  Did the doctors ever discover the cause of the blood?  Have you tried any other medications?