loss of apetite - i was diagnosed with ibs

[cortex_toom]

hi i have been having ibs symptoms for 6 months now, I used to have good apetite before now,  suddenly i noticed i have no urge to eat, although the urge to go to the toilet to loo has came back but now i'm loosing my apetite i don't know if it is a symptom of bad ibs, i might think i have bad ibs, i had tests like colonoscopy, ultrasound and blood tests like cbc and esr which came normal, my doctor said that i might loose apetite if my bloating is aggreviated for example by stress which i feel like that and have bad flares...in some websites it talks that loss of apetite is a medical emergency - and such should be hospitalized and other sites say that with ibs loosing apetite is normal i don't know which to believe, i cannot go to hospital and stay there because i work and i cannot leave my normal life like that otherwise i have problem with even my parents, so i want some advice if this is normal i might think that ibs can change your apetite i hope to have a positive answer thanks.

[cortex_toom]

hi thanks for your suggestions, dulcolax for me eased a lot of my symptoms, i take fibresse for milk that regulates my intestines with activia, i mix a lot of stuff with fibre and take veggies, at least i can go once or twice a day when i sit on the toilet and take sometime to be able to have a bm (it sounds abit gross to say it) but i manage... so it is true that ibs come in flares, although still i haven't canceled my appointment with my doctor because i want a second openion, as my first gi doctor diagnosed me with ibs after an ultrasound of my abdomin and pelvis, and a colonoscopy and blood tests which included cbc, ca125, calcium, endocrine tests etc...i think more tests need to be done for ibs, or maybe i'm being hypocondriac? i hear people done laparoscopy to be sure what's going on in their system, although i had fibro symptoms (done tests for that too and all were negative) and most fibro patients are said to go and develop ibs along with the course of this muscular illness.
reading from the net fibro is a widespread muscular illness that has also fatigue as a symptom although i don't have fatigue, but the pain was unbearable now i can manage it, after i spent months of treating myself with messaging my body with 'voltaran' made to help with muscular pain. now i don't need this anymore because the symptoms are mild to nonexistant. now it's the 'ibs' that makes me feeling bad, sometimes i have nausea my apetite has regulated itself, yes i have stress.., i feel full (bloated) most of the time even though i go.....! trapped gass and flatulence is a symptom of ibs and that i occasionaly get...along with burping and sometimes i get tired that ibs takes most out of you, i have seen a lot of pcps all said it's all in my mind... people also think i'm mad.., i want to do a laparoscopy, but i don't know which doctor will let me do it!!!! i have paid a lot for the tests i already done, i am hoping for a lap..... i haven't had luck till now.... i can bare for several laps, but it's the doctors that don['t want me to do!!!! i'm so eager to have finally my mind at rest and only tests can make me feel better...sorry for writing a lot - i would be glad if somone tells me that i'm exaggerating, by mentioning more tests, but sometimes these are needed for life saving even for relieving a lot from my stress...write soon.

[FurballsMom]

I have been taking natural supplements for the IBS.  I have a problem taking the psyllium fiber that is found in Metamucil and Citracel.  I haven't tried Benefiber yet, but I plan to.  So far I've been using flaxseed meal, which does actually help.  The GI doesn't care which fiber I use as long as it's fiber.  I developed an intolerance to Colace and Dulcolax, so I started using a type of algae called Chlorella.  This is good, because it's something green that my body needs as I'm no longer able to eat lettuce and spinach without getting nausea and/or vomiting.  Chlorella is safe and good for anyone who isn't allergic to it, since it also provides loads of trace minerals, too.  The directions tell how much to take.  Spirulina is another algae that can be used, too.  I also take Oregon Grape with each meal, as this seems to work really well as a stool softener.  My naturopath recommended this one.  It really does help.

Another one that is good for chronic constipation is magnesium.  It may be tricky to figure out the right amount of magnesium to take, but I do know that it should be taken at a different time of day than the calcium is taken.  That's what my neurologist told me to do, since magnesium is also used to treat migraines.  Keep in mind that calcium and iron supplements contribute to the constipation problem, so more water, fiber and other things may be needed to keep the colon happy.  One may need as much as 1500 mg of magnesium a day with IBS-C.  If one has IBS-D, then magnesium supplements would not be recommended.

For the constipation I still get after careful diet and supplements, I use cascara sagrada.  I just use the amount recommended in the directions.  It really does help.  Senna is another really good herb and is a little bit gentler than the cascara sagrada.  It is found in the tea called Smooth Move that is put out by the company called Traditional Medicinals.  This tea can be a little bit hard to find, but health food stores and natural food markets usually carry some of the teas from Traditional Medicinals.

Oh, yes, stress definitely contributes to IBS symptoms.  Some of us take anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medications, which can be prescribed by the GI to help control the IBS.  Not everyone does, but it does help some people with their IBS symptoms.

[cortex_toom]

thanks for your replies, not having the urge to have a bm like before is really a bad/severe ibs problem, well since doctors always send me back to take laxatives , but i dont' want to take, even if i spend a lot of time not going, i take on occasion when i have seen i haven't gone for long periods..... that now has become a habit! i hate relying on things such as medicine although i don't know about stools softeners.... i read in ibs, one has to strain to have a bm, but actually will eliminate small amount or just mucus, like it happeneing to me, on the paper i find liquid like mucus instead of stool , sorry for this sentence but it's important to add this~ doctor asked if i had stress which would have brought ibs which is common in stress situation, i said yes, i was really stressed, could this have involved my bms? feeling bloated is really uncomfortable, and pain is also a symptom, when i sleep i don';t have any gi symptoms though
write back

[c519]

Hi
I have ibs too, I totally understand what you are going thur.. Stay strong and drink a lot of water. write down everything you eat and how it made you feel...

[cortex_toom]

my appetite came back but i am bloated, i get nausea only when i eat sweets (food that contains sugar), i have not been  passing stool from March 5th 2009,  till the date i did my colonoscopy which was on the first april: i was diagnosed ibs, and i was told to eat fibre i was passing some stool ever since, but lactulose help more, how long do you think ibs can continue to bother me? its ruining my life!!!! i am going to get tested for abdominal/endometrioses/endometrial problems (after a consultation with my gi doctor as always without a doctor they won't allow) , what definite tests do i need for that?  i know it needs a week or two to recover and get back to work...probably i need to taste that prep again? anyone can tell me about what this tests involve as a preparation? thanks