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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Community
This forum is an un-mediated, patient-to-patient forum for questions and support regarding Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) issues such as: Aggravating Factors, Alternative Therapies, Anxiety, Constipation, Depression, Diagnosis, Diarrhea, Drugs, Hormonal Changes, Living With - Managing IBS, Medications – Drugs, Nutrition, Pain, Prevention, Research, Stress, Support Groups, Symptoms, Treatment
Newly IBS diagnosed with questions
by spackle, Jul 11, 2008 02:59PM
Hi. Before my question just a little backround. I am a 41 year old male in fairly good health. Up until my late 20s I had no digestive problems. Then after heartburn that never went away I was diagnosed with GERD and put on Prilosec which worked for awhile and then Nexium which for the most part works well. I then got into a bad accident which caused chronic back and leg pain. I went to a pain center and was put on Methadone 50mg a day which I have been on for six years now and am currently trying to come off. Methadone is what started me on this IBS odyssey. Because it is a narcotic it caused horrible constipation. I tried everything but the only thing that seemed to work was a combination stool softener/laxative. After taking that everyday for several years my bowel habits got increasingly more strange. Moving between severe constipation complete with nuggets and mucus for a week and loose yellow/gold colored stools with cramping for a week. Back and forth, back and forth. My Gastro doc told me to stop the laxatives and taper off the methadone as that was the likely culprit.
I did what he asked and just used colace, Benefiber and Activia to regulate myself. It seemed to work fairly well for several months and then WHAM. I am back where I began. I have had a colonoscopy, upper endescopy and GI series. With the exception of a hiatal hernia and some minor Diverticuli everything appears normal. So after my Doc asked me if I was under any stress ( of course it must be my fault because the Doc cant figure it out) and Ignoring the fact that I go through bouts of Gastroparesis he gave me the IBS diagnosis. He first gave me Amitiza which made me as sick as a dog and now wants me to take Donnatal. From what I understand this stuff can make your constipation worse! And as I am in constipation mode right now I am scared to take it and wind up in the ER with a bowel obstruction. Does this stuff actually work? Has it helped anyone out there while in constipation mode?
I did what he asked and just used colace, Benefiber and Activia to regulate myself. It seemed to work fairly well for several months and then WHAM. I am back where I began. I have had a colonoscopy, upper endescopy and GI series. With the exception of a hiatal hernia and some minor Diverticuli everything appears normal. So after my Doc asked me if I was under any stress ( of course it must be my fault because the Doc cant figure it out) and Ignoring the fact that I go through bouts of Gastroparesis he gave me the IBS diagnosis. He first gave me Amitiza which made me as sick as a dog and now wants me to take Donnatal. From what I understand this stuff can make your constipation worse! And as I am in constipation mode right now I am scared to take it and wind up in the ER with a bowel obstruction. Does this stuff actually work? Has it helped anyone out there while in constipation mode?
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Thinking this may be more about what you are eating and why you are eating certain foods.
Fill us in maybe on a little more of that, we may be able to have more input or suggestions for you