Gallbladder or what?

[eri_ty]

I am worried about something. In the course of a month I have had one bowel movement per week which starts out with stomach cramps then after an hour of that I get diahrea, then I don't go for another week and the same thing happens again. I then go past a week so I start taking laxatives, after days of this I finally have bowel movement but I also experience nausea and dizziness.
i am having normal bowel movements now but I am bloated in my stomach and it is very tender all over. I do have gallstones. I am concerned because I am usually in good health and I am scared to go to MD because of what he might tell me.  I am worring myself to the point of crying.

[DeeA]

Well, first of all try not to get to obsessed with this problem, because stress can make it worse. I do not know your history or how old you are?  It could be IBS or anything, because a lot of your s/s are that of many other GI problems. I can tell you whenever someone gets sick and it lingers the first thing a person starts worrying about is Cancer, this is me! However, I am in the medical field which makes it a lot more volatile, but I try to rely on facts and what I know. I try not to get carried away with delusions of cancer and death, it is difficult. A lot of things can effect the way your bowels function such as diet, you could have developed an allergy to something (this can be something you've eaten before (as well as something new) that you can no longer tolerate), you could have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Megacolon,the list is long. You need to get a checkup just for piece of mind. Also, taking laxatives like that isn't going to help, but probably make it worse.


Most individuals are surprised to learn they are not alone with symptoms of IBS. In fact, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects approximately 15-20% of the general population. It is the most common disease diagnosed by gastroenterologists (doctors who specialize in medical treatment of disorders of the stomach and intestines) and one of the most common disorders seen by all physicians.

Sometimes irritable bowel syndrome is referred to as spastic colon, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, nervous stomach, or irritable colon.

Irritable bowel syndrome is generally classified as a "functional" disorder. A functional disorder refers to a disorder or disease where the primary abnormality is an altered physiological function (the way the body works), rather than an identifiable structural or biochemical cause. It characterizes a disorder that generally can not be diagnosed in a traditional way; that is, as an inflammatory, infectious, or structural abnormality that can be seen by commonly used examination, x-ray, or blood test.

Irritable bowel syndrome is understood as a multi-faceted disorder. In people with IBS, symptoms result from what appears to be a disturbance in the interaction between the gut or intestines, the brain, and the autonomic nervous system that alters regulation of bowel motility (motor function) or sensory function.

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by a group of symptoms in which abdominal pain or discomfort is associated with a change in bowel pattern, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and/or constipation.

Treatment options are available to manage IBS - whether symptoms are mild, moderate, or severe.


Dee RN,C CLTC

[DeeA]

Instead of laxatives try Citrucel, and relax some.