IBS Issues

[Tired1400]

I have been sick since December 10, with chronic diarrhea with severe stomach pains that go into my back, I also vomit, nasua, get dizzy sometimes. I am very week, only thing my stomach will tolerate is chicken noodle soup, toast, and crackers but that also make me run to the bathroom. And this is no ordinarry IBS attack, I mean the diarrhea just runs out of me and I can't stop it. My doctor has me taking antibiotics 2x a day, valium 3x for stomach spasms and lomotil  6x a day. Now I just went to the doctor on Wednesday and started the antibiotics. I was going to give the antibiotics a week then go back but I don't think I can take the pain anymore. I don't know what else to do, Can you help me????????????


Sincerly,
  In dire straits

[tonya3]

Probiotics, calcium and fish oil supplements work!!

[Twilight_Princess]

I have had IBS for years, at least now I know what it is. I went through the bouts of diarrhea for a long time, never knew why because I thought it was normal. Finally one day, when paying too much attention to my "bowel" problems is when I decided this wasn't normal. In February 2006 I had awful abdominal pains, so I went to the doctor. He sent me for an abdominal CT scan - they found nothing. I was then sent to a surgeon because I was still complaining of abdominal pain. He chatted with me for 2 HOURS! I finally found someone that listened! He decided it was best for me to have my GB removed. In April 2006 is when I had the surgery. It seems after that things progressively got worse. I ended up having a colonoscopy in August 2006 because of diarrhea. Everything turned out to be normal. It seems after the GB was removed I can't eat like I used to - certain things trigger the diarrhea. I don't know what foods trigger it because sometimes a certain food will cause problems and sometimes it doesn't. My life has centered around the bathroom! I don't leave the house until I have my daily BM's. If I have an early appointment I wake up a couple of hours before the appointment, just so I don't end up running to the "public" bathroom. I hate this! Also, being nervous triggers the diarrhea too. I can't help but NOT be nervous when I have these BM problems. I am always wondering if "this" is normal or "that" is normal, as in my bowel movements. I hear you about no one understanding! No one does! The only ones that understand are the ones also going through this.

You should make it so your user name here in the forums are "blue" so we can stay in contact. It's in the "Privacy" settings in your profile under "My MedHelp"

[Bullwinkle2002]

If Questran doesn't work, give Caltrate with D a try.  (Purple box--NO Magnesium)  1/2 to 1 tablet with every meal.  It has helped thousands.

(For much more info as well as tons of testimonials, check out LNAPE's Calcium thread on Ibsgroup.org under IBS-D.)

It seems like the simplest approach possible, especially for the bile dumping you can get after gb surgery.

Good luck with it.

(And no, I don't use it myself, as I still have my gb and have found another supplement that works for me; and no, I do not work for Caltrate.)

Cheers.

[crumy]

It would be nice to know more about what you have been going through if you don't mind, I don't know anyone else, friends, family, that are going through this problem, I'm tired of it taking over my life, I have been a nervous person my whole life, but with the bathroom problems since my gallbladder removal, it has taken its toll, and last year i had an anxiety attack at my sons school and for weeks could not get back to normal, my husband sayed since I had the anxiety attack, there is no going back now, so with much resistence and pain, I started on an anti anxiety medication, which I never wanted to do, although it has helped me with the anxiety, I still am very mad that I am on something that I may not be able to ever get off, also, I am having trouble with my bowels, even though I still take my questron powder twice a day, everyone else in the world who is on medicine says it binds them and gives them constipation, oh no, not me!  Let me know what your story is if you want to.
Thanks.
crumy

[Twilight_Princess]

I have had the same problems since having my gallbladder removed too. It seems since the removal it has made the IBS worse. Not saying this can happen to everyone because others have said they felt better, but it seems one's like you and I have been the few unfortunate ones :-(

[beentrying2quit]

Have your doc check your for "Celiacs Disease."  This is a condition where your body does not tollerate a substance called gluten.  Gluten is in almost everything we eat like CRACKERS, salad dressing, ketchup, bread, beer, pasta, anything with wheat, flour, etc.  This disease is commonly missed by lazy docs and they never test for it.  To me...it sounds like you have the typical symptoms.  Research this on-line and I think you may be surprised.  My dad had the exact symptoms you are having and when he guit eating gluten his symptoms cleared up in 3 days.

This is a MAJOR lifestyle change.

[crumy]

I had the same symptons as you with the pain in the back and the front and it ended up being my gallbladder which i had to have removed.  But just to let you know, that since my gallbladder has been taken out, i have had ibs problems with diarrhea for the past 16 years, it has really put a big damper on my life, everything i do surrounds how i am feeling.  I do take questron lite, and the generic brand, it is a powder that i mix with water 2 times a day and that is the only way that i have been able to live sometype of normal life.
***@****

[IA_IBS]

If your able to tolorate it....eat yogurt with active cultures in it while on the antibiotics. The med is getting rid of the "bad" bacteria in your system but is also stealing some of the good and you need to replace them.

[Twilight_Princess]

How long were you on the antibiotics? Antibiotics can cause diarrhea too - believe me, it caused it with me.

[MInute Maid]

I sympathise!  I have the same symptoms and I am sure that it is a bug that seems to be going round everyone at the moment  The troube is I have IBS and Diverticulitis too and this bout of whatever it is has kicked off the other troubles.  I am in severe pain at times and like you, everything is just runnng out of me. I almost passed out with pain and sickness in the middle of a shopping centre and could hardly make it home for the shaking and cold sweats.  I called the surgery a couple of days ago - the practice nurse told me that the whole area is down with it and just to hang on in there for 48 hours. I do feel  a bit better today but some New Year's Day I am having!

However, your condition seems to have been going on for too long.  It sounds like you have some sort of bug that is resistant to the antibiotics.  I would ask your doctor to send a fecal specimen to the lab to check just exactly what it is that is making you il.

Good luck.