women suffering constipation - page twenty-four
The tale of...Chance
I've had IBS for a long time. It runs in my mother's side of the family. Many times as a child I would spend nights in the bathroom, doubled over in pain so bad that I thought I was going to die. It was the first time in my life I ever thought about suicide. I didn't even know what that meant at the time, I just remember thinking about putting a gun to my head because I couldn't bear the pain. It's scary to think about now. I was in middle school. The pain was that bad. I slept in the bathroom floor more than a few times, covered in a blanket. I never had a normal schedule. I was afraid of school trips and vacations. I hated that my parents had to wait for me every time I had a bad flare-up.
My doctor when I was younger took stool samples and listened to my stomach and intestines with a stethoscope. He said my guts were contracting at a much faster rate than is normal, and that it caused my pain to be worse than is usual. I took Zantac for quite a while. It sometimes helped me from getting violently sick after certain foods, but it was in no way a cure.
Fast forward. Same problems throughout high school. I often had to go to the office and ask to go home because the pain was too much. I couldn't even sit in class without doubling over and shifting around in abdominal pain. Needless to say, I wasn't learning anything when I had flare-ups in class. The drive home was hell. Our roads are very bumpy, and every one of them jarred my guts and sent a wave of pain through me.
I also had a lot of trouble with anxiety causing immediate flare-ups. I've always been a nervous person, and at any big function like a dance I would almost always get sick and have to spend a lot of time in the bathroom. Zantac helped a little, but it didn't stop it. My doctor said I had peptic acid disease. (No idea if he was really right.)
I finally stopped taking Zantac later in high school. I would just eat and do my normal activities, and handle the flare-ups. I tried stool softeners. They were very little help. If I didn't use the restroom in a week I would take two extra-strength laxative pills before bed. The next morning I was guaranteed a very painful BM and relief for the day. After this, my stomach (or intestines?) would ache badly after I ate for the first time after the painful BM that cleared me out. It was like it was stretching back out after being squished empty.
I was slapped in the face right after I started college with my first panic attack. I say first because I had chronic panic attacks for a long time after that. It was the beginning of a miserable life. I've been on a plethora of different medications now. Anti-depressants, Xanax (always on xanax, the doses just go up and down, which makes my digestion even slower) etc. I'm now on Xanax, Cymbalta and Miralax.
My new doctor said I do have IBS. He told me to take Miralax once a day, and that I could take it every day to hep regulate my BMs. I am happy to say that it has helped me very much! It is no miracle cure, I won't lie. It just keeps me from backing up and experiencing the excruciating pain that I once had to fear so often. It does a good job of making all my BMs soft and easy to pass.
The effects vary. My IBS is a lot better than it was. I go fairly regularly now, and I still have the occasional flare-up, but never do I go anywhere near a whole week without a movement anymore. I have to be careful to skip a dose after diarrhea, since I don't want to overdo things. I can't say that it doesn't work perfectly. I have to place a lot of the blame on Cymbalta and Xanax for slowing my system down so much that the constipation is much harder to resolve.
I forgot to mention that I had an upper GI and a colonoscopy. They found nothing, but the doctors took a biopsy from my intestinal wall and it came back clean. My gallbladder was only 18% functional, and the hospital surgeon wanted me to have it removed, but my primary care doctor said that if it was him, he wouldn't, and that that wasn't too abnormal.
I know I've left a lot out, but I hate to ramble. Reading this site has made me feel a lot better about myself, knowing that I'm not the only one. (I knew I wasn't, but reading the stories on here makes it a lot more real.) I should also mention that my IBS also triggers panic attacks because I get backed up and it actually pressures my lungs and my heart seems to skip beats a lot when I am really bloated.
I need to dissolve my Miralax in coffee. I always dissolve it in a watter bottle, but it doesn't seem to want to dissolve completely. Anyways, thanks for this site, thanks for listening, and best wishes to everyone!
E-mail Chance: chance[at]coalgate.net
The tale of...Gigi
I have had IBS with constipation for a few years now. I am suffering terrible. I weigh only 95lbs, and I'm five foot three. I was so healthy, before I developed allergies to chicken, fish, MSG, marination, egg plant etc. I can only eat lean roast beef, potato sometimes hot cereal, and ham sandwiches once a week maybe. Apple sauce and crackers are what I live on. I am hungry but the pain and bloating and no bowel movements are killing me. I have been using Fleet enemas or I fill them with water. I cannot stand it anymore. I want to be normal again. I am 63 but look 23 because of my tiny frame. I have GERD bad too, and Prilosec does very little.
I have tried Benefiber before and got nothing but gas pains and then an explosion, it made me sick and nauseous. I cannot live with the pain of the attacks any longer, it is like labor pains and the baby won't come out. I have to use a laxative to go every time. Is there anyone out there who can help me before I die from this pain. I appreciate any help, please. Thank you!
E-mail Gigi: SnoBun[at]aol.com
The tale of...Kelly
I have had IBS constipation all my life. I started taking milk of magnesia 10 years ago. The GIs have told me to stay on it for life. However, four years ago while going through menopause at age 46 I developed a terrible pain in my upper gut that I thought was a heart attack. The pain dictated my life and kept me home for most of the time.
I recently saw a neurologist who ordered an MRI and discovered that I had all my thoracic T1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ruptured and it was impinging on my spinal nerves and radiating to the upper frontal stomach area - my chest. I realize I have that as well as IBS in the same area - double whammy - but I was also told that hormones and menopause play a big part in IBS because it causes a change in the gut. I appreciate any feeedback from the IBS community.
The tale of...Wendy
Hello everyone! I have recently been diagnosed with IBS but I have suffered with symptoms for years. Off and on throughout my life I was put on Prevacid for acid reflux but wrote it off as a consequence of years of drug and alcohol abuse (I have been clean and sober for 10 years now...yeah!). I also entertained the thought that it was from PTSD, stress and anxiety disorders due to childhood sexual abuse.
About two and a half years ago my health took a turn for the worse and I thought it was due to smoking and stress. I was fearful enough that I quit smoking. A few months after that I was feeling even sicker than before so I started to look at what I was eating. I went to see a naturopathic doctor for the first time and I was put on an elimination diet (gluten-free, no dairy or eggs). I also started taking probiotics, ground flax and soy protein in a smoothie daily. This helped somewhat but the constant bouts of bloating and constipation were so distressing and painful.
I became so frustrated at the impact my increasing symptoms had on my overall life and wellbeing...but I pressed on choosing not to give up! I got a referral to a throat specialist because of very unusual symptoms of spasm type pains in my throat plus a sensation of food being stuck in my throat. He did an uncomfortable throat scope in the office and sent me for a burium swallow which confirmed acid reflux with no known cause.
I was then referred to a GI specialist and sent for a colonoscopy and endoscopy (this doctor's bedside manner was horrific and I felt almost traumatized!). After a very teary experience I learned that the only result was that my bowels had many twists. Surprisingly, I had about seven or eight months symptom-free after the colonoscopy! I thought that after my c-section (vertical) there has been scar tissue forming over the years combined with the possibility that my bowels were not put back in place - hence the twists. I also feel that stress and PTSD have irritated the IBS.
During my symptom-free phase I began to eat whatever I wanted again and my lifestyle change through diet went right out the window. About two months ago I flared up again. I was so frustrated with myself because I didn't watch what I ate nor did I take care of myself through stress management, exercise etc.
Like many of the sufferers here I have tried a multitude of remedies, diets, supplements, laxatives, herbs etc. I now resolve to 'listen to my body' and I have gotten back to my daily food log (everything in and out) and writing my symptoms down. I have gone back to my GP for a referral to Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ontario (I have heard great things about it) so I can get a second opinion.
Last night I spent 10 hours in the ER waiting to see a doctor because I flared up so severely with bloating, constipation and pain. The doctor had a rude bedside manner and I left in tears feeling worse than when I went in. Blood work and urine screens came back normal.
I can so identify with the emotional rollercoaster that goes with this journey. I am so grateful to have found this website - I no longer feel alone! Thank you all so much...I feel hope again and I have already jotted down a bunch of new tips that I am excited to try.
My biggest frustration is that I have turned my life around in the past 10 years and today have years of sobriety from alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and even coffee and sugars (especially chocolate!). I am remarried to a wonderful, supportive man, I have great teenagers (most times ha ha) and a fantastic career. I am frustrated because this is the time in my life where I want to live feeling fully alive and I feel so physically ill, fatigued and emotionally fearful and stressed! Deep sigh.
I am facing these feelings and choosing to do something different. I am going for reflexology and deep tissue massage plus prayer and meditation for the stress. I am taking a weekend vacation with my family to relax this weekend and I am standing firm with the doctors and getting the second opinion that I deserve. I will not let this 'minor inconvenience' take over my life and I will continue to press forward.
I would really love to hear from others who have shared their stories and I look forward to experiencing the mutual support that I am finding on this website. If there is anyone here from the Toronto, Ontario area and knows of a support group for IBS I would love to hear from you.
E-mail Wendy: vanders1[at]sympatico.ca
The tale of...Nikki
I am 31. In November I went into the hospital, thinking that my appendix was the pronblem. After a day and half, and testing that I really wanted to stop, I was told that I have IBS-C. At first I did not think much of it. I kinda thought that I could eat healthily and drink water and things would be fine. But of course I am not fine. The pain I go through every couple of weeks is hard, and I have been noticing that it is just getting worse. I am starting to get scared of it. I have pain, bloating, burning and swelling.
I have tired to eat well, drink water, and do everything that I am supposed to do. It is just not getting better. I am not all that sure what to eat anymore, or what to drink. If I have one cheat night I pay for it, big time. I am just hoping that someone out there will be able to give advice on foods and different ideas that could help me. So I can live and be myself again.
E-mail Nikki: nikkisweet27[at]hotmail.com
The tale of...Katheryn
I just wondered if anyone else has similar problems to me in that my system doesn't tolerate medicines easily and I my symptoms are constant. I suffer from IBS-C and I am trying to find out what foods affect me - to no avail as yet even though I have been trying for a year. I avoid gluten and wheat products (they give me grief) and I am careful with dairy products (only a little milk and occassional cheese which usually doesn't make a lot of difference either way). I also have problems with potatoes and eggs. I am pescatarian, which means I eat fish but not meat.
It seems that I may have had a predisposition to the condition for a long time but I was not diagnosed until about a year ago. Previously I had been 'treated' by doctors only for the constipation, but I am sure they made it worse in the long run. But in November 2008 I had a really bad water infection and it has become progressively worse since then.
I have, as I said, tried to ascertain dietary causes, but although I am aware of some allergies and avoid the culprits, some days I feel quite ill with it all and yet I haven't eaten anything that should've set it off, just things that would normally be OK.
I took mebeverine which was very effective until it caused a nasty itchy rash, and a lot of other meds cause side effects for me too. I am taking Buscopan at the moment but it seems to aggravate the constipation. Any thoughts on this would be wonderful, please. Thanks to anyone who can help in however small a way.
An update on Katheryn
I am now trying a 'natural remedy' called Lepicol which is manufactured by the Healthy Bowels Company. It contains probiotics and psyllium husk (a source of fiber) and, after a minor glich, it seems to be helping my constipation without side effects. I do sometimes get side effects even with natural medicine. I am taking the powder form at the moment at the young adult dose even though I am 52. I am only 7st 9lbs so maybe that is why this seems to be the best dosage for me. So I am currently hoping it will not cause any side effects and help me. Anyone else tried it?
An update on Katheryn
An update on the Lepicol - it worked well but I have now discovered I have an allergy to the psyllium husk itself (Lepicol contains psyllium plus probiotics) and have had to stop taking it. I would nonetheless say it is worth a try. I have started taking a magnesium supplement with some minor success but am ever hopeful!
E-mail Katheryn: katheryn[at]sky.com
The tale of...Rachel
Out of sheer desperation, and feeling very isolated as an IBS sufferer, I found this site. My GP says he can't do anything and I just have to live with it. Great! I've been feeling really unattractive with bloating and extreme wind and belching, very feminine I'm sure! I am IBS with constipation but every so often I am so ill with stomach cramps worse than labour pains, sweating, vomiting and diarrhea which smells worse than anything I can describe. I almost hyperventilate with the pain. These bouts can last for several hours. They leave me exhausted and with a bad headache for over a week, and I lose a week off works without pay.
When not suffering from the after-effects of an attack my life consists of terrible wind, belching (which, even when disguised as well as possible, gets laughter from my colleagues), bloating, and my stomach growls and rumbles really loudly. I have got to the point when I don't even want to make love to my wonderful husband as I feel so damn unattractive - belching and farting are not really turn-ons are they? He is really good about it and tells me he knows I can't help it but I hate it
I have tried pills, medicines, leaving things off my diet, adding things etc, which seems to work for a short while and then stops working as my body gets used to it. I am hoping I can gain some comfort from other sufferers and not feel so depressed by being able to talk about this to other sufferers. Also to help others realise that they are not on their own in this too.
The tale of...Sherry
I am 37 and I have been suffering from IBS with constipation since I was about 19. At first my mother offered a mild laxative not thinking back then that my bowel would get used to it and I would never be the same again. I blamed it on the food I was eating or the stress I was under but all I know is that it has been a long 18 years.
I have tried everything on the market from Metamucil to herbal laxatives, Dulcolax, etc. Things really changed for my when I was pregnant with my second child (who is four months old now) and I developed hemorrhoids along with the severe constipation that comes with being pregnant. I feel like I have been tortured for a full year and I am still suffering.
When I was pregnant there was nothing that my GI specialist could do for me until I had the baby. I finally saw my GI about six weeks ago where he wanted to do a sigmoidoscopy to see how bad the hemorrhoids were and to see if banding was an option. At that time it was not and the surgeon who saw me afterwards recommended that I take milk of magnesia (one medication I had not tried). He told me that I have to have a bowel movement at least once a day and that this should help make the hemorrhoids smaller and my bowels work more regularly. Thanks to this wonderful product I have been going every morning and my hemorrhoids are getting smaller but they are still really painful.
I did have banding done about four weeks but it was so painful that I will never have it done again unless I am put under or at least given a sedative. I am for the most part an energetic happy person but this last 11 months has put a strain on my relationship with my husband, my friends and my family and I would really like it to end. I found this site with the hopes that someone is or has gone through the same torture that I have been going through. I truly believe that a support group is a great idea for sufferers like myself to vent to someone who is going through the same thing as me. Thanks for listening.
E-mail Sherry: tusack[at]nf.sympatico.ca
The tale of...Rebecca
I am only 23, but I have been dealing with IBS my entire life. It used to be just bloating and constipation. After many talks with my pediatrician when I was young they put me on Glycolax (Miralax). It helped a bit but they would not refer me to a specialist because they said I was too young. I lived with the IBS for years after that. During my third year in college I was rushed to the hospital for what was thought to be a bursting appendix. It turned out to be a severe intestinal blockage in my large intestine that almost ruptured.
That summer I was finally referred to a specialist. I had a colonoscopy and an exam. The results of the exam (at age 20) showed fissures and internal hemorrhoids. The colonoscopy only found that I have a tortuous colon. At that point I was officially diagnosed with severe IBS. I tried a medication called Amitiza. The doctor told me that this was the only FDA-approved medication at the time. Forty-five minutes after taking my first pill I had a severe allergic reaction to it (shortness of breath, heart palpatations, loss of all bodily functions in front of my boyfriend in my car). After that the doctor said there was nothing else he could do.
I went on taking the Miralax and managing my diet. In the summer of this year I moved and started seeing a new primary doctor. I told him my problems and he put me on omeprazole (I had a small stomach ulcer in college) and Librax. I had an upper GI done and the results were that I had a hiatal hernia and an inflamed duodenum. He kept me on the omeprazole and Librax for three months.
I was still having severe pain and it was causing problems at work because I was constantly either doubled over at my desk or in the bathroom for 45 minutes. I went back for a follow-up and he took me off the omeprazole and put me on Kapidex and Librax three times a day. I tried to explain to him that I wasn't having any acid reflux but he said that the Kapidex would still help. I have now been on these two meds for a week and I have never been in so much constant pain in my life.
I go back to see him in two weeks. I told him that I think I need to be referred to a new specialist but he wants to try all of these new medications first. I am 23, I take two meds in the morning, two in the afternoon, and two at night. This shouldn't be my life! He also wants me to take Miralax every day and Metamucil. This is too much to have to do. I am looking for suggestions on any new medications that are out or any advice that I can get. I'm getting desperate.
E-mail Rebecca: Rebecca.sanders29[at]gmail.com
The tale of...Michelle
I was diagnosed with IBS about six years ago and I also have suffered with reflux/hiatis hernia for 13 years, so I am suffering with constipation, bloating and cramps a lot. I have never been advised to try gluten-free food, but after reading the comments here about people trying and having success with gluten-free diets I am keen to try it.
Due to my reflux I don't eat a lot of meat, I like chicken and mince but that's all I can eat and digest without issues. Due to the cramping of my esophagus I often find food gets stuck halfway down my gullet and I experience a choking sensation so having salad, meat or vegetables without having a drink while I eat is a no-no for me.
Also eating these foods alone doesn't work so I tend to have either mashed potato or fries or gravy with them, something mushy to help the food go down, but from reading the posts it looks as if I should be avoiding potatoes, rice and gravy. I would appreciate some advice on which foods are best to avoid altogether and which foods in the gluten-free range taste good.
E-mail Michelle: miss.mish[at]bigpond.com
The tale of...Alexis
I've had IBS for five years. When I started with the diarrhea I thought I had food poisoning. I even called the restaurant I'd had lunch at the day before to complain about their 'under-cooked chicken'. After two weeks I realized there was something...just not right.
I was on a pattern of constipation for four or five days, and then random, 'all hell is breaking loose' diarrhea. I would get little to no warning before I had to go. The cramp pain was so bad that I began to get panic attacks while I was sitting on the toilet. All I could do was sit and go, then curl in the fetal position on the bathroom floor. Repeat. I would push and strain even after I knew there was nothing left inside me. Not that I wanted to, but I had to. The day after an episode I would have tremendous gas pain up under my ribs.
After several months I developed this feeling that I had to be completely naked when I had an attack. Jewelry, glasses, everything had to come off. Sometimes this happened at work! It was very time-consuming and embarrassing, because when I had to go, I had to GO. And I moaned because of the pain, which was also mortifying in a public restroom.
After two years I decided to go to the doctor. He diagnosed me with IBS with constipation and gave me Bentyl. Ah, sweet Bentyl! It was a true lifesaver. The doctor explained that my constipation was holding all the new poo behind it. He said that after the pressure gets too much it blows open and that's where the diarrhea comes from.
After another year my IBS swung to the other extreme, and it's been there ever since - constipation. I only go every five to 10 days, and it isn't much. I have tried most everything I can think of, even Amitiza, a prescription from my doc. I've tried enemas, teas and herbal remedies. I've tried bulk, fiber, fiber capsules, fiber chewables, fiber drinks, fiber, fiber fiber! Right now I have three different bottles of colon cleanser on my desk at work and not one of them works for me. Water - I drink two bottles every day at work, and all evening long. I drink coffee and tea. I pee like a fiend but have a bloated, uncomfortable feeling all the time.
When I do go it is so condensed and hard (fiber, anyone?) and literally feels like I'm giving birth through my rectum. I tear and bleed but thankfully, I am able to remain fully dressed, don't have panic attacks and don't need to lay on the floor. No gas pain afterwards, either. I will say that honestly, it isn't any better for me to be constipated or loose.
The only time I really feel good is when I take a laxative, which I only do if I haven't gone for that magical number of 10 days. I figure after 10 days it's time to shake things up down there. I had to laugh when I read the product info in the Amitiza package, 'Most people have a bowel movement within 24 hours'. Yeah, right!
E-mail Alexis: phlaeagls[at]aol.com
The tale of...Beth
I am 23 and I have suffered from IBS for two years now. I had previously been suffering from panic attackts for four years. Two years ago my uncle who I was nursing died of cancer and that along with the panic attacks triggered the IBS. The panic attacks and IBS have a vicious cycle - the IBS will start the panics or panics will start the IBS then they will just continue in a circle intensifying and getting more severe.
The pain is very intense and I go from being constipated to very loose. My stomach pains are very intense. I have been under a gastro for a year now. I have had every possible scan and test and I am told that all it can be is IBS. The pains are strange and shoot all around my stomach, but are mainly across my bra line and it feels like something is pushing out, does anyone else get this? Also I get a sort of kicking pain in my stomach exactly like when I was pregnant, does anyone else get this?
I have tried cutting foods out and taking medication but nothing works, and if I have even the smallest amount of alcohol I am in pain for over a week with stomach cramps, does alcohol effect anyone else? It gets to a point when the pain is so bad that I actually feel like my stomach is going to burst open. My stomach is all scarred from where I constantly have a red hot water bottle attached to me.
People seem to think I am exaggerating about the pains but as you probably know I'm not. Even doctors seem to brush it off like it's nothing and that it's our fault, like we're eating the wrongs things or something. I just want to live a 'normal' life and eat and drink and do what I want. I am trying my best to get on but it is hard. If anyone has succesfully controlled this disorder please let me know!
E-mail Beth: bethmckillion[at]virginmedia.com
The tale of...Rebecca
I have been affected by irritable bowel syndrome since I was about 12 years old. We thought I was lactose intolerant because anything with dairy gave me diarrhea and I got it quite frequently. After a few years of that I became constipated almost all the time. I could go to the bathroom, but only in small amounts, my stomach always hurt, and I always had gas. If I ate anything my stomach instantly bloated.
I feel like I wake up in the morning with a flat stomach and go to bed at night with a huge belly. I had diarrhea and constipation until I was about 18, which was when I had my first child. Then it just became constipation all the time. I am 22 now and it is still the same. I hate to eat because putting anything in me besides water upsets my stomach and makes it fill with gas. I take laxatives now for some relief because I just can't stand feeling like I have to go to the bathroom all the time and having constant gas pains and cramping.
I have noticed that fried foods bother me more so than anything else, but like I said, if I eat my stomach is a mess. I feel like my digestive system just doesn't function properly at all. Because of the constipation and stomach pain I have had problems with eating also. Sometimes I just cry because I am so sick of living like this, and there seems to be no end to it. I envy those who have normal bowel habits, who don't have to take laxatives every couple of days to go. I would almost rather have diarrhea than the constipation because the pain with my constipation is way worse than it ever was with diarrhea. And because I just want my body to be able to have a bowel movement without needing something to force it to.
Sometimes it gets so bad the pain makes me vomit. If I don't take laxatives to make myself have a bowel movement I will end up in the bathroom for hours one day in pain because my body will finally get rid of it all. But it is so extremely painful, I would rather deal with a little cramping from the laxatives every couple of days. I am so sick of living like this. I gave up on my doctor, who just tells me to eat more fiber. She just doesn't understand. Nothing helps. I've tried different diets, I've tried to figure out triggers. Nothing helps.
E-mail Rebecca: strwbrykiwidlite[at]gmail.com
The tale of...Ghadeer
Where do I start my tale? I think I'll begin with describing my medical history (yes, at 23 I have a considerably long history with doctors, clinics, hospitals, specialists and medication). I've always had digestive problems ever since I was 14, but what I was suffering from was chronic pain, and then finally last year the doctors discovered I had gallbladder stones and opted to remove them surgically which I agreed to happily. I thought that would be the end of my problems, and so it was for a whole year. I ate whatever I wanted and was happy, except for certain times when I had diarrhea but I didn't mind so much.
And then about two months ago my car died on me. You'll be wondering how this is relevant, please wait and read. I live away from my family and drive to work every day, and taxis and public transportation are not common where I live (more of that later). And when my car died I had to rely on my friends to come and pick me up, which put me at the mercy of their whims. I am grateful to them, don't get me wrong, but my whole life now rotated on who would come pick me up or drop me off (which is even worse because some of them like to stay till 7 or 8pm!).
My car took forever to get fixed and that caused me to get stressed and angry. I have a horrible temper, but since it was no-one's fault (except my idiotic car) I kept it inside. Until, funnily enough, I got my car back. The next day I suffered from nausea attacks. I went to the ER and was prescribed some medication. Two days after that I got the worst gut-wrenching pain in my lower abdomen which was complemented with a fever. The ER doctor who saw me told me it was an inflammation in the Pouch of Douglas. If you're curious about what that is then please google it and marvel at the doctor's stupidity.
My drugs were changed and replaced with antibiotics and I had to beg the doctor to give me a sick leave sheet for the office (I went into the ER at 1:00am and left at 5:30am, lucky for me I wasn't dying or I'd already be dead!). The drugs weren't helpful, the pain was too bad to allow me to sleep and a friend took me to a doctor who performed a number of tests on me but couldn't find anything wrong and told me it could be that my colon (I hate this word now) was agitated. He told me to cut back on certain foods (fried and spicy and fatty food mainly) but he was more sympathetic than the ER doctor and gave me three days off.
The next three weeks were hell for me. I would get bloated for no apparent reason, I ate all the healthy food I could think of but that still didn't help. It would get so bad that I would want to pass gas but couldn't even do that and I wouldn't go to the bathroom for five days. The funny thing was when I did my stool was normal! I was perplexed and finally went to a specialist where an argument ensued.
I had read a bit about IBS (a close friend of mine has been suffering for almost a year now, and I wanted to know how I could help), so I knew it was a lifelong condition. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would get the condition too. So when the doctor told me I was suffering from IBS-C I refused to accept the diagnosis. I wanted something curable! You can't say that my whole life will have to be controlled by my intestines, and expect me to sit down and nod my head wisely.
Here comes the part about where I live: I'm an Arab, a Jordanian precisely, and I live in Dubai. IBS I think is quite common here but no-one likes to talk about it. And the way doctors treat it here is abominable. My doctor told me that my temper was the cause of my IBS, all that anger and stress had to go somewhere she said, and this is the result. Do you know how it feels to be told that your IBS was caused by you? That you have done this to yourself? It was a terrible couple of days after that, I just wanted to stay home and do nothing, but even that was not easy.
My family was not sympathetic, my grandmother made fun of me, saying that she'd never heard of constipation causing a person to visit a doctor and that I just wanted attention. And my parents were always mad at me for refusing to eat certain foods (such as bananas and fried food for example), and kept telling me to try and eat and forget that I was sick. Right, I'm supposed to ignore the fact that I only go to the bathroom once or twice a week, and look like I'm six months pregnant, and my IBS will just fly out the window!
What also added to my misery was that I'd been going to the gym regularly after my gallbladder was removed, and that I had finally almost gotten the flat stomach with a four-pack that I always wanted. Now it just takes the wrong kind of food or a stressful situation and all the 'gymming' goes out the window in three seconds.
I am now in Japan on vacation. The first two weeks were fantastic! I had somewhat regular bowel movements, can't say they were normal but nothing to complain about (damn I miss those days when I didn't have to think about how long I hadn't gone to the bathroom, or how much gas there is in my bowels!). I ate everything, fried food, coffee, cakes and sweets. I thought that maybe my doctor was wrong, maybe I didn't have IBS!
And today, woohoo, just so my bowels can tell me not to forget about them, I got a lovely case of bloating and gas. I had to sit for one hour in the bus trying not to pass the noxious gas that I know would kill half the passengers and cause the other half to faint. And when I reached my hotel room, all I could do was wallow in my misery and google IBS again...Thank God I found this site, I know I'm not alone.
But still...I wonder, why did this have to happen? What on earth did we do to deserve this? And why don't people try and understand that I'm not playing around, I don't want attention, I'm even fine living all on my own without any human contact for the next year if that meant my IBS would disappear! I'm just hoping my remaining week here passes in peace, I don't want a perfect bowel, just one that can handle the rest of the vacation, and the 19-hour flight back to Dubai. Wish me luck!
E-mail Ghadeer: didi_pop[at]hotmail.com
The tale of...Sabrina
On April 16 2009 I made an executive decision to start playing tennis again. Everything was smooth sailing until I felt a sharp pain on the lower right side of my abdomen. I thought it was my ovary since I had surgery in July of 2008 to have a huge dermoid cyst removed.
I panicked after my game of tennis. I thought that I may have ruptured my ovary. I immediately left a message for my surgeon explaining the horrible pain. My surgeon scheduled a sonogram for me the following week. Needless to say, on Monday, April 17 I felt horrible. On April 18 I was immobilized by the pain. I thought I was going to die. The pain was nothing like when I had ovarian surgery, so I went to the emergency room that night and was diagnosed with multiple fibroids. I was released with 800 mg of ibuprofen.
I felt bloated, irritated, and lethargic. I had a follow-up appointment with my gynecologist and she explained that my fibroids were too small to cause the amount of pain that I was experiencing. I explained my symptoms like the pressure in my lower abdomen and not being able to sit for a long period of time, frequently having to urinate, but having trouble removing the urine, a weird fluttering feeling moving through that area, nausea, and heartburn at times. My gynecologist thought it was a urinary tract infection and gave me medication that caused a world of problems.
I waited five days to see if the medication would work. The medication did not work of course. I had a horrible reaction to the meds and had to miss three days of work. I was miserable and worried about my problems...and to top it all off, I had a case of the sniffles with a whole lot of sneezing. It was one of the worst colds that I had for the season.
I was under an extreme amount of stress at home and work. I was using up my accrued sick/annual leave time from work. While I was at home suffering I did a ton of research. I thought I had an obstructed bowel and began to take suppositories, but they did not work. I went back to the doctors AGAIN, but my physician was busy working rounds at the hospital and as usual I had to see the nurse practitioner. She told me that it could very well be an obstructed bowel and scheduled a catscan for the following week. I never made it to the catscan because I went back to the emergency room.
While at the ER I was given morphine for my sharp spasms and a pill for the nausea. I was given a catscan, internal vaginal check, and a belly x-ray. I spent a total of 7.5 hours for them to tell me that I was constipated. The nurse gave me magnesium citrate and told me I should/would move with-in 45 minutes. Well...I didn't! I was still constipated!
I took off that following day to take a series of laxatives. They did not work. I went to the store to buy some more magnesium citrate. I did move my bowels that weekend, but I still felt horrible after I ate and drank. I would also still have issues of not being able to move without that horrible tasting laxative.
I went back to the doctors for a follow-up and I was told that I may have IBS. I didn't get a diagnosis because I saw a nurse practitioner again. She advised me to buy some Miralax and take a capful daily. Miralax is $12 a small bottle. I questioned the nurse and asked if I should get a referral to see my gastrointestinal specialist. She advised that it would not be necessary because the specialist would perform a colonoscopy and they too would come up with the same conclusion.
So it's now week four and I have IBS. I am struggling and trying to figure out my food triggers. All I can say is that I am truly going through a lot of pain. I am literally finding out on a daily basis what causes my bloating and pains. I am still taking magnesium citrate because I am not going to spend $10 to $20 on Miralax. I am going to schedule an appointment with my specialist for a prescription for Glycolax. I am wondering why the doctors that I saw never thought IBS was the issue. I guess I will never know.
E-mail Sabrina: s_cox001[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Jo
I have read and related to so many of these stories that now I am crying knowing I really don't have to suffer alone! I have suffered with stomach problems since I was 16 (I am 42 now!) only then it was labelled 'spastic colon', quite daunting for a young girl! Over the years my symptoms have worsened and periods of stress and anxiety make the condition that much more intolerable.
When I have a bout I feel a sickness that I cannot describe and family and friends cannot believe and I spend hours travelling between my bed and the bathroom (I lost three pounds in weight during my last bout two days ago!). When I finally finish 'going' the sickness subsides but the weakness takes over and a raging headache and then hunger! I am then terrified to eat because I know that I will not go to the toilet for a week and things will start all over again, so the weakness stays for days.
I have recently been referred for cognitive behavioural therapy and will also be starting a yoga course in an attempt to beat my stress and anxiety issues, but I still need help with the physical symptoms which I know will not subside immediately. Therefore I visited the doctor. I broke down in the doctor's surgery yesterday when she told me there really was very little she could do to help. I pleaded with her that I needed it to stop so she read her little book of medicines and finally decided that I should try mebeverine, anyone heard of it? I am off out now to collect my prescription and am praying for a good result. I will let you know if things improve.
E-mail Jo: jobuttle[at]yahoo.co.uk
The tale of...Neallean
I'm a 37 year-old mother of two teenagers. In September of 2007 I was at the hospital for an upper respiratory infection. The doctors called my PCP and he ordered something called z-pack. I went home, took it and about an hour later I started feeling weird so I went back to the hospital and they told me I was allergic to it. They also took a urine sample which came back saying that I had e-coli. They gave me meds to cure that.
My PCP at the time was a quack so my father suggested I go to his doctor which was a real relief. He ordered a colonoscopy and another test to see down my throat. Everything came back normal but the gastroenterologist said that I had IBS. He said it was due to either the e-coli or the nine years of meth I went through. My PCP put me on Klonopin and Vicodin, and Pristiq for pain. I've been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressiion because of this. It's hard to deal with this, it's all I think about. I go to therapy, and this helps me get a lot off my chest, but still it's a constant thought.
Right now I'm going through constipation and don't know what to do about it. I just thought you might want to know that I have been drug-free for two years and maybe my body is still healing. All I know is I wish someone would tell me I'm not crazy. Please someone respond to my letter. Thank you all, I have read your stories and I have gotten a few ideas. My symptoms aren't as bad as when it first started and I've been taking Digestive Advantage for almost eight months and it is a miracle.
E-mail Neallean: nmilner02[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Kelly
I've had IBS constipation since my late teens and I'm in my mid-20s now. At first it started out mild for first two years and then by the third year it was severe and it's been like that ever since. When it was mild I had no idea why I was sick and went to doc after doc. Every doc didn't know what I had and they were very rude. Then by the the third year I was finally diagnosed by a doc after going through many, many tests. After I found it was IBS, I was floored that no doc I went to had any information for IBS. They would give me a horrible look and say 'just eat fiber' or 'I don't know how to help you' and walk out of the room. As you can imagine I was livid.
I have been struggling for years trying to get it under control by changing my lifestyle. I have done lots of research online since no-one where I live will help me. I have tried many drugs but most of them made my symptoms worse and some only worked for a short period of time. I drink six to seven cups of herbal teas like mint, ginger, fennel, and chamomile. I also do many ab exercise involving pilates and follow the diet at helpforibs.com, except I don't eat animals or animal by-products since they make my symptoms flare up. Also I'm a huge animal lover. I have found these things to be helpful to a certain degree.
My symptoms interfere with my life a lot; I hardly go outside. It's extremely depressing. I have had to move back home since I can no longer work. I am struggling to get disability but sadly so far I have been denied which is not surprising. People really don't take IBS seriously. I haven't found anyone who really understands the impact it can have on one's life. I will continue to apply for disability until I receive it. It's unfair and sad that many people are denied it when they qualify for it.
E-mail Kelly: KSilverstone[at]gmail.com
The tale of...Anny
I have been suffering from constipation for my whole life, as long as I can remember. I remember the amount of times my mom would threaten to take me to the hospital to get an enema if I didn't go to the bathroom, particularly when she found out I hadn't been going for two or three days at a time. When I was a baby she used to have to give me Colace or a suppository in order for me to go properly.
As I got older she had to give me laxatives like Agarol and even Exlax on top of an extremely healthy diet because my bowels were lazy. I wouldn't go for four or five days at a time and I would sit on the toilet for about 25 minutes straining and stomping my feet and willing the darn thing to come out. I didn't enjoy having to take laxatives either because of the accompanying stomach cramps and eventually the stubborn thing would slide out.
Particularly the last couple of years, from my 11th grade year, I started getting sick a lot. My stomach always hurt, I always felt nauseous and I started missing a lot of school because of it. I almost got suspended because of it. My mom told the school it was a legitimate reason, that I honestly was sick.
I didn't find out until about a year and a half ago, at age 20 (I'm turning 22 this month), that I am suffering from IBS-C and a gut motility disorder. It explained a lot. The gassy, bloated, sick horrible feelings I always had. Me getting sick more often than everyone else. Spending so much time on the toilet straining. Having to use laxatives and whatnot. It all made sense. The doctor started me on fiber therapy along with a stool softener and it was working for a while.
Now the fiber is no longer working. I've tried changing my diet, cutting things out of it, I've tried eating Activia, I've tried drinking prune juice. It's becoming frustrating because it feels like I am running out of options. I feel fat, sick, bloated, gassy and horrible all the time. I'm five foot nine, 145lbs with a thin body...but a distended stomach that makes me look six months pregnant!
My husband is being very supportive despite the fact that I have been sick and cranky a lot. He tries to help me through this ordeal. He does not know the amount of trouble this disorder has caused, but he understands and sympathizes. He has tried to help me with any medications or needs I have. I feel so guilty.
My doctor does not seem to take me seriously enough. When she saw that my stomach was distended she dismissed it as 'gas'. She has me try out a variety of pills and none work. The only thing that seems to slightly work is Colace stool softeners. Even then, it's not enough to bring down my swollen stomach. Even after a BM I don't feel empty. I don't feel like I'm finished, that there's tons more in there.
I am too embarrassed to admit to my friends why I'm always 'sick'. Why I don't want to go out a lot. I've been going through this for a good amount of time, and I honestly sympathize with anyone who suffers from this awful disorder. I want my life, and my health back!
E-mail Anny: aeberry86[at]yahoo.ca