women conquering constipation - page seven
The tale of...N
I was diagnosed with IBS over six years ago. I can relate to the very unfruitful doctor visits. I have been prescribed several medications, some of which I took for a few years. My IBS was so bad that traveling anywhere outside of my house was always a scary experience because due to the unpredictable diarrhea episodes, if I was not near a bathroom I would find myself in quite the predicament.
Three years ago I was told by two different women that they were diagnosed with IBS and their doctors were not very proactive in helping them seek out answers to this very unpredictable syndrome. Both women told me how they believed they had celiac disease or were gluten intolerant. So I started to cleanse my body and avoid all gluten products.
I am so thankful for these women's stories because I have been given a new lease on life. I am no longer held captive by my moody colon, spastic bowels, unrelenting heartburn or sluggish bowels. I am not scared to go on a road trip or to a movie. As long as I avoid wheat products my IBS is nowhere to be seen. By the way my doctor doesn't think it is a wheat allergy, but I went for allergy testing a few months ago and they also said that I was allergic to wheat. I have not been only any medications for my bowels or heartburn for a number of years now!
E-mail N: sammym[at]telus.net
The tale of...K
I am 25 years old and I have been suffering from IBS for the last three years (diagnosed a year and a half ago). It began with irrational diarrhea and now tends to consist of waves from excruciating pain from bloating and constipation, to what feels like a mild stomach upset. I have gone for a whole month at a time without too much bother, only to be hit by an onslaught of symptoms without an apparent lifestyle change that I can pin-point.
I have tried several remedies, both self-prescribed and those recommended by my very supportive GP. These include soluble fiber, peppermint (tea and capsules), laxatives of every variety under the sun, Wind-eze and every other brand of the same product, diets consisting of vegetable soups and masses of All-bran, etc etc!
My doctor was shocked when I made a list of the amount of laxatives/over-the-counter wind-relieving products I used on a daily basis and made me promise never to touch any of them again...A difficult task indeed as I had become reliant on many of the pills I'd been taking on and off for the previous couple of years! I have been prescribed mebeverine tablets to take as and when I need to relieve the pain from bloating. These worked at first but after six months I am finding them less successful.
I took up smoking in a moment of desperation when hit by possibly my worst case of constipation (it had been a long, long time!). A daily diet of strong coffee, strong cigarettes and lots of bran did begin to do the trick, and as a staunch anti-smoker I am sad to say that smoking was quite possibly one of the best remedies I have tried. However, after five months I gave that up too, and what followed was two months of embarrassing wind at work, terrible cramps from my constipation and sudden inexplicable bouts of diarrhea when my body appeared to suddenly give way.
I have said that this is a happy tale because the most success I have had recently has been from what feels like an excessive consumption of...water! I wake up, drink about three liters of the stuff and continue in the same vain as the day continues. Together with the yoga poses taught to me earlier in this year when I was in India (the yogi masters there ask you several medical questions before they decide which poses you should practise) and replacing my six cups of builder's tea at work with peppermint tea, I feel much better!
I cannot tell you if I have found a remedy that works for me which does not rely on the excessive consumption of chemicals, or if my body has just fallen into one of those spells where my IBS doesn't seem to be as severe as normal, but I can tell you I feel so relieved right now! They say that IBS is exacerbated by stress and worry. It is therefore a terrible cycle - I was constantly asked by my doctor "Are you stressed?" to which I would reply "I wouldn't be if only I could go to the toilet normally and not have this pain!". No other part of my life is stressful!
The worry that comes with having taken excessive amounts of pills for the last few years has been (I hope not temporarily) relieved by finding natural remedies (that work!) for my problem. Perhaps it is merely this relief which has eased my symptoms - I don't know if I will ever really know, but for the moment I feel better than I have in a long time!
The tale of...Kelly
I have been suffering from IBS for about six years, and it got really bad when I came to college. But I have found that following Heather Van Vorous's diet, using her fiber supplements, and doing yoga have had huge impacts on my health. I feel so much better and my symptoms have almost completely disappeared! I can't stress enough how much this has helped and I hope other people will look into her site and also consider yoga for treatment. It takes time for these things to change your symptoms but the change is real.
E-mail Kelly: cascini6[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Susie
I’m 22 and I’ve had IBS-C for half a year now, which I know is nothing compared to those sufferers who’ve been blessed with this illness for decades, but believe me, I am fully aware of how debilitating it can be and how it sours your life. All my problems stem from constipation, ie: the bloating and spasms go away if the constipation is relieved, and consequently I have been looking for remedies to tackle just that, up until now not entirely successfully.
So-called "Dr Schüssler salts", which are similar to homeopathic remedies, help, and homeopathy (silicea). These often help me, but admittedly they never restored my once perfect bowel movements. Something that helps me go as well, especially in the morning, is warm tea and lots of it (even without milk)
I’ve found that milk relaxes my muscles when I'm troubled by constipation. Although if I drink it in the afternoon or evening it makes my symptoms much worse, as I get the urge to go to the loo but my colon simply won’t co-operate. My diet is more than ideal, and that actually worsens my symptoms.
Insoluble fibre in large quantities, especially in the evening, makes me want to go, but I can’t. It’s a nightmare with cauliflower or bran, but actually better with white bread (which I know is not very healthy). The way things used to be, I lived by the rules of food-combining, ie: not eating protein and carbs simultaneously, but something like that again has me desperately straining over a toilet bowl. Outcome: pellets. At the best.
What helps though is soluble fibre. Even things like chocolate or sweets cause me no problems, but I don’t actually like them and I know they aren’t exactly healthy, that’s why I consciously came off them a while ago and never again acquired the taste for them. Danone Activia has helped me once or twice, and coffee does as well. There are special yoga poses you can find online, and the ones recommended for constipation do work for me to a certain extent.
Ironically enough, what has helped me enormously is exam stress, or more like anxiety before an exam. No more lazy bowels then, curiously enough. Of course this can’t last forever, but I just thought I’d jot it down as it’s nothing short of intriguing. Constipation apart, for the symptoms which go with it, I’ve found something excellent for bloating and flatulence, which is Protexin Balance.
The types of medication I’ve been on are too many to count, but the two I could say that actually worked are Meteospasmyl and Buscopan. I must admit though that my body got used to them after a couple of weeks, so I stopped taking them. I did try Digestrol, which is incredibly expensive and did not help me, if anything it made my symptoms worse.
I sympathise with all of you. The number of times I’ve wished I had any other illness but this. But you’re not the one that decides, your digestive tract does, and anyway we all know one can’t think like that. I do get down sometimes and the future seems bleak. Occasionally I have wished that I’d have diarrhea instead of constipation. But would it be better to be struck by an attack on the bus and not being in control whatsoever...you know how that continues. That’s all I wanted to share with you, good luck.
E-mail Susie: zsu1611[at]invitel.hu
The tale of...JS
I was diagnosed with IBS about 11 years ago. I had been having horrible pains in my lower stomach, and when a diagnosis of endometriosis, and surgery for, it didn't alleviate the pain I was sent to a gastro specialist who told me that I had IBS. At the time, I thought it was a catch-all; a "made-up" illness.
For the next eight years I worked out heavily and ate a low-fat diet, and my symptoms disappeared. Three years ago I took a break from my heavy workouts and let my diet slip. I started to bloat and have horrible constipation, pain and tenderness. I felt too exhausted and miserable to work out at all, yet alone the several hours a day I'd worked out before. Every few weeks, I'd hit the other extreme and have horribly loose stools.
After some research, I realized that I was exhibiting classic IBS symptoms and that it was a "real" illness (yes, duh). I went and bought Digestive Advantage at the supermarket, and it worked miracles. The bloating left. I have bowel movements every day. The only mistake I made was giving up the medicine when my symptoms stopped. You have to keep taking it, or the symptoms come back.
E-mail JS: demodiva02[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Joann
I have had IBS for 15 years, and I have been to the doctor many times looking for help! My doctor told me to take Citrucel three times a day, but that was much too much and I had problems with going to the bathroom too often. Then I read about taking an antibiotic - I tried that and it did not help.
I was told by a friend that she heard that eliminating glucose sometimes helps. Well I have not had glucose since 17 July and today is 2 September, and not one IBS attack. I am thrilled and I can't believe my doctor did not know this. I want to scream - I suffered for 15 years and all I had to do is eliminate glucose. I am not saying it is easy to do this but I can live my life now without constant pain.
The tale of...Sian
I have been suffering with constant pain, diarrhea, constipation and rectal bleeding for the past two years. I have undergone so many tests including colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, both of which I was sedated for but boy did I feel everything! Not pleasant, and one was undertaken during a heatwave which didn't exactly make it comfortable, NHS air-con not being great!
After several visits to my GP (a lovely man, so understanding and helpful thank goodness) and to my consultant (again I am very lucky, a wonderful man who held my hand during one of the 'oscopies) and being prescribed Lactulose (gross), Fybogel, citalopram (an anti-depressant), Colofac and more I have finally had a diagnosis of IBS.
This has taken two years, and, as a 27 year-old young woman with a full-time job, is such a relief as now I can adapt my lifestyle and it can be treated correctly. Also I can now undergo surgery to deal with the anal fissures which have developed, these alone have caused me so much pain and distress, not to mention the stress and worry from it which has triggered the IBS.
I have had nearly six months off work on and off due to the debilitating nature of the condition. A lot of people fail to grasp just how awful an episode can be which I feel is so wrong, it's not just a case of needing the loo urgently etc, it's the physical AND mental nature of the condition that causes people so much distress.
My heart goes out to all sufferers whether mild or severe and to let them know I understand how you feel, it is very difficult and embarrassing to open up about your experiences to people and I just hope that everyone gets the support they need.
E-mail Sian: theevansabove2[at]tiscali.co.uk
The tale of...Lori
I am living gluten/gliaden free and my 40+ years of IBS and its maniacal bouts of diarrhea/constiption (the last being 32 days without a bowel movement) are over! I take aloe supplements and fish/flaxseed oil and as long as I am compliant with my diet (which was identified through intense and expensive food sensitivity testing) I am feeling great! When I cheat or make a boo-boo and ingest any wheat at all I'm up a creek for up to two weeks.
E-mail Lori: gertzworks[at]sbcglobal.net
The tale of...Jennifer
I have suffered from IBS with constipation for three years now. I had no bowel problems until just after I graduated high school. Growing up, I never really had any trouble unless I was staying at a friend's house or on vacation somewhere. I usually wouldn't have a bowel movement for the first few days, but I would eventually and I never had any pain - I just didn't go for a while.
This all changed out of nowhere. I don't think there was anything that made my IBS start. Although, my periods did become more painful around the same time. One day I just realized I hadn't gone to the bathroom in five days! I usually would go every day or every other day. For about the first two weeks I just took some Correctol and I was OK for a few days, and then I was constipated again.
I went to the family doctor and she just told me to take stool softeners, but they didn't help much at all. I was really miserable at this point. I was going to start college in about a month and I couldn't even enjoy my summer.
I was able to get an appointment with the gastroenterologist that my mom sees (she has Crohn's disease). He almost immediately diagnosed me with IBS after a few questions and gave me Zelnorm to take. I did have to schedule a sigmoidoscopy to rule out Crohn's disease since my mom has it. It wasn't pleasant, but everything looked normal.
Well, the Zelnorm worked great from the start. I felt pretty normal for about eight months with occasional bloating and gas, but noting too bad. I was even able to cut back on the Zelnorm to once every other day.
But the next summer it started to get bad again, so I was taking the Zelnorm every day. About this time I also started to date my current boyfriend. He lived about an hour away from me, so I would spend weekends at his house. The weekends were terrible for my stomach. I was almost never able to have a bowel movement when I was there and the pain and cramps were horrible. This went on for about a year and I eventually started taking laxatives every weekend, just so I wasn't in pain the whole time I saw my boyfriend.
Last summer, the Zelnorm stopped helping me. I called my doctor and he told me to take it twice a day. This helped abour 25% of the time. But every time I ate something I would have cramps unless I went to the bathroom after I ate. I had to get another appointment because I was feeling worse than ever! He prescribed Amitiza to be taken once a day, along with Zelnorm once a day. He also suggested probiotics.
The Amitiza and Zelnorm actually worked, but they would sometimes give me diarrhea so I didn't take them if I was eating out somewhere. The probiotics did make me feel less bloated, but I only took them for a month because they were pretty expensive.
I graduated community college last fall and moved in with my boyfriend. Since I'm not in school anymore, my mom's health insurance no longer covers me. This is a big problem because my two prescriptions would cost about $200 a month after the discount (my boyfriend's mom works at the pharmacy so we get her discount of 20% off). My boyfriend suggested I try to stop taking them and see what happens, but I was so scared I would be in pain and never be able to poop! Instead, we bought some stool softeners which don't cost much, and they actually worked this time!
I've been taking the stool softeners for about six months and I'm doing pretty good. I still have some bad days, but I've only had to resort to taking a laxative once in six months, so that's pretty good! I also try to eat a lot of fiber and I avoid a lot of dairy because I know that makes the cramping worse. My stomach still feels bloated most days and I have a lot of gas, but overall I'm doing the best ever since my IBS first started. I still feel pretty limited in what I can do. For example, if I wanted to travel I would be very nervous that I would be in pain the whole time and not be able to have a bowel movement. I still worry that my IBS will get bad again, but for now I'm enjoying feeling good.
E-mail Jennifer: SeymoursMySavior[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Maria
Hi everyone! This is an update for my story in the sad tales section and although I cannot say that I'm a happier person I definitely am more enlightened about what is going on with my body. After taking several tests, undergoing a colonoscopy and doing more research on my symptoms I discovered that I am very lactose intolerant (hence the gas resulting after eating any kind of dairy) and also fructose intolerant.
Apparently my body doesn't produce the enzymes needed to break down these sugars, which also contributes to my constipation. I only drink lactaid milk now, but the least amount of cheese makes me gassy still. I also cannot eat sweets high in corn syrup or anything containing fructose. I will soon see a nutritionist who will hopefully help me with a risk-free diet.
Remember, we cannot fight what we don't know, that's why I encourage you all to try everything you can (even if it's sometimes expensive to undergo all these tests); it will help you for sure find out more about your illness. Good luck to you all and God bless you!
E-mail Maria: im_anxiety[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Sue
I started having IBS cramps from constipation) at the age of eight. It got worse with time and I spent many hours in the hospital with what everyone referred to as "the pain". I am 32 now. Over the years I have taken many different drugs, but the most useful treatment for me is actually fish oils. I take them in capsule form. I am even able to drink alcohol and coffee and eat cheesecake. I ran out recently and didn't buy more...biggest mistake ever...I bought more today! With time they helped me greatly. Good luck! Be patient. Eventually you will find something that works for you.
The tale of...Sophie
I am THRILLED to be able to write this. I have suffered from constipation for what seems like my whole life - at least the last 15 years. I was always told to eat more fiber by multiple doctors, which I did regularly. It helped a little, but not completely.
It was not until recently, after a particularly frustrating, painful, and embarrassing span of constipation, that I dug deeper for more information. I knew there had to be some reason I was not "normal" as I am a very healthy person otherwise. I read somewhere that milk can have a detrimental effect on some people's GI systems, so I cut milk out of my diet. After a day I was already feeling better, and three weeks later, I'm still regular. No more hard and painful stools, no more straining, no more worry.
I have also heard that gluten can be very detrimental to you if you have celiac disease. So if this dairy-free doesn't work for me, that is next on my list. I feel like a new person already. I hope you can find your peace!
E-mail Sophie: sophdogg1[at]hotmail.com