women conquering constipation - page two
The tale of...T
For years I have suffered with really bad stomach problems. I just figured that it was stress. Working full time and going to college full time tends to do that to you. I would get constipated really bad and then experience an "attack". I hated it soooo much. It finally got to the point that I was spending so much time in the bathroom during class that I missed most of the lectures. And most of my exams were lecture-based.
So I dropped out for awhile until I could figure out what was going on with my body. I ended up having a child, and after that my attacks got worse. I passed out a few times on the bowl. All I knew was that sometimes, the pain was worse than childbirth. My greatest fear was that my child would need me and I would be tied to the toilet and couldn't get to him. My son was good though and never complained about me dragging him into the restrooms with me for what must have seemed an eternity for him.
Anyway, I tried all the laxatives and some would work, but the gas pains that came with them were unbearable. At that time, two of my best friends were diagnosed with IBS. They would listen to my tales of woe and would tell me, "Go to the doctor, you have IBS". So finally, I did. And I hated the tests. Don't we all!
At this point, my mom got really sick, so I took care of her and my problems were put on the backburner. I got married about a year after this. My husband is pretty understanding. Plus, I like the fact that he can watch the kids while I'm in the restroom. Yes, I said kids. I had another child a couple of years back. My attacks got worse after that birth (which is why I don't want to have any more children). Pretty much every day was a bad day. Luckily, I can run off to the restrooms at work. The girls I work with are really understanding (one has IBS herself) and cover for me.
My husband hated seeing me in pain. He finally dragged me back to the doctor for more tests. Now it's official: I have IBS. The doctor put me on Zoloft because I was suffering from depression because of my stomach problems. I noticed that after I started the Zoloft, my stomach got better. I asked my doctor and he told me that Zoloft can help with IBS in some cases.
I've been on Zoloft for about four months. It does help with my problems. I'm not running to the restroom every single day, endless times a day, for what seems like hours. I don't get constipated like before. But I do eat and then have to go to the restroom about 5-10 minutes later. But like I tell my husband, I don't have to strain to have a bowel movement. There is no pain sometimes. And I've actually had some "pain-free days".
The only times that I still do have a problem is when I'm on my period or ovulating. I have endometriosis. Endo and IBS do not go well together. So during those periods, I do have a problem. But considering that it's only a few days out of the month, I can deal with it.
The tale of...Alexis
I have had IBS for close to three years now. It first developed after I graduated from college, when I moved out on my own without a job. Between having a (rather difficult) new roommate, having to buy furniture, running errands, and trying to pay the bills with temp work while trying to find a permanent job, my stomach just "gave out" from all the anxiety.
I became too sick to work - or do much of anything - for over a month, and during that time I had to move back in with my parents and take Tylenol with codeine. (Since we had no idea what the problem was, they had me on codeine, which actually made it worse - I have the constipation variety of IBS, and codeine is constipating. Yechhh.)
I went through a variety of tests, gynaecological and gastroenterological, and finally, when no results came up, my gastro said "you have IBS." He handed me a bottle of anti-spasmodics and told me to go home. I was given no further guidance from doctors about it. I did a lot of research on my own and found that I have a wheat intolerance and had to cut out all wheat products. More recently, I've found that soy and peanuts are a problem, too.
I found a great gastroenterologist a few months after my diagnosis, and he and I tried all sorts of treatments. The one that worked the best was hypnotherapy! It sounds wacky, but hypnotherapy is not at all like the "hypnosis" that you see in the movies or on TV. It's just a process of getting your mind and body to relax, and then gently suggesting to your stomach that it will start to digest food properly, etc. If you feel that your IBS is connected to anxiety at all, I would highly recommend it.
I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia last July. I'd had it for five years prior to that, but no one knew what it was! Apparently, fibro and IBS often come together.
About six months ago, I wound up with very severe abdominal pain that did not feel like IBS. I had to go to the ER a few times. It's taken six months for the doctors to diagnose me with an undetectable case of endometriosis (I've had laparoscopies, with no result). I am now being treated, but haven't had much success as yet. I am still experiencing a lot of pain.
I am beginning to wonder if the doctors actually know what ANY of this is. ;) But, I'm hanging in there. I've started my own business making and selling jewellery, and I work from home so I can make my own hours. I truly enjoy what I do, which helps to make the pain much more bearable.
So I'm just waiting to see what happens next! What a demented adventure my life is. ;) Hopefully many of you have also found happiness despite the pain - and maybe one of these days we'll all find a way to make our tummies better.