men suffering diarrhea - page four
The tale of...David
My name is David Michael and I am 34 years old. I have had acid reflux (Gerd) for over 10 years now. I have been on several different types of medicine for this until last year when I was finally put on Nexium which I am taking twice a day now.
I have been through an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy only showed internal hemorrhoids and the endoscopy showed the acid reflux and esophagitis. After the colonoscopy, I noticed I was starting to have problems going to the bathroom. I was constipated for a couple of days and then I would have a couple of days worth of diarrhea. I can't eat any type of beef (hamburgers, steaks), pork chops, chicken etc.
Month after month I have been having cramps, running to the bathroom when I'm going out somewhere (when I am working I always have to visit the bathroom first). Besides cramps, my symptoms are: nausea, stomach pains, constipation/diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue. I have been drinking ginger ale like it has been going out of style.
Well, last week when my symptoms got worse again, my boyfriend Jon (yes I'm gay) said enough is enough, called my GI doctor and got me an appointment. Finally today my doctor finally diagnosed me with IBS. I'm happy that I finally I know what is causing my bouts of constipation/diarrhea but I'm not happy that my doctor said that IBS medicine for men is only in the testing phase.
Is there anything over the counter that I can take to get rid of this constant pain. I am willing to talk to anyone about this.
E-mail David: mikejon7175[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Michael
I am 26 years old and I have suffered with IBS ever since I can remember. My symptoms are that I can't go anywhere without needing to go to the toilet before I leave. If I don't need to leave the house I am fine and don't have any problems, but as soon as someone says "Come on let's go" that's it, the pain begins and I am on the toilet.
I've realised that it's the fear of the whole experience that sets me off. The more I think about not thinking about it the worse it gets. Sometimes I think I am going crazy. My doctor has said it may well be my diet but I've tried no dairy, no gluten, no citrus fruits, no caffeine, everything, and nothing works.
I have had pain so bad that I thought I would die. I must say that IBS has held me back my whole life. All my friends/family think I am crazy and I know somehow I am. I've even found that it's getting worse the older I get. If I go out I plan where the toilets are in advance and this gets me worked up more. It's a horrible, horrible problem.
E-mail Michael: newlink[at]btconnect
The tale of...Robert
I have been suffering from IBS most of my life. It started when I was 20 years old. Didn't know what it was. The symptoms were just cramps that would come and go. They stopped for years and then in May 2002, my doctor put me on antibiotics. Then the symptoms really started. Horrible cramps/pain/diarrhea, etc.
It has now been three years and I have tried almost everything possible. Changed the diet, supplemented with soluble fiber (since I suffer from the diarrhea-prone IBS), nothing. I would feel fine for a week and then it would reappear again. I don't have a lot of stress so that isn't the problem. I think IBS is just a 'disease' that comes and goes and there is very little that can be done about it.
E-mail Robert: robertlnovak[at]comcast.net
The tale of...John
I have had IBS as far back as I can remember. I remember that in first grade (I was painfully shy) I always waited to go the restroom till I got home. But twice the IBS pain got so bad the I had an accident in class, I wanted to die from embarrassment. And then when I got home my youngest sister would make fun of me.
Not only should a child not have to endure that HUMILIATION, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT MUCH PAIN SO EARLY IN THEIR LIFE! I am now 50 years old and the IBS has only gotten worse and worse over the years. For the most part the cramps and the back ache have become unbearable. There isn't a moment of relief.
Dealing with this caused me to be very introverted as a teenager, so I pretty much missed that part of my life. I had girls who I had a total crush on ask me out, but I turned them down for fear of what or how my stomach would betray me while we were out.
At 17 I feel into a deep depression. I was and have been since put on every antidepressant on the market, but to no effect. It was the pain and what it was doing to my life that put me in the depression, so the only thing that would, could help was to get me out of pain and my digestive system working correctly.
Now my lower legs and feet stay swollen, and I have lost the feeling in them. Sorry, not space for the rest of my story, I will sum up. I am losing the ability to walk. In 1999 I had my first heart attack, and in the three weeks to follow I had three more heart attacks. The doctor found no reason for it so they stated it was just a fluke. I knew that it was from the stress of a lifetime of pain that simply isn't bearable.
I have taken all the meds for IBS but none work for more than a week or two. I have recurrent cardiac events, the doctors are puzzled but they just shake their heads and let me go.
People ask me to describe what this pain feels like, I always ask if they ever saw the last scene in Braveheart! I stated I got nothing from the treatment of my depression, well, I did get one thing. The antidepressants keep my mouth dry all my life, so leaving me with no defence for the enamel on my teeth. Last year I had to have them all pulled, and am now attempting to get used to dentures. I have just moved to Boston, have seen five doctors, none would treat me or refill my meds.
Anyway thank you for letting me get this of my chest. May God bless you all. "Did I not believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living", I would not be here today.
E-mail John: dieingbreed1954[at]aol.com