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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 7/8/2009 5:51 PM (GMT -6)
Found this site on a google search.   The advice may have saved my life. I have had chronic diarrhea for nearly two years. My normal weight is 235 and I was down to 115. Taken every test known to mankind with everyone coming back "normal." Kept food diaries endlessly. No connections with what I ate could be found. GI specialist sent me to Cleveland Clinic. They repeated most of the tests that the local GI doc did with same results: no abnormalities.

Then I found you.

Have been on the calcium recommended for two weeks and my life is restored. I have one fairly normal BM in the morning and only two days have I had a second trip to bathroom. This is after a history of up to 12 a day.

I also stopped multivitamin.

And I am wearing normal underwear for the first time in over a year.

I am almost afraid to celebrate. Have appointment with an MD who practices what he describes as "alternative medicine" in a week. Am anxious to see what he says about this. He was helpful. Tried many things, but nothing was effective. I am not scheduled with GI doc until November, but I am going back to report this "miracle."

In all the testing the only abnormality that showed was an enlarged duct on my gall bladder. Cleveland Clinic it was not significant because "my enzymes were okay." But from the descriptions on this forum, my guess is I have a nonfunctioning gallbaldder. Your diarrhea and mine are mirror images, anyway.

I am babbling, I  am happy. Bless this forum and thank you all.

Posted 7/8/2009 11:10 PM (GMT -6)
There's actually some new evidence that you can have gall bladder-caused diarrhea without actually having a bad gall bladder, in the traditional sense.  So long as it's not hurting, full of stones, or secreting sludge, it's best to leave it alone, since you've got a good chance of having the exact same diarrhea problems after it's taken out.  Just be mindful that it may get worse at some date in the future and start to hurt, cause you to be sick to the stomach, etc. and need to come out. 

If your D ever comes back, see if you can get one of your doctors to try you on Welchol; it's what I take for my bile D.  But as long as the calcium fixes you, stick with that; it's MUCH cheaper and being able to get it anytime, anywhere OTC is better than having to be on a prescription. 

Posted 7/9/2009 6:03 AM (GMT -6)
I didn't mention that Cleveland Clinic did prescribe Cholesteramine. I was taking two packets a day, and it did slow the diarrhea down to about three to six a day. The GI doc told me to take one immodium in the morning. Since the calcium kicked in, I have cut back the Cholesteramine to once a day in the evening and am still taking the immodium. I think that is all the tinkering I will do with my previous prescriptions until I see the doctor.

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