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Do i have IBS? Can someone please help????

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 2/2/2005 3:04 PM (GMT -7)

Hi there, im hoping there is someone out there that can help me.

  Im am a 26 yr old male, fresh out of college, without medical insurance, suffering from something along the lines of IBS, (i think.)  It started about a year and a half ago with diarehea and bad heartburn.  Today my symptoms mostly consist of uncontrolable gas, my stools are sometimes muddy, my stomach rumbles constantly, and i have some lower abdominal pain, occasional blood in my stools, along with some heartburn.  I have seen a couple of doctors, had a colonoscopy and a edg.  Been diagnosed with h-pylori, (took the meds to get rid of that) tested my stools for blood, and all that good stuff.  One doctor gave me a prescription for dycyclomine which didn't really seem to do anything but make my bowels achey.  The last doctor who gave me the results from the edg and colonoscopy said i had a stomach ulcer, which i take prilosec and pepcid for, plus the doc gave me a prescription for hyoscyamine which is similar to dycyclomine i think.  But none of these  medications seem to solve the problem.  I still have irregular, sometimes muddy, stools which are very uncomfortable and very embarassing, with occasional blood.  Also, almost every day i have uncontrolable, stinky, embarassing, GAS!!   STILL !!!! (Which is probably my main complaint.) 

I have tried changing my diet, but didn't notice any foods that really trigger the gas and acheyness.  I just don't know what to do?  It has changed my life drastically.  Don't want to go out like i used to, don't really want to do anything.

Does anyone know what is wrong with me?????????????

I was wondering if anyone could help me and maybe recomend some medications that have worked for similar circumstances.  Or maybe recomend other non drug solutions.  ANYTHING!!!!   I am willing to try and do anything at this point. 

Thanks for you time, i do appriciate it.

Bo

Posted 2/2/2005 3:25 PM (GMT -7)
Hi Bo, and welcome to the IBS board! What did the doctor tell you about your colonoscopy? Did he see anything unusual or take any biopsies? With blood present in the stool, it's very important that the doctor ruled out such things as inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis) or diverticulitis by doing the colonoscopy. Is it bright red blood? A large amount? Have you tried anything such as over-the-counter GasX or Beano for the gas problem? If you are still having problems, especially blood in the stool, you should be seen by a physician, preferably a GI specialist. I know this is easier said than done with no medical insurance. Are you qualified for medical assistance in your state? What does your diet consist of? Lots of fruits/vegetables? Carbonated drinks? Alcohol? Let me know the ansywers to these questions and I'll be able to help you further. :)
Posted 2/2/2005 3:53 PM (GMT -7)
Hi soup,
the doctor who did my colonoscopy, was a gastrologist i think. Peter Nielsen out of LDS hopstipal in Salt Lake City, Utah. He did take biopsies, but didn't find anything, not that he told me anyway. He was pretty short with the aftervisit, told me i had a stomach ulcer wrote me a prescription and sent me out the door basically. So I'm pretty sure inflam BD an Chohns was ruled out. (At least i thought so?) The blood when i does come out is bright red, yes. Not large amounts. It used to be more than just a little blood covering my stools, but now since the colonoscopy and the prilosec etc., it seems to be im much smaller amounts and also less frequent. No, i havent tried the over the counter stuff, however maybe i will give it a try. My diet probably isn't the best. I did try for a month or so, not to eat fatty foods such as burgers fries etc.. and tried to stick to the solulable fiber. I definately was avoiding carbonation and coffe. I even switch to rice milk. But it didn't seem to help. Let me know what you think.

Thanks, Bo
Posted 2/4/2005 2:43 AM (GMT -7)
hi bo i am actually a crones patient and was diagnosed sept 04 my symptoms were rumble tummy abdominal pain loose stools with blood and mucas i had heartburn and loss of appitite i lost weight because because of my appitite and worry oh yes and extreme gas which seemed to be worse in the evenings mine smelt foul like diorreah i had 2 colonoscapys which on the first one shown minute watery ulcer results came back mild inflammation 6 months later i had 2nd shown clear my bowel biopsy shown mild inflamation again my doctor discharged me from hospital saying its nothing to worry about 1 month later i was back this time he gave me a sygmoydoscapy which goes higher into large bowel from this diagnosed crones so if you are having problems still fight for a diagnoses you may have a severe case of ibs or chrones but knowing is better than not i thought i was to old being diagnosed at 32 dont know if any of this helps if you want to know anything else just ask good luck love angelaxxxx
Posted 2/6/2005 4:41 PM (GMT -7)
If you are getting red blood in stool it is not IBS. the differerence between UC and Crohnes, and IBS, is that IBS is caused by muscle spazms and not inflammation. I suggest you go to a community hosp where they are obligated to treat patients without insurance. If it were merely a stomache ulcer, the blood would appear as black in your stool.
wishing you the best,
Susan
Posted 2/7/2005 12:25 PM (GMT -7)
Angela thanks for your responce it has been very helpful. Your symtoms sound very similar to what i am suffering. Even when i had a colonoscopy same results, nothing wrong in the colon, but a stomach ulcer. So i was wondering what the doctors give you to treat crohnes and has it produced any results? Have you found a cure for the extreme gas? If you had to guess as to what i have IBS, Crohnes etc.. What one do you think i most likely have?
Thanks again,
Bo

P.S. Thanks to Susan as well.
Posted 4/7/2007 2:32 AM (GMT -7)
Hi, I have crohnes most of my life. I have found that the secret to keep things under control is to keep my life in control. You are going to have to find a happy balance in your life, mentally physically and spiritually. Are you under stress or unhappy? Start with a basic diet no glucose, dairy,. I started with the specific carb diet, got my system under control and then added foods one at a time. If it makes me sick, I dont eat. No acholol or diary for me. I take enzymes, helps the gas and indesgestion.

OH yeah, the bleeding sounds like hemroids. Do you have them.
Going to councelling helped me alot.

Dnw, I edited your post because you did not site the article in which you got your info.  Please see Forum Rule #8 regarding copyrighted material.  Please feel free to post it again if you give us the link and/or source of your info.

Thanks!

Lil

Post Edited By Moderator (7Lil) : 4/7/2007 1:18:37 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/7/2007 5:10 AM (GMT -7)
If your doctor didn't say anything about inflammation, your bleeding could be related to hemmorhoids, but he should have told you about those, too... As for the gas, I take digestive enzymes (I use Digest, by Enzymatica), and Gas-x or Beano might also help - gas/bloating is generally my main complaint, and i have C as well. As for the bleeding - I would try to go to a hospital that covers uninsured patients - many states have programs for people without insurance to get healthcare, and it's generally at one specific hospital in the city. look into that, see what you can find about your state.
I understand how uncomfortable it is to deal with this stuff and be young - I'm 22. Bodies are supposed to work when you're in your 20's ... I get what a hard concept it is to understand and get used to. Fortunately, my symptoms have improved drastically lately, to where I have only mild flare-ups every once-in-a-while. Thank God. Heaven knows I can't handle IBS on top of everything else right now... But anyway. Definitely get the bleeding checked out again, and be insistent upon getting a diagnosis, and try the enzymes or the OTC gas meds for your gas problems. good luck :)
Posted 4/7/2007 9:07 PM (GMT -7)
I've had CROHNS for 16 yrs now and IBS for the last 4 yrs as well as lactose intolerance...there is no inflammation with IBS and only bleeding if you have bleeding hemheroides with your IBS...Bleeding with CROHNS is common but doesn't necessarily happen to every CDer either or necessarily all of the time when crohns is flaring.

A colonoscopy is very important but crohns can affect the entire GI tract from the mouth to the anus, and UC is limited to the colon and sometimes involves the rectom so you have to get a small bowel follow through (SBFT) test to check for crohns in the small intestines, which by the way can be tricky to find with all the nooks and crannies in the small intestines, a colonoscopy is just that, it reaches throughout the colon only.

Until you're able to get all the completed tests done to rule whether you have IBD or IBS (or possibly both) I suggest taking a stool bulker as my GI told me to take daily for the rest of my life and a good probiotic since both IBDers (CD or UC) and IBSers tend to have bacterial overgrowth so a good probiotic daily is highly recommended.

And eating a healthy diet with little to no processed foods/beverages, fast-foods, animal fats, refined/processed sugar and caffeine will help IBS and IBD.


:)
Posted 4/8/2007 10:59 PM (GMT -7)
Hi All,
Well if someone can help me that would be great. about 2 yrs ago, for no apparent reason I went from a rarely gassy girl to a full on more than 20x a day but with ZERO bloat or cramp, horrible stink bomb! What is wrong with me? No symtoms of anything except stink!
I hadent changed any eating habits and this whole gas thing just appeared it seems. Like I said 2 yrs ago nothing then it started and in this last yr its just gotten worse. I wake up in the morning and when I havent eaten anything for hrs from the day before and before I even get any water first thing in the morning and there it goes, stinky rotten gas, 6-8x in an hour and a half while I get ready. It doesnt ever ever cause me any discomfort at all except I just dont understand why it happening to me so much now?? It seems its regardless of what i eat, I dont see a change in with or w/o dairy, meat, spices, cereal, etc...
Does anyone have anything they can share to help me out, im getting kinda worried, thank god i am single! lol...
Posted 4/9/2007 5:39 AM (GMT -7)
Hi gray,

Have you tried probiotics for your gas problem? This seems to help a lot of people however the catch is that it can cause gas in the beginning which will subside and it should reduce your gas problems. Do you chew a lot of gum or swallow a lot of air? This also can be the culprit. Yes, gas is a very common thing with IBSers so we all understand your dilemma. You also might be suffering from overgrowth bacteria in your intestines. This should be brought to the attention of your doctor so he/she can start you on treatment (if this is the cause) The smell is usually brought on by the type of foods you eat however you are saying that its the same whatever you eat so I'm not sure. Have you brought this up to your doctor?

Take Care
Posted 4/9/2007 5:57 AM (GMT -7)
Hi, sorry about not posting article correctly. Question, do they have treatment for bacteria overgrowth in intestines? Do you have to go to doctors for it?
Posted 4/9/2007 6:12 AM (GMT -7)
Hi dnw,

The treatment for bacterial overgrowth would be antibiotics. You would need a prescription for this. If you go to your doctor and they put you on this treatment, I would also ask him/her about starting probiotics while you are on the antibiotics as well.

Take Care
Posted 4/9/2007 3:00 PM (GMT -7)
I have heard that a breath test can be done to check for bacterial overgrowth, but apparently this is quite expensive; I presently do not have coverage, and OHIP does not cover this test. What are the other ways of checking bacterial overgrowth, what is the usual treatment and does the problem tend to recurr? I have a problem with uncontrollable (leaky) gas, which seldom causes discomfort but makes my life hell due to the embarrassment and lack of confidence it causes mad confused
Posted 4/9/2007 3:06 PM (GMT -7)
You could either A) get your doc to prescibe the antibiotics on just a hunch, or B) start taking massive amounts of probiotics in an attempt to force the bad bacteria out.
You might also want to buy OTC anti-gas meds like Gas-X.

Oh and yes, the problem tends to re-occur if you do not get rid of the bad bacteria completely.  People on antibiotics sometimes need a few rounds of it.

Posted 4/9/2007 3:46 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks 7Lil, your posts today have been very helpful to me. I am determined to manage my symptoms and not allow them to get the upper hand; hope I can be persistent enough to overcome this problem eventually as some have. Will keep you all posted on how it goes. Cheers!

Brandii
Posted 4/9/2007 5:24 PM (GMT -7)
Brandii,
I am so glad I could help. :-)
The key is to be positive... Believe you WILL find a routine that works for you. Don't give up trying new things until you find something that helps.
Please don't hesitate to ask anymore questions or to post anything you might want to share. You've joined a great bunch of people and all we want to do is help each other.
Posted 4/11/2007 12:07 PM (GMT -7)
Hi All,
I am really glad I joined this forum. I have received a lot of information and support, which has improved my confidence and stress levels already. Knowing that I am not alone and that some are managing their symptoms well has motivated me to take some positive action rather than stressing and worrying. I am sure this upward trend will continue with my action plan.

I recently came across a valuable insight which I would like to share with you all - "Whatever happens to us is because we Create, Promote, Allow, or Step Into IT," so (to end on an optimistic note) I guess it follows that if we are more watchful and take control of what happens to us we should be able to manage most of our problems. Cheers!
Posted 4/15/2007 2:31 PM (GMT -7)
bo,

Other tests to consider are:

1. a small bowel follow through, or a CT enterography to look for IBD in the small bowel.

2. IBD serology testing. It is said that these tests are now 80-90% sensitive.

3. As stated by previous posters, blood in poo isn't normal. The source for this needs to be found. It should be easy to tell if you have hemorrhoids.

 

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