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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 12/27/2005 11:00 AM (GMT -8)
Hey Guys,  Hope you all had a great xmas..  On xmas night I had a really bad IBS attack..  Sometimes I wonder if this is the one that is going to kill me.   The pain is so intense I feel like I am going to  pass out.   I have to slow down my breathing like I am in labor.   Then I get really hot and my heart is racing.   This went on for a about 4 hours after going the bathroom about 8 times I was better.   This cannot be normal..  Does anyone else have these attacks this bad??  I have tried every drug and pill there is.  The next step is scar revison surgery.  I have to go to Mayo clinic for this because not many surgeons will do this type of surgery.  Has anyone else had this done??  Did it help??   I am desperate for answers.  Will my life always be this way??  It has been 10 years of this.  I can't take it anymore...   Any help would be greatly appreciated.     Ryleigh
Posted 12/27/2005 11:14 AM (GMT -8)
Yes, I get that. The kind of pain that has you wanting to lie down on the floor and you sweat so much from the pain. I learned that this is mostly caused by intense gas pain. I couldn't believe it when I heard that. My thought was how can gas cause so much misery but chances are that is what is doing it to you. Have you tried taking some Gas-X for the pain? You may want to try taking Beano before you eat to see if that helps. I'm sorry that you are going through this. There has been many times that I have gotten dizzy, restless, and had that trash can in front of me ready while I was on the toilet. Its miserable.
Posted 12/27/2005 11:58 AM (GMT -8)
What sort of scar do you have that it might be causing you problems?

Have you had your gall bladder checked out? I used to have horrible pain when I got an attack. Took it 5 years to show up on a test. And I had bad bile diarrhea with it too.
Posted 12/27/2005 1:19 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks for the advise.   I had endometriosis and have scar tissue from that.  Also had a hysterectomy..  I thought maybe the scar tissue is wrapped around my colon or something like that.  So that intense pain is gas??  It sure feels like more than that..  Always on my left side.  Also rectal pain like a knife in my butt...  Thanks for the info.    Ryleigh
Posted 12/28/2005 8:02 AM (GMT -8)
Here's something really bizarre: my mother had a hysterectomy back when I was still in elementary school (she was 31 or 32 at the time). She had had problems since before I was born, including ovarian and fybroid cysts and endometriosis. Well, when I was in college (she was about 40 at the time), she started having severe pain in her abdomen which was diagnosed as IBS at first. But it kept getting more and more painful, so they finally did an ultrasound and found out that she had a tumor in there. They went in and took it out. It was partially attached to her small intestines, which is what had been causing her pain and intestinal distress. It had gotten pretty big. I think it was around the size of a baseball. After they analysed it, the doctor came back to my mother in amazement. It was benign, so that was the good news, but the best they could determine was that it was a fybroid cyst that had erupted from a piece of endometriosis that had been left floating around in the empty place where her uterus had been. Then at some point it had attached itself to her small intestines and that's when her trouble began. So some 8 or 9 years after her hysterectomy, my mother had a uterine cyst removed. How wild is that? The doctor had certainly never heard of anything like that before.

But the point of the story is, you may want to have an ultrasound done to check to make sure you don't have some sort of growth happening. And they should be able to do some sort of camera or test to determine if you do have scar tissue and if it's affecting you. Given your history of "femal troubles" they should definitely rule out everything else before chalking it up to IBS. For instance, do you still have ovaries? If they are polycystic, they can cause horrible pain that comes and goes all too regularly. They took my mothers ovaries out when they took out her tumor just to make sure she didn't have anything left in there to cause any more problems.
Posted 12/28/2005 7:22 PM (GMT -8)
Thank you so much for the reply.   When I had my hysterectomy 5 years ago I had a complete..  They took it all.   Should I go to a gyne for an ultrasound??   I only have a gastroenterologist now not a gyne...   Maybe they need to do a laporscopy to see what is going on in there.   I just am affraid they will say you are fine nothing is wrong you have IBS...  The dreaded IBS....  The diagnosis that they give you when they do not know what the hell is wrong with you...  All I want is answers...   That seems to be such a problem for the many doctors I have seen...  Any Doctors on this website???  Would love some input...   Thanks again for all your support.  You guys are great.    Ryleigh

Posted 12/28/2005 9:13 PM (GMT -8)

Hi Ryleigh,
We all understand your pain and frustration.  It seems as though any digestive issues the docs can't seem to figure out end up being IBS.  "The dreaded IBS...." is right.

Please don't take this the wrong way - If there are any doctors on this website we would rather they not advocate it.  The thing with HealingWell is that it was created for support and infomation via cyber space.  No real physical contact.  Having a doctor on this website can be dangerous because anyone can pose as one (and what doctor would like to work for free?).   Someone could get hurt from the "doctor's" advice.
This leads me to one of our forum rules, just as a reminder:

4. Use good judgement.  NEVER rely on information or opinions exchanged via the forums or chat rooms to replace necessary, personal consultation(s) with qualified health or medical professionals to meet your individual health or medical needs.  Remember that what's right or has worked for one person may not be what's right for you. 


 

Posted 12/29/2005 6:09 AM (GMT -8)
Lil,  Thanks,  Sorry about that you are right...  I am just so frustrated!!!  I think I will try to go to a gyne and see what they say...  THanks again.. Ryleigh

Posted 12/29/2005 8:00 AM (GMT -8)
No problem, Ryleigh. I understand this is all frustrating for you; as it is for me as well. I too think you should see a gyno, or another doctor that will listen to you. Keep pushing until you are heard and get the tests you want done.
Good luck and please keep us posted. Take care...
Posted 12/29/2005 9:27 AM (GMT -8)

 Hello Ryleigh, and welcome to a really helpful cool site!

    I read that you are in a lot of pain. I am a male, but I know the rectal cramping you speak of...I also have loud, very loud stomach noises and lower stomach-pelvic area cramping too!  I have found this IBS,or rather it found me several months ago and after several visits to the Doctor,then after seeing a Gastroenterologist and had a few "procedures", She concurred that this is what I may have. The dreaded IBS!

   Trying Less Stress in on's life,and experimenting with  a food Diet is very challenging indeed. Some say More Fiber(soluble) then it's safe to eat insoluble followed soluber,then once the tummy gets normalized,you can feel good again. There a lot of "Trigger foods" that kick in the cramping and Loud stomach gurgling noises,and I have recently found  out on Christmas Eve, that the temptation of all those sweet yum yum cookies that everyone brings was more than I can handle..I had some,and boy was I sorry the next few days!  I also remember eating a Seven -layer dip my sister had brought (she makes at every occasion) and maybe the acidity of the tomatoes was also to much to bear. So I have learned to stay away from Apples, applesauce,apple and grape juice, grapes, Tomatoes,sauces,salsas,fried fatty foods,Pizza, sugar laden sweets,and even dairy. I drink lactose-free Soy with protein in the morning, rice cakes in the afternoon with lean meat (chicken,turkey) and at night,chicken broth .....boring, I know, but safe for now. Every individual is different as to Diet and there is confusion to me on how some can eat White fresh bread and others have to eat Whole Wheat bread, White or Brown Rice, and whole grains supposed to be good, I was eating Quick oatmeal in the morning for a few days until i started getting cramps..I don't believe it!   This is supposed to be good for you.  I thought.

My other sister gave me a book called 'How Full is your Bucket" by Tom Rath, about the power of positive thinking and getting rid of Stress / Anxiety in one's life which this IBS condition apparently has a lot to do with.  and Stress  I was talking to someone before the Holidays that this book helped her out of the IBS condition she had suffered for  many years.  Good luck and I hope you feel better! 

Posted 12/29/2005 11:43 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks unhappycramper for the advise. I have had this for 10 years and tried all the diets. I think I will just have to live with the dreaded IBS... Ryleigh
Posted 12/29/2005 6:22 PM (GMT -8)
Ryleigh,
My mom had a hysterectomy 22 years ago and has all of the symtoms you talk about....we've went to countless dr's all of whom run the same tests..and give us the same answers...they think it's Radiation Colitis...and she too has scar tissue...she's had the surgeries that go in and trim the tissue only to be closed up and it grows back again,and you do have to be careful about it not wrapping around the colon. She is now 79 years old and is living a nightmare. I dont want to sound gloom and doom...but make sure you do you're homework...this scar tissue can reak havoic and no one tells you....then later you pay....and now she has symtoms that look like IBS..but they say its radiation colitis....and no dr's have helped her...we are franic...and she is so very tired of it all....she stays up until all hours of the night going to the bathroom and her bottom is so sore...this goes on day and night....i fear she's getting weaker and weaker....
go to the best that you can...and by going to Mayo they are good...my mom is tired of dr's and they all do the same tests...it sure makes you loose hope and faith in the dr's ......and so you turn to forums like this...
I hope you find the answer...i am living this right now with my mom and it's frustrating....Good luck,and God Bless....
Posted 12/30/2005 5:34 AM (GMT -8)
caro, Thanks for the advise... Did your mom have radiation?? I have not... I wish they could see scar tissue from a ultrasound but they can't. THey have to go in and look. Which causes more scar tissue... It is a losing battle... Thanks again... Ryleigh
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