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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 7/6/2006 4:22 PM (GMT -8)
Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum, I apparently was diagnosed with CD back in Sept and then all of a sudden after going throught the whole steroid thing and CD drugs, I all of a sudden don't have CD, but it is actually IBS...

So here I am and was hoping that someone can tell me now what I have to do to feel better..I am on Cholestrymine(sp) for the diarrehea....So please any help would be great and any input on this IBS...

Thanks

CYndi confused

Posted 7/6/2006 6:57 PM (GMT -8)
Oh goodness... I guess you are frustrated. Those medications can be evil and steroids doesn't do a darn thing for IBS so it was all for nothing. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that.

IBS is not as bad pathologically speaking as Crohn's but the symptoms can be just has crazy. There is no evidence visibally of IBS in the colon, what it is is a functional disorder. Basically this means that our brains don't communicate with our guts like a healthy person. Gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea and/or constipation, mucus are the obvious signs of IBS. We need to watch everything we eat and stay away from our "triggers" which most of the time includes food and stress.

The medication you are on is a cholesterol medication however it is prescirbed for bile attacking for D. Its very common for people with people that have had their gallbladders removed and I have heard that some people with their gallbladders take these type of meds too. Many people on the forum have tried calcium carbonate which seems to help a great deal of people with D. Lil our other mod has a link to that post which I'm sure she will share with you. I take fiber to help with my D on top of my sulfazine that I use for my UC (which I have on top of the IBS).

I'm sure you will get plenty of replies. Welcome to the IBS forum.
Posted 7/6/2006 9:37 PM (GMT -8)
Welcome to the IBS Forum!  :-)

I'm sorry to hear it took so long for your IBS diagnosis.  However, be happy it is "only IBS" --- Crohn's is no picnic.

Anyway, what Des says is correct... Calcium may help you with D.  Here is a great link: Calcium Info

If you're having a lot of bloating as well you may want to try Beano or Gas-X.  Also try staying away from gassy foods like cabbage, lettuce, peppers, onions, beans and cauliflower.  There are plenty more, but those are what I remember off the top of my head. 

Caffeine and alcohol are also big triggers for most of us IBSers.

Welcome aboard!

Posted 7/7/2006 4:39 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks guys,
I am so confused at this point and well the streoids just about wiped me out here...I have been off work since March cause of these darn steroids...and had been trying to wean off them since Jan, never got off them till June 18th.....
I also have Osteopenia, and I am only 33 yrs.....fibromyalgia, endometroisis,b12 deficient, ( I take calcuim and vit d, not sure why IBS'ers would take calcuim to help???) It doesn't make me constipated or anything, I take 1500 mgs a day and 800 of vit d, b12 shots monthly,and I also have arthritis in both knees...So the battle has been long and I am just so tired of it all...
Now this Choilestrymine drink stuff, GI put me on it cause I also have GERD really bad, I am taking Sulcrafate,Zantax, and Previcid for that ...GI said that this drink stuff will help to bind the bile salts or something and help a bit with the reflux problem,also there is rectal prolapse, which is just wonderful, lol......So I think that about covers it, and I am a mother of identical twin girls and they are turning 4 tomorrow,,,They are so excited....
Anyway some advise about this Cholestrymine stuff and why we would take calcuim, I need it for my bone s with the Osteopenia thing...and I started to get a rash on my neck and chest, this is since I started this drink and started to increase fibromyalgia meds.....
anyone have a rash from that drink????
Sorry so long, I get winded at times...
Cyndi
Posted 7/7/2006 7:26 PM (GMT -8)
hey haljas, I followed you over here! hi all, I, too, was diagnosed with crohns and then after remicade and pred was undiagnosed. now I am told I have a severely redundant spastic colon. that phrase amuses me (I am an english prof) anyway, I am here to learn more so hi to all. yp
Posted 7/7/2006 8:16 PM (GMT -8)
Hi yogaprof, Welcome to the IBS forum. Hope we can answer any questions you might have. Feel free to kick up your feet and look around :)
Posted 7/8/2006 5:08 PM (GMT -8)

Hey there Yogaprof,

I am so delighted that you came over to the other side....Us misread ,misunderstood,and of course misdiagnosed have to stick together.....lol

Anyway I am hoping to learn alot here as well, if ya get an interesting tidbit let me know....

Cyndi tongue

Posted 7/9/2006 12:01 PM (GMT -8)
glad to see you, and Starrnr, too! I am still not sure where I belong (where is the forum for people with ground glass in their bellies, have taken too many different meds, and are still being probed and prodded?) I guess we will just keep trying and having a sense of humor!
why are you on steroids if they don't think you have crohn's? how is your taper going? how much are you taking?

I will be seeing my GI in a couple of days and having a laporoscoy in 10 days. I will keep you posted. yp
Posted 7/9/2006 4:40 PM (GMT -8)
Hey YP,
I am finally off pred, I started in Jan cause GI said that I had CD really bad and need to be on steroids, to offer relief for the CD pain and inflammation and the joint pain...I was on 50 mg and took me up till June 18th to fianlly get off, every time I would come down I would suffer with CD painand massive joint pain to the point that when I would finally sleep I would wake screaming in major pain, felt like my joints would break if I moved, and I would literally have to crawl and cry to get to the bathroom, son of a *****, sorry GI makes me mad, I never even had CD according to him after the last scope showed "complete healing" of my bowel, what a load of you know!!!!!!! Good luck on your scope, I had 2 of them for endometriosis, have you had this proceedure done before??? There is nothing to it,,,Good luck and let me know how you make out with it....
And here's a hug for good luck....((((HUG)))))
Cyndi
Posted 7/9/2006 7:22 PM (GMT -8)
I have had 3 major abdominal surgeries, but never a laporscopy and I am really nervous about it. I always have an awful reaction to anethesia, so I hate to be put under. I am glad to hear there is nothing to it. how long was your recovery? what was it like?
glad you are off pred. i am so glad to be off it too. I don't understand these darn docs with their "you never had CD" stuff. hell, I never heard of CD until he told me I HAD it, so what happened? I am curious to see him on tuesday to hear what he thinks NOW. thanks for being there! Betsy
Posted 7/10/2006 5:32 PM (GMT -8)
Hey Betsy,
I had the last lap done about 1 and half years ago and while Gyne doc looked for the endometriosis, he also tied my tubes...Heaking time was about 3-7 days , fully....I had a lot of bruising this time around, not sure why, maybe cause I had a small ,tight little belly back then and this time well I gave birth to twins,they were about 8 pounds each and I went 39 weeks, enough said hey???
I am so nervous when they do the IV thing to put me under, so to calm me first , I asked if they could give me the gas first and when I am out then do their thing with the IV, it was so much simplier, instead of having me freak out and get tense and then they can't get the darn needle in.... Ask, they were very understanding for me...It is really not bad, even recovery, the first 2 days I stayed in bed and slept...after that ,just puttered around , and in no time your done...I think the bruise was there longer then the heakling time,,,you will be ok , just breathe and try and think of something else.....winning a million dollars always makes me happy!!!!! lol
I am not sure why the GI is stating now that all of a sudden I am "cured", I thought inflammation and thickening of the bowel was a sure indicator of IBD, not IBS, don't get me wrong I would love to think that it is IBS,but I really got my doubts...The only thing preventing from pooping my head off with diarrhea right now is the darn meds GI put me on, Cholestrymine or something, but it binds me up so I can't take it all the time, nice hey..... Anyway I wish you well and let me know how you do, email me if you would like...
nfldcyndi@hotmail.com
Cyndi
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