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Had a baby...now what?!

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 9/2/2007 6:35 AM (GMT -7)
Hi all....it's been a while. I've been busy with the new little one!  :-)

For all of you that have chronic diarrhea and have had a baby...does this D ever get better?  I started having diarrhea everyday about 7 months before I got pregnant & still continue to have it.  When I got pregnant, I still had the D, but not as frequent. Instead of 4-5 times a day, I was having it 1-2 times a day.  Sometimes, I would even skip a day of diarrhea.  Since I've had a baby, via c-section, it seems like it's going back to "how it used to be".  It's becomming more frequent. (Then I find myself stressing about it, getting the "what if's" (what if it's this or what if it's that, and not IBS-D), it causes anxiety, etc.)  I've had ALL of the tests...all show pretty much nothing so my GI specialist says it's IBS-D.  It's been a little over a year since I've seen him last.  Would any of you go see him again?  Or do you think it's pointless...what can he do anyway to help me if nothing has helped so far?  I've tried many Rx meds, homeopathic supplements, Catrate w/ vitamin D, you name it, I've tried it.  Nothing works.  Basically, I just want to know what you would do if you were me.  Would you go to the same GI Dr. that has run all of the tests on you if nothing he has tried to treat me with has helped? 

Just looking for some advice...

THANKS ALL!

shelly

Posted 9/2/2007 3:58 PM (GMT -7)

Hey Shelly!  Congratulations on the baby!  I'm sorry to hear you're still having diarrhea.  Big bummer.  There's always more remedies to try and at this point you are probably your own best advocate.  The frustration that GIs feel when trying to treat IBS is palpable - rest assured that they probably feel equally frustrated that they are not able to help you.  I know I would if I were the doctor in your situation.

That being said, it's always a good idea to go for a return visit if you feel like you are getting worse.  He probably won't run any more tests, but he may be able to make you feel less anxious about where you stand.  Hopefully we can too.

Are you taking any medications at the moment?  Supplements?  Besides the diarrhea, are you having other symptoms?  Pain, bloody stools, fevers, anything like that?  Can you also refresh my memory and tell me what specific tests you had in the past?

I am also having a lot of diarrhea and I know how frustrating it is.  Even though it doesn't scream and cry, med school is a little like having a baby - you can never get away from it (feel like it's always attached to your boob) and it demands more than the maximum amount of energy you've ever had in your life.

Hang in there.  I hope you start feeling better soon.

Posted 9/2/2007 4:13 PM (GMT -7)
Des just saw a medical show that talked about a new diagnosis called "Habba Syndrome". It is sort of like gall bladder problems lite. Your gall bladder may seem to function normally or be a bit off (usually not enough off to warrant taking it out) and pretty much your only symptom is D. But even though the gall bladder looks okay, there's still a problem with too much bile or it's not getting reabsorbed or something. They seem to be treating it with the stuff that I am on, Welchol (or Questran or Colestid, which are in the same family). It might be worth going to your GI and asking him about it. It's not absorbed into your bloodstream, so the only side affects listed are gas and constipation. I don't think it would hurt you to try it if your GI was game; the worst it could do would be to not work.

It hasn't ever been tested on breastfeeding women, so if you are brestfeeding, you might need to forgo it. Like I said, it's not supposed to be absorbed at all, so I don't know why it would present a problem, but since they've never tested it, I guess they can't guarantee it. Your GI might have an opinion on it one way or the other, though.
Posted 9/3/2007 5:37 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Sartia & Keriamon...thanks or your replies!!

 

Sartia,

the tests I have have are as follows...colonoscopy, EGD, lower bowel series x-ray, hida scan, tons of blood tests ( I think one was to do with the liver), CT scan of abdomen, ultrasounds, stool tests, etc.  The only thing that my GO specialist told me that he had seen was some inflammation in the colonoscopy...but he said it was most likely due to the "works of the prep" the night before causing irritation towards the end of the colon.  HE did not seem concerned about that. 

I have no blood in my stools that I can see.  I do, however, have tons of mucus. 

I take Immodium occasionally, but it does not seem to help that much.  I have tried tons of Rx drugs such as Librax, Bentyl, etc.  Nothing worked.  I tried Caltrate with vitamin D...that didn't work either.  My arms are in the air!

 

Keriamon,

I have been to a homeppathic Dr. that believes in natural cures.  He said that he knew that my problem is my gall bladder so it is funny that you mention that!  I'm willing to try anything...so I decided to go to a homeopathic Dr...even though I am a little hesitatent on what he says...it doesn't hurt to try.

 

Any other advice?

 

Thanks!

Shelly

Posted 9/3/2007 11:28 PM (GMT -7)

I just read a study about taking calcium polycarbophil in the journal Hepatogastroenterology.  In brief: 14 patients with IBS-D and 12 with IBS-C were given calcium polycarbophil for eight weeks, and their colon transit times were measured with radiopaque markers in the colon.  The patients with diarrhea reported fewer bowel movements, more solid stools, and reduced abdominal pain. Patients with constipation reported more frequent bowel movements, looser stools and less pain.

You can read the whole abstract if you do a search for it on www.pubmed.com.  The first author's name is T. Chiba.  Even though the study size was small, it looked promising.  You can find calcium polycarbophil at the drugstore - brand names are Equalactin and FiberCon.

Might be worth a try!  I haven't tried it myself but I might ship myself over to CVS pretty soon to check it out...

Posted 9/4/2007 4:35 AM (GMT -7)
Yeah!  I'm like you...willing to give anything a try to find some relief from the daily diarrhea!  If you see anytihng else, let me know. 

I looked up "Habba Syndrome"...sounds like me!  I did have a hida scan though and the GI Dr. said it came back okay...my homeopathic Dr. says otherwise.  He said that the hida scan looks more for gall stones, and he thinks my problem is a gall bladder that makes too much bile.  Who knows who to believe...so frustrating!

shelly:)

Posted 9/4/2007 8:51 AM (GMT -7)
Habba syndrome is a fairly new discovered syndrome (the doctor is was named from is still practicing). It may be something that needs to be brought up to your doctors to educate them.

I also got better when I was pregnant. It was very nice!! Makes the hormone connection very real in these types of situations. Did the doc mention anything about a possible connection when he realized you were better when you were pregnant? Also did you take supplements when you were pregnant (prenatal vitamins)? And are you still taking them? Think of things that were different from when you were pregnant and now and before you were and you may be able to identify a possible culprit.

Take Care
Posted 9/6/2007 11:11 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Shelley

I had a baby last October and the pregnancy cleared up a lot of my IBS symptoms, but after he was around 6 months they started rearing their ugly head.  That's why I am on this site today- my belly has been doing the tell tale rumbling for a week now and I have been in and out of the bathroom.  It isn't near as bad as it was before I was pregnant (I had a lot of intestinal infections that cause post-infectious IBS).  Now, I have D for a week, take an immodium, don't go at all for five days, have a few normal BM's and then D again until I break down and take an Immodium.  I wish I was normal.

Have you tried the Specific Carbohydrate Diet?  That helped me a little when I was going all the time.

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