# hmm IBS or no IBS?



## housofunk (Jun 9, 2003)

hey everyone, i posted on the general board yesterday but then i looked around some more and to my surprise found a board filled with people like myself!! its amazing this technological magic. so im gonna quote my other post since i told my life story and im not gonna type all that again. right now ive got two papers to write and a final so im freakin out. hope all is well with everyone. and awayyyyy we go.....


> quote: hey everyone, im 18 years old, a college student, and im trying to figure out my dysfunctional digestive system. i'm new here and i have a lot to say so bear with me...i've been having digestive problems for at least five years and now it's gotten to the point to where i can't take it anymore. in the beginning, i would wake up for school with a stomachache, and the only thing i could eat would be a pack of crackers and a carbonated beverage, because it helped to calm my stomach. the pain would go away by midmorning, and otherwise my bowel movements were normal, so it was merely an inconvenience and i thought little of it, besides oh i just have a stomachache everyday, no big deal.the pain in the morning was becoming progressively worse but was kept in check by the fact that i got a lot of physical exercise and hardly ever became stressed about anything. however, now that i was off to the university of chicago, the pain was disrupting my whole life. i couldn't get any exercise because i was constantly in pain, my bowel movements were alternatively loose and watery then hard and pellet-like, accompanied by really bad nausea. this would only happen from the time i woke up to about 1:30 or 2 in the afternoon, and after that i would have no symptoms at all. it got worse when i became stressed out about it because not only had my academics suffered but i was losing my girlfriend because i was in a constant bad mood and she didn't understand, and of course i didn't understand anything more than she did. then for close to 3 weeks i had constant stomach pain on top of all of this, which was totally debilitating, and i lost probably 10-12 pounds off my already skinny body. i finally got a definitive answer from the care center we have at the university, they diagnosed me with an ulcer even though my blood and stool tests passed the H. pylori and blood in the stool tests. the doctor prescribed Prevacid, and i am in the middle of an 8 week treatment of it. it has helped with the stomach pain, but not with the morning nausea and weird bowel movements. ive been conversing through email with my doctor here, and relating my symptoms and she said it might be IBS. i tend to agree, but i'm not sure. the nausea and the loose bowel movements are always in the morning, and the symptoms always go away by mid-afternoon. the symptoms are markedly worse the earlier in the morning i have to get up, but they never end earlier than midday.its been causing a lot of stress, along with everything else, which has been just looping back into aggravating the symptoms. also troubling is the lack of support i have here, i call my mother to talk about it, but its hard to go at this alone and the fact that i hardly understand what is going on is really a big weight. i think i might be depressed, although i guess i'm never really sure about that. i dont feel in control, and i think once i find out what is really going on, whether it is IBS or something else, i can take steps to cope with it.


haven't got any answers yet from the powers that be, what does it look like to you guys? thanks a lot, and good luck with finals....i need more luck than i can find in my nearest lucky charms box. wooo


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## housofunk (Jun 9, 2003)

k im an idiot, i forgot again to say some important things, which are the following:


> quote: i forgot to say, i also am having really bad abdominal cramps and a lot more gas that i usually do, which is usually, but not always, relieved by passing a bowel movement. ive also been off caffeine for close to two weeks, but i can't tell if it makes a difference, also haven't had alcohol since i started the prevacid, but i hardly drink anyway. no foods that i can name really aggravate symptoms, and carbonated beverages, usually sprite, helps with settling my stomach


help help help


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## Vicky Foster (Sep 15, 2002)

well, i'm by no means an expert, but i've had IBS since i was 13/14 and i'm now 20.Your symptoms sounds very similar to mine eg bloating/wind, feeling worse in the morning, alternations in bowel movements and consistency, feeling nauseous etc etc.Basically, the medical profession diagnoses IBS when they've ruled everything else out (crohns, colitis, and so on), all your tests come back clear yet you still feel like ####, and spend a long time in the bathroom each and every day.You may want to check out www.eatingforibs.com as diet plays a big part. The recipes and food suggestions might help even if it's not IBS you're suffering with as the recomendations apply to a variety of touchy tummy disorders.Hope this has helped a little - i'd normally be a bit more specific, but i'm in for a colonoscopy tomorrow therefore i'm not at my best.I really hope you get some answers. Keep on nagging at your doctor and check out the thread on the BB concerning key questions to ask your GP.Feeling down and epressed is a common thing with this darn condition, but don't ignore your feelings. Try and find someone to talk to, and remember there's always tonnes of us around if you need to vent xTake care xxx


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## erin5983 (Mar 25, 2003)

Sounds like IBS to me too. Symptoms can be relieved, sometimes, though-- either through medication, diet, a combination, or other things. Definitely keep going after the doctor to help you out. There are some threads floating around on hypnotherapy, as well-- lots of success stories there. The diet plays a big part for lots of people, as well. Moderating what you eat and watching for what upsets your stomach more is a BIG part of keeping things sort of in check. If it continues to get progressively worse, try some different medications, see what is working for you. I'm in sort of the same situation-- college student, IBS (except I am IBS-C), and I have a couple of stomach ulcers that I keep under some control with Nexium. There are PLENTY of people on this bb with killer symptoms, though, so read up on some old posts and see if you can get some idea of what's going on. Best of luck!


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## Mercedes . (Apr 4, 2003)

hey, just wondered one thingAre you in constant pain ie all day everyday, with very little making it any better?why I ask is because I was, and the doctors thought I had ibs, it turns out I had adhesions all over the bowel, liver and internal walls, thus causing all the pain,no one can figure out how i got the adhesions but I just did I suppose, and to top it off I have a bad food intolerance to a lot of foods, which is why the doctors decided upon ibs being to blame


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## lenticia (Jun 11, 2003)

your symptoms are very similar to mine, i sometimes feel sick in the morning,







and have to spend a while in the bathroom before i am ready to face the day, but then im usually ok for the rest of the day, (the amount of times that i conivnced myself it was morning sickness is incredible!







) the pain also gets pretty bad sometimes, but i have learnt just to get on with life, its hard, but you cant let this ruin your life. are you on medication? it has really helped me.check out my board, under young adults issues; tips for coping.take care, helen


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## 18138 (Oct 12, 2005)

> quote:Originally posted by Mercedes .:hey, just wondered one thing
> 
> Are you in constant pain ie all day everyday, with very little making it any better?
> 
> why I ask is because I was, and the doctors thought I had ibs, it turns out I had adhesions all over the bowel, liver and internal walls, thus causing all the pain,no one can figure out how i got the adhesions but I just did I suppose, and to top it off I have a bad food intolerance to a lot of foods, which is why the doctors decided upon ibs being to blame


Mercedes,How did they find your adhesions? And, did you have anything done about them?Thanks,GuitarDan


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