# HELP!!! First Trimester & IBS!!!



## HippieChick (Jul 24, 2003)

Hi! I am new here and really really really need some help! I am 21 and pregnant with my first child. I have suffered from IBS since I was 14 and have always gotten very very painful D bouts from eating iron rich, spicy & fatty (eg fried)foods. Naturally I stay away from these foods. I am in my 12th week of pregnancy and have found my IBS is being.. well a (&*^^%. I am constipated, something I never get, and only managing to have one bowel motion a week. It is extremely painful, and to begin with was just D but now it is quite solid. I drink LOTS of water and the other day I drunk a fibre drink. The result of which has made me go the next day painfree but the following day (today) I spent ALL afternoon cramping and on the toilet. I had three large bowel motions and am still very sore from it all. I have never ever suffered as much pain as I did today, I was even crying from it (a rarity for me) and I was wondering if anyone else out there had similar experiences during their first tri & did it clear up in the second tri or continue on for the entire pregnancy. I am not so worried about the labour pains as yet, I am more worried about the weekly BM i must undertake and wondering if I have another 28 or more to go :S I would apprecaite anyone elses stories that they can share with me. Just coming in here tonight and reading posts from people who go through the same pain I do is amazing, nobody close to me can understand why I moan so much when I have a bout of D!!! Sorry to have rambled on for so much and I really really hope you can help me!


----------



## HereIam (Mar 1, 2001)

Hippie,Congratulations!! That first pregnancy is such an exciting and wonderful time, but...Yikes, this sounds very uncomfortable and having a BM only once a week is not a good thing, for sure. The only time in my life I've been constipated is when I was pregnant. The pre-natal vitamins combined with the intestinal sluggishness caused naturally by pregnancy can cause this. My Ob/Gyn has me taking Colace (a stool softener safe to take during pregnancy) and eating prunes to counteract this problem. It worked for me. You should talk to your Ob/Gyn about this ASAP, there are ways to counteract this problem. Don't go through your entire pregnancy this way--you could end up with some terrific Hemmoroids as a result, which also are a natural occurrence during pregnancy.


----------



## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I just wanted to say, hi, HippieChick. Are you my daughter, maybe?


----------



## earthgarden (Jun 3, 2003)

Hippie Chick,Congratulations! Your hormones are all over the place probably, and this doesn't help.Try to eat regularly, breakfast, lunch and dinner and make sure they are balanced nutritionally. Have you thought about asking your midwife for a healthy eating plan. I am sure they would be able to help you.Also, maybe you have begun eating for 2 or 3? Sometimes during pregnancy we allow ourselves to over indulge! This actually gives me constipation!!!! Anyway, check with your doctor or midwife. A sensible health eating plan can only be good for you and the baby!


----------



## Bathroomqueen (Jun 20, 2003)

Hi there! Congrats on your pregnancy! I'm 14 weeks with baby #2 myself. I didn't develop IBS until after my first was born so my last pregnancy was a dream compared to this one! My IBS (D) has been much worse this time around. My doc suggested taking a daily fiber supplement to even things out. I tried metamucil but it gave me horrible gas so I might try citrucel, or even might start gagging down some bran cereal for breakfast or something. The good news is that Immodium is safe to take but be careful because it can really constipate you if you take too much. When I am having severe episodes of D (which left me crying also, pain is much worse now than before pg) I only take 1 immodium rather than 2. It seems to help.Good luck to you and you should definately mention it to your doctor. Hang in there, it's all worth it in the end, I promise!Angie


----------

