# Police Officer - Suffered from IBS-D for 12 years, getting to be too much



## peantut66 (Jun 10, 2011)

Ok so I found this forum awhile ago and have been searching around for some help. I have tried a few of the things but I don't seem to have much luck, so I thought I would finally post my story and questions.A bit of background on me: I just turned 30 and have been dealing with IBS-D for about 12 years now. I have had just about every test out there and also seen multiple GI specialists as most have. I was diagnosed with H-Pylori about 4 years ago and took Mastica to get rid of it as I can't tolerate antibiotics. Besides that I have just been told I have IBS and there is no real treatment for it right now. I have tried a few medications like Levbid with little reduction in symptoms. Over the years I have tried a few different probiotics and I have been on Align for about a year now and it doesn't seem to help a lot anymore. I was taking Priloec or Prevacid for about two years now also as my GI specialist said I should. I haven't seen much of a difference over the last few months so I have stopped taking it this past week. I have had a breath test to check for lactose intolerance and that was negative. I know sugar is a big trigger for me and avoid that as much as I can, but it seems a lot of things have a bit of sugar in it.Also about six months ago I started to have a very low heart rate and blood pressure. I saw a cardiologist as I was becoming light headed and unable to perform emergency services as I feared I was no longer safe due to the episodes. I was diagnosed with neurally mediated syncope, an imbalance of the nervous system and cardiac systems. I started taking medication about four months ago to increase my blood pressure. About a month ago I started taking an SSRI to help with the anxiety and it also helps with my heart condition. I have always been an anxious person but over the past few months it has gotten much worse as it is likely I will not be able to return to work. I will get a partial amount of my current salary through disability but with three children and a wife it will still be difficult to make ends meet. Now for the real problems. Over the past few months my IBS-D has been getting worse and worse. As of today I am pretty much at the end of my rope with trying to figure out what is going on. I seem to spend most of the day in the bathroom and I am to the point where I can eat very little. I am always tired and worn out from going to the bathroom so much. I have developed some insomnia from working at night and have had to take medication to sleep. I am working with a sleep specialist to help solve that problem but it hasn't gotten much better.Just a few days ago I ordered some Calcium from Amazon.com as I had to order something else. I should have just gone to Walgreens to get something but I didn't. I ended up getting Schiff Super Calcium 1200 plus Vitamin D. They are a gelcap and made of Calcium Carbonate as described as the best kind. There appears to be no magnesium in them so I don't think it will cause problems. I am just concerned since it isn't Caltrate D or a off brand of that exact kind it might not be working or causing problems. I did see that it has soy lechitan in it, but I figured it was a very small amount. I do have problems with soy but again I figured it wouldn't be a problem. I may have to try a different brand though which isn't a gel cap. I also had some peppermint oil entaric coated pills from a while ago that I was going to try and never did. It also has camamile (Spell?) and a few other things that are supposed to help the stomach. I have some Glutamine powder also that I took for about a month a few years back and might start taking it again.Normally I just take Imodium every day or two and have done that for a long time. It seems to help at times but I get plugged up at times and it seems to make things worse on occasion, it is just a vicious cycle with Imodium for me. I used to be able to take a dose every three days or so and I was so much better. I know the stress of what is going on has been a big problem and likely caused problems. I need to figure out what I can take or do though to offset the stress and get my D under control.I have an amazing family and a wife that has been so good during this. I am affraid of losing them though as I am unable to enjoy a lot of life with them due to the symptoms. I am also faced with findng a new job, but with all the D I'm having I am not sure a new employer will understand what is going on.Does anyone have any advise for what I should try? Do I just need to give the peppermint and Calcium some more time to work. Am I on the right kind of Calcium or should I get Caltrete or similar?Thanks in advance. Just knowing there are others out there helps, but it is still frustrating to be getting worse and worse. I want to be a happier person that can get out and do more.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Calcium Carbonate is fine. I wouldn't worry. You also should probably take the imodium WITH an anti-gas product as that will help some of the cramping that is associated with imodium. Also if you cut the imodium in half (or quarters depending on how much you determine you need) and take it preventatively WITH meals you might see some improvement in the D.I would urge to get to a GI and get other GI diseases ruled out. I would suggest getting an endoscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies.


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## peantut66 (Jun 10, 2011)

BQ said:


> Calcium Carbonate is fine. I wouldn't worry. You also should probably take the imodium WITH an anti-gas product as that will help some of the cramping that is associated with imodium. Also if you cut the imodium in half (or quarters depending on how much you determine you need) and take it preventatively WITH meals you might see some improvement in the D.I would urge to get to a GI and get other GI diseases ruled out. I would suggest getting an endoscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies.


I got into putting things down and missed a few points that I wanted to make. I saw a GI last fall and had an endoscopy and colonsocpy done. Biopsies were taken and nothing was found. The only thing that was found were some internal hemmroids which explain some of the bleeding I get when going to the bathroom a lot. About five years ago I had an endoscopy as well and that was when the H. Pylori was found to be a problem. I took the Mastica and repeated a test for the H. Pylori about a year later and it was found to be gone. I was also checked for celiac disease and found to be negative for that also.What is a good medication to prevent gas? I have never really taken one of those before. Since stopping the PPI(Priolsec) I do feel like I have some burning feeling in my stomach and when I do have D it feels very acidic and painful. I am hoping the calcium will help bind up what is coming out and make the pain better as well. I have an appointment on the 16th with a GI that I haven't seen in a long time. I am hoping that I can get something figured out but I am usually told that I just need to try and work through it. It seems there aren't many medications for IBS and most people have to find OTC things to make it better.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

> What is a good medication to prevent gas?


Ya know.. Gas X or the store brand of it... As long as it has simethicone as the active ingredient.


> but I am usually told that I just need to try and work through it.


Well each of us has to find via trial and error a way to manage our unique set of symtpoms. So there isn't a WHOLE lot of DR can do for us once a diagnosis is reached.


> It seems there aren't many medications for IBS and most people have to find OTC things to make it better.


True.. there aren't.


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## Lane CT (May 19, 2011)

Why don't you check on the link for Motofen that other people have been talking about... and when you go to the GI doc, maybe you can bring it up yourself? I know I've asked my doctors (just general practitioners) for specific medications and they've been like, oh, sure. Maybe you can try it and see if that can help you back on track, if the calcium doesn't help.


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## wildflowers2 (Jun 9, 2011)

I buy either from BJ's or Sam's club. Its called gas relief. I use it when my stomach starts to grumble or with meals I think may cause gas. But, that's a hit or miss too. Do you have acid reflux ? I am puzzled as to why you stopped that med. You dont want the acid in your stomach backing up onto your throat. That creates a whole different set of problems. Here is a link for all of you for research. WWW.Mayoclinic.comgood luck


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## peantut66 (Jun 10, 2011)

wildflowers2 said:


> I buy either from BJ's or Sam's club. Its called gas relief. I use it when my stomach starts to grumble or with meals I think may cause gas. But, that's a hit or miss too. Do you have acid reflux ? I am puzzled as to why you stopped that med. You dont want the acid in your stomach backing up onto your throat. That creates a whole different set of problems. Here is a link for all of you for research. WWW.Mayoclinic.comgood luck


I had read a lot of bad things about taking PPI's such as Prilosec for a long time so I thought it might be causing problems. I started it again Saturday morning and it seems to help a bit with the burning feeling. I also started to take the Calcium 600 + D and I am maybe a bit better, not going all the time really bad like I was these past few weeks. I am taking one pill in the morning and then one at night with dinner. I have been doing the trial and error thing for over ten years now, that is the hardest part, nothing seems to really work on a consistent basis. I am also trying to take an Imodium, 1/2 to 1 tab with each meal and just started that this weekend also. As for the Motofen I thought that was only for women, or maybe that was the other one I was looking at, seems most of the medications made just for IBS are for women right now.


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## peantut66 (Jun 10, 2011)

wildflowers2 said:


> I buy either from BJ's or Sam's club. Its called gas relief. I use it when my stomach starts to grumble or with meals I think may cause gas. But, that's a hit or miss too. Do you have acid reflux ? I am puzzled as to why you stopped that med. You dont want the acid in your stomach backing up onto your throat. That creates a whole different set of problems. Here is a link for all of you for research. WWW.Mayoclinic.comgood luck


I had read a lot of bad things about taking PPI's such as Prilosec for a long time so I thought it might be causing problems. I started it again Saturday morning and it seems to help a bit with the burning feeling. I also started to take the Calcium 600 + D and I am maybe a bit better, not going all the time really bad like I was these past few weeks. I am taking one pill in the morning and then one at night with dinner. I have been doing the trial and error thing for over ten years now, that is the hardest part, nothing seems to really work on a consistent basis. I am also trying to take an Imodium, 1/2 to 1 tab with each meal and just started that this weekend also. As for the Motofen I thought that was only for women, or maybe that was the other one I was looking at, seems most of the medications made just for IBS are for women right now.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

No Motofen isn't only for women.Here.. some info:http://www.drugs.com/cons/motofen.html


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## peantut66 (Jun 10, 2011)

BQ said:


> No Motofen isn't only for women.Here.. some info:http://www.drugs.com/cons/motofen.html


I didn't realize that, I will have to check with my GI on the 16th when I go. I am still having the pain today, but it does for some reason seem that the Calcium is helping. I have been pretty down, with the stomach problems getting worse and having to possibly go out on disability due to my heart now. I am really trying trying to get that under control, my wife has been great and is making dealing with this all so much better. She has been with me over 10 years and has stood by me no matter what.I see that one of the side effects is heart problems and dizziness. I get light headed, dizzy and nauseous at times. Will have to make sure that Motofen won't make it worse.


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## Dixie_Girl82 (May 18, 2009)

You can also ask your GI doctor about Lomotil. I have taken that for years and was able to live a somewhat normal life again. It was recently that it started to not work as well anymore and I had to take more of it to keep my stomach in check. I am now taking the Motofen. It works very fast! Within 30 minutes, the diarrhea has stopped and most of the gurgling as well. However, I have noticed with my stomach that I have to take a Motofen before each meal or I will still get the upset stomach. But I am going through a terrible flare up right now, so it might straighten out eventually. Anything and everything I eat upsets my stomach right now. I hope it will straighten out soon ;(I found that the calcium made my stomach hurt very bad. I was always bloated and crampy, and no matter what I took to settle it, it just never worked for me. I hope you have some success with it, others have.And I understand how you feel about the "trail and error" phase. It takes a lot of time to adjust and people just dont understand. I wish you the best of luck and hope you get to feeling better soon. Know that you are not alone!


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