# Living With IBS For 26 Years But No Longer



## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

I started this awful journey at age 26 in 1976 after having my gall bladder removed. Those days it was a major thing to have it removed and a 6 inch scar and a 6 week recovery. Having small children at the time was difficult and not being able to attend many school functions without a lot of planning was painful for me and for the rest of the family.It was just dumb luck to find what worked for me. I worked in a pharmacy for 6 years and used to see people come in to get calcium for there bones but also would need some sort of laxative to keep things moving. It did not dawn on me at the time I was young and not worried about bone loss so I sold them the items and they went there merry way.Well, time passed and it was my turn to start some calcium to help prevent bone loss in later years and from the very first day I felt so much better I could not explain the difference.I told no one for 3 months thinking like all the other times this could not continue to work. But it did. And for me I have been able to totally control the urgent attacks of diarrhea, the pain, the cramping the sick feeling when I ate and the oh no..... I didn't make it to the bathroom on time.It still amazes me to this day and I have been living a very normal life for more than 2 years now.I have the hope that you all can find what works for you because living a life that makes you a prisoner to the bathroom is not a very happy one.Take Care,Linda


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