# Suffering for years without knowing and finally through Torturous symptoms diagnosed



## Cassie Beaver (Jun 14, 2013)

I have been suffering with IBS symptoms since I was a child but the last year has put me through the ringer and my Doctor diagnosed me with IBS. However I have not been tested for Crohns or Celiac, or many other disorders so I may have something simalerly torturous.

I got engaged last year and graduated, I was so happy and excited and found out to boot that my fiance got offered a job across the country (we lived in New Brunswick) to Saskatoon! (literally across the country from the maratimes to the praries).

I was again happy and excited but also terrified of the move. All of these changes and stresses and before I knew it I was having diareah five to six times a week, pretty well every day. I lost a lot of weight and had spasms of pain that my doctor thinks was colon spasms, so severe sometimes I couldnt breathe. I was so nauseated I would Over dose on gravol frequently and was not being treated properly. It took me two months to figure out that I should eliminate wheat and all dairy from my diet. My dr. was not especially helpful, nice but not a lot of help. By the time I moved to Saskatoon I was a small size 4 (usually I would be a size 8 to 10) and couldn't eat anything but rice, plain unflavoured gluten and dairy free foods and limited fruits and veggies. I moved to Saskatoon in August 2012.

I started seeing a psychiatrist and began taking serequil and an anti depressant. My symptoms all but vanished. I lived symptom free for most of the year. I ate yogourt, goat cheese, swiss cheese, breads, grains you name it, fast food/bad food. Food became my friend, as I was new and lonely out west (Justin worked a lot I had no job for months) So food was my company, my stress reliever, my entertainment. And I didnt get sick hardly ever. I gained 50 pounds, I was no longer fitting in my loose size 12 jeans and 13's were tight.

Then about a month ago it's like my body had enough, gave up or fed up or maybe because the Wedding is coming soon (I started getting sick again in May).

I began to be constipated all the time, occasionally diareah and constant nausea. So severe I once almost vomited on a customer at my job (Sephora). I was missing work all the time, my anxiety began to shoot through the roof. New and awful panic attacks accompanied my nausea and I took WAY too much Gravol, all the time, like so much I was buying more every other week. I had to go on sick leave because I couldnt work. I could barely eat anything and ended up in the hospital on an IV because I couldnt even drink liquids.

The trip to the hospital was a BIG wake up call. The dr. there told me to take clomopromide or something that sounds like that and gave me ondansetron for my severe nausea. She ran tests and my theiroid, my blood work everything was totally normal. My body was attacking me but I didnt know why.

I went to out patient twice in Saskatoon trying to get answers from different dr.s then I flew back to Fredericton N.B. to get fit for my wedding dress only to get even sicker, if thats possible to imagine. I now can only safely eat rice porridge, rice, sometimes oatmeal (if it is stricktly oats) and plan unflavoured baked chicken. Rice crackers seem safe but I usually get sick later. Same with dairy gluten free puddings or ice cream. I usually get sick a few hours after. My most recent trip to the hospital (due to ever increasing panic attacks) I was told to try Ranitidine. Maybe the acid levels really high in my stomach from stress? And zopoclone to help me sleep, an increased serequil and a change from celexa to prozac. I am on SO much medication and I Feel SO awful all the time. I cry about it, I have moments throughout the days where I am happy but I dread and fear night time because I know I might get really sick again.

It feels good to share whats happening to me, I feel stressed and alone about it, if anyone has helpful ideas I would apreciate them.

p.s. I no longer take gravol at all, and follow the correct directions with the ondansetron and other meds

thanks for reading

frustrated and at nerves end,

Cassie


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## isthereanyhope (May 31, 2013)

Sorry to hear about your struggle. Your not alone in your struggle. Im not an expert but I think IBS = FOOD + MOOD. Maybe when you marry it will settle again?

Ive been struggling since 29- now 33 still no wiser how to fix it.

Stay strong, just tell yourself it will pass! Dont give up.

Jonny


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