# I don't know if I can do this.



## momochan (Feb 14, 2009)

Hey guys.. I'm really feeling down right now. I'm 20, living with my boyfriend, full-time college student. IBS-D is ruining my LIFE. I can barely get to class and I had to run to the bathroom (again) in the grocery store today while my boyfriend stood there dumb-founded.. I was so embarrassed. He completely understands and is so supportive of me, but I feel like I'm ruining his life and can't even live my own properly.For example, we went on a lovely anniversary trip to Puerto Rico, and where was I most of the time? The bathroom. He was so sweet, brought me food and everything.. but it kills me to see the disappointment in his eyes, no matter how hard he tries to hide it.I don't even know what to do anymore. The doctors tell me I have what is called a "non-functioning gallbladder" meaning it only functions at 7% but they are telling me to keep it because of my IBS-D I could have issues with chronic bile-salt diarrhea if I have it removed.Well I'm having issues now! I've tried peppermint tea, ginger tea, chamomile tea, Dicyclomine, Pamine Forte, Immodium... I just don't know how to live like this. My self-esteem is DEAD. And I have no idea how to handle this. It's taken a toll on my relationships, my schoolwork, my LIFE.I just need to some advice/encouragement right now...Love,Momo


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## keycat (Apr 6, 2009)

Hey, I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties with IBS-D. I'll be 20 in a month, am also a full-time college student, and have had IBS-D since I was eleven years old. I feel your pain!My first piece of advice is to not worry so much about ruining your boyfriend's life. Part of being in a relationship with someone is accepting that they have problems (and everyone does) and being supportive of them. It seems like your boyfriend is already there. Worrying too much about how your IBS affects him may only make your symptoms worse - if your IBS is, like mine, tied to anxiety. Worry about yourself first; no matter how hard this is on him, it's undoubtedly harder on you.Over the years, I have found the most effective strategy for dealing with my IBS boils down to these three things:1. Managing my anxiety2. Managing my diet3. Always having 204983 or so Imodium on hand.I'm assuming here that you have problems with anxiety, as most people with IBS do. Anxiety doesn't cause IBS - it's a physical disorder - but for me and many others, it can trigger its symptoms. If this is the case for you, I'd suggest seeing a psychologist and perhaps trying an anti-depressant such as Effexor XR, which is known to be helpful for people with anxiety and IBS. Both have helped me immensely.If you've had IBS for a while, you probably are aware of which foods are most likely to trigger your IBS and have been avoiding them. My list of "bad foods" includes anything with a lot of fat and/or grease, many dairy products (especially cheese), certain fruits, and sugary stuff. I avoid chewing gum like the plague - sugar-free gums especially are one of the worst when it comes to IBS. In general, I've found that a healthy diet is more likely to be an IBS-friendly diet, especially when combined with exercise (although be careful with that, because exercising too strenuously can also induce D for some people).As for Imodium, I ALWAYS have it with me. Before dates and events and such, I take one beforehand. During my worst years with IBS, I took an Imodium in the morning when I woke up, before the D even started. Finally, I should tell you that in my experience, the severity of IBS-D fluctuates over the years. Today, my symptoms are much, MUCH better than when I was younger. A large part of that has to do with getting control of my anxiety, but I suspect it also has to do with simply getting older. For example, my mother, who also has IBS-D, had a terrible time when she was in college - her IBS was so bad that she was barely functional, lost an immense amount of weight, was hospitalized, etc. Over the years, however, her symptoms improved dramatically - particularly, I believe, after she started on Effexor XR for anxiety and panic attacks. Today, IBS is only a mild irritation for her. I don't know how common her experience is, but I thought I'd share it with you because it might give you some hope. Please let me know if you have any more questions about IBS that I might be able to help with, or if you just want to talk.


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## DeeDee (Sep 30, 2004)

I am so sor to ear about your problems with IBS d and being at sch a oung age. I feel for youI tooo have IBS D and have had it for seveaal yearsMch of the prolems with my IBs systems ae caused from stress, and anxituI use to live in the bathrooms, and there were so longwhere I as housebounch. It was horrible, pain so bad in the lower stomach and back, and I wondered how I coud keepgoing onthen I went to dr. and had colonostopy and they foudn palulpet, and of course the IBSI was give so much kiind of medicine to help. some worked, some did not. I ws told to try to control the stress, and that is hardI did lot of reserve where I went to IBs.org and found out so mc info. heater is wonderful thee, and she has seveal products which are working geat. I une her fiber, and it also has a probiotic in it, It helps with disharia or constipation. I hve used her teas, and they ae so good, peppermint tea, and fennel seed tea,and used her peppermint oilI have learned wht is good to eat and not to eat. there is al oist of soluble fivers and insolublie fiber food you shoud eat, andit tlls you when to eat them, and study that well as that is so informativeI take a pill called welchol. it is tablets for, and is for gallbladder or chlestral but it helps with the bile in the gladbladder and that had helped me so much. andother prduct I use is calcium caltratk and I use immodium wheneve I need to. the dr. told me I cold se it five times a ay Itcarry it in my perse all the timeI have larnd what to do, and still I have days which are bad vut much better than they used to bed I took benl for a while but that did nothing for me.Please try some of these things, I can hep you if you want me to hep you research them, as there is lots of info, and so much f it works. i am hee to help you wheneverI feeel bad for anone with this broblem.\Please help me if there is something else i cn do to helpgood luck. we are allin this together.\you need to b thankful you have your boyfriend, as it looks to me he is a saint and being right there fro her. He sonds like he understans and that is wonderfulang in there and be careful the kids of foodyou at, and you strss level and if at alpossoble get some of her fiber and use it. write me if you need helpgood luc to youDee


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## MollyB (May 3, 2009)

I completely understand about the self esteem issues. It's very difficult to get through each day, but you are so lucky to have your boyfriend. Sounds like he's not going anywhere and is supportive of your problem. I have no one and am so embarrassed by all the daily issues of IBS. I encourage you to be open with him about your fears and embarrassment. A little laughter will also help to diffuse the anxiety you feel. My friend suffers from IBS-D (mine is the opposite problem), and she increased her fiber intake with fiber supplements such as FiberCon. She thought the doc was crazy for recommending this to her, but it helped greatly. Try for at least 35 grams of fiber per day. It's very difficult to get that many grams into your diet, but it definitely helped her. Also, try eating about five mini meals per day. That helped her, too.Hang on to that great guy of yours. He sounds like a keeper!! Good luck.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Momo.. Ask your Doc for Cholystramine or Questran.  They are bile salt binders and can sop up excess bile and firm up BM's. I'm so so surprised these Docs of yours haven't written a script for it before now.Also.... get a 2nd &/or 3rd opinion on that GB.BQ


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## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

hi.Questran is supposed to be good, but i have tried it 3 years ago and agin this year and it did nothing for me, Nothing i try seems to help, 1 immodium is often not enough but then 2 a day can be too much . I dont know what to do, my bad stomach can hit without warning and if im not near a loo then oh my god,


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Cherry I urged Momo to try it specifically because she has poor Gall Bladder function... I know it doesn't work for everyone. But I *do* hope you find something that works for you real soon.BQ


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## poorlyem (Apr 22, 2009)

Hey momo,I know it's hard but you're so not alone. I'm 20 too and have exam season coming up (which will be fun on so many levels). And I think my problems are still relatively new compared to people that have lived with this for far longer and everyday it seems to get worse, or I realise something else I don't feel I can do. But sometimes you just need to sit on that toilet and cry and then when that's finished with for a bit, laugh, like a maniac! Sometimes it makes you feel a bit crazy so sometimes it's good to sound a bit crazy too!I know what you mean about seeing the disappointment in your boyfriends eyes, mines the same (talk about pulling on the heart-strings), but it's not really disappointment, he's worried. (I had to tell mine yesterday that I can't stay round his house anymore cause knowing there's only one toilet between him and 4 strangers makes me too nervous. He laughed cause he said I looked so serious it was a relief cause he thought I was going to break up with him, so they just care really!)Chin up!


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## miette (May 7, 2009)

Oh Momo, I've been where you are. And at 32, from time to time, I feel the way you do. You're 20. You have your life ahead of you to figure this thing out. Don't give up. Accept that this is going to be a difficult time and remember, this will pass and you will get your life back -- it may take a year or two of doctor appointments, tests, experimenting with Rxs, etc, but you will start to feel better. And if nothing else, that hope and positivity alone will help you get better. It's an art learning how to deal with your condition. You may want to look into probiotics. Have you kept a food diary? That may help you at least learn what some of your trigger foods are. What about controlling your stress? This can help too. Good luck -- hang in there. From a 32-year old, who's in a much better place than she was when she was 20!


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## No-hope (Apr 9, 2006)

Dear Momochan, maybe you can forget all about IBS-d; Please check out this thread:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=97451From the bottom of my heart Good Luck;


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## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

BQ said:


> Momo.. Ask your Doc for Cholystramine or Questran. They are bile salt binders and can sop up excess bile and firm up BM's. I'm so so surprised these Docs of yours haven't written a script for it before now.Also.... get a 2nd &/or 3rd opinion on that GB.BQ


Yep, I second that, definitely see if you can try Questran. That's specifically supposed to help if your IBS is gallbladder-related.


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## momochan (Feb 14, 2009)

I actually am on Questran now because I just had my gallbladder out and... lovely lovely lovely, I got bile salt diarrhea.It seems to be helping somewhat but it's giving me HORRIBLE stomach cramps.


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

If the Questran is impossible, give Linda's Calcium a try. That is another thing that has been helpful for bile salt D.Mark


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## Pibs2003 (Oct 25, 2009)

Hi I here you looking for some help on IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome the best way is start looking in milk free products like So-ya Milk or other foods, what's cause the Diarrhea is foods and soda and other stuff keep away from eating a lot cheese and ice cream used yogurtice cream and try different types of food even rice help you. And cuts the greasy and gluten foods out the best way is try to not be nerves and try Health Balance Fast Relief for Diarrhea, 2 Mg look in your Bulk price club store you find it that should help you. Not to worry about million other people like you have IBS means if you eat lot foods don't agree with you and you get Diarrhea problems I learning to carve my IBS and right things to eat, and waiting for a cure someday.


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## verytired (Aug 14, 2009)

i was in the same situation, i read Linda's Calcium treatment and I started taking calcium tablets. It was like a miracle pill. Honestly i couldn't believe it. All my IBS-D symptoms disappeared. Don't get me wrong, its no cure. The thing about calcium is that it's side-effect is constipation. That is why all the D symptoms disappear. Try it... see how it worksAgain, look at Linda calcium info from the the previous postsGLEugene


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## ibsstinks123 (Jul 16, 2009)

My mom had pain and felt poorly for over a year and then she suddenly got very ill with what she thoughht was the flu. It turned out to be pancreatitis and when the doctors were finally able to find the cause, they determined she had a nonfunctioning gallbladder and removed it as soon as they could. Since then, she is careful about what she eats but feels SO much better. She does have D and gas now and then, but she could have died if her pancreas hadn't recovered. If you haven't already, I recommend a second opinion. And, hang in there, your anxiety only makes things worse. I know b/c IBS hit me hard while in college. All I can tell you is to never let it get the better of you. Keep doing what you like and need to do and, most importantly, deal with any anxiety and stress you may have. There are clinics that will work with you on a sliding fee scale if you can't afford to see a therapist any other way. I did this, read books on it and exercised. You really can make it.


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