# IBS-D new member



## laurenibs (Apr 22, 2010)

My IBS-D story. I am a 50 year old female, healthy and in great shape except for IBS!5 years ago my best friend died of rectal cancer. I am a nurse and took care of her and was with her when she died. She was 47yo and had 2 children who were close with my 2 children. I was always thin to begin with but lost 15 lbs due to the stress and sadness of those last couple of months with her. When I started to feel myself again, eating, smiling, gaining the weight back and trying to move through the grieving process, helping her kids and family and trying to reconnect with my own family, I started to have bowel issues. NEVER before in my life did I experience anything but a formed daily BM. I suddenly would have severe cramps and an urgency for a BM running to a bathroom to have diarrhea. It only happened maybe once or twice a month but eventually I had to run to my car after a tennis match because there were no bathrooms and I had THAT urge that was becoming an enemy to me. On my way home I had an accident. I was humiliated even though I was the only one who knew. Incontinence didn't happen again for 2 years but fear escalated and the cramps and diarrhea were severe and i barely made it SO many times. I had a colonoscopy and all was normal. I was told it was IBS. I started taking immodium when i had an attack and it helped. Two years ago I had 2 friends die within a week. Both women in their early 50's weird circumstances but again close friends. I started again having much more frequent diarrhea and cramping. Using Immodium like water. Plus a few more times with some incontinence, horrifying experience...but most times JUST making it in time. My mother died in last year after a 3 month illness which I cared for her every day and with the help of hospice she died peacefully. It was a very stressful time once again. Now the bowel issues had again escalated to a new level. The diarrhea happening 3 times a week sometimes with incontinence and I was just LUCKY to not do this in public. One day at lunch I didn't make it to the bathroom. I had white pants on and literally ran out crying and humiliated. I scheduled another colonsocopy just wanting a diagnosis so i can fix this horrible problem. I also had a endoscopy again dx with ibs. I was started on amytriptyline 10 mg (a tricyclic antidepressant at low doses slows the bowels, not for depression) which helped for a few weeks then we increased it to 25mg which helped for a month. Now nothing is helping and it is getting worse. I dropped the tennis team because of lack of bathrooms at parks. I no longer go to lunch. I am afraid to go out to dinner if it isn't very close to home. Some days I feel great others not. I did not find any food in particular aggravates it except coffee which I gave up and sometimes alcohol...which I enjoy too much..when I need to relax. I have been reading on this forum trying to learn from all of you but incontinence doesn't seem like a big issue to most ibs-d sufferers. i did have a 3rd degree tear when I had my first child but that was 20 years ago and I never had a problem until the last 5 years. I am a very social person and love going out but I find myself sticking close to home. I still go out..lunch is worst (first Big meal of the day) so no lunches, but i only go when its within a 10 minute drive to my house. My life has SO changed. No more NYC dinners...too stressful.I called my GI guy to ask about lotronex but he feels it is to difficult to get, a long process, very expensive. He suggested going back to immodium prophylactic 1 pill a day and another if going to lunch or an situation that worries me without a bathroom nearby. I am going to speak to my internist about lotronex as well because he seems more empathetic than the GI guy who hears stories like this all day.Any words of wisdom out there? Anyone else with this totally embarrassing issue of urgency. I feel SO alone. What do I do...buy depends? YUK. I like my victoria secret panties!Sorry this is long!


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## ziggy7 (Oct 24, 2009)

heres my advice read these linkshttp://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=112669http://www.biblelife.org/bowel.htmnow also the fact that your a 50 year old female and such i have a feeling have you been eating large amounts of soy? soy is a highly toxic and health hazardous food which along with doing many horrible things would greatly damage ones stomachalso restaurants are compeltely off limmits they mostly always add horrible health hazardous ingredients to innocent looking foodsanyways now as for a diet to heal your IBS-D and figure out problem foods try thiscopy and pastedtry a high fat, medium protein, low carb, diet 20 grams of carbohydrates per day for all foods sept cheese and count fiber in that 20 gram limit per day too that will help keep your fiber under control as wellyou can also have up to 10 grams of carbohydrates per day worth of cheese so total = 30 grams of carbs max per day, 10 worth of cheese and 20 worth of a combind other carbohydrates+fiberalso make sure you do not eat any starches at all that means no potatos or corn or carrorts or any of the starchy vegetables and no milk or whipping cream or sour cream basically no dairy sept for cheese but no cottage or ricotta cheese but i think mostly all other cheese is goodand absolutely no soy what so ever and no canola oil at all and no tomatos make sure you always check the ingridients of a item for these and also no meds and no vitamins either and no nuts or seeds or grainsand avoid all : White and black pepper, vinegar, capers, cinnamon, Cornstarch, Corn syrup, Nutmeg, Vanilla , Ketchup, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, relish Coffee, Distilled liquor, Black Tea from the 20 grams of total carbohydrates+fiber you eat make sure they are mostly all from low carb vegetables like broccoli and suchso in short you can eat as much butter,meat,eggs,seafood no carb foods like that you can eat as much as you want and then 20 grams of carbs+fiber from low carb vegetables and then 10 grams of carbs from cheese also you will want to avoid berries and fruit for now cause they will add up to 20 grams of carbs way to fast and you won't get enough of the nutrients in your diet that you need if you eat themthis may sound extreme but use it as a test. and once you know your stomach is doing alot better (it can take time to heal) then you can start testing other foods and testing vitamins and such so you have more optionsalso after you know this plan works here is a list of things you can try adding back into your diet to test and see if they are ok for you1. slowly doubleing your max allowed carbohydrate limmit and cheese limmit and see if your body is ok with it2. testing vitamins and seeing if your body can handle them or which brands are ok3. berries4. fruit5. grains6. nuts and seeds7. eating up to a max of 100 grams of carbohydartes a day though i wouldn't eat that manyalso there will be still some things you can most likely never eat like starchy vegetables but if you want you can even test thembut foods you can never eat again because they are health hazardous and toxic are soy and canola oil and soy lethicin is bad too


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## Aussie Ann (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi laurenibs, while I can't share any words of wisdom, I can tell you that you're not alone. My story is very much like yours. Over the past three years I've been incontinent on numerous occasions. The first was in the middle of Florence when we were on holiday there, and it's also happened a couple of times at work. Like you, I feel that my whole lifestyle is compromised. Also like you, I've had all the various tests and investigations. I've just got to the point where I've decided that enough is enough, and I'm going back to see my doctor this Tuesday.You're definitely not alone. I read another thread just now about not making it to the bathroom in time, and as somebody wrote there, you're not really a member of 'the club' until you've had an accident. This is clearly a very common problem, but I guess it's so embarrassing that nobody ever talks about it (except for here!).


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## vickieibsd (Jun 12, 2009)

I have had controlled sucess with Lotronex and 30 mgs of codiene at bedtime. I started the Lotronex and gradually went to 2 mg a day. It was not helping the pain and not entirely controlling the D. In Jan my GI dr started me on 30 mg of codiene at bedtime. With that I now take .5mg of Lotronex everyday to every other day and my symptoms are more well controlled. I have been on Lotronex since sept 09 and have not had severe constipation....maybe some heighteded depression and headaches but since cutting back to lower dose with codiene that is getting better as well. I also ordered Mike's 100 Audio and have gained 2 pounds back the 1st week I have been listening to it....coincidence? I don't know.....I also do yoga and take 1 to 1 1/2 mg of ativan at day as my system did not handle the antidepressants well at all.I think Lotronex is worth a try to see if it helps you. Some have claimed to have much better results than I did....some have claimed it just stopped working for them....so it is hard to tell as it seems to be such an individual thing. It is my understanding that the formula was changed when it was reintroduced and may not work as well as the original version....I do not know if that is true either. It is expensive but what is the price for some sort of functional life?GOOD LUCK to you and do talk to your dr about Lotronex.


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## TimeToGo (Jul 3, 2009)

My input is to suggest that it is possible to manage IBS D. Not easy. But possible. I have had this horrible condition for around thirty years and with a lot of effort and determination have lived a happy (but inconvenienced) life and had a successful career.I would say that I have tried almost everything (not Lotronex); it's a very personal thing - what works for me might not work for others.I am a great supporter of imodium and also a firm believer that diet is key. Using both of these I manage to get through each day and almost (but not entirely) control the urgency that leads to those embarrassing situations.


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## laurenibs (Apr 22, 2010)

Thank you Ziggy for your advice however that is very extreme for me. I have been keeping a diet log for a few months. The only triggers I have found are coffee and sometimes alcohol. Carbs seem to be the best food for me, keeps my stomach calm. The first meal of the day or I should say big meal triggers it no matter what it is I eat. If i have a little cereal at breakfast and half a banana I am ok but when lunch comes around watch out. A good friend who is a colon cancer survivor and suffers with ibs told me that she always eats half of her lunch when she goes out to lunch and has them wrap the other half, avoiding salads and soups and sticking with a sandwich. I rarely have a problem at dinner. I guess this is a very individaul thing but I am open to hear what works..anything is worth a try.The last couple of days I have been taking Immodium once a day and I have had normal bm's for the first time in a while. I cannot believe it is working! I like the advice of 1 or 2 a day and if stressing before going out for a meal maybe take one a half hour prior. I never seem to get constipated so I am not worried about that. I am still on the amitryptline 25mg at bedtime. I don't know why I was trying to eliminate the immodium from my regime, I guess I thought the amytrip should do the trick. I would pop a few of immodium when the cramps, gurgling and bloating began...always too late as the diarrhea and pain (and panic) would occur immediately after at least 2 episodes (or a half hour) before the immodium would take hold. I may try going back to just immodium and stop the amytrip because it does seem to increase my appetite.Thanks everyone for your support and words of wisdom. I just want my bowels to not run my life!


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## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Antidepressants might help you, particularly since it seems like it all started because of stress for you. It might take a few tries, but hopefully you'll find one that helps your IBS.


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## laurenibs (Apr 22, 2010)

I can't believe I started this post almost 10 years ago. For the most part Imodium has kept me OK over these years with occasional bad days but lately I've had an increase in stress and was using the generic of Immodium which definitely isn't working for me. Had a humiliating accident in a salon. Thanks God it was practically empty except for the workers. Had to leave with only a sweater tied around my waist. It was the worst thing that has ever happened to me and this alone has created the highest level of anxiety. I bought depends in case I'm feeling a bad day coming on. So humiliating! Panic attack mode sets in when I get the rumbling feeling in my stomach and intestines. Immodium works and I've been taking it everyday sometimes up to 8 in a day. My GI wanted me to cut out Immodium and try a new medicine Viberzi. I've been on it 2 weeks but still need the Immodium. He said to give it a month to help slow the bowels motility. I also started Metamucil which I am doing well on for bulk. I also take a probiotic and Calcium with vitamin D which is a little constipating which obviously I need. I just started a food log to try to figure out the triggers. I usually have a problem after lunch even if I eat a very small lunch. So anxiety level peaks at lunch time at work.

Has anyone been on Viberzi or have tried CBD or anything else that may help? My GI also said if this doesn't work we can do a low dose of codeine. I broke my ankle last year and the whole time in a cast and then a boot I never had a problem probably due to the fact that I was taking codiene on occasion with the Immodium.


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## bushja1 (Apr 23, 2003)

No luck for me with Viberzi. Have you ever tried Lomotil or Motofen. Both work for me. Motofen works best but is very expensive so I use it sparingly and supplement with Lomotil.


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## laurenibs (Apr 22, 2010)

So far it's now been 1 month and the viberzi is working! I also started on an anti anxiety duloxetine which is constipating. I think the Metamucil is really helping too. I will be traveling for 2 weeks in Europe and need to feel confident that no accidents will happen.


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## laurenibs (Apr 22, 2010)

bushja1 how long did you take Viberzi?


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## bushja1 (Apr 23, 2003)

I took it for a couple weeks. When I was using it I had terrible cramps and eventually diarrhea. It's supposed to work well for some, so hopefully you are one of them.


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## Amolino (Jul 31, 2021)

laurenibs said:


> My IBS-D story. I am a 50 year old female, healthy and in great shape except for IBS!5 years ago my best friend died of rectal cancer. I am a nurse and took care of her and was with her when she died. She was 47yo and had 2 children who were close with my 2 children. I was always thin to begin with but lost 15 lbs due to the stress and sadness of those last couple of months with her. When I started to feel myself again, eating, smiling, gaining the weight back and trying to move through the grieving process, helping her kids and family and trying to reconnect with my own family, I started to have bowel issues. NEVER before in my life did I experience anything but a formed daily BM. I suddenly would have severe cramps and an urgency for a BM running to a bathroom to have diarrhea. It only happened maybe once or twice a month but eventually I had to run to my car after a tennis match because there were no bathrooms and I had THAT urge that was becoming an enemy to me. On my way home I had an accident. I was humiliated even though I was the only one who knew. Incontinence didn't happen again for 2 years but fear escalated and the cramps and diarrhea were severe and i barely made it SO many times. I had a colonoscopy and all was normal. I was told it was IBS. I started taking immodium when i had an attack and it helped. Two years ago I had 2 friends die within a week. Both women in their early 50's weird circumstances but again close friends. I started again having much more frequent diarrhea and cramping. Using Immodium like water. Plus a few more times with some incontinence, horrifying experience...but most times JUST making it in time. My mother died in last year after a 3 month illness which I cared for her every day and with the help of hospice she died peacefully. It was a very stressful time once again. Now the bowel issues had again escalated to a new level. The diarrhea happening 3 times a week sometimes with incontinence and I was just LUCKY to not do this in public. One day at lunch I didn't make it to the bathroom. I had white pants on and literally ran out crying and humiliated. I scheduled another colonsocopy just wanting a diagnosis so i can fix this horrible problem. I also had a endoscopy again dx with ibs. I was started on amytriptyline 10 mg (a tricyclic antidepressant at low doses slows the bowels, not for depression) which helped for a few weeks then we increased it to 25mg which helped for a month. Now nothing is helping and it is getting worse. I dropped the tennis team because of lack of bathrooms at parks. I no longer go to lunch. I am afraid to go out to dinner if it isn't very close to home. Some days I feel great others not. I did not find any food in particular aggravates it except coffee which I gave up and sometimes alcohol...which I enjoy too much..when I need to relax. I have been reading on this forum trying to learn from all of you but incontinence doesn't seem like a big issue to most ibs-d sufferers. i did have a 3rd degree tear when I had my first child but that was 20 years ago and I never had a problem until the last 5 years. I am a very social person and love going out but I find myself sticking close to home. I still go out..lunch is worst (first Big meal of the day) so no lunches, but i only go when its within a 10 minute drive to my house. My life has SO changed. No more NYC dinners...too stressful.I called my GI guy to ask about lotronex but he feels it is to difficult to get, a long process, very expensive. He suggested going back to immodium prophylactic 1 pill a day and another if going to lunch or an situation that worries me without a bathroom nearby. I am going to speak to my internist about lotronex as well because he seems more empathetic than the GI guy who hears stories like this all day.Any words of wisdom out there? Anyone else with this totally embarrassing issue of urgency. I feel SO alone. What do I do...buy depends? YUK. I like my victoria secret panties!Sorry this is long!


Hi. Not sure if you still visit this forum. I have had ibs-d for 7 years just as you describe. Watery diarrhea, cramping, bloating and urgency and I also find it debilitating. I am currently taking 100 mg viberzi twice per day, but still have all these symptoms, just less times per day. I did buy depends and I’m too young for that. Imodium stops the runs, but I haven’t been successful with diet. Food I used to eat all the time (bananas, oranges, salads) cause immediate diarrhea, leaving me unhealthy options like bread and rice. The only healthy food I seem to be able to eat are lentils, which seems very strange. I’m going to try the pepto bismal someone posted. You’re not alone but it definitely is painful and also embarrassing.


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## Anum (12 mo ago)

I have upper abdominal pain and loose stools i am very depressed and have two small children kindly suggest me some treatments


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## MrGoose (Jun 17, 2016)

laurenibs said:


> My IBS-D story. I am a 50 year old female, healthy and in great shape except for IBS!5 years ago my best friend died of rectal cancer. I am a nurse and took care of her and was with her when she died. She was 47yo and had 2 children who were close with my 2 children. I was always thin to begin with but lost 15 lbs due to the stress and sadness of those last couple of months with her. When I started to feel myself again, eating, smiling, gaining the weight back and trying to move through the grieving process, helping her kids and family and trying to reconnect with my own family, I started to have bowel issues. NEVER before in my life did I experience anything but a formed daily BM. I suddenly would have severe cramps and an urgency for a BM running to a bathroom to have diarrhea. It only happened maybe once or twice a month but eventually I had to run to my car after a tennis match because there were no bathrooms and I had THAT urge that was becoming an enemy to me. On my way home I had an accident. I was humiliated even though I was the only one who knew. Incontinence didn't happen again for 2 years but fear escalated and the cramps and diarrhea were severe and i barely made it SO many times. I had a colonoscopy and all was normal. I was told it was IBS. I started taking immodium when i had an attack and it helped. Two years ago I had 2 friends die within a week. Both women in their early 50's weird circumstances but again close friends. I started again having much more frequent diarrhea and cramping. Using Immodium like water. Plus a few more times with some incontinence, horrifying experience...but most times JUST making it in time. My mother died in last year after a 3 month illness which I cared for her every day and with the help of hospice she died peacefully. It was a very stressful time once again. Now the bowel issues had again escalated to a new level. The diarrhea happening 3 times a week sometimes with incontinence and I was just LUCKY to not do this in public. One day at lunch I didn't make it to the bathroom. I had white pants on and literally ran out crying and humiliated. I scheduled another colonsocopy just wanting a diagnosis so i can fix this horrible problem. I also had a endoscopy again dx with ibs. I was started on amytriptyline 10 mg (a tricyclic antidepressant at low doses slows the bowels, not for depression) which helped for a few weeks then we increased it to 25mg which helped for a month. Now nothing is helping and it is getting worse. I dropped the tennis team because of lack of bathrooms at parks. I no longer go to lunch. I am afraid to go out to dinner if it isn't very close to home. Some days I feel great others not. I did not find any food in particular aggravates it except coffee which I gave up and sometimes alcohol...which I enjoy too much..when I need to relax. I have been reading on this forum trying to learn from all of you but incontinence doesn't seem like a big issue to most ibs-d sufferers. i did have a 3rd degree tear when I had my first child but that was 20 years ago and I never had a problem until the last 5 years. I am a very social person and love going out but I find myself sticking close to home. I still go out..lunch is worst (first Big meal of the day) so no lunches, but i only go when its within a 10 minute drive to my house. My life has SO changed. No more NYC dinners...too stressful.I called my GI guy to ask about lotronex but he feels it is to difficult to get, a long process, very expensive. He suggested going back to immodium prophylactic 1 pill a day and another if going to lunch or an situation that worries me without a bathroom nearby. I am going to speak to my internist about lotronex as well because he seems more empathetic than the GI guy who hears stories like this all day.Any words of wisdom out there? Anyone else with this totally embarrassing issue of urgency. I feel SO alone. What do I do...buy depends? YUK. I like my victoria secret panties!Sorry this is long!


You are not alone! Unfortunately, yes, I would invest in some good diapers. Northshore has ones in various colors, and there is a site called babykins that also has adult size diaper covers in various patterns if you feel like some color. I take linzess in the morning; and after I eat bfast; anywhere from 10 min to an hour or so, there can be a volcanic eruption. Many times; I couldnt make it from pulling in front of the house to getting inside. I suggest diapers and plastic diaper covers, in case of a leak; and it helps contain odor if your are around others. Many have this same issue; but I think we just need to get it all out in the open and there needs to be an awareness that many deal with this same thing from either IBS, UC or Chrons. I have also had to change in the car, and keep a diaper bag in there, but its really hard not making a mess. What else can you do? Public bathrooms don't really have much room, and you have to put things on the floor. I'd rather find a secluded parking spot, change there or just ride that way until I get home.


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