# Irritated Bowel Sufferer



## DaraJade (Jul 8, 2012)

Well, this is my first post and I guess the best thing to do is to just get it all out since I am FINALLY around like minded people!My son was born in late 2008. By January 2009, I was having stomach problems. I will never forget it. One day I ate a bowl of chef boyardee and got a stomach ache. I have had that stomach ache for nearly 3 years now. I went to the dr in February of 2009 and was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome later that year, mostly because they had no idea what was wrong with me. I have constipation predominant IBS. Over the years it seems to have gotten more progressive, despite my attempts to get better and what all the medical records say (everything I have read says that this is NOT a progressive illness...tell that to my bowels!). I am having "flare ups" about 3 times a week, minimum. For me, I can go days, sometimes more then a week, without having a bowel movement. And then, it all decides it wants to come out at once. It is a painful mess. If they were solid poops I don't think it would be so much of a problem. Heck, even if it was diarrhea, I think I could live with that. For me, I feel like I have to go to the bathroom every five minutes (this is during a flare up) and, yet, all I get is this gunky mess that I have to force out. My doctor recently started me on a gentle laxative and stool softener, but all that has seem to do is occasionally give me the runs. I am also on buscopan which does help with the pain from time to time. That is the one thing most people don't get about my condition. They think "oh, you are having a hard time pooping, no big deal". They don't think about the pain. The stress on my muscles trying to force out a weeks worth of garbage. The headaches, the fatigue. The pure stress of it all. Not knowing whether or not you are going to be able to take your kid somewhere because you might get sick. I have started working with the FODMAPS diet, although it is pretty tough. I have cut out dairy which, in the beginning, worked amazing. Limited sugar, no greasy meats, limited gluten...this that and every other thing. And yet, as I sit writing this today, I am still flaring up. I have limited my diet, which is causing other problems to my health (no worries, seeing a dietitian later this month) and get made fun of for it CONSTANTLY! "Can't live your life in fear". It's a lot easier to fear food than it is to fear not being near a bathroom when the flare ups hit! I am hoping to go back to my doctor on Wednesday and get recommended to go see a specialist. It is obvious to me that something is seriously wrong. Hopefully I can be put on the right medication. As I said earlier, I am also going to see a dietitian to see if there is some sort of diet plan that can help. I am also going to talk to my counsellor about stress reduction techniques as I already learned that stress plays a HUGE role in my flare ups (which is a huge part of my problem right now). Anyways, time for me to run to the bathroom so I guess that is pretty much it for now. If anyone has any suggestions or just wants to leave a comment please go ahead! Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you soon!


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## LenSan (Jun 6, 2005)

Good luck in finding what the issue is. I think you are on the right track in that stress can be the key to your recent flare ups. Your life is changing in a big way and the stress may be too much for your diet to help compensate. I find that there are three ways that I can manage my IBS, diet, stress and exercise. If I have trouble on one of those areas, the others kind of have to pick up the slack and it doesn't always work out. It sounds like you have a really good plan for trying to tackle both the diet and the stress. I do recommend carving out some time for exercise, it can be a great stress reducer plus this sounds strange but it ought to help with your fatigue too. Anyway, hang in there, you'll find the right way to tweak your symptom management.Len


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## DaraJade (Jul 8, 2012)

Thanks Len! I was out and about this weekend, more physical activity that I have had in a long time and I really found it helped! It brings up my appetite and, once you have started out healthy, its so much easier to eat the food that I am supposed to have. I am going in for some bloodwork tomorrow and an ultrasound next thursday in hopes of finally getting some answers as to what is going on with me!


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## LenSan (Jun 6, 2005)

Glad to hear you are feeling better!Len


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