# Habba Syndrome for uncontrolled Diarrhea



## mxwe (Apr 7, 2002)

I watched a show on the Health Discovery Channel last night about a homebound diarrhea sufferer. She was cured by a Dr. Habba in N.J. He calles it the Habba Syndrome, and it has to do with gallbladder function. This doesn't apply to my kind of IBS, but he may help others. You may want to do some internet research on it.Than ran every test possible on her, and his diagnosis was the only one that worked.MXWE


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## Jersey Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I have all these symptoms. I am going to ask my doctor about it tomorrow. I doubt very much he will know what I am talking about but I am going to ask anyway. The only thing is I dont have my gall bladder. My symptoms have been worse since I had it removed 18 years ago. I'm so tired of this. I hope to find a cure soon.


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## mxwe (Apr 7, 2002)

The dr.(Saad Habba) said he only came up with this five years ago, and very few dr's. know about it.


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## trbx1010 (Aug 27, 2007)

I only recently became aware of the Habba syndrome. I have not been eating anything but bread, water and the occassional diet of rice krispie treats ...yes there are a few vitamins in there somewhere...or at least I tell myself that. I was recently on vacation,so the only way that I could traval was to eat so little that I made myself sicker yet...therefore the weakness and the reintroduction of food was very difficult. I can bearly swallow the food that I try to eat.I am deathly afraid of the car due to nausa and I wouldn't dare take a walk since these activities make me feel so horrible or create the sudden urge to find a bathroom. Does anyone know "if " Habba syndrome is excalated by stress? or physical activity? And what can you eat that won't offend your stomach? I am desperate for some relief.... I take a medication called Symax DUOtab three times a day...and immodium is a dietary suppliment at this point (at least 3 times a day). I believe that the relief that comes from these meds is mainly dehydration, since I find it hard to swallow eventually from becoming dehydrated.Any info or experience with Habba syndrome would be greatly appreciated.


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## trbx1010 (Aug 27, 2007)

Dear Mxme,I would like to find the transcript for the Discovery Health program that you saw lately. I have not been successful in finding it. Would you happen know the name of the program and when it aired?Thanks!!!!


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## mxwe (Apr 7, 2002)

I believe it was Sun. night, and it was on their Mystery Illness Show. You should be able to pull up something on Dr. Saad Habba.


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## trbx1010 (Aug 27, 2007)

Thanks so much! This is the first time that I have ever logged on to this type of forum. I really appreciate your _quick reply and just knowing that there are others out there who know how disabling this problem is.....Thank you!!!!_


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

This is another thread on this.http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=89926IN IBS there is abdominal pain/cramps and pain or discomfort is a must for a diagnoses, but in Habba syndrome according to the site there is no No abdominal pain.


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## goohbear (Sep 25, 2007)

I have had diarrhea for the last 2 1/2 years. So i have been living off of anti - diarrhea pills at which they helped me at frist but now my body is getting use to them. I have no insurance so i can't go to the doctor. I went to the Hospital about a year ago. And they did a stool sample but told me that there was nothing wrong. And cancer runs in my family so i have no clue what this could be. But i know that i don't leave my house much and i even have a 2 year old little girl that i have to travel her back and forth to Pittsburgh Childrens Hospital because she had a stroke inside me when i was 8 months along with her. And it is really hard for me . Be cause stop every half an hour to go to the bath room and if there is no bath room around then i make sure i have tissues on me so i can pull over. I need help and no one will help me or knows what is wrong with me.


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## 13540 (Aug 18, 2005)

as well a hidascan with cck rules out the Habba Syndrome!!I talk with one of the people in nj about this finding and a hidascan with cck rules out this problem!!


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

Here's the link to Habba webpage: http://www.habbasyndrome.com/


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## tallthing (Sep 26, 2007)

Hi ,I read your blog and wanted to tell you that my doctor informed me years ago ( when I was diagnosed with IBS) that stress will bring on symptoms. I can go quite a while and then all of the sudden I have an episode. I have had IBS about 20 years but after watching the episode on mystery illnesses on the Discovery channel I am thinking that I have Habba syndome. What seems to work for me( for IBS) is iron pills(within the recommended dose) They have a clogging effect that seems to harden everything up. (Gross... I know) Also stay away from caffeine and iced tea. They really do a number on me and alot of other IBS sufferers. hope that helps


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## Trinilady (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi All,This is my first post. I am freaking out because for the first time in 35 years, I am functional. Really functional; not just "for the moment functional" . No bathroom mapping needed. No worrying about every flippin' morsel I put in my mouth, or every drop I drink.I have been working to curb anxiety and have been trying all sorts of dietary modifications and IBS medicines for 34 years. I have been fighting and struggling with what I thought was IBS and panic syndrome since I was 15. I don't have to list all the doctors, tests and medications, because if you are at this site, you have been there, too.Now, at age 48, I finally have the correct diagnosis and it isn't IBS! It is a recently identified gallbladder problem called "Habba Syndrome". It mimics severe IBS- D. A person with Habba Syndrome will experience violent diarrhea immediately after, or even during meals, especially ones including fatty foods. Habba Syndrome is caused by a malfunctioning gallbladder. Normally, the liver produces bile salts when you eat, which go into your intestinal tract to help digest fat, and the gallbladder helps to process this bile. With the syndrome, the gallbladder does not process the bile as well as it should, and the body tries to dilute the bile by dumping a bunch of water into the intestinal tract. The water is what causes the violent trots. People who have had their gallbladders removed also experience this problem, and doctors have been prescribing Questran (cholestyramine) for years to control the diarrhea.I was classic. I bathroom mapped, planned outings very,very carefully, took changes of clothes, had extreme anxiety when travelling, and felt that my quality of life and my dignity were suffering badly from my incontinence and my fear of atacks. If you read my Part 1 story, you can hear about all my sufferings and humiliations. I have enormous empathy for anyone else on the planet who suffers the anxiety of never knowing if you are in control or not. It is awful. _From my very first dose of cholestyramine_, I felt a new sensation after eating. I felt&#8230; settled. I felt normal. I felt no need to do preemptive trips to the bathroom before starting a movie. I have been on the med for a month now, and have driven for 2 hours to pick my daughter up at the airport with NO pit-stops and little anxiety, watched movies from start to finish, taken a 4 day spring break car trip, eaten steak at a restaurant, shopped, walked after eating, soaked at a hots prings, and have begun taking off for the store on a moments notice. Life is changing.If you think you might have Habba Syndrome, check out Dr. Saad Habba's website, and talk to your doctor. Relief could be in the cards for you, too. God Bless you all!


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## bushbabe5 (Jan 12, 2010)

Wow I think you just told my hole story! I am 34 yrs old and my moment of extream embarrassment was when my family and i went to the mall shopping. I couldn't even make it to the bathroom and had to make my husband go and buy me some new undies and had to wear my daughters shorts that we just bought. Now reading your post maybe there is hope for me and maybe we can take trips without starving myself because i never know what is going to bring it on. So i want to say is THANK YOU


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## CGK (Jul 18, 2011)

Trinilady said:


> Hi All,This is my first post. I am freaking out because for the first time in 35 years, I am functional. Really functional; not just "for the moment functional" . No bathroom mapping needed. No worrying about every flippin' morsel I put in my mouth, or every drop I drink.I have been working to curb anxiety and have been trying all sorts of dietary modifications and IBS medicines for 34 years. I have been fighting and struggling with what I thought was IBS and panic syndrome since I was 15. I don't have to list all the doctors, tests and medications, because if you are at this site, you have been there, too.Now, at age 48, I finally have the correct diagnosis and it isn't IBS! It is a recently identified gallbladder problem called "Habba Syndrome". It mimics severe IBS- D. A person with Habba Syndrome will experience violent diarrhea immediately after, or even during meals, especially ones including fatty foods. Habba Syndrome is caused by a malfunctioning gallbladder. Normally, the liver produces bile salts when you eat, which go into your intestinal tract to help digest fat, and the gallbladder helps to process this bile. With the syndrome, the gallbladder does not process the bile as well as it should, and the body tries to dilute the bile by dumping a bunch of water into the intestinal tract. The water is what causes the violent trots. People who have had their gallbladders removed also experience this problem, and doctors have been prescribing Questran (cholestyramine) for years to control the diarrhea.I was classic. I bathroom mapped, planned outings very,very carefully, took changes of clothes, had extreme anxiety when travelling, and felt that my quality of life and my dignity were suffering badly from my incontinence and my fear of atacks. If you read my Part 1 story, you can hear about all my sufferings and humiliations. I have enormous empathy for anyone else on the planet who suffers the anxiety of never knowing if you are in control or not. It is awful. _From my very first dose of cholestyramine_, I felt a new sensation after eating. I felt&#8230; settled. I felt normal. I felt no need to do preemptive trips to the bathroom before starting a movie. I have been on the med for a month now, and have driven for 2 hours to pick my daughter up at the airport with NO pit-stops and little anxiety, watched movies from start to finish, taken a 4 day spring break car trip, eaten steak at a restaurant, shopped, walked after eating, soaked at a hots prings, and have begun taking off for the store on a moments notice. Life is changing.If you think you might have Habba Syndrome, check out Dr. Saad Habba's website, and talk to your doctor. Relief could be in the cards for you, too. God Bless you all!


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## CGK (Jul 18, 2011)

Thank you so much for sharing your story... It sounds to me that I'm completely in this same camp. Can you tell me more about how the medicine is prescribed? I'd like to ask my doctor about trying me on this medication... what dosage? How often? Before meals? Thanks so much.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

This post was from 2009 hon so... How you find out more about it is ask your Dr about it as it is only via prescription. Questran (cholestyramine) is the powder form and Colestid is the pill form. It binds up excess bile which can cause diarrhea.Of course your Dr would have the dosage info for you and ask him/her when it is best to take it.


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