# New to IBS and am having problems, I have some questions that.



## runningfromtheruns (Jun 23, 2003)

Hello Everyone,First of all this website in general is all new to me and I haven't seen much of it. I am 19 years old and I have been having problems with my bowels for over a year now. For the past year the doctors have told me that my diarrhea would go away. Unfortunately it has not. They sent me for blood/stool/urine tests and also for a barium enema. Nothing has come up on any of these tests. Finally I realized that I could not live like this anymore and it was not getting better, in fact it seemed to be getting worse. I am a lifeguard/daycamp counsellor/swimming instructor at a lake outside all day. We have too many kids for me to be able to leave for half an hour to try and use the washroom. My mom started me on the IBS diet and I am on a bunch of natural drug type things. I have only been on it for about a week and a half, but life has gotten worse. I have worse diarrhea in the am and in the pm I have bloating (look like I am a couple of months pregnant) and gas and cramps. I am wondering if anyone can give me any suggestions on how to control any of this or to ease the pain. I can't go out at night anymore, the gas is embarassing and the cramps are painful. I want to be able to function again. I have tried the cammomile tea (I can't do peppermint because I have acid reflux) I try and go for a walk or run after dinner, but it only helps a little bit. If anyone has any suggestions I would be forever grateful. I was also wondering, I saw some postings about colonoscopies, are they similar to a barium enema? I am pretty sure that when I go for my follow up doctor's appointment at the beginning of next week that they will try and send me for one of those. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope some of you will respond, I really seem to have reached a dead end and I am very frustrated.Lyndin


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## jamiethorntonlewis (May 22, 2002)

I would first of all go back to your GP and have more tests done. IBS or functional disorders are diagnosed as a result of elmination. This is imperative.In terms of life style changes. I always believe you need to find out what works for you, if don't work scrap it I say. I find that I must eat 3-4 meals today and not too much. Litlle bits throughout the day. It is important that I always eat at around 10.30 am as the mornings are the worse.I also say it is important to drinka lot, buy bottled water and drink alot. You need your stomach to start digesting again. If it is IBS, this will take a couple a weeks to help with the bloating. This eating and drinking should help the bloating, (it did for me). I also don't eat chocolate, I stay off chip shop food and fast food especially with alot of fat.Also I would say try aloe vera.Also what was good but don't take too much is liquirice root (spelling), these helped with my bloating.You must keep trying. It will get better but you need to find what works for you. Slowly but surely I feel as if I am getting better, I am certainly more active.also whether u believe in it or not try meditation or relaxation things, they will have an effect in the long run.I hope this is off some help.But get your GP to check everything first.If u need to email me, i am on most weekdays. Lewisboy40###hotmail.comJamie


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## lindsay* (Jul 23, 2000)

lyndin,i'm a big fan of elimination diets. doing this really helped me figure out what foods triggered my ibs. for a while there my gastro doc made me go on a clear liquid diet, then a bland diet and that eventually, with some of the meds i was on (lomotal, phenergan, bentyl) helped my belly calm down. the 'brat' diet might help to start. maybe just eat broth, rice, tea, bananas, apple sauce, saltine crackers, and gradually add a new food every day or so, keeping a journal of what you ate and when and how you felt afterwards.my ibs used to be really bad.. constant d and bloating, even vomiting. now, about 7-8 years later it's much, much better. i started gaining weight back after i found out what i could and couldn't eat, took meds, drank tea, did yoga and breathing exercises, took vitamins, etc.the colonoscopy is different from the barium enema in that with the enema they are pumping barium inside your colon to take x-rays and get images. with the colonoscopy they insert what is basically a scope, with a little camera, all the way through your colon, getting direct images from the inside.. checking for polyps, ulcerations, etc. the preparation for the two are basically the same.i also really like those heat patches that playtex makes. you place them on the outside of your unders, and after a few minutes it starts getting warm.. just like wearing a heating pad.. and it lasts for 12 hours. they are thin and discrete. i'm also a fan of taking tub baths with vitamin e and aloe and of laying on my right side with my legs nearly up to my chest and rubbing my belly to help with the gas and bloating.


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## DrDevil (May 31, 2003)

for immediate relief try Imodium tablets from your chemist, they should stop diahorrea, however they may make you constipatedGaz


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