# Wish I knew how to relieve the pain..



## latenightpains (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi I am 17 years old and I was never really 'diagnosed' with IBS. I have been having semi severe stomach aches since I was about 11, which is when my family decided to pick up and move south. I was much of a 'loner' in school after that, I had issues making friends and it didn't help that my family couldn't decide where they wanted to live. We moved about every year which meant I had to go to a different school each year. In 8th grade, my parents promised to stay in one area so I could progress to high school with the same group of people. Unfortunately, I was still unable to make any friends. I had a very hard time in high school, I tried to focus on school work but it really hurt not being able to make friends and I think the stress started to really kick in. In 11th grade, I began having such severe stomach aches that felt like a knife was being stabbed into my lower abdomen and it was VERY sore to touch for awhile. I could not eat virtually any food without it causing an almost immediate stomach ache that would hit and I had to rush to the nearest bathroom where I had explosive diarrhea for sometimes 45 minutes at a time. I wish I could say not eating had helped this, but when I didn't eat the pain grew almost worse than when I did eat! Not only this, but my stomach aches were at their high points at night, they kept me up until 4-5 in the morning. At this point, I began missing days and days of school, which soon turned into months of missed school. I started going to my doctor for help and I was referred to a specialist. The specialist told me 'this isn't a problem that should be causing me to miss school', but my teachers were VERY rude about letting me go to the bathroom, even when I had a doctors note saying I HAD TO GO. I ended up dropping out of high school as the school told me I was basically going to fail the 11th grade(went to a local community college and got my G.E.D a few months after dropping out).Anyway, the specialist was doing tests on me during all of this. I had an upper gi, a colonoscopy and a barium test, all of which turned up no sign of crohns/colitis or any of those sorts of things(they were mainly looking for crohns as my brother has this quite badly and my mother also has diverticulitis). The doctor prescribed me first levbid and when that did nothing, he switched me to bentyl, and had me taking that three times a day. He also prescribed antidepressants to 'help me sleep'(my parents didn't want me taking these so I didn't) He told me that he couldn't find any of the more serious problems that could be there and that it was 'most likely IBS'. I wasn't told what type of IBS or that it was even IBS for sure. This was about.. 8 months ago as that is around when my insurance was canceled and now we can't afford for me to go to any doctors anymore and I don't know what to do anymore.My symptoms today are.. varied. I have bad days and I have good days. I have basically just set in my mind some of the foods that REALLY set me off and I try to avoid them but mostly everything still sets my stomach off. I still have the stomach aches in the middle of the night(it's almost 6am and here I am.. no sleep yet, so much pain) and I am having to go to the bathroom 5-6 times on a GOOD day and 8-9 on a bad day(which is a lot anymore







). My parents can't stand me because sometimes they are in the bathroom and a huge stomach ache just hits me and I have to go to the bathroom RIGHT THEN and they have to get out as fast as they can. I feel really bad and like I am a huge bother to everyone around me.







I have also been having severe gas that just WON'T come out and it's making my stomach hurt sooooo bad and making me feel very nauseous and like I am going to throw up(haven't though). I am going on a long road trip a week from today and I will be going to the beach.. I just wish I knew some way to relieve the pain/gas I get so that it doesn't mess with my life so much. Sorry for all the text. I have never had anyone to talk to about my IBS so openly. I hope maybe talking about it will help relieve it. Whelp, here's to hoping.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

What are you using to control the Diarrhea and the gas pain? You can try Calcium Carbonate Supplements to help firm up D. See this thread about it in the D Forum:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=72764Also some folks find by using a physillium fiber they can bulk up loose stools.Also for the pain have you tried using peppermint tea?? Some folks say they can get pain relief from that. The pain may be gas so have you tried any anti-gas agents?? I find they work best when I take them _with_ meals.Also I find heat can help with the gut pain. Have you ever tried using a heating pad or those heat patches when you can't be plugged into a wall?? Relaxation techniques can help as well. So look up some of those and see if you can try them. In general start with your worst symptom and go to the forum that seems to apply closest and start reading to see what you can find to help you manage your symptoms. (Use the site navigator ... it is on the bottom right of every page.)All the bestBQ


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Hi late night - as a mom, as well as an IBS suffererI really can understand you pain and all that you have gone through - it is hard to deal with school and all that you mention too - I too had to go to the bathroom several times a day, and lasting hours on end with severe D - I raised my kids through the bathroom door - so I know what you are going thru. After lots of meds and many doctors, I tried hypnotherapy as a last resort - BQ who mentions relaxation techniques did too and it can be very helpful - it was for me, and you dont have to leave your house to do them - take a peek at the links below for more info - and if you have any questions, feel free to ask - we are all here to support and help each other... take care


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Yes I will echo Marilyn here and let you know nothing managed my gut pain like the Hypnotherapy. I used the same program Marilyn used.


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