# Well, Here's my story. Living with IBS



## bradster1 (Jan 27, 2011)

Well, I thought I would give the forums a try. I have known about this site for quite some time and signed up as a member quite awhile ago but have never participated. My story is probably like many others. I have always had stomach problems since I was a kid. I was always referred to as having a nervous stomach. So much so that my mother referred to me as the "Pepto Kid". You see I have always turned to a shot of pepto bismol to try for a quick fix for my upset stomachs and still do to this day. I always seemed to be able to deal with my stomach problems in the past and never really seemed to let them stand in my way. I never thought twice about going on a road trip or to a social event. Unfortunately my problems started to get worse about three years ago. My upset stomachs worsened. Now at the age of 37 it seems that this IBS I was diagnosed with about two years ago controls my life. One of the hardest parts of it is seeing how it affects my family. I have a wife and two beautiful children. I absolutely hate to tell my kids "no" when they want me to do something because dad doesn't feel good at the time. Or give up family vacations for the fear of having problems arise the whole time. I am one of those who is constantly trying to figure out where bathrooms will be when I have to go somewhere. Some of my symptoms are probably similar to some but also different. I only have diarrhea occasionally and am never really constipated. I do however have frequent bowel movements everyday. They are usually soft in consistancy but are very thin and ribbonlike (which I understand is a symptom of IBS). I, like others I'm sure, find myself trying to have a bowel movement several times before I go somewhere wether I really have to or not in fear that I might have the sudden urge to have one while I am out and about. A lot of my stomach aches and pains occur earlier in the morning. I wake up with very bad gas and flatulence. Sometimes my problems are so bad that I am tempted to leave work but somehow manage to tough through them on most occasions. I never know what I can safely eat. Some foods I can eat and never have a problem only to eat them again some other time and have them wreak havoc on my digestive system. Sometimes my problems occur as just an upset stomach or nausea and other times they come in the form of lowere abdominal pain and cramping. I have had several of the test done but probably not all. I have had a cat scan of the abdomen, stool test for bacteria, urine test, blood tests, and an endoscopy. Everything comes back as normal. So much so that I should be the healthiest 37 year old male alive. So why do I feel so terrible all the time. It is just soo frustrating. I keep trying to get myself to make more lifestyle changes but sometimes I think I might still be in some denial and find it hard to do. Well that is my story in short. If anyone has any helpful advice or stories to share please by all means do so. The only comforting thing about this is know I am not alone.


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## PumpIron (Apr 2, 2010)

Hello Bradster, and thanks for sharing.Believe me, I would take occasional diarrhea, nausea, pain, and cramping in a heartbeat. You should check out the Gas/Flatulence/Bloating/incontinence sub-forums. Is the nausea so debilitating that it makes even walking around dangerous? What exactly is causing you to spend less time with your family? Does the pain become so unbearable that you can't perform normal daily tasks?


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## bradster1 (Jan 27, 2011)

PumpIron said:


> Hello Bradster, and thanks for sharing.Believe me, I would take occasional diarrhea, nausea, pain, and cramping in a heartbeat. You should check out the Gas/Flatulence/Bloating/incontinence sub-forums. Is the nausea so debilitating that it makes even walking around dangerous? What exactly is causing you to spend less time with your family? Does the pain become so unbearable that you can't perform normal daily tasks?


It's just the constant not feeling well that keeps me from spending the time with my family. I am always experiencing some sort of symptom. Wether it be burning in my stomach, cramping, gas, or nausea. The nausea isn't so bad that it keeps me from getting around. My mind is always focused on my condition and what is currently bothering me or where the nearest bathroom might be in case I need it. I can't put my focus on having fun and enjoying the time I am spending with my family. It's so hard for me to deal with knowing that as little as four or five years ago none of this was much of an issue for me. I find it hard to understand why my condition has spiraled downward so much. I use to feel that I was healthy and invinsible. Now just the opposite. After reading some of what people out there go through I realize there are many that have it much worse and I feel for them greatly. It's just hard to believe that this condition has turned a full grown man from someone who thought they could do almost anything to a helpless little person. At least that is the way I feel at times. I just wish I could go to my kid's games or school functions and not even think twice about it. I guess another thing I should mention is that I have recently found out that I suffer from a chronic sinus infection. I have been given several different antibiotics to fight it and nothing touches it. I go in this week to see a specialist. Probably going to end up having sinus surgery to clear them out. Between the effects the sinus infection is having on my body and my IBS I am really a mess right now. Both physically and mentally. I have been experiencing panic attacks because of my health. Everyday I am dealing with something.I thank you for your reply pumpiron. I am determined to try and get better. My family deserves it.


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## imike12345 (May 18, 2010)

Hello Bradster1,Your story sounds similar to mine. I've probably always had a little bit of stomach issue but nothing I couldn't handle then I turn 35 and my IBS has gotten so bad, I wonder how I make it day to day. Sometimes it bloating, sometimes nausea, and sometimes just a general feeling of I don't feel well. I also take pepto a lot as it the only thing that seems to somewhat help sometimes. I try to not let it control my life, but when I start to feel bad, I can't help it, it's not like I can just turn it off although I would like to. When it's not too bad, it's like somebody flipped a switch and I'm happy go lucky again and nothing can stop me. I have had numerous tests and my GI really won't do anymore as he says I have already had numerous tests that are always normal. I always feel like they are missing something, but the last couple times I went in, he won't do anything anymore. I skipped a vacation as I was not feeling well and didn't really want to deal with any problems that arise when im away. I know I shouldn't let it affect me like that but how fun would a vacation be if I felt awful the whole time. I have good days and bad days. I have been trying low carb and it seems to help but not everyday. Like you when I'm having a bad day, my mind is always focused on my condition. I review tests I've had, lab work, trying to figure it out. It's funny that you have a sinus infection as I have had them as well and my tummy problnems usually are triggered by antibiotics. I take probiotics, but they don't seem to reverse the damage that was maybe done. I also get anxiety attack due to my health because it's so scary to feel trapped in your body with these issues and nobody can help. But like I said, give me a good day and it's like a switch is flipped and I'm feeling great. Anyhow, let us know how it goes. Try low carb and see if that at least helps a bit. I try to do 50-100g of carbs per day.


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## Kirk (Nov 29, 2011)

Hi there.Well bud I feel your pain some days I'm not sure if I can make it through the day.But I might have a tip on some food's,I've been testing myself without diferrant food's.Get off the dairy products,about a week off the dairy I could once again go out without having to worrie about crapping my pant's no bull I had about two minutes to find a bathroom.Once I got off the dairy I wasn't blasting the toilet every 10 min for the first two hour's of getting out of bed.And now have decent stool movment's like before I got sick.I don't eat anything greasy or spicy no food's with red or oranre in it either red espialy kill's me no more pop or juices I just drink water.No booze at all,witch for me suck's I like to enjoy a drink once in a while but no more it kills me.Anyway I hope you find this helpfull and good luck.


bradster1 said:


> Well, I thought I would give the forums a try. I have known about this site for quite some time and signed up as a member quite awhile ago but have never participated. My story is probably like many others. I have always had stomach problems since I was a kid. I was always referred to as having a nervous stomach. So much so that my mother referred to me as the "Pepto Kid". You see I have always turned to a shot of pepto bismol to try for a quick fix for my upset stomachs and still do to this day. I always seemed to be able to deal with my stomach problems in the past and never really seemed to let them stand in my way. I never thought twice about going on a road trip or to a social event. Unfortunately my problems started to get worse about three years ago. My upset stomachs worsened. Now at the age of 37 it seems that this IBS I was diagnosed with about two years ago controls my life. One of the hardest parts of it is seeing how it affects my family. I have a wife and two beautiful children. I absolutely hate to tell my kids "no" when they want me to do something because dad doesn't feel good at the time. Or give up family vacations for the fear of having problems arise the whole time. I am one of those who is constantly trying to figure out where bathrooms will be when I have to go somewhere. Some of my symptoms are probably similar to some but also different. I only have diarrhea occasionally and am never really constipated. I do however have frequent bowel movements everyday. They are usually soft in consistancy but are very thin and ribbonlike (which I understand is a symptom of IBS). I, like others I'm sure, find myself trying to have a bowel movement several times before I go somewhere wether I really have to or not in fear that I might have the sudden urge to have one while I am out and about. A lot of my stomach aches and pains occur earlier in the morning. I wake up with very bad gas and flatulence. Sometimes my problems are so bad that I am tempted to leave work but somehow manage to tough through them on most occasions. I never know what I can safely eat. Some foods I can eat and never have a problem only to eat them again some other time and have them wreak havoc on my digestive system. Sometimes my problems occur as just an upset stomach or nausea and other times they come in the form of lowere abdominal pain and cramping. I have had several of the test done but probably not all. I have had a cat scan of the abdomen, stool test for bacteria, urine test, blood tests, and an endoscopy. Everything comes back as normal. So much so that I should be the healthiest 37 year old male alive. So why do I feel so terrible all the time. It is just soo frustrating. I keep trying to get myself to make more lifestyle changes but sometimes I think I might still be in some denial and find it hard to do. Well that is my story in short. If anyone has any helpful advice or stories to share please by all means do so. The only comforting thing about this is know I am not alone.


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## bradster1 (Jan 27, 2011)

Kirk said:


> Hi there.Well bud I feel your pain some days I'm not sure if I can make it through the day.But I might have a tip on some food's,I've been testing myself without diferrant food's.Get off the dairy products,about a week off the dairy I could once again go out without having to worrie about crapping my pant's no bull I had about two minutes to find a bathroom.Once I got off the dairy I wasn't blasting the toilet every 10 min for the first two hour's of getting out of bed.And now have decent stool movment's like before I got sick.I don't eat anything greasy or spicy no food's with red or oranre in it either red espialy kill's me no more pop or juices I just drink water.No booze at all,witch for me suck's I like to enjoy a drink once in a while but no more it kills me.Anyway I hope you find this helpfull and good luck.


Kirk thanks for the tips. I pretty much stick to water anymore also. I have cut out anything with caffeine in it. After years and years of drinking coca cola. Don't really touch the booze anymore either. Pretty much gave that up after I got married. Still have an occasional beer but that's it. I will try the other things too. Especially the dairy. I sometimes wonder if part of my condition got worse now that I don't stay as active anymore either. A little as five or six years ago I was always on the move. I rode dirt bikes and snowmobiles and always did stuff that kept me outside and on the move. Now I do none of those things. Don't get me wrong I'm not a couch potato but I'm definately not using my body like I use to.


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## bradster1 (Jan 27, 2011)

imike12345 said:


> Hello Bradster1,Your story sounds similar to mine. I've probably always had a little bit of stomach issue but nothing I couldn't handle then I turn 35 and my IBS has gotten so bad, I wonder how I make it day to day. Sometimes it bloating, sometimes nausea, and sometimes just a general feeling of I don't feel well. I also take pepto a lot as it the only thing that seems to somewhat help sometimes. I try to not let it control my life, but when I start to feel bad, I can't help it, it's not like I can just turn it off although I would like to. When it's not too bad, it's like somebody flipped a switch and I'm happy go lucky again and nothing can stop me. I have had numerous tests and my GI really won't do anymore as he says I have already had numerous tests that are always normal. I always feel like they are missing something, but the last couple times I went in, he won't do anything anymore. I skipped a vacation as I was not feeling well and didn't really want to deal with any problems that arise when im away. I know I shouldn't let it affect me like that but how fun would a vacation be if I felt awful the whole time. I have good days and bad days. I have been trying low carb and it seems to help but not everyday. Like you when I'm having a bad day, my mind is always focused on my condition. I review tests I've had, lab work, trying to figure it out. It's funny that you have a sinus infection as I have had them as well and my tummy problnems usually are triggered by antibiotics. I take probiotics, but they don't seem to reverse the damage that was maybe done. I also get anxiety attack due to my health because it's so scary to feel trapped in your body with these issues and nobody can help. But like I said, give me a good day and it's like a switch is flipped and I'm feeling great. Anyhow, let us know how it goes. Try low carb and see if that at least helps a bit. I try to do 50-100g of carbs per day.


imike12345. Thanks for responding. Man your story sounds very similar to mine. I too don't like to be dependent on taking the pepto all the time but sometimes it just seems like it is the only thing that will help. I know what you mean about the reference about flipping a switch too. It may seem like one minute I'm on top of the world and the next I feel like total ####. I can't help but wonder what the hell just happened. Why is it like this. So many unanswered questions. I don't wish this condition on anyone but it is somewhat comforting knowing there are others out there who can relate. My wife is great and very supportive but I know deep down she doesn't know how I feel most of the time.


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