# What is the point in living anymore?



## MaroonGirl

Young, 26 and have been suffering from IBS since the past 5 years

Lost my job, lost my career, lost everything and sitting at home since the past year.

What is the point in living anymore? Constant pain, bloating, tummy woes and trips to the toilet. Not being able to enjoy anything in life because of the aches and sensations in my bowels. No friends. Just my poor family stuck with me and my $$$$$$ing IBS. What kind of life is this?

I have always been strong and pushed through the issues and ignored them but now I can't even ignore the symptoms. My old parents are more active than I am. I am not able to do anything or eat anything without pain.

Sometimes, I just want to kill myself. I don't want to live anymore. I genuinely don't.

It's painful to not be able to enjoy anything in your youth. Let alone live your old age like this.

I am sorry if this sounds depressing but I needed to get this off my chest


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## Lorelei56

Believe me, I know the feeling. But don't do anything drastic. There are many things you can research that might help. Have you had a colonoscopy to determine if there isn't something other than IBS going on? Have you been tested for C Diff? I just found out I had it and I've probably had it for a long time. It's treatable. Please check out food sensitivities - FODMAPS, salicylates, sulfites, amines, etc. Have you tried calcium, bentonite clay, probiotics, etc.? I really and truly know where you're coming from but if there is something you can do, get tested for, eliminate from your diet, etc., then you may be able to live a close-to-normal life. Please look into my suggestions. And post back here, ok?


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## MaroonGirl

Hey, thanks for the response. What other tests did you get done besides the C difficile? I am having to research and get tests done independently at this point. The doctors are not of much help.


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## Lorelei56

Lots of colonoscopies before they finally found ulcerative colitis. A poop sample shows calprotectin, an indicator of inflammation, and it also shows if you have C diff. Various blood tests that show if your pancreas or liver is not working well. There is one, a comprehensive metabolic panel, that shows kidney function (a poorly working kidney can cause symptoms of IBS-D). C reactive protein, which shows inflammation in the body but is not really specific as to where it is.

And yes, most doctors I've been to, and I've been to a LOT, are useless. Once you've been tagged as having IBS-D, they are very dismissive. The last one I had, who was dismissive as well, did at least turn me on to food sensitivities. I wish I had known about those years ago.


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## dlqc

jay li


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## Veaen

syf08678 said:


> My English is awful, but I really hope you could do more research and never lose hope for a wonderful life. I have had the same feeling for many years, but I did improve a lot during the past two years, after I did a lot of research online. There must be quite a few books that will be useful to you. My problem (pelvic floor dysfunction) is different from yours so my resources are not helpful to you, but I did find a book teaching me how to retrain my muscles (mainly Yoga gestures), and then my symptoms just improve step by step. They never disappear over one night, but the key is to follow the instructions strictly and never give up, just keep on doing it. More research is always good, at least it is better doing research, seeking a second advice, and coming here to get emotional support, than locking ourselves inside our washroom, isn't it?


Do you remember name of book?


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## dlqc

Veaen said:


> Do you remember name of book?


https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Pelvic-Pain-Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561


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## dlqc

Yoga might also be quite helpful. Actually many muscle training gestures mentioned in the book above are variations of Yoga. Since you cannot to attend a typical Yoga session in a fitness club due to your unpredictable symptoms, you can self-learn some Yoga on Youtube.


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## laylow

Try every probiotic for a week and also FMT. Taymount clinic in the UK does them, might be an option for you.


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## StevieO

MaroonGirl said:


> Young, 26 and have been suffering from IBS since the past 5 years
> 
> Lost my job, lost my career, lost everything and sitting at home since the past year.
> 
> What is the point in living anymore? Constant pain, bloating, tummy woes and trips to the toilet. Not being able to enjoy anything in life because of the aches and sensations in my bowels. No friends. Just my poor family stuck with me and my $$$$$$ing IBS. What kind of life is this?
> 
> I have always been strong and pushed through the issues and ignored them but now I can't even ignore the symptoms. My old parents are more active than I am. I am not able to do anything or eat anything without pain.
> 
> Sometimes, I just want to kill myself. I don't want to live anymore. I genuinely don't.
> 
> It's painful to not be able to enjoy anything in your youth. Let alone live your old age like this.
> 
> I am sorry if this sounds depressing but I needed to get this off my chest


Hey! IBS is bad for a while, but can get better and manageable. I know it's really bad and I've been there. I lost my job and quit meeting any friends due to this too, but stop thinking like that. It's only downhill if you think like that.

First of all, you need to get on the Low-Fodmap/Gluten-Free diet (no wheat, no dairy). After a few weeks, it'll really help. Then, you need to find a good GP who can prescribe something for the pain/cramps (like Librax or something like that) and you need to exercise daily. He might also give you an SOS tab for the frequent trips to the loo thingy.

Keep yourself active and entertained at all times. Meet whoever you can and try to be out of the house at all times. You'll feel better in a few weeks and you can try getting a job that suits your new time/schedule and lifestyle.

Don't give up!


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## AlisonfromSickofIBS

syf08678 said:


> My English is awful, but I really hope you could do more research and never lose hope for a wonderful life. I have had the same feeling for many years, but I did improve a lot during the past two years, after I did a lot of research online. There must be quite a few books that will be useful to you. My problem (pelvic floor dysfunction) is different from yours so my resources are not helpful to you, but I did find a book teaching me how to retrain my muscles (mainly Yoga gestures), and then my symptoms just improve step by step. They never disappear over one night, but the key is to follow the instructions strictly and never give up, just keep on doing it. More research is always good, at least it is better doing research, seeking a second advice, and coming here to get emotional support, than locking ourselves inside our washroom, isn't it?


Your English is very good!

Alison


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## Filbert

I'm trying to spread this as much as possible... please try a home test for Candida overgrowth, it's very simple to test at home (https://www.youtube....h?v=iQaNrE68sV4) and a dead giveaway is if you have oral thrush (your tongue has white spots on it constantly). I often wake up with feelings of "what is the point of living" etc etc, but you just have to push through and fix yourself. Let me know how you go with the spit test for Candida overgrowth.


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## ashyam86343

Hi Maroon, i like your nick. .

I dont know how i miss this thread. Well, i dont know how long you are suffering from IBS and what are your diagnosis. Well i am almost comfortable now with my strict herbal diet plan & naturopath ( Ayurveda & Sidha ) assistance. I also helped nearly 3 people in this same website.

Dont give up, you are young, our body itself can cure when we are ill we need to support our body thats all. Respond me as soon as you see this message.

Live strong


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## sjtoole

*UPDATE AUG/2020: Bloating Issue Solved after 12 years of suffering: *I finally stumbled on to something that puts a serious dent in my severe bloating! *Non-prescription digestive enzymes*

While searching the keyword "bloating" on Amazon, I discovered that many people had great luck with non-prescription *digestive enzymes.*

There are many brands available on Amazon and at health/vitamin stores, and they all pretty much contain the same enzymes in different combinations. (Ex. Protease, Peptidase, Lipase, etc.)

I have had good luck with a brand called *HUM Flatter Me, available on Amazon.*

They are basically the same enzymes that your stomach and pancreas produce normally, and are relatively cheap.

I take them before and immediately after I eat a meal, and they DRASTICALLY reduce my bloating.

My H. Pylori infection may have damaged my stomach's ability to produce these enzymes. I am really disappointed that none of the GI specialists that I visited even suggested this as a possible treatment!

The anti-histamines still help, but not nearly as much as the digestive enzymes.

*If nothing is working for you, order these from Amazon or buy a bottle at your local nutrition /vitamin store and give them a try.*

=================================

Hang in there!

I struggled for 8 years with severe bloating, until I got fed up and tried combinations of antibiotics on my own. (I checked drugs.com to verify there were no dangerous interactions.) *The only combination that knocks my bloating down temporarily is azithromycin (250 mg) + doxycycline (100 mg) twice per day*. Adding an Advil to this combination seems to help a bit also. If you haven't tried that combination, I would definitely give it a shot! (These are generally considered non-standard antibiotics for IBS, so you may need to prod your GI doctor to prescribe them for you.)

Also, has your Gastroenterologist tested you for h. pylori? This is a simple blood test.


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## MaroonGirl

I was diagnosed with H pylori. I took a LOT of antibiotics for it. Retested for it and it was gone but I also had "SIBO". Took Rifagut for that and felt on top of the world. Now, back to the same cramps, acidity,, urge to go to the loo all day and don't even get me started on the bloating









Anyone have any suggestions? I live in India now ad literally impossible to find pure low FODMAP , gluten free things.

I also have developed wheezing and wake up coughing and unable to breathe at night! :/


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## MaroonGirl

sjtoole said:


> Hang in there!
> 
> I struggled for 8 years with severe bloating, until I got fed up and tried combinations of antibiotics on my own. (I checked drugs.com to verify there were no dangerous interactions.) *The only combination that knocks my bloating down temporarily is azithromycin (250 mg) + doxycycline (100 mg) twice per day*. Adding an Advil to this combination seems to help a bit also. If you haven't tried that combination, I would definitely give it a shot! (These are generally considered non-standard antibiotics for IBS, so you may need to prod your GI doctor to prescribe them for you.)
> 
> Also, has your Gastroenterologist tested you for h. pylori? This is a simple blood test.


Sj, did you get diagnosed with SIBO or H pylori? How often do you take the antibiotics?

Thanks


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## sjtoole

Hi MG:

My initial symptom was just bad night time acid reflux, with no SIBO or bloating. My primary care doctor never checked for h. pylori and just gave me the standard prilosec acid reducer, and it was right after I started the prilosec that the bloating started migrating from my lower GI to my entire upper GI region now.

I went to 4 gastroenterologists before i was tested for h. pylori. I took the standard triple therapy (clarithromycin, amoxicillin and lansaprazole) and my breath test came back negative for h. Pylori (=cured).

But the bloating never went away.

I tried many different single antibiotics, but never in combination: metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, rifaxamin, augmentin (amoxicillin+clavalunate), and while I felt a tiny bit better, they never really reduced the bloating.

I read on this message board that some people had miraculous results with doxycycline, and after a lot of pleading, my GI doctor finally prescribed it. It helped more than the other individual antibiotics, but not by much. My brother had one azithromycin pill left over from a business trip and I just decided to take it while on doxycycline to see what would happen. I was surprised to see that it had a much stronger effect that reduced the bloating by about 50-60%. It's not a cure, but I can at least manage and not constantly suffer with debilitating bloating like before. (I checked to make sure there were no dangerous drug interactions on https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html )

I now take the doxycycline and azithromycin right after eating dinner. I usually take the doxy first, followed by the azithromycin an hour later.

When I first started though, I took the pills twice a day for a few months (morning and after dinner). It's a good idea to have a little food in your stomach, since antibiotics on an empty stomach can make you a little nauseous).

This combination may not work for you, but another combination might be really useful. The important thing is to not give up and keep trying different combinations. Most doctors will give up if they can't fix it after a few attempts, but it's important to keep trying until you find the drug combination that works for you. Never give up!

Let me know if I you have any additional questions!


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## MaroonGirl

So you take antibiotics on a daily basis? Is that even safe?

I feel like I might need to take them forever too.


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## ashyam86343

MaroonGirl said:


> So you take antibiotics on a daily basis? Is that even safe?
> 
> I feel like I might need to take them forever too.


Hey Maroon girl, sent you an private message. check out and comment


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## sjtoole

Hi MG:

While most antibiotics are taken for short periods, such as two weeks, depending on the infection, many patients stay on them for months or longer (Example: older women can be kept on Cipro for months to make sure that their urinary tract infections are permanently cured.)

I took my antibiotic combo regimen twice a day for months, but am now only taking them once a day, after dinner


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## Barney71

Hey, I will refrain myself from medical advice here as there is definitely many more qualified and knowledgeable people around here, but I just gotta say that I know this feeling very well. I've been there many times and one thing that you certainly cannot do is lose hope. You just can't do it. Hope is everything you have left, hope to finally lead a life that you want to lead. No matter what happens, don't give up. Life is actually pretty pointless, but you have to take pleasure from small things, just do what you like and try to improve yourself over many areas to improve your life. I've been in the same spot after diagnosing my digestion problems and incontinence. I didn't see any point in living, all I saw were those people that are happy are stress free, that don't have problems like I do. You know what, everyone has their own problem, key is to have those minor problems than those big like us, but you can't stop it. You can only try to make your life more enjoyable, there is nothing good about living your life miserably, so no matter what the problems are you have to still try to find some joy in this life. Try doing things that you truly enjoying doing, reward yourself with something that you always wanted to do, but haven't. Set some goals for yourself. Everyone gotta to do this. If this is any consolation, remember that there are still people in this world who have bigger problems and they are still fighting. Obviously you see all those happy people around you that, that don't worry about a thing and lead nice lives, but there are also those who are struggling everyday in their life fighting for something that will make them feel better. I think that no matter what happens, life is still worth living and I'm saying it as a guy who had suicidal thoughts in the past. Try to get the most out of what you can! To be honest since I have ordered discreet equipment from here http://try.hexanow.com/55667788/ I feel much less ashamed about being IT and also under great consultation from doctor I have definitely improved my diarrhea problems.

Good luck!


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## Positiveside

I can only imagine the struggle you are going through right now. But, remember that every problem has its solution. So, don't give up and always stay positive.

You might want to try to search for things that might help. I'm pretty sure, there are plenty of them online. Or you might want to contact a professional and seek for help.

Don't lose hope! I believe you'll get better.


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## sjtoole

*UPDATE AUG/2020: Bloating Issue Solved after 12 years of suffering: *I finally stumbled on to something that puts a serious dent in my severe bloating! *Non-prescription digestive enzymes*

While searching the keyword "bloating" on Amazon, I discovered that many people had great luck with non-prescription *digestive enzymes.*

There are many brands available on Amazon and at health/vitamin stores, and they all pretty much contain the same enzymes in different combinations. (Ex. Protease, Peptidase, Lipase, etc.)

I have had good luck with a brand called *HUM Flatter Me, available on Amazon.*

They are basically the same enzymes that your stomach and pancreas produce normally, and are relatively cheap.

I take them before and immediately after I eat a meal, and they DRASTICALLY reduce my bloating.

My H. Pylori infection may have damaged my stomach's ability to produce these enzymes. I am really disappointed that none of the GI specialists that I visited even suggested this as a possible treatment!

The anti-histamines still help, but not nearly as much as the digestive enzymes.

*If nothing is working for you, order these from Amazon or buy a bottle at your local nutrition /vitamin store and give them a try.*

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRIOR RESEARCH: Working treatment - after 10 years of non-stop suffering! Bloating reduced dramatically!

I discovered by complete accident that when I take an over-the-counter antihistamine, fexofenadine (generic Allegra), my intense bloating symptoms decreased dramatically. They are not eliminated, but they are 70-80% reduced, and I can bend over to pick things up and can go up a flight of steps without severe chest pain.

None of the GI specialists I have visited over the past 10 years mentioned this as a treatment option, but there are several academic papers on pub med that discuss this, so it's definitely an up and coming topic.

I am now going to add an additional non-drowsy antihistamine (loratadine) to the fexofenadine to see if it works even better.

Since none of the many antibiotics that I have tried really had this dramatic of a positive effect, I would definitely give the anti-histamaine OTC drugs a try, since they are cheap and very safe.

*UPDATE May, 2019*: I have added H2 blocker antihistamines Tagamet (Cimetidine) and Pepcid (famotidine) to my regimen, and these have substantially cut down on my bloating. (Both are available as cheap generics.)

I take generic fexofenadine with a glass of water first thing in the morning. I take the tagamet a few hours before eating dinner and take the pepcid immediately after eating. They do not eliminate the bloating, but definitely seem to suppress it.


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## Positiveside

MaroonGirl said:


> Young, 26 and have been suffering from IBS since the past 5 years
> 
> Lost my job, lost my career, lost everything and sitting at home since the past year.
> 
> What is the point in living anymore? Constant pain, bloating, tummy woes and trips to the toilet. Not being able to enjoy anything in life because of the aches and sensations in my bowels. No friends. Just my poor family stuck with me and my $$$$$$ing IBS. What kind of life is this?
> 
> I have always been strong and pushed through the issues and ignored them but now I can't even ignore the symptoms. My old parents are more active than I am. I am not able to do anything or eat anything without pain.
> 
> Sometimes, I just want to kill myself. I don't want to live anymore. I genuinely don't.
> 
> It's painful to not be able to enjoy anything in your youth. Let alone live your old age like this.
> 
> I am sorry if this sounds depressing but I needed to get this off my chest
> 
> How are you? Don't overthink about it. Everything will be fine as I 've heard that its curable and it can't be treated.


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## sjtoole

UPDATE: I tried an over the counter amino acid supplement powder and noticed that it dramatically reduced my bloating even further. It also allowed me to have normal bowel movements without needing high-dose laxatives. I'm not sure which of the amino acids is helping, but L-Glutamine is mentioned in the research literature as helping with post h. pylori infection damage, so I'm going to take a higher dose of that specific amino acid to see if it has an even greater effect. (I'm using an amino acid brand called ON (Optimized Nutrition).)

If nothing else has helped you, try it. It's cheap and you don't need a prescription for it.


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## Jesusheals21

Hi,
Please don’t give up on life. I am the same age as you and I am a survivor of IBS D. I used to hate life and wanted to give up also. I want to encourage you because there is a way for you to live a life and have ibs in control. I have ibs but I learned to control it and not allow it to destroy my life. Please message me. I would love to talk with you more


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