# Newly Diagnosed



## olive3 (Mar 30, 2017)

Hi, I'm posting this in hopes of getting some information that I haven't necessarily read on line already. I haven't been officially diagnosed with IBS, but I believe my doctors are leaning towards IBS-D. This all started about 6-7 months ago. I began to have reoccurring diarrhea. Then I began to have mucus in my stool, like a lot of mucus. Then came the constant ache of my stomach. I thought that I could just continue to put this off and eventually it'd go away. Well 6 months later, my stomach still ached, I was still having mucus in my stool, and still having diarrhea so many days out of the week. I finally asked my primary physician about it, who referred me to a Gastrointestinal Doctor. After seeing my GI doctor and telling him my symptoms (also having blood with bowel movements), he scheduled me for a colonoscopy (due to the alarming signs of blood and mucus, as well as my grandmother died from colon cancer). My colon came back looking perfectly fine.

I then eliminated dairy from my diet and didn't notice any real changes. They then tested me for a gluten allergy, which that just came back negative. My stomach still hurts the majority of the time. It aches some days like I constantly have to use the bathroom. Then some days it feels bubbly and gurgles. In order for me to feel "normal" I have to take anti diarrhea meds, even if I'm not having diarrhea per say. This is the only thing that stops the ache feeling and the bubbly feeling. I always feel like I need to go to the bathroom it seems like, and so I'll try to go and then sometimes it's only mucus that comes out.

Also, on my left side of my stomach sometimes it feels like I have a baby inside kicking me. (only way to describe it because it's how it felt when I was pregnant with my daughter). And then sometimes I'll get a quick jolt of pain through my abdomen and then it's gone.

I've tried probiotics, which didn't seem to make a difference. I have read online that there is a probiotic targeted specifically for people with IBS, has anyone had experience with those? And could you tell me what they are/where to get them?

Has anyone else experienced this? Does this sound like what you guys that have been diagnosed with IBS-D suffer from? I'm beginning to feel like I'm losing my mind. I feel anxious and depressed a lot due to this. I just want to feel normal again and not worry that I'm going to have to go to the bathroom all the time. Sorry for the long post, but I'm so thankful I found this website because I want to know that I'm not alone and there are other people out there that feel this way.


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## Rboe (Mar 26, 2017)

You have are not alone. I have been where you are: frustrated and depressed. IBS is simply a way for doctors to say you have a digestive issue and we do not know what the cause is. It can take time to find the right cure for each person's IBS and sometimes people are not willing to try some of the things that may help, especially if it means inconveniencing them.

I think VSL 3 is a popular probiotic for IBS. I used one that my naturopath office has specially formulated.

Probiotics are a good way to start. If you have a lot of bad bacteria causing your IBS, the probiotics may actually make you feel worse for awhile but then you may improve. Also, there are several diets that help IBS. Unfortunately you do not really know which one will work for you unless you try them. A naturopath could help, one that is good with IBS. A naturopath could also run a food intolerance test. (you need to do the test that does a full blood draw, not a finger prick. The blood draw will test for IGE and IGG and IGA antibodies. Then you avoid the foods you reacted too for awhile.).

But there is hope. Many people find a diet that works for them. Popular diets are the Candida diet, low FODMAP diet, a low carb diet and the SCD diet. You can google to see the differences.

I tried FODMAP a few years ago. It helped decrease my symptoms for a short time, about a month or two. It never got rid of my symptoms. I believe the reason it helped is simply because I cut back on all forms of sugar.

I saw a naturopath who treated me for Candida overgrowth. After being treated for Candida my symptoms decreased about 60-70%. I still have enough symptoms to know Candida is not the only issue. I am currently trying the SCD (simple carbohydrate diet.). That worked and got rid of almost all my symptoms for about 5 weeks. But I have been in a flare since Thursday. I seem to be improving but only time will tell. Today was a great day. Only one bm and no pain. In the past five years that has rarely occurred.


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## laylow (Jun 2, 2016)

Great post, great information. I may want to pick your brain at some point. Could I message you directly?


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## Rboe (Mar 26, 2017)

I don't think there is a way to message directly here. Still figuring out this board.


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