# My story... help?



## Loverofbooks (Sep 13, 2013)

Hello everyone,

I am a 22 year old female that has been suffering with IBS since I was 15 years old (only recently diagnosed however). I can usually go about a month without a flare-up but once they do occur I am out of commission for about a week.

My symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and severe cramping with constipation occurring after the attack passes. I've ended up in the ER several times due to dehydration.

I just recently started going to a psychologist and have been diagnosed with anxiety/panic disorder&#8230; still trying to figure out if the IBS caused anxiety or if the anxiety caused IBS (probably a little of both). I know I am lactose intolerant and fried/greasy foods upset my stomach but sometimes I'll get attacks and really have no idea what caused them (food or anxiety wise).

I have tried acupuncture, diet modification, exercise, meditation, yoga, and now psychotherapy and nothing seems to be able to break this cycle. I have distanced myself from friends and family because of the embarrassment and shame. My school life has started to become affected because on a good day I lack motivation and on a bad day I won't even be able to go.

Any advice/suggestions/comments/ANYTHING at this point will be greatly appreciated. I need to be able to take back control of my own life and live it to its fullest. I am terrified that if this doesn't go away I will end up becoming a dog lady and living in seclusion in a custom home with a bathroom every five feet : )

Thank you and hope to hear some wise words!


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## Julie Haggy (Aug 12, 2013)

Please talk to your doctor about having an ELISA blood test for food allegies. It saved my life! I've posted more info about this on the Forum if you want to read my story.


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## cjal813 (Dec 14, 2013)

HI, you sound just like me. I am 23 and my IBS has gotten bad. It has been seven months since I have been able to do anything. I am pretty much a prisoner in my house. Even a trip to the grocery store is a hassle because sometimes I end up spending an hour in the bathroom. Two GI doctors told me there was nothing wrong with me (don't even bother going to one because they have no clue about IBS). I had every test done and everything came back completely normal. I mean I had everything from gallbladder function test to a colonoscopy and endoscopy and everything came back normal but I felt like I was dying because everything I ate went right through me and the pain and discomfort was horrendous. I am like you that when I had an "episode" which i like to to call it. I would have to run to the bathroom and the pain was so bad I felt like vomiting. My hands got clammy and I had to take all my clothes off because I couldn't have anything touching me. I had explained all these symptoms to both GI doctors and the second GI doctor offered to give me an antidepressant (that made me so angry so I stopped seeing him).

I ended up going to a Naturopathic doctor. Please research if there is one in your area because everything that the GI doctors ignored she highlighted. Turns out I had two vitamin deficiencies (vitamin D and vitamin B1) and one was very rare (vitamin B1). The naturopath tested me for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and did a comprehensive stool test, both were ordered from Genova Diagnostics and physicians can easily order those tests. The SIBO test for me was negative for me but the stool test revealed that I had no growth of an entire beneficial species of bacteria (Lactobacillus species). This told my naturopath that my gut flora was out of whack so I am starting VSL #3 but VERY slowly because I am super sensitive. I would definitely look into meeting with a naturopath because they know what to do to actually treat IBS and they won't just dismiss you and tell you to deal with it. Both of the tests I mentioned above are done in the convenience of your own home and can be covered by insurance. The stool test can tell you an enormous amount about your digestion so I encourage you to find a physician who will get you these tests so you can figure out what is going on and get better.

My naturopath recommended I buy a book called The Inside Tract: Your Good Gut Guide to Great Digestive Health by Gerard E. Mullin and Kathie Madonna Swift. It is very interesting. Although I never actually did the elimination diet because I kept losing weight it is an interesting read and will give you some guidelines if you were to try an elimination diet. I am not sure how much research you have done on IBS but I came across an article that really gave me hope when the GI doctors were telling me nothing was wrong with me. The article is "5 Simple Steps to Cure IBS without Drugs" by Dr. Mark Hyman. Dr. Hyman makes it VERY clear that IBS is not idiopathic which made me feel ten times better.

I hope some of this info helps. Feel free to write.


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## Loverofbooks (Sep 13, 2013)

Thank you so much! I will look into all that! I think just knowing I'm not alone helps give me strength... I'll message you if I run into any questions!


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