# Possible IBS?



## KaliRaven2001 (Jul 22, 2003)

Hi y'all! I am new here, and I am not sure if I have IBS or not...getting any info out of my doctors has been like pulling teeth.Just background. I'm 20 years old, and I first started having chronic constipation at age 5. I saw a doctor who put me on laxatives, then disappeared from the face of the earth (to this day I have no clue where he went). My pediatrician kept me on laxatives for, let's see...7 years, until at 13 I put my foot down, as they weren't helping any. I then saw yet another doctor, who said he could find nothing wrong with me, and it was just chronic constipation and I would have to live with it. When I suggested that I had done some research and could it possibly be IBS, he said no, because 'kids don't get IBS'. Since I have gotten older, I have gotten better at controlling my symptoms, mostly through diet and exercise. My main symptom is constipation, so I am 'normal' most of the time but still suffer from recurring (VERY painful) bouts of constipation. It certainly sounds like IBS to me!I am very glad to have found this group; college (esp. life with roommates) can be very stressful especially about dealing with this. I'm so glad to know I'm not alone!Thanks for listening to me ramble!


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## xwatchxyouxdream (Apr 28, 2003)

Hi there, when you say you're constipated, what do you mean by that? Do you still get urges to go? If the laxatives were not helping, the diet/exercise does now? I thought laxatives were really strong, I am taking them because I have no urges to go, period so I am worried I have colonic inertia. What kind of laxatives were you taking and do you have any side effects from the constipation (bloating/gas?)


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## earthgarden (Jun 3, 2003)

I had ibs-c for about 4 years. It was awful and painful and distressing. My colon also felt numb and I would have to massage it to get the feeling back. I found that when I was really clogged up and unable to go, the urge just simply went. I had to first relax the bowel (peppermint oil capsules really helped) and quit eating for a day or even two, which isn't a great idea but it worked at the time. I tried yoga, swimming, saunas for relaxation and they all helped to boost my self esteem (exercise releases feelgood chemicals in the brain) and this helped too and then I found that I was so busy doing my thang that I had stabilised by eating habits. My problems went after a while and everything is great. I now eat less but better, more healthy and balanced meals. So for example, today I had a poached egg on a slice of wholemeal toast (no butter) and for lunch I had a bowl of fresh vegetable soup and for my evening meal, I will have a peice of steamed cod with mixed vegetables and 1 wholemeal pitta. If I feel hungry later, then I will have a soup. No, it's not a huge menu for the day but in two weeks of this, not only had I lost those extra pounds but I also felt better! I am not saying that would be enough calory intake for you as you are only young, but it might be worth writing an eating diary each day for a couple of weeks and taking it to your doctor who might be able to tell you if you were eating too much.I do have the occasional blow out and go out for a wonderful italian pizza, but these are treats and not part of my every day eating.I wish you well.


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## xwatchxyouxdream (Apr 28, 2003)

But you haven't answered my question.. you actually got better? Wow. Wish it was that easy for me. I seriously do not have any urges at all.. how did you even get them back if laxatives didn't work??? Do you have any side effects and what exactly were they? If you were that constipated, I think you would be feeling way better.


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## earthgarden (Jun 3, 2003)

The more constipated I was, the less I got the urge to go. I am way, way better unless I go back to my unhealthy eating habits and then I am sufferin for a couple of days. I will also eat more during menstruation and then I will suffer too. I realise now, that if I eat balanced meals and not over-indulge then I am fine. This may or may not work for you, but I suggest you write down everything you eat and I mean everything and ask your doctor if you are eating a healthy diet. If not, perhaps he/she will suggest one for you. It was also terrible for me to snack (almost constantly at times) in between meals.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Hi there! nice to meet you! Always good to see new faces (sorry you have to be here however).It does sound like IBS, but you do need to be careful as there are a few things that mimic IBS and can be more serious. Please go back to your doctor and insist on testing for other things. There are ways to control consptipation. With diet, and hypnotherapy if you are interested. Three things you should look at:www.ibsaudioprogram100.comwww.firstyearibs.comwww.eatingforibs.comAll very helpful and excellent tools in helping your ibs.I hope this helps.Watchmedream, i notice you have posted to ever forum about your problems and with every new forum you post on you seem to adopt those symptoms. PLEASE have your parents take you to the doctor and talk to him or her about your symptoms. People have tried to help you in the past and you react with insults.Get this sorted.Nikki


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## earthgarden (Jun 3, 2003)

I am sure that WMD's irritability is due to the distress she feels because of IBS symptoms. She obviously does have problems. I reitterate my suggestion:-Write down when and what you eat over a period of 1-2 weeks. Write down everything, no matter how small it is. Take it to your doctor/GP and tell him 'Here is my typical diet. I have written everything I have eaten over 1/2 weeks and not left anything out. Is my diet sensible? Is my diet healthy? Do you think that my diet is the cause of my IBS? If the answer is yes, then he/she should suggest a suitable diet and perhaps give you a diet sheet, which you should try to stick to. If it works, great, if it doesn't go back to your doctor.


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## xwatchxyouxdream (Apr 28, 2003)

Yup i am doing that right now, thank you.


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