# Some days you feel like dying



## Pretty (Jul 21, 2010)

I've been diagnosed with IBS for two weeks now, and it's as if knowing what I have has made it worse.Last October was the first time I got IBS symptoms, I had no idea what they were but after the fourth day of sickness googled my symptoms and got IBS. I went to the doctor two weeks ago and he agreed that IBS was what it most likely was.In October, I woke up one morning with cramps. I had diarrhea so took 2 Imodium and went back to bed. The Imodium didn't help at all, which was unusual as it helped any time I had gastro. I was so tired I slept 16 hours the first day, and at least 12 straight hours each day after that. I ate maybe one banana a day and little sips of water, and I had hydration cordial to get me through without dehydration.Imodium didn't work so I just battled throughEveryone said I was pregnant {wasn't} and I felt like if it went on more than a week, I'd happily kill myself.I missed my daughter's third birthday because I was passed out in bed in agony.By the end of the week I woke up, and it suddenly was gone. It's happened another four times since then, and now I'm sadly used to it. I tried everything I could find in the pharmacy before I went to the doctor. I tried peppermint tablets, Imodium, GastroStop, Zantac, peppermint tea, heat packs on my belly, and finally, finally, a friend gave me what I called my 'magic pill', 5 mg of Stemzine {prochloperazine}, which stopped ill feeling in 10 minutes.I also tried a gluten and dairy free diet, then a low sugar and low fat diet, none worked, apart from decreasing bloating and pain.I get symptoms maybe three times a week now, I carry Imodium and Stemzine in my bag everywhere I go, and usually go through a 20 pack of each every fortnight.My belly is constantly aching with sharp pain, I feel sick every day, I get days where I wake up so exhausted that I can't leave bed.Thankfully my fiance is extremely supportive, we've been together 7 years and we passed the embarrassing point long ago, so he knows all about what I go through, and he does anything and everything he can to help me out.He'll go pick up meds, massage my belly, make heat packs, and mind our daughter so I can sleep. He even bought the ultra-expensive toilet paper to "soothe your sore bits"







I just can't believe I have to go through this my entire life. We want a large family, but how will I cope being pregnant/giving birth with IBS?I'm not religious, but I would pray for this to have a cure!


----------



## pollymolly (Jul 19, 2010)

Hi Pretty, Didn't want to read and run. I have had ibs since I was 16( although I do remember having tummy ache alot of the time from being about 6yrs, but didn't have diarrhea then. ) I coped with my illness and to be honest when I had an episode would deal with it and get over it, but now I have the responsibility of a family to look after, my condition is the worst its ever been, every day really and I am now struggling to cope with it.Like you Imodium has been a life saver, but on the other hand I needed 8 tablets a day just to get to work. Which when I look back I think was far too much. I still use Imodium, but only when necessary.When I was 25 my husband and I decided to start trying for a family and I became pregnant straight away, my symptom almost vanished, I had one episode the whole 9mths of being pregnant and my daughter was a healthy 8.5 lbs, 3 years later I had my second child again ibs went away and I had a 9.2lbs baby. After I had my second child my ibs came back really bad, but I think that was mainly stress and me worrying about getting it when I had 2 young children to look after didn't help. I then became pregnant again, but unfortunately lost my little girl at 24wks. About 6mths later I became pregnant yes again!!!! this pregnancy was awfull my ibs was really bad, I had my baby at 32wks, weighed 4 lbs and is now a healthy 16mth old. I have told you this just because you can still have a baby even though you have ibs and if your lucky it might go away like with my first two.My ibs is bad at the moment and I do have times when I feel I have had enough, but I keep going and tomorrows always another day, I haven't unfortunately found a cure yet, but I pray every day that someone does, I have a supportive family who help me so much, even if they just listen and have a shoulder there for me to cry on when things get bad. I hope you are well and I am here to chat too.Polly. x x x


----------

