# Frustrated/nothing works!



## Littlelisa (Feb 13, 2002)

I know I may be setting myself up for this question but what can you all tell me is the best medication for IBS??? I have been suffering for about 14yrs with IBS. Let me give you a little backround first. I was first noticed symptoms at about age 21. I was given Bentyl which worked somewhat but I believe I became resistant to it from taking it for some years. Years later I had a flexible sigmoidoscopy and was officially diagnosed with IBS and tried Donnatal elixer and used it on and off. It made me completely goofy. (I once wore 2 completely different shoes to work.







I tried Levsin, gave me heart palpitations. Next....... Nov. 2000 I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and had to take an antibiotic for 30 days and then came down with Bronchitis after that and took another antibiotic and developed c-diff (which to all who post here is 1000 times worse than IBS). I took Librax during the bout of C-diff and that seemed to help the pains but the c-diff eventually went dormant with Vancomycin. I now can never take another antibiotic again (imagine the stress I have over that! It will aggrevate the c-diff into coming back.) Anyway, last Dec I developed a kidney stone which I believe was from from taking acidophilus w/calcium and overdosing on yogurt every day to help the c-diff. So calcium tablets are "out" for me for all you who post that calcium is so good for IBS. I'm hesitant in taking Paxil which has been working for a coworker. There's just something about taking that kind of drug for IBS even though I know it somehow helps for two different things.I guess I just want some kind of miracle drug which they haven't yet developed. I can deal with the dry mouth sypmtoms that antispasmatic give but dizziness and heart palpitations I can do without! Whatever advice can be given will be much appreciated. I'm so tired of not being able to go out to eat and eat anything I want on the menu. I'm only 92lbs and it's hard to gain weight when almost everything I eat hurts my stomach. Oh and I developed a lactose intolerance from the c-diff so milkshakes and icecream or out before bed to help me gain weight! Thanks to all who respond!


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## LotronexLover (Jan 10, 2001)

I have a VERY severe case of IBS D. These are the only three drugs that worked for me 98-100% of the time. Lotronex (not available now)Remeron (another 5ht3 blocker like Lotronex, but made for depression, IBS D, and poor appetite). It does make you groggy in the first week or so but it goes away. I gained 12 lbs on it and my nausea and D went away completely. I do not suffer from depression at all, but heard it does work well for depression and anxiety. I have neither, so, I don't know. All I know is it worked EXTREMELY well for the D and nausea.Loperamide is the other drug I love. I take 2 daily. My body built up a tolerance to Remeron so I am taking a break from it until I can go back on it. (By then Lotronex will most likely be out so I can just go back to that). Loperamide is prescription capsules of Immodium. However, I think they worka little better. You can take more than 2 a day, but that usually does the trick for me.Before taking these drugs I have tried:LevbidLibraxBentylRubinol ForteQuestran (couldn't drink the stuff but heard it works wonders)ZofranAcidophilisGinger Peppermint PillsCalcium PillsBuspar& a few others I can't rememberI'm not saying it WILL work for you. I am just trying to let you know what worked for me.


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## Littlelisa (Feb 13, 2002)

Lotronexlover, Thanks for the input. I've read up on the lotronex also. I've read that it is for very serious cases. What I read on it scared me though with the side effects. 1 out of 1,000 women may get serious constipation and 1 out of 350 can develop ischemic colitis. With my luck I'd get one of those! I've also read on other support sites that some of the people who have taken it in the past can not wait for it to come back. I don't consider myself as every having a "serious bout" so I guess maybe what I'm looking for is something maybe mild and can be taken everyday as a "preventative type" medication.Great for you that you've found something that works for you! Someday maybe all of us will find something that works.


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## pokeytoe (Aug 10, 2002)

The doc just gave me Lomotil, I take 2 at night and it worked from that moment on I havent gon D 4 the last 5 days Ive been on it! Allso on Librax too, hope this helps.kelly


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## neicy52 (Jun 11, 2002)

I am also very frustrated, because of not being able to find anything to help with severe, daily, loose, watery diarrhea. I deal with this everyday and never have a formed bm. I take 15 mgs. of Remeron, and the only thing it is helping me with is my anxiety. 30mgs. makes me have terrible aching in my lower legs. There is no way, that I can restrict my diet, because I am very thin, and have always had a hard time gaining weight, to begin with. I've been so upset with this lately, that I could just sit and cry. What does the Librax do? I haven't tried Lomotil, just Immodium.


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## lookingood (Sep 12, 2002)

I suggest you try colestid. You have to get a precription from your Dr. but sure does stop the big D. My Dr. tells me this really is not a drug because it does not get in the blood.The best way I can explain how it works is like this it soaks up the water and bile, which then you have nice formed stools. You can eat anything you want and not have to worry. Take it from somebody who could not leave their house for months (not even to go to the store) this has changed my life. It is worth I try, you have nothimg to loose except the diarrhea.


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## neicy52 (Jun 11, 2002)

Hi Lookingood! I was prescribed Questran in the middle of June, of this year and it worked for a bit and then it just completely quit working, so I doubt that the Colestid would do me any good. Nothing seems to bind or soak up anything in my intestines. I'm just at wit's end trying to find something to at least contol this dreadful frequency and diarrhea. Thanks for your input and if you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears!


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## pokeytoe (Aug 10, 2002)

Hi niecy!! Lomotil is an antidiareal and librax is an antianxiety with an antispasmatic in it. both have seemed to work for me for the last 5 days. Ive had diareah everyday straiaght for the last 4 months, i was loosing weight and loosing control. hope this helps. how long have you had the diareah for???kelly


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## neicy52 (Jun 11, 2002)

Hi Kelly! To answer your question of how long I've had the diarhhea, on and off for the last two years and now probably every day for 4 months. Like today, I've gone 6 times. I'm back to whenever I eat anything, not long after or even during, up from the table I go running to the bathroom. Just really frustrated at this point and just started a job delivering for a floral shop and the anxiety is always with me.


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## maggiesam (Oct 23, 2002)

I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 15. I am now 37 years old and for the most part it is not an issue for me anymore. For the last 10 years I have been taking trazadone. Prior to this I would not eat if I was going to be out of the house. So all day at work I couldn't eat. It made socializing very difficult too. Presently I do not restrict my diet in any way except that I don't drink things that have a lot of ceffeine in them. If I am under a lot of stress I may experience some of the usual problems, but never for more than a few days. Maybe this is something you should talk to your doctor about.


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## pokeytoe (Aug 10, 2002)

Neicy,See if yoour doc can give you the lomotil and the librax, because you sound like what i was going through. the last 4 months i had diareah everyday straight, nonstop!! i tried levisin, valium and bentyl, all of wich didnt work. ive been on the new meds for 9 dys now and i kid you not, the very first day i started taking them, i was normal again, i still cant believe it!! So please see if your doc can give you those meds, they are very strong, but it sounds like you really need somthing strong, so that you dont get dehydrated, well im sure your already dehydrated you poor thing. Drink water all day. and i mean a gallon every day. take your vitamins and keep filling up on all the healthy foods, fruits veggies, whole grain, chiken pasta, you know, only healthy, not mcdonalds or greasy fried food because you need all the nutrients you can get right now. let me know what happens ok?? im concerned and i totally understand what your going through.god bless and big, big hugs for you!kelly


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## neicy52 (Jun 11, 2002)

Kelly, Thanks for the hugs! Doctor put me on Levbid at the beginning of the week, and it's not doing squat. Told me to stop eating any dairy, also, still no improvement. Doctor said, if no relief by next week, another colonoscopy. I'm all for that, right now. She said it could be crohns, but I have no pain, bloating, blood in stool. Not too informed on crohns or it's symptoms. I always have eaten healthy, not a junk food person or one that snacks all the time. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, whether it makes me go or not. It's like, where does all this water come from??


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