# My son's story



## akis_t (Mar 24, 2017)

My son went on a trip to France in summer of 2012 where he contracted gastroenteritis. On coming back from that trip he was already IBS ridden, suffering inexplicable diarrhoeas, urgency, bloating and pain. This situation persisted for two months in fall 2012, and we decided to visit the doctors. The doctors took it seriously and did all the tests, MRI brain, MRI abdomen, endoscopy, colonoscopy, abdomen ultrasound, blood tests, and it all came back negative.

The situation however was so bad that he dropped out from the A rugby team, he missed 50% of school for a whole school year, he became a recluse at home, he lost 10 kg of weight.

The symptoms persisted into New Year 2013 and he then tried the FODMAP with no lessening of the symptoms.

He also tried VSL, again nothing gained.

He had a sucrose/fructose breath test at a hospital using a small portable device, all negative.

At around that time he discovered Imodium and has been taking it almost daily since (5 years now). Imodium helps him live more normally and he keeps it everywhere, home, office, uni, everywhere. Just like his contact lenses.

Then he tried a low carbs diet - he spent time weighing his pasta - he reported some better results but gave it up again soon after.

More recently he tried Gepon (straight from Russia), injections in the skin in the stomach, he again reported better results but gave it up after a few months - obviously it stopped having an effect ? maybe we should have persevered and increase the dose maybe because on NCBI they had shown good results.

Recently we tried 10-12 days of gluten free diet, nothing gained either, he reported, he got disheartened and gave it up.

His current symptoms are towards the lower part of his belly, dull persisting pain that lasts all day, regardless of the Imodium, and bloating and diarrhoea. He spends a lot of time in the toilet in the mornings almost missing his train to work. Same over the weekends where he is not stressed to go anywhere.

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We have now visited another IBS gastro and he has ordered all tests anew. He's already had an ultrasound (nothing found) and blood tests - results not out yet.

What we have not tried all these years (difficult to deal with a stubborn 16-20 year old).

1) heavy duty dose of doxycycline for a couple of weeks, see what comes out

2) heavy duty dose of Normix rifaximin as indicated for IBS, and see what happens

3) a stronger Gepon dose - we still have plenty in the fridge

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I hope the above information might help anyone here propose any solutions.


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