# Living with IBS



## dailyissue (Jul 27, 2011)

Hello all,

I am a 35 year old male. My symptoms all started back in 2008 right before a big job move across several states. I started having change in bowel habits, thinning stools, go a day, miss 2 days, drops of blood, etc. I freaked myself out enough to convince a GI to conduct a colonoscopy, endoscopy, CT scans, blood tests, etc. Other than minor gastritis nothing was found. So my family (wife and 2 small children) completed the move and I have had my symptoms on and off ever since. Again in April 2012 I had convinced myself with extreme anxiety that the previous GI had missed something and I must have cancer.... So off I went to a very respected hospital (Mayo) for another round of CTs, MRIs, trying different anxiety medications and finally convinced the GI to give me another colonoscopy and endoscopy. Again the results were clean other than "mild acute colitis" in the sigmoid colon only and he officially stated it was IBS. It seems that if I don't go to this level of testing I can't convince myself its not cancer!!!

Over the past couple of years my symptoms have mainly consisted of bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, feeling of incomplete bowel movements (lazy colon), and lately it seems the diarrhea side has intensified (after a steak at Outback (first in a long while) which is kinda new to me. It makes me scared to eat anything other than smoothies and drink water. I cannot figure out what triggers my symptoms and what doesn't. And yet again here I go I scheduled an appointment at Mayo again and also with a psychiatrist this time as well. Not sure what the GI side will consist of I just don't know what else to do.

At 35 I hate to think I have to deal with this the rest of my life and I fear what it could lead to. It makes me so depressed and effects my time with my kids and wife. I know they can see the depressed look on my face. Convincing myself this isn't something serious is so hard to do and I just want to feel normal, to eat pizza with my kids, to drink a beer with my friends, to eat ice cream, but those days appear to be over


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## IBS & Surviving (Jun 24, 2014)

It's not over, but it might be different. Home cooked pizza with gluten free crust from freezer aisle and no cheese is actually good. You will soon realize the flavor was in the sauce not the cheese. There are gluten free beers, or go for a cocktail instead. And coconut ice cream is really good!

Try to focus on what you CAN still eat instead of the losses. I felt exactly like you the first year I had to give up dairy. 10 years later when I had to give up gluten, it was much easier, but still stressful. It is definitely a mourning process, as food is a social issue. Once you get into problem solving mode, it will help your stress too!

When there is food at work, I just bring my own food and eat with everyone. Better yet, I bring food to share that doesn't require gluten or dairy.

Look into the FODMAP diet on this website. It's a good starting place. Start reading every label and stock up on yummy foods you can eat without triggering your symptoms. You can do it!


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## Leanne Rogers (Feb 14, 2015)

Hi, I'm new to this IBS,well from December 2014. I liked the bit where you say look at the foods you can eat, not what you can't. I'm still finding it hard reading labels. I'm at the stage I'm on a low formal diet and gluten free diet,lactose free as well as trying to find out what my trigger foods are. Its been great to read other stories for support.Any use full information I would love. Thanks


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