# IBS... Maybe.



## RachelBeth (Apr 29, 2015)

I decided to share my story with the hopes of getting some insight and advice for my situation. Let me start off by saying I am 20 years old, female, physically active, and a healthy eater. I have no food allergies or pre-existing conditions. Okay, so I guess it all started about a year ago. I would get these really bad, crampy abdominal pains after eating. It didn't matter what I ate. I could eat a salad and be in the worst pain of my life. I would find myself in horrible pain on the toilet, shaking, and with diarrhea. This would last for hours and would only occur about once every 2 months. A little after we began the new year, I began to get mild, yet still painful and uncomfortable, abdominal pain almost every week. Now, I get them every day.

I decided to go to my doctor and I explained to her my problem. I told her that I get abdominal pain all over my stomach and not in just one particular place. She ordered me an ultrasound to look for gallstones and a blood test as well. The blood tests came back within a few days with elevated liver enzymes. My ultrasound results took over a week to get in because the hospital, which is the most incompetent hospital I've ever been too, lost them. Eventually they found them and everything looked fine. Still, my doctor thought it was a false negative and ordered me a HIDA scan

I was told I would know the results within a few days. So, when over a week went by and I still didn't get my results, I had to call and ask for them. Another few days later they got back to me and told me I had no gallstones but my gallbladders ejection fraction is at 6%. A normal ejection fracture is anywhere from 35-70 percent. Basically, my gallbladder is barely ejecting bile.

I met with a surgeon a few days later and told him my symptoms. I told him about my pain, morning nausea, and the horrible stomach aches I get about every 2 months. However, because my pain isn't specifally by my right side and I get diarrhea about every 2 months he assumed IBS and had me make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Additionally, he said my elevatrd liver enzymes were bilirubin and most likely from something called Gilbert's disease. The gastroenterologist was booked for a month, so I had to enjoy another month of pain.

It was a long month. The pain only got more frequent and I started feeling nauseas a bit during the day time. Every time I tried to go for a run, I would immediately get upper abdominal pain as soon as I stopped running. Which really sucks when your a couple miles from home.

Finally, I had my appointment with the gastroenterologist 2 days ago. After a month of waiting I was hoping to get more than 10 minutes with the doctor. He was nice though, and he asked me what was going on. He asked me a few questions. Where does it hurt? -All throughout my abdomen. Back pain? -no. Nausea? -a little bit. More in the morning. Diarrhea? -only once every two months or so. Constipation? -no. Flatulence? -yes. He poked around my abdomin and I was especially sensitive above my belly button. He then read the surgeons notes and turned to me and said, "I don't know what's wrong with you." Of course not. He then said that he wanted to put me on IBS medication, bentyl 10mg 3 times a day, for 3 months and see what happens. He also wanted me to take a probiotic. He then handed me an IBS brochure and left. 30 minutes later the nurse came for me and gave my probiotic samples. I was annoyed but at least we were trying something.

So yesterday was the day I started bentyl. It didn't have any effect other than making me super drowsy and cranky with a headache. Today, I took my 2nd pill of the day 30 minutes before lunch (a simple sandwich of grilled chicken and vegetables on homemade bread, and an hour later I was in horrible pain. Abdominal pain of course. I've been writing this as a way to distract myself and thankfully the pain is coming to an end. I just really hope that this medication starts doing something fast, or this summer is going to suck. If you have any advice or comments please share. Thank you for reading!


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## AlanZ (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi RachelBeth,

Maybe I'm being a little out of line here but some of the stories on this board are a little baffling to me. It seems like many doctors have a hair trigger when it comes to diagnosing IBS. Reminds me of the old adage that to a man with a hammer everything looks like a nail.

I would seek additional medical opinions. I'm very uncomfortable with a doctor using the words "most likely" when you are clearly having problems.


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## Annon2014 (Mar 27, 2015)

Hello,

I have the exact same problem, it has limited me to do anything and I constantly get told that it is all in my head. However seeing a psychologist is not going that much either. That I cause it and that it is all do to with mental health. I disagree because even with situations when I'm calm and relaxed my stomach still messes up. Perhaps you need to go and try to treat and start by going to private doctors, have you been tested for lactose and gluten? Unfortunately for me both of those were not the case. Keep fighting and stay strong maybe the medication will be a way out.


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## IBS & Surviving (Jun 24, 2014)

If it is IBS, you shouldn't have a sandwich on bread unless you make your own gluten free bread. Most IBS sufferers have to avoid gluten and dairy. Some/most salad dressings also have gluten and dairy. I react also to stadium lactylate that is in most prepared foods like salad dressings, sauces,etc. You sound like a healthy eater, but you might be eating some foods that are the trigger.


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## 2bnormal (Feb 20, 2015)

Your gallbladder is functioning at 6% and they won't operate?!? I don't get it...how they can ignore an obvious issue and label it as IBS?? So many IBS symptoms can be something else.

I feel like I could have wrote most of your post! I had the same exact issues: lettuce and mayo seemed to be the worst offenders but not always. Eating out was always a wild card as I could about predict when it would hit and I would be scouting for the nearest bathroom. :-( My issues also increased from being just very occasionally to a more frequent basis to eventually every day with abdominal pain just like you are describing. I had random pricks of pain in my abdomen and lower back as well as stabbing pains. I felt very bloated and sore - I accidentally walked into a grocery cart handle once and about cried from the pain. I couldn't carry my purse against my side it hurt so much...it even changed the way I walked and sat I was so uncomfortable. I felt like I was in a brain fog and was extremely tired and lethargic. I too was labeled with IBS along with GERD (swallowing issues and burning in my throat - still trying to figure out if it is really GERD or food intolerance). I also was given Bentyl, which didn't give me any bad effects but didn't really help either.

I had an overgrowth of bacteria which was treated with antibiotic. This took care of my random pricks of pain but did not take care of the stabbing pains or the chronic overall abdominal pain.

Finally, I had a HIDA scan done. My gallbladder was operating at 24% (or 26% can't remember for sure...) and out of my family doctor, GI doctor and surgeon, the surgeon was the only one that was 100% sure it was my gallbladder.

Taking my gallbladder out was about an 90% improvement!! As soon as I woke up, I could think so much clearer! The surgery went fine and of course I was sore from the surgery but it was tolerable since I had pain medicine  and knew it was only temporary and had taken care of my chronic pain.

It has taken my digestive system some time to heal and still have some slight issues but are pretty manageable...I am still not sure how much is IBS, nervous stomach, issues leftover from the last year, etc.

Change of diet may help some but if it is your gallbladder, until you get it out, your diet will only get more restrictive.Believe me, I was eating mainly bananas and oatmeal with some rice and chicken. If your surgeon won't operate perhaps you should have a second opinion??

Hope you can get some relief soon! I know all too well what that is like. Keep us posted.


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## 2bnormal (Feb 20, 2015)

Oh! Also, you mentioned about the liver enzymes that the GI doctor thought it was to do with bilirubin and Gilbert's disease. I really don't know what either of those are but could that have something to do with all this as well? Are there any treatments or meds to help with those issues?

Perhaps a second opinion from a GI doctor may be helpful as well??


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## RachelBeth (Apr 29, 2015)

Hi everyone thanks for the advice and comments. For anyone interested, I decided to post this as an update on my current health. Well, I've been on Bentyl for over a month now and it's not doing much of anything. The most it does is help with some mild abdominal discomfort but that's about it. I still have pain in my abdomen and occassionally a tightness in my upper abdomen after eating where I get stabs of pain and feel like I can't breathe. I am fatigued and bloated and gassy all day every day. I've decided to go gluten free for 3 weeks now and its done nothing so far. Also, I'm pretty sure my Bentyl is causing me menstrual pain. When I first started Bentyl, the first few days were hell. It gave me such bad pain that I was in tears. Fortunately, that pain went away after a week or so. Then, I got my lovely monthly present known as my period. And it was the worst period of my life!!! The pain was unbearable and I was crying and rocking back and forth in a ball. My local pharmacist told me I can take pamprin for my menstrual cramps without side effects and it did help some, thankfully. Thinking this experience and me being on Bentyl was just a coincidence, I continued taking Bentyl. I'm pissed at my Doctor and I'm frustrated with this stupid drug. It helps with maybe 10% of my problems. Like I said, it helps prevent some abdominal discomfort I feel throughout the day. What Bentyl doesn't do, however, is help with actual pain. When I'm in pain, Bentyl does nothing. I've spent an entire day in severe pain, and not one of the three pills I took throughout my day helped at all. Yet, my doctor said he wanted me to try this for 3 months, so I'm continuing to pop these fishy tasting pills 3 times a day every day. Meanwhile, Ive been having more gas, bloating, and fatigue than ever before. But I press on. But wait, you know what I got today? Period number 2 on Bentyl. AND I AM IN SO MUCH PAIN. My upper abdomen feels like it's on fire and it radiates throughout my abdomen. Why does this drug do this to me!?!? It's 1am and I want to go to sleep but I can't because the pain won't let me! I'm 20 years old and all I want is to feel like it! Except every day I feel like garbage! The thing that sucks is, I don't even know if getting my GB removed will even help. I don't even know if my doctor would remove it! He seems pretty damn optimistic that I can live with a gallbladder with an ejection fraction of 6%. I'm no doctor, but if my GB is only ejecting the bile it stores at a rate of 6%, then it's really not working! I mean, wouldn't removing my GB allow more bile to drip into my intestines?? Im sorry but I'm so pissed and frustrated and in pain!!!! I feel so alone in this. I have no idea what to do. So, yeah, that's how I've been doing.


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## Sgali (Aug 27, 2013)

You are not alone RachelBeth,most , if not all on this board can relate to the pain and suffering you are feeling. One of the most difficult things to accept about this Syndrome is that most Doctors are clueless about it. In fact , many of us feel that it was caused by the overuse of antibiotics prescribed by the very same doctors who would attempt to treat it with yet more antibiotics. Asking your Doctor about IBS is like asking your butcher for investment advice .

The bottom line is this , it's up to you to find what triggers your IBS. Now the good news. You can do it , don't give in to this . I have been symptom free for 2 years now and still visit this site regularly .I will never forget the pain and am thankful for every day that passes without it. Search for ' How I cured my IBS' by Sgali . What worked for me may or may not work for you but you have to keep trying. Don't give up , there is hope and know that you are not alone.


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