My gastroenterologist can't seem to figure out what is wrong with me. He prescribed Bentyl & Protonix for me. I believe medicine is just a temporary solution. I want to get to the 'root' of the problem and fix it from there. I just have constant gas pains and diarrhea. It is really bad it's affecting my life. He just chalked it up to IBS. I've talked with others and it seems doctors say IBS when they can't figure it out. Has anyone else experienced this?

IBS mimics many other conditions. In order to confirm IBS a good gastro doctor would perform a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, a colonoscopy, and in some cases, even endoscopy. I have IBS, and the doctor would not confirm this until all of those tests were done. During those tests it was discovered that I have not only IBS, but GERD, chronic esophaghittis, and gastritis. They are treated differently, however the medication for the IBS pretty much eliminated all of my symptoms before any of the other meds were introduced. I wish you luck with this and hope that your treatment works for you. Just as a side note.....IBS is a very stress triggered problem. You might also want to discuss that with your doctor. Hope this helped
Vic

no i don't agree with the meds..if you go on a gluten free diet, everything will fix..im sure of it 100%..gluten free means iliminating wheat from your diet and, replacing it with .. corn flour or, rice flour..etc

Same thing happened to me. I went thru a series of tests and nothing could be found. The Dr said it was probably IBS. Thru trial and error, I have found that there are a few culprits that will trigger an episode. Alcohol is the worse with sugar and caffeine next. I try to avoid these stimulants, but when I'm tempted and give in I will end up in the bathroom for a couple of days. I had 1/2 bottle of wine last night and have been in the bathroom all day. I'm feeling better tonight, but am bloated with gas.

if you live in a warm climate, it could be a bacteria in your tummy doing that perhaps a helibacter or even a parasite. demand to be tested for both. those account for a lot of bowel symptoms....look up bacterial dysbiosis too.

My gastroenterologist can't seem to figure out what is wrong with me. He prescribed Bentyl & Protonix for me. I believe medicine is just a temporary solution. I want to get to the 'root' of the problem and fix it from there. I just have constant gas pains and diarrhea. It is really bad it's affecting my life. He just chalked it up to IBS. I've talked with others and it seems doctors say IBS when they can't figure it out. Has anyone else experienced this?

Been there, done that. I had a bazilliion tests, and only reflux was found. For my gas/diarrhea, I am taking over-the-counter Digestive Advantage IBS. It took about a month before I noticed results, but it has helped immensely. Rare diarrhea now, and gas greatly reduced. (It contains a proprietary mix of good bacteria, an amino acid, and water-soluble fiber.) THe tablets are chewable. I take a Pepcid AC for the reflux, once a day, before bedtime. I also take 2 Regimint capsules (peppermint oil/caraway seed oil combination in an enteric-coated capsule) a day to help my sluggish digestion. These can be purchased online. Feeling much better!
Hugs,
Maggie C.