Hey gang!

I've been having some GI/ Bowel problems that I'm really not sure what to do with or about. I'm hoping to get some advice before running to the doctor since my insurance stinks, and the doctors here tend to write people off when the problem is quality-of-life related (not life threatening).

Be prepared, there's a lot of sharing going on here... LOL!

I've had a history of IBS (though I've not been formally diagnosed). My trigger foods included high fat, high carb, or dairy-based foods, and caffine, (and sorbitol... But that's everybody I think... LOL). I could usually predict when I was going to have an issue with a food as I eat it, and within about 20 min, I have one round of diarrhea, and feel the urge to go again for about 30-45 minutes (though any attempts would be unproductive). I would have little to no cramping, only extreme and sudden urgency to have a BM that I knew would be diarrhea because of that lower "glunk" which IBS sufferers know what I'm talking about. The stool itself would be mostly liquid, but a regular brown color. Because I know my triggers and the amounts of said trigger foods I can have before I have an episode, I've had great success in managing my IBS, going several months between episodes, and only usually having triggers after periods of prolonged bad eating or extensive eating of trigger foods, or extreme overeating.

However, for the past 2 weeks, I'm having diarrhea after eating that's ENTIRELY different. These episodes come on about 1.5 - 2 hours after eating as opposed to like 20 min, and after I have incredible menstral-like cramps in my lower abdomen and stomach that cause me to double-over in pain. The cramps last for about 10 minutes, and are accompanied with chills/hot flash, sweating, pin-***** like feelings in my legs, and dizziness, before I have the immediate urgency to have a BM. The stool itself is very initially a soft stool, but after that is passed it's followed up with liquid stool and/or brownish-orange "water." The color is an orange-brown, and there's a varying amount of mucus, and I'm noticing what could be some bits of undigested food. After this one urgent episode (where I seriously think that I may soil myself imminently), I'm fine, and have no other feeling of needing to go (completely unlike my IBS episodes). The odd thing is that this occurs like clockwork every other day, not daily.

I've been keeping a food journal, and there are no common foods or food types that I've noticed when I have episodes. Foods that are non-trigger foods for me still spur these episodes, and this occurs if I had a big meal or even if I have only a little food. For example, I had a big pasta meal at a resteraunt (I know, bad me) and I was fine, but the next day I had chicken salad and I had an episode. I had 2 cookies, and I had an episode, but I had corn, a salad, and Taco Bell nachos and I was fine. Yesterday, I had homemade low-fat Chinese food (rice, greens, soy sauce, chicken) and soup and I was fine, but I just had an episode today when all I've eaten was a Kashi bar and 4 spoonfuls of tomato sauce.

While I'll admit I'm not the healthiest eater on the planet, my diet has not changed for several months. I've also not had a change in activity, I don't take suppliments, I've not been sick, and I'm not under any unusual stress. However, this has occured every other day for 2 weeks, regardless of what I've eaten, be it healthy or not, or where I've gotten it (home, eat out, friends house). In fact for the past week and a half, I've been conciously trying to be healthful to try and lick this thing, but with no luck. I'm not on any medications or birth control, and I've had no similar history of this happening before.

Has anybody had experience with this, or suggestions? I am a generally healthy person, though last year at this time I was undergoing tests/visiting the doctor to try and diagnose the cause of tachycardia... Which was ruled to be either "just one of those things" or a thyroid issue. I'm really at a loss, and quite frankly, feel slightly crazy since I suspect I'll hear from the doctor "it's IBS," though I question that since these episodes are totally different from my history, and my husband's IBS.

Thoughts/opinions?

Sounds like your irritable bowel has actually gone on to downright angry. There is spasm, there is malabsorption, it is having a real temper tantrum. That said, you need to get help. A doctor is pretty essential to rule out anything really major. In the meantime, give your poor bowel a rest. Go to a drugstore or health food shop and get something to soothe the lining of your bowel, and find a food plan that will not irritate it further. There are many expert people on this site who, I am sure will have great ideas.

Sounds like your irritable bowel has actually gone on to downright angry. There is spasm, there is malabsorption, it is having a real temper tantrum. That said, you need to get help. A doctor is pretty essential to rule out anything really major. In the meantime, give your poor bowel a rest. Go to a drugstore or health food shop and get something to soothe the lining of your bowel, and find a food plan that will not irritate it further. There are many expert people on this site who, I am sure will have great ideas.

Do you think it could still be IBS even though the symptoms/methodology have changed so dramatically? That's really scary to think about, frankly. :eek:

I have a book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" which I've used to help me design diet plans and guide me to appropriate suppliments... That's become my Bible this past week. I'm thinking of doing a bland diet until things settle down, and I'm taking acidolphus (spelling) regularly (though that doesn't seem to help).

As predicted, I had another bout today after only eating a granola bar and a couple spoonfuls of tomato sauce, which means I'll be good for another day, but I'm starting to get concerns about dehydration and nutrient deficiency, especially since I'm anemic and getting ready to "celebrate the joys of being a woman." :rolleyes:

Any suggestions on how to increase iron intake, that won't stress my tummy, besides suppliments (which stress my tummy... LOL)?

I am not making a diagnosis as to cause, just observing that on the irritable bowel scale, yours is well into RAGE. What is doing this is a matter for a medical examination to clear up. I still think that for your own relief, you need to really get into some soothing routine. Post on the IBS site here, there are some very helpful people here. Been there myself, and for me it was dairy intolerance that was causing it. Cut that back and took psyllium every morning for soft bulk and it is pretty well perefect. Everyone is different. Good luck, Sera

Have you been tested for Celiac's disease? As the disease progresses, the villi in your intestions get eaten off and food literally goes right through you. Its an autoimmune disorder to gluten, and gluten hides in EVERYTHING including oils, dressings, sauces, and obviously carbohydrates. Your symptoms are classic celiacs. Just a thought. Those symptoms also could be any food intolerance, but Celiac is worth checking into, especially since anemia is extremely common in celiacs and you said you are anemic. Feel better soon!

MSCL,

Your symptoms are not the standard IBS symptoms as defined by the Rome Criteria for IBS.

I also think your triggers have progressed to intolerances of lastose as well as gluten.
It certainly sound like Celiac disease!

You need to be tested but as previously said the picture you present is the classic symptoms.

I wish you well---Harry

Thanks to everybody who's written in. :)

Celiac disease is something I've never heard of, until now. I'll be honest, I'm a little concerned! Has anybody here had experience with Celiac disease, or can maybe tell me a little more about it? Everything I read online makes it sound like a more severe form of IBS, but some of the other symptoms that seperate it make me intensely curious. Some of them I don't have, like the weight loss (how is it that I never get the weight loss part of illnesses? I get almost uncontrollable BM episodes, but not weight loss! Come on!! LOL), but others make sense, such as back/joint/bone pain.

I am doing my research, but I'm curious to know what others know based on their experiences etc. Is this a life-long illness, and if so, why is it just starting to affect me now?

I'm going to make an appointment to get checked out, so I want to make sure I go armed with everything I need to know to sound moderately intelligent. :)

I have Celiac disease. One in one hundred thirty three people has it, so it isnt that uncommon. It is a life long auto immune disorder to gluten. When a person with celiac disease eates anything containing gluten (wheat, barely, oats, and rye) there body attacks the small intestine eating up the villi that absorb food. There are many different ways Celiac disease can present itself. It is most commonly mistaken for IBS. But many people, including myself present with other symptoms such as headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, anemia, and other problems. About half of people with Celiac disease have no symptoms at all. It is important to follow a STRICT gluten free diet for the rest of your life because not doing so raises the risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and other auto immune disorders tremendously. To be diagnosed the doctor must run a COMPLETE Celiac panel, and not all labs are equipped or certified to do that. I think quest diagnostics is a good one to use, and they seem to be everywhere. The blood test can very often have a false negative. An endoscopy/biopsy is considered the "gold" standard for diagnosis. After a person is diagnosed and follows the diet, the symptoms should go away. If they dont, its because most likely they are still getting "glutened" somewhere. Wheat is listed as many different things such as modified food starch, spelt, and so on. Cross contamination is a huge thing too. No sharing utensils, peanut butter, and even fryers at restraunts. Oh, and on the weight loss, I didnt have that either. Lol. I only known one person in my entire Celiac support group that had wieght loss.
So that is my quick summary of Celiac's. There is a tremendous amount of research and information if you do some research. If you are planning on getting tested, it is very important that you are still eating gluten so that the antibodies will show up in your blood. Good luck! If all the tests come back negative, you could still be gluten intolerant, but just not have Celiac's, so the diet is always worth a try. Let us know how things turn out!

Hello/. I have bene having the exact same symptoms as you. I just assumed it was ibs. My stools are light brown, but with yellowy/orange liquid/oil and i usually go an hour after eating. I get like menstrual cramps and that makes me want to go to the loo. I am tired of going to the doctors, but it's really doing my head in. I find myself belching a lot (gross i know) but i cannot seem to pass wind the other way if you get my meaning!