Hi all,

I'm new here, and understand that the same questions can get asked over and over coz people like me are too lazy to read all the posts, so sorry if this is a repeat.

I'm at my wits end with my gut. I'm 35 and have suffered abdo pain for as long as I can remember. I wake in the morning with a nice flat belly and no pain. By mid morning, I have "movement" in my bowel. By 4pm (and I can set my clock by it), I'm in absolute agony. My gut increses in size about 4 times it's normal size to the point where people think I'm pregnant. As I'm only a small build it's quite noticable. I can't get my pants done up. By about 5pm, my bowel goes into spasm, to the point where if I lay on my back, I can see my bowel through my belly. By the time I get hungry enough for my evening meal, I can hardly stand up. Once I've eaten, I then have to lay down on my left side for a few hours to wait for the gas to pass. Probably doesn't help by the fact that I don't/can't belch. Most nights I end up in tears, rolling around on the floor. It's starting to affect my marriage. I've tried acidoph, peppermint oil, yoghurt, buscopan, metamucil (for the irregular bowel habits....i.e diarrohea/constipation). I'm at my wits end. I can't go out of a night time for a meal. I also have trouble because I work shift work, and on afternoon shift I often have to go home (which isn't real good when you work in an operating theatre). Basically this wretched disease is ruling my life and I've had enough. At times it's been so bad, I've felt like sticking a knife into my gut just to relieve the pressure. I've requested a colonoscopy to rule out other possibilities, but my doctor keeps telling me it's in my head. I don't usually have high stress levels, so I've ruled that out. What else can I do? This is a daily occurrance. Actually, I did get some relief about 2 years ago. I was on a hormone treatment for endometriosis. The implants were called Zolodex (don't know what the scientific name is, or what the US version is called, but it's used for endo and breast cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men). While I was on that treatment, I was in a drug induced menopause, and after 1 month on it had absolutely no bowel symptoms whatsoever.

Hoping one of you knowledgable peoples can help me out. I can't bring myself to discuss my problems with the doctors at work, as I'm in a small town, and quite frankly, I'm a bit embarrassed.

Sorry about the long post

Jane

I can't tell you what to do about your symptoms exactly. But get a different doctor. Any doctor who tells you it's all in your head is just plain uneducated. Not to mention a few other words I could use.

See a _good_ doctor. Get the tests you need, and find out what's going on. Perhaps get a prescription of something to take when you need it.

Finding a good doctor is hard, I'm trying a new policy, instead of spending the money to go see them and find out which ones are good, I think a good way to tell for free.. is to call them.

Call up their office, tell them you can't afford to spend money on doctors who won't be helpful, and you want to discuss with the doctor what they might do before you come in. This will give you a good chance to get acquainted with the attitude of the staff and doctor. In my opinion, if they refuse, or are rude, or the doctor 'doesn't call patients'... they are nothing but money grubbers who will be hell to deal with in the future. And you can tell that for free most of the time.

To me, that is key.. the doctor willing to talk to you on the phone without you having to drive down there and pay. If they had any human decency.. they would.

ben

I used to have this problem but then I started taking well butrin to stop smoking and suddenly after a few weeks of taking it, I never had a problem with irritable bowel syndrome anymore. Now I take one 75mg wellbutrin pill a day even though I quit smoking almost a year ago, and I to this day have no longer have the irritable bowel syndrome problem and I had it for years after my gallbladder was taken out. I am not sure if this is just a coincidence or not.

I am a 40 year old female. I had lower and upper right abdominal pain for over 2 years, accompanied by constipation, excessive bloating, gas, worsened by exercise. Undiagnosed after several doctors and tests. I figured out on my own that the major problem was eating beef...so I stay away from it. It has made a big difference and my quality of life is much better now. If you eat beef you may want to try giving it up and see what happens. Good luck!

I have had the beast for seven years and I too wished myself dead,but thankfully i am chicken.A big part of the problem is feeling foolish and being treated like a fool.You are neither love,your story is the same as mine,clothes that fit in the morning dont fit by lunch,as I have to lay down after meals it makes it hard to go out and friends dont understand why I leave early.There is a support group called ibis they have a web page,give it a try,our scientists are NOW working on a cure and they are close to finding one.Dont give up.

Thanx everyone.

Doris, I have actually emailed IBIS, and I plan to ring them on my next day off....which is Tuesday. They're going to discuss with me diet, and different triggers. So far, I haven't found any triggers, except roast potatoes......which I still eat, as I know I'm going to get a gut ache regardless of what I eat anyway. Roast potatoes just give me an bigger gut ache than "normal". Have you spoken with IBIS, or been to their support groups? The closest support group to me is in Sydney which is nearly 4 hours away http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/redface.gif((

I hate this wretched thing. I'm like you....a big chicken which is why I haven't done myself in.

Where abouts in Aus are you? Have you melted yet? We just about have. Although, we're not copping it as much as a lot of people. Fortunately, I live in a bit cooler climate than most.....

Hi,

Can I just ask, what happened when you tried Metamucil and acidophilus and such like. Did it help, not help or have any effect at all?

Next, I have to say that what you said about your symptoms and your drug induced menopause were very interesting. Are you still having periods now? If so, do you find that your belly gets worse at the time of your periods? Have you been tested for hormone inbalances? It is just that at the time leading up to your period your level of progesterone is higher whilst your level of estrogen is lower and this is what allows you to have your period. Progesterone also has an effect on the smooth muscle lining of the gut and can produce symptoms such as diarrhea/constipation, and a very painful and bloated belly that is full of gas. This is why a lot of women with IBS find that their symptoms get worse in the few days leading up to their period and can continue for a couple of days during their period and then things will calm down again as their hormones level out and get back to normal. If your hormones are inbalanced anyway, this maybe the reason why your symptoms are so bad at present and this theory seems to be supported by the fact that when you went into a drug induced menopause that your symptoms were better. Could be that your estrogen is out of balance, as when your periods stop, your estrogen levels fall.

I have stomach problems too and always find that my belly gets worse at the time of my periods, although I have my symptoms pretty much under control now.

Good luck anyway and hope this helps?

Hi Sarah,

Metamucil and acidophillus had no effect whatsoever. I persevered for about 6 months thinking it may take time to "kick in".....but no, no change.

As for the other bit, yes, I am getting periods again, and yes it is bad beforehand, but I have endometriosis, and that's what the pain is I get (totally different from the IBS). Is interesting though about the hormone inbalance. I may have to get that looked at. At least if it's normal, it rules that out. I'm not on any artificial hormones at the moment, so it may be worth me looking into it. I'm about to change doctors yet again, so hopefully they will give me a refferal to a GIT specialist. I've spoken with the GIT's that I work with, and they are happy to assess me, but I need the refferal. Maybe I could get them to ring up for me and get one...?? It's driving me insane. Why do so many Drs think that this condition is in your head?? Have no doctors ever suffered from this?? If I get no success with this new Dr, then I'm going to start fabricating symptoms to get that referral. Working where I do, I know all the symptoms to tell them. I get cranky though, I see patients coming in for colonoscopy that have presented with just a stomach ache, and they get every invasive test under the sun. But because I work in the medical field, they tell me to stop fabricating and reading my medical books (of which I don't own any!!). GRRRRRRR. Don't medical people get sick?? Obviously not!!

Thanx for the advice. I have to see my gynaecologist soon, so I will get those hormone levels checked.

Jane

Hi Jane,I live in Pennant Hills,and would love to hear from you,I dont have any support from friends as they cant wrap there heads around ibs,people think you just have tummy ache and should get over it.If you would like to write direct here is my e/mail.dianneirene2000@yahoo.com.My legal name is Dianne Irene.My birth name was Irene Doris.I was born on Australia day,so I call it doris day,hence the nick name.Just thought I should clear that one up.

Sarah68,do you have ibs?.How long have you had it,and what do you find helps you?.