Desperately Discouraged! Help Wanted! - Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Message Board

shinegirl · 08-27-2004, 08:06 AM

Hello! I am feeling very frusterated after having been to my gazillionth specialist and would love opinions from those "in the know". I'll try to explain my situation thoroughly and briefly.

-Pain started 2 years ago in upper abdomen leading into my back
-Had gallbladder removed and the pain didn't decrease
-Pain is managable with narcotics (prescribed) but sometimes will QUICKLY escalate to point where I have to rush to hospital for serious painkilling and I think I'm going to die
-Sometimes have loose stools, but most often have "normal" bathroom experiences, and eating seems to play no relation to the pain
-Have had "exploratory tests" and nothing abnormal shows

I have Lupus, but every Doctor I see is diagnosing this pain as IBS. Does it sound like it is? Every Doc (I'm in Canada) is also telling me I shouldn't be on narcotics long term but that there is no other medication available to relieve pain for IBS...just controlling stress and diet. Is this true?

I'm so tired from being in pain all the time and just want to know what it is and what I can do! Thanking you for your advice, in advance!

craftlady · 08-28-2004, 06:33 AM

Hi, it does sound like IBS. Stress is a very big factor in it. I have IBS and if I get stressed I have a bout like you decribed. Foods play a role also, when I get an attack I eat chicken broth and crackers, it seams to settle my tummy some. With me any food that has a lot of fat in it bothers my digestive system.
It took my doctor 10 yrs and many many test to tell me that I have IBS, now I control what, when and how much I eat. I found that eating smaller meals helps, I also try to eat a fruit between meals, just so there is something in my tummy every few hours.
Hope this helps, take care

sis22 · 08-28-2004, 08:32 PM

It sounds like symptoms of an ulcer too.Have u ever been checked out for that?

shinegirl · 09-01-2004, 08:07 AM

Thank you both for responding to me. They have mentioned ulcers but don't seem to think that is what it is. Should I be more adament about suggesting it?

One of the main reasons I was unsure about the diagnosis of IBS is because it seems to be entirely unrelated to food. What I have eaten or IF I have eaten doesn't seem to make a difference to the onset of pain.

Is that normal?

THANKS!

rush_rulz · 09-01-2004, 09:52 AM

hmm..well shinegirl, If it were me I might be more insistive on getting the testing for ulcers done, if I could afford it--especially in that case! But I haven't had any exploratory tests done and worried I could have something more serious than IBS...being that a few times in my life I've experience bleeding associated with the bad BM's. Although, in your case, if you ever had had the bleeding, it could be due to an ulcer as well, no? Ack--It does get frustrating when trying to self-diagnose or just think of what it COULD be.....