Extreme pain from IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Message Board

RetiredDirector · 06-21-2005, 03:34 PM

Does anyone have pain from IBS that is so bad you have to take opiate pain medication because of it? I have had stomach problems ever since I had a surgery years ago for a perforated ulcer. I had diarrhea problems since then, but about six years ago, I started having pain in the lower left quadrant. After all the tests, my GI doc diagnoised it as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I recently had a colonoscopy (the 3rd in five years) and besides the Diverticulosis, they found I had Clostridium difficile, which is an infection of the of the bowel brought on by the use of antibiotics. They gave me very potent antibiotics (seems weird, huh?) to get rid of the infection and that helped the diarrhea, but I still have the pain. Does anyone else have very bad pain caused by IBS or am I the only one? If you do have pain, what does your doctor prescribe for it?

bulletinboard25 · 06-21-2005, 05:04 PM

Truthfully, I was getting ready to vent and post about the pain I'm going through right now.

Yes, that is one of my MAIN problems... I get diarrhea, and could take it if I didn't have some super horrible pain in the intestinal area... It sometimes is super bad spasms of my intestines, causing some extruciating cramping, other times its just general pain, possibly from being sore, or from the microscopic inflammation brought on by the frequent trips to the bathroom and strain on the intestines.

so YES, i am right there with you. I haven't been lucky enough to get a pain medication, as you know most doctors aren't too willing to give them to IBS patients.

i've been prescribed many anti-spasmodics, most of which have done nothing

xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, is the only thing that has really helped calm my intestines down when I'm going through one of those episodes.

it actually used to be prescribed for people with IBS years ago.

problem is, it too, like pain meds, are some of the harder medicines for doctors to prescribe.

RetiredDirector · 06-22-2005, 01:26 PM

BB25...Thanks for the response. I guess we do have very similar problems. I'm one of the lucky ones, as my PCP does the prescribing of meds for me, but he did refer me to a Gasterologist for testing and opions. He is the one who came up with the IBS after the tests. My PCP is currently prescribing Methadone for the chronic pain, plus several other meds that are tied to the problem. You are right though, I don't think most doctors realize the painful conditions IBS can bring on.

6th_sense · 06-23-2005, 03:02 PM

Hi guys,

I believe that if I didn't use my visual techniques I would be involved in your discussions of the pain involved. I am still borderline IBS - it seems that it is taking a lot more of my concentration lately to control the situation - I can only imagine what you are going through (ie what I would have been if I didn't resist).

- Raju -

rayinbfd · 06-25-2005, 12:03 PM

hi, Ray here, I've sufferd with IBS for nearly 4 years, one of my symptoms is bloating which causes pain, I recently found that Termeric a Curry ingredient helps and by releaving the bloating it reduce some of the pain. I take 1 teaspoon full 3 times a day after meals, you may need more or less, slowly dessolve the powder in a mug or pot of water and drink as quick as you can. Termeric as a medicine for IBScan be found on the internet under herbs.