IBS people, I need your help - Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Message Board

sixx788 · 07-24-2006, 03:11 PM

My 11 year old stepson has been diagnosed with IBS and anxiety. My stepson can eat whatever he wants without having an attack. But if we go to leave the house, he says he is getting "sick". He will go to the bathroom and have a bowel movement. The doctors want him to be on Miralax and Ranitidine (or Zantac) daily. The Miralax makes his bowel movements very pastey and messy. So, we have backed off of the laxative, either giving it to him every other day or 1/2 dose daily. I guess my question is....why is he having pain with his bowel movements? After he has a bowel movement, he is usually fine. I could understand if it was diarrhea.....that usually causes stomach pains....but it's usually formed. I am very confused whether it's actually IBS or anxiety. I am watching whatever he has, suck the life out of him. He doesn't want to go anywhere in fear of having an attack. Part of me thinks it's in his head that he gets himself worked up into an attack. This stomach thing has been ongoing for the past 3 years causing him to miss 53 days of school in 3rd grade, 55 days of school in 4th grade and 38 days of school in 5th grade. The teacher told us that he needs to get it under control THIS year or else he will probably fail due to the assignments getting harder. I thought over the summer it would help, but he's the worst I have seen him yet. I am scared since school is only a few weeks away. What do you guys think of this?

ozzybug · 07-24-2006, 03:33 PM

Six-
It's awful to have to watch your child go through such anxiety. Can I ask you some questions?

Does he get picked on or harassed at school? Has he lost a loved one in his past? Any kind of traumatic experience in his past? Does he do well in school as far as his grades go? If not, does he have any kind of learning disability? (I actually prefer to call them learning differences- my son has dyslexia)

It sounds like your step son deffinately has more than just physical symptoms and problems. Have you ever had, or thought of having some sort of psychological counselling for him? There is some reason why he has anxiety every time he has to leave the house, and if there is some sort of chemical imbalance or pyschological reason for it, it would be best treated by a doctor who specializes in this field.

He is so young, and should be able to enjoy his youth without being torn up by whatever is causing this anxiety. It almost sounds like agoriphobia (sp?) Poor little fella. I know it's not easy to cope with something like this, but just know this isn't something that's his fault, I'm sure he'd much rather be able to leave the house and not have such anxiety over it.

My husband got upset because our son, 12 years old was affraid to swallow an antibiotic pill last year when he was sick. Until that time, he either always had liquid medicine, or I'd crush the pill and sprinkle it in applesauce or a small amount of juice for him. Well, he actually almost had a trul anxiety attack and my husband couldn't understand this and got angry. I had to step in and calm the situation down and inform my husband that our son wasn't just being difficult. He really had a true and valid fear of swallowing that pill. I can understand because I have had panic/anxiety attacks before.

Sorry to have gone off-track there, but I just want to make sure that anyone who has a child that suffers a valid anxiety/panic of any kind knows that these children are not trying to be difficult, they need paitience, understanding and support.

Sixx- I do hope your stepson will be able to get through this and be able to overcome his anxieties over leaving the house. I know this, in itself probably causes a great deal of emotional strain on him as well. Good Luck sweetie.

Lezlee

PS- I forgot to mention the first go around that it sounds like the IBS is maybe just a "side effect" of the anxiety, and maybe if you guys can find the help to get to the root/cause of the anxiety, then hopefully the IBS will even out. I suffer IBS, but it's not induced by anxiety attacks.

ladybuggy02 · 07-24-2006, 05:15 PM

hi i'm new to this board , I have ibs , my 16 yr old dd my 14 yr ds my son has had it very bad , hos. runs lots of missed school it can be sooo painfull my kids take mirolax and they go to a gastro. the reg. dr. had good intentions but i finally got him is the sp. and they said he was being under medicated? he has been completly full and been on mirolax for 2 yrs and the sp. told me he was still under med. soo he has more mirolax fibercon chewables, and 2 choc. exlax at night i thought for sure this was to much and we have done it this way for about 3 weeks so far so good!!although he can like jump on a trampoline right know (we don't have one the dr. said he shouldn't be on any thing with that motion

any way he doesn't have any stomache pain any more it is soo nice my ds used to get it before school every morning but he loved school later in the day he was alittle better but any way we also have homescholled for 1 year though he still goes to a home school school 2 x a week. this stuff sure can be awfull my be another dr. could be helpfull ? are you able to see a sp?? my family dr. although we like him and seems to know the sp. seems to really understand the intensty of the prob. good luck!!

sixx788 · 07-25-2006, 08:04 AM

My husband and I thought the same thing. We thought he was getting bullied and school. We set up an appointment with his teacher and she told us just the opposite. He is very well liked, if not the most popular kid in the class. He has tons of friends and is a leader. The kids what to do what he does. He does very good in school and doesn't struggle with any subject. So far anyway. However, his biological mother is clinically depressed and is retired for it. She is nutty. Its very complex actually. She threatens suicide. Just the other night she tore up his money for not bringing a sweater home from our home that is obviously useless during the summer. Lots of bizarre things that definately add to his anxiety. So that definately explains where he gets the anxiety. She recently had a heart attack now everytime he does something wrong.....the hand goes across her heart and she is about ready to have another one because of him! LOL! Drama Queen. So, it puts a lot of pressure on him. She has gotten him 3 dogs and gave them all to his grandparents which my stepson has strict orders from the court to not be around due to his grandfather being a child molester. This again, is just the tip of the iceburg of his home life with his mother. No stability, no structure.

I am just wondering why he gets the pain before his bowel movement? Is this a part of IBS? When I feel a bowel movement coming on....I would describe it more as pressure than anything. Not pain and no discomfort. He holds his stomach like he is going to double over. He goes to the bathroom and walks out with a smile. It's just bizarre to me. Rarely is it ever diarrhea.

Kelly

sixx788 · 07-25-2006, 08:09 AM

ladybuggy02,
Now you got me wondering.......My stepson had being going to the bathroom daily, but still having the stomachaches. So my husband took him to the hospital. They did an X-Ray and said he was full! My husband was shocked. So that is when they started him on the laxative. But the problem is, is that now when he takes the full amount that he is supposed to, his BM is too soft, very messy and not formed. When is isn't on it, he has what I consider to be a normal BM. So, should I continue him on the laxative or not? Should I cut back? Or should it be more? I don't know what to do.

Kelly