I am fed up (long post) - Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Message Board

IamJane · 12-13-2002, 06:01 PM

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

vogue · 12-14-2002, 01:26 PM

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

Trinket · 12-20-2002, 11:15 PM

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.

awsx2 · 01-18-2003, 08:18 AM

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!

doris day · 01-22-2003, 05:15 PM

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.