Irritable Bowel Syndrome Support Group

one of my biggest problems about medical stuff is that because i have a lot of psych issues i fear that doctors won't take me seriously.

the meds meant to calm me ( and one would hope calm the stress/anxiety induced parts of ibs) a lot of those meds screw up my bowels even more.

i miss appointments all the time ( even though they are only once a week- wouldn't you know that's the time it strikes! ugghhh!

i know my husband is really good about it but i know it gets to him after a while that it interferes with plans or that i'm complaining that i don't feel well or i'm taking so much immodium to get to something that i absolutely can't miss- then that screws me up too.

i'm so tired of the pain and that a bm takes up a whole day. i'm beyond frustrated!

(btw- i seem to currently have a combo of ibs- c with all the cramps and urgency of ibs-d. anyone else get that?

thanks for any feedback/reply/suggestion

purple

Purplegirl, I worry about that sometimes myself. I have suffered from depression even longer than IBS, which is over 20 years. With all my ailments I've asked my doctor over the years if he thought I was a hypochondriac and he always told me that if I worried about it than I probably wasn't one. It's even more frustrating when they take tests and they are "indecisive". That just makes me think that it's all in my head. Very frustrating.

My husband too gets tired of missing events or being late. My kids are even more tired of it and just get pissed off when I mess up their teenage plans. No offense, but glad I'm not the only one who misses appointments due to this. It seems stupid to cancel a doctor's appt for this, but sometimes I can't be away from the toilet long enough to get there and back. I've had more than one accident so I realize not to push it.

I've been getting severe abdomen/pelvic pain since last April. Also had blood in stool. The mucous has been in it for years, thought that was normal. But they worried that I have crohn's disease. The colonoscopies show no colitis but markers in bloodwork. Confusing. So now they think the severe pain is "just" IBS. What I don't understand is that it's not just cramping like I've had for years. This is different and much more intense. I've had to go to ER several times for pain cause I was doubled over. Admitted overnight once. But I just stopped going to ER for it and just suffered at home til let up cause they didn't do anything other than give me stronger pain meds. The ER even gave me stronger meds for at home to take when really bad. Unfortunately they don't seem to do anymore for pain than the norco I already have, but it does eventually knock me out. BTW, the pain I'm talking about is typically between level 8-10. Does anyone else get this severe of pain with IBS?

Well, sorry to get off topic there. But purplegirl, I am right there with you in the bathroom all day too often. Try to hang in there. Hugs and God Bless.

I can totally relate to your experience. I was in ER last week from the pain and it was thought that the appendix was in trouble.

eight hours of ER and testing including a total body MRI and they could not find anything other than the last 12 inches of bowel were thicking. Now they think that it is probally neurological issue and comming from my spinal cord.

I was offered strong pain meds but I would not take them. I was told to turn up my TENS unit on my spine and wait it out and see if it changes.

I have gone from 30 years of constipation IBS to flushing green with cramps that will make me pass out.

The stomach is now going into spasam when I eat even the smallest amount of food. I am losing weight, not just from the flushing, but from not wanting to eat. Who wants to even put a bite in their mouth if all it is going to produce is pain.

Before I left the ER hospital I asked the treating dr there, what would you do if this was you or I was your mother, what would you advise me?

She thought about it a minute, went to the computer screen, looked over my entire chart and said,

I would tell you my family, to go to a accupunture dr. That western medicine has done all it can do. There is nothing that is a disease that is causing this and it is not mental.

I was shocked, but I was thankful along with my husband. She went on to discuss with us both that there comes a point when nothing can be found but the symptoms are still present that you need to go to a medical practice that covers the entire treatment of the body and not just a disease fixer.

She even went and looked on the web a dr of accupunture in our city she knows and gave us his number to call.

I will call it just as soon as I have 50 dollars for the visit because the insurance will not cover that.

I also have RSD and some doctors think that RSD doesn't exist at all and I worry they same thing some times that it's all due to stress or something stupid. Even though I know it's not all due to stress. It does take a while to find the right doctor that knows what their doing but you have to search on and not give up hope.

wildsky

mehlisue, that's pretty cool that a doctor recommended going to accupunturist. I've thought of trying it for my neck/shoulder area and migraine pain but never would have thought of it for GI issues. That's very interesting and I'll have to think about that. It's certainly worth a try. I don't think our insurance will cover that either. If you do try it, be sure to let us know. Keep us posted on what's going on either way. I'll let you know if I decide to try it too. Hugs and God Bless.

I sure will let you know when I go to use it for the gut problems. I have had it done for migraine and I dont have them any more. I have been pain free in the headake department for two years now. But I do still have aura that comes before it, but no pain develops.

I was put on Magnesium for the headakes when I had them and as long as I stay on a twice a day does, the aura will not happen. I was supized that my heart dr said the magnesium was great for the heart as it helps it keep rhythm. I was also suprized that the magnesium helps IBS. It is cheap, can be found even in wal mart of all places. I went in search of the benifitts of Mag and was so astonished that in America we are deficent in it and it does cause all kinds of physical problems.

The ER dr also confirmed this to me. She said that the cost is 50 dollars a visit for the dr she gave me, a bit high for me, but I intend to find a way to at least try it twice. If it works, well I will have to find some way to get the treatment.

I am sick to death of IBS symptoms. I am tired of the cramping, I am tired of the never knowing if the constipation has turned into diarrah, the five minutes after putting anything in my stomake and it starts to cramp. I am tired of the back pain, I am tired of the neck and shoulder pain, I am tired of the dizzy spells, the passing out, the sweating nervous panic attack like thing before a movement. I am tired of sore joints and I am tired of the sudden over whelming exhustion. All of which I am told is IBS.

This is no way to live and I am deffiently sick and tired of being told it is a emotional mental disorder. I was born with this, so when in the womb did I have a emotional issue?

Do I have a emotional issue now? Oh you better believe it, live 53 years with this, add a couple of accidents, a spine injury a couple of live events and the economy, oh yah. LOL I have a emotional issue and yes it does add to the symptoms of IBS.

BUT I am not giving up I know the answer is out there and it is so simple that it will amaze the masses.

So if the Accupunture cured my migraines, and now it is suggested it would or could aid the digestion and pain of IBS, Hey I am going to find the money.

ROF I guess I just unloaded a lot here. Well, it is a good post as IBS is one of the major medical issues that the profession deals with. You would think by now they would find something other than what they are doing that is not working.

hey go ahead and unload all you need to, that's what we're here for. that's great that the accupunture stopped the migraines. I get those too and am on the forum for them. there's a lady there that firmly believes in herbals and uses liquid magnesium. she says the liquid does best. Hugs and God Bless.

I'm not being for nor against herbal medicine but with today's prescribed medication there are far worse side effects that there are far worse side effects than what the drug is suppose to cure, I believe that other choices should be available to us. Of course feel free to say what ever is on you're mind and as morhope2 has stated that's what we are for.

wildsky

missa, do you remember the name of the medication ?

mehlisue, I hope you'll let us know how the acupuncture works out and what it help. There are so many shortcomings to Western medicine and the docs who practice it! I have found a good doc. I thought my last doc was good but once I started having symptoms she pretty much shrugged her shoulders. Yikes. You want someone who isn't dead taking care of you!