Irritable Bowel Syndrome Support Group

I was told by my G.P. last year that I have IBS, but no tests were done. I NEVER get constipation, only severe diahrea. I am fed up with this and am not on any type of plan or treatment. I see my new G.P. for my yearly physical at the end of this month and I want to know what I should be asking of him.

Also, I now have someone who can go with me for a colonoscopy the first 2 weeks of November--but I don't know if I can take the normal several days of "prep" for a colonoscopy with this terrible diahrea I get.

Please what can anyone tell me?

I have to ask first what is your G.P.?

Thanks, I was beginning to wonder if anyone would respond.

G.P. means General Practitioner which is your regular doctor you see for colds and coughs. I am with an HMO and you have to start with them.

Post edited by: Suz, at: 10/15/2008 12:52

oooh ok i got ya. i've always known them as PCP's (Primary Care Physicians). ok so if you have to see your GP in order to get a referral then i totally understand that but who you NEED to eventually end up seeing is a Gastroenterologist.

Let me tell you a little bit about my story... I first saw a gastro doc like 10 years ago who did a flexible sigmoidoscopy on me and since he didn't find anything he told me i had IBS and to basically watch what i ate and drank and to reduce the stress in my life. yeah that's exactly what i needed to hear!...lol anyways he kept allowing me to refill a medication he gave me for the diarrhea until just this year. I decided I wanted to try and see someone else and so I did but my new doctor explained to me that there is no way he could just say i have IBS without doing a colonoscopy first because it could possibly be many other things. He recommended I try taking a fiber supplement until we got the results back (which helps to regulate you whether you're constipated or have diarrhea). I did that and it did help but only for about a month or so. the colonoscopy did come back negative so that's when he was for sure able to say it was IBS.

ok basically the reason i told you all this is so you could see there's no way a doc can just say its IBS without running the proper test first. also as for the colonoscopy i'm not sure who told you it would be several days of prep but its not... it's just one day. yes it's a horrible day and you will wish you were dead cause i know i did and swore i would never do a colonoscopy again BUT it is only the one day that you prepare for it, the day before the test. you do have to end up drinking a whole lot of gross stuff that you're not gonna want to drink but you have to. once its all over and the test is done you should feel better within a day or so. i was told i'd be ok to go back to work the day after the test but it took me a good 2 days to recover so be prepared if you're still not feeling well the next day.

good luck and keep us posted!

I can tell you to ask your GP/PCP about taking Fleet Colon Prep instead. That's what I used, after getting it approved, and it is much easier on the system.

oh wow well it's a little late now!...lol j/k yeah that might help out Suz.

Actually, it's not too late as the Colonoscopy is now scheduled for November 6. Thanks for the suggestion of the Fleet.

You're certainly welcome. But please check with your doctor first. Some doctors will refuse the use of the Fleet and will make you reschedule your colonoscopy if you don't do it their way..

Hi, I just got the colonoscopy instructions in the mail last night. They are having me get two boxes of the Fleet Phospho Soda Saline Laxative. I'm to use one the day before between 5:00-7:00 PM with water or fruit juice, then I am to use the other at 5:00 AM with clear liquid on the day of the colonoscopy. I hope that's the Fleet you referred to.

Also, I am concerned because I have a back fracture that has me mobility disabled and they apparently put you in twilight sedation where you will feel relaxed, but you will be conscious and asked to occasionally turn over. My HMO primary care originally told me they would knock me out so I wouldn't feel any back pain, but obviously they do not. I see my primary care next week for a physical and I have to work out with him how they will do this so I will not go into the severe back pain as once the pain starts, it is all over for whatever they are doing and they are going to have to consider pain relief.

Well, the laxative you are rreferring to is not what I used. Mine was called Colon Prep, specifically for colonoscopies.

In my case, I was knocked out and didn't hear, see or feel a thing.