[shezbut]

Just wondering if anyone here can relate to what's happening with me.

For the past 3-4 weeks, I've been having frequent BM's. 2-4 per day. Very unusual for me, personally, as I typically have a tendency to become "bound up" despite my healthy food appetite and regular exercise.

The N.P. did blood, urine, and stool sample tests to rule out bacteria, viral, and serious illness. My diet was limited to starchy foods ~ no veggies or fruits, low fiber, etc. My diet sucked, as I LOVE those foods! The diagnosis ended up being IBD, and I was given a med to take when diarrhea occurs.

Since then, my tummy cramps up hard and I screech in pain. I've made an appointment with a GI doc at Mayo Clinic, but can't get in for 1-2 months. This sucks!! Changing my diet did not help prevent or treat the diarrhea at all. So, I went back to some fruits and veggies, cereal.

Does this sound familar to anyone else? Any tips on making it through until I do see a GI? Please help....thank you!

[Yoda]

Have you tried Activia yogurt? It contains bacterial cultures that help diarrhea. Some yogurts have different bacterial cultures. You can also buy probiotics in capsules.

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disor...topic-overview

[lynn P.]

Oh wow that sounds horrible for you ((Shezbut)). If you're still getting diarrhea, the BRAT diet helps - this means bananas, rice, apple juice and black tea. Get some fresh ginger root - peel and slice about an inch, boils for 5 minutes - you can add a green tea bag if you wish. Ginger root is very soothing for the stomach.

There's a new product called Align - it's a probiotic supplement that's better than others. This will balance out the friendly bacteria that's supposed to be in your intestines. Have you ever had this happen before - ask them to test you for celiac disease. I sure hope you feel better.

[lxegirl]

I had something kind of opposite, but still agonizing pain like the kind you described. My colon wasn't retaining water correctly. I had to take perscription laxatives. it was gross lol. Just hang in there :/

[ECHOES]

You might want to rest your intestines by having just liquids for a day or so, then adding light foods.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5926478_do-liquid-diet.html

I'm glad you'll be seeing a GI doc, so you can get some good answers.

[shezbut]

Thanks for the info, Yoda.

I saw my internal medicine doctor yesterday, who's trying the BRAT diet and a few other tests to find out the cause.

[shezbut]

Yes, lynn P., it is horrible!

I can't lie...ugghh!

Yep, I've just started the BRAT diet. Dang it.

I'm having tests galore to figure out the cause, they've already ruled out bacterial infections and viruses. The latest tests ordered are for more unusual ilnnesses or conditions, that the NP reasoned to be unlikely causes. Sooooo, we'll see.

Just anxious for to go back to "normal" already. Thanks for responding!

[NoBread]

Sounds like it could be celiac disease. If you want to be tested for celiac anti-bodies, you need to keep eating wheat, rye, barley type foods until the blood tests are done. Otherwise the tests are useless, not saying that they are 100% in the first place tho.

[shezbut]

Thanks for the input, NoBread.

My troubles continue, and it has been impossible for me to keep up with the BRAT diet all of this time. :guilty: I've been eating bananas, applesauce, steamed (plain) white rice, as well as either plain chicken or pork tenderloin. Otherwise, I'm starving! I snuck a couple of Ritz crackers a few days ago, and less than a few minutes later, sufferred the consequences!

I'm still waiting another month or so, before Mayo Clinic digestive doctors can see me. Ugh!

hey (((shezbut)))

I suggest you keep a diary of the foods you eat every day and their effects on your GI system. (The clinic will probably ask you to do this anyway; if you walk in there with evidence it should help speed up the diagnosis.) As an IBS sufferer, I know that the foods to avoid are all dairy products, all high fiber products, all high fat foods (especially deep friend foods). I also rule out most raw foods though I can tolerate avocados and a little fresh fruit.

If crackers bother you, it sounds like it could be celiac meaning that wheat products and some similar grain products are the problem. Research celiac and conduct your own trial and error food test, and bring the results with you to the clinic. Start to cut out the foods that appear to be problematic and see if your condition improves.

[ECHOES]

It's hard to keep up. When I had one bout of chronic pancreatitis a few years ago, I had to limit my intake to clear liquids only.
For 2 weeks. For the 2 weeks before and including Christmas! But a benefit was that I didn't hurt or become nauseas if I didn't eat, so I felt better.

Meat is hard to digest and won't work too well for letting the digestive system rest. Maybe a liquid supplement like Ensure would help you feel more satisfied?

[Perna]

When did it start? Did you change meds or add/take away any foods, etc.?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dia...SECTION=causes

[NoBread]

Originally Posted by shezbut

Thanks for the input, NoBread.

My troubles continue, and it has been impossible for me to keep up with the BRAT diet all of this time. :guilty: I've been eating bananas, applesauce, steamed (plain) white rice, as well as either plain chicken or pork tenderloin. Otherwise, I'm starving! I snuck a couple of Ritz crackers a few days ago, and less than a few minutes later, sufferred the consequences!

I'm still waiting another month or so, before Mayo Clinic digestive doctors can see me. Ugh!

Hi Shezbut,

You should probably decide if a diagnosis for celiac is important to you. If you aren't eating gluten up until the blood is drawn for the tests, they won't be accurate. The other test they do for celiac is an endoscopy of the small intestine. Either way, if you are not staying on a normal gluten filled diet until the tests, the chances are they will be a false negative.

It sounds like you are having a reaction to the crackers though. I wonder if there is another doctor who can do the tests for you sooner? A celiac clinic is fine of course, but any doctor should be able to draw the blood and send it in for a celiac panel. I went to the Baltimore celiac clinic myself, and had to wait 3 months for an appointment. By then I had stopped eating gluten and many of my symptoms had begun clearing up. So my blood test were negative. I had the option of going back on gluten for 3 months and doing the tests again but didn't want to to do that. It wasn't wasn't worth the pain and symptoms for me.

If you do get the blood tests, make sure they give you a copy of your test results, so you can see for yourself what tests were run and the results. There is a forum on celiac.com with some medical students and doctors (who have celiac) who can interpret test results.

Paul

[cutebagaddict08]

Hope u feel better!
I have IBS- and I will get horrible abdominal cramping when I have 'flare-ups.' It also occurs more when I am stressed out. My GI doctor did put me on a medication (an anticholinergic/antispasmodic) to relax the colon, which does help alot. I take it has needed. Also dairy products will irriate it so I switched to lactose free milk. I love cheese and am trying to lessen my intake on that.

[shezbut]

Originally Posted by cutebagaddict08

Hope u feel better!
I have IBS- and I will get horrible abdominal cramping when I have 'flare-ups.' It also occurs more when I am stressed out. My GI doctor did put me on a medication (an anticholinergic/antispasmodic) to relax the colon, which does help alot. I take it has needed. Also dairy products will irriate it so I switched to lactose free milk. I love cheese and am trying to lessen my intake on that.

Thank you for the info, cutebagaddict08!

I still don't know what my diagnosis is. I am starting to put different foods back into my diet ~ small amounts of milk (a bowl of cereal for breakfast); a small peice of chicken or pork with supper; small amount of broccoli with supper; a little bit of butter on a wheat roll; those things have all gone fine for me. *knock on wood anyway* Sweet foods haven't gone over well ~ ice cream, cake, or donut. Anxiety is definitely in my bag!! Anxious for my tummy to chill out already.

[trixielou]

my stomach is so messed up with diarrhea & i feel like i need to throw up does anyone know is theres stomach flu going around

[yellowted]

try the illimination route,
day 1. clear liquids only
day 2&3 clear liquids +Boiled plain rice
day 4&5 as above+boiled chicken
day 6&7 as above+ carrots
continue adding a new veg each day for the next week then add a dairy product, after another week add pork the next week add wheat/pasta continue adding a new food each week until all foods are included again

the reason for doing it so slowly is to make it easy to see which foods upset your system and to give your system time to rest and neutralise itself. as soon as you find one which upsets your system stop including it and wait a few days before including the next new food. it is a bit like weaning a baby, you give one new food then see how their body reacts to it before introducing the next one!!!

if you have diarrhea it could be a bug which you have picked up in this case you need to stay completely off dairy for atleast 4 days as stomach bugs thrive on dairy in the stomach. lactose and wheat intollerances are very well known for causing diarrhea.

domperidone is great for stopping nausea
dioralite is great for replacing the salts lost from diarrhea and sickness
bananas are good for upet tummies too
make sure you are drinking more water than the recommended amounts as you will be loosing more than normal too

thinking of you xx

[googley]

Hi Shebutz,
I'm sorry you are going through this. Your GP can do a celiac panel. It is just a blood test. However, you do need to be eating gluten (wheat, rye, barley) for it to be accurate. What is often recommended is the equivalent at least two pieces of bread daily for I think six weeks before the test. The problem with the tests for celiac is that they do have a significant false negative rate, so if you are not eating gluten the false negative rate will be even higher. The same with the endoscapy. Depending on how damaged the villi are, if they have started to heal the doctor might not find damage. I hope what you have is not celiac 'cus it really sucks. But if you find out it is, feel free to ask me any questions you have.

[trixielou]

what is celiac diseade cuz i keep diarrhea & take diarrhea meds like candy also read where honey with water can help my mom had ibsyndrome but i cant afford to be put on another med my diet does suck & i live on decaf coffee & sweets i know the coffee is probably a big part of it but it seems like theres tons of people who can drink reg coffee all the time like my fatherinlaw fixes his coffee strong i call it jet fuel & only goes to the bathroom every few days. might try some activia cuz my belly is really bloated also any thoughts?

[googley]

Celiac disease is a disease where you can't tolerate wheat, rye, or barley. Have you gone to your doctor with your intestinal problems? That would be the best thing to do. If you do want to be tested for this disease you need to keep eating these foods otherwise the tests can give a false negative I hope you feel better. Check out this website if you are interested. www.celiac.com

[Perna]

Originally Posted by trixielou

i know the coffee is probably a big part of it but it seems like theres tons of people who can drink reg coffee all the time

Ah, there's the rub, trixielou; we aren't "other people". Caffeine is addicting and the other acids in coffee can definitely be hard on one; I would work to cut back (not necessarily go cold turkey; that causes really really bad headaches for up to a week that no pain killer can touch) and substitute better nutrition instead, see if your insides don't do better. Tell yourself it's just a one- or two-week experiment and go at it with curiosity/make it fun and see if you don't feel better.