[Brontoset]

There is a good chance I have Irritable bowel syndrome.

Apparently there is no real treatment available, except Psychiatric medication(?)

I hate to victimize myself but i'm not sure if there's a chance of me leading an enjoyable life with this illness.

My colonoscopy came out clean, is that good or bad?

[BobKatt]

So you had a colonoscopy and it came out clean. Did they do any biopsies? There is a condition called "microscopic colitis" which is called that because it can only be diagnosed under a microscope. It cannot be seen during the normal inspection during the colonoscopy. The MD should have taken multiple biopsies along the entire length of the colon and sent them to a pathologist. Unfortunately many MDs don't take biopsies because they are ignorant. GI docs are some of the most ignorant MDs around. Most of them are close minded and stuck in the dark ages. And IBS is short for "I don't know what's wrong with you" and that's no joke. They really don't know what's wrong and aren't willing to admit it. Instead they give you this bogus diagnosis of IBS and prescribe drugs. I would ask your doc if biopsies were taken during your colonoscopy. If not, fire that doc and find a new one who understands what the difference is between IBS and IBD and is familiar with diagnosing microscopic colitis. Many people with irritable bowl disease are able to improve their lives by changing their diet. Dairy, eggs, soy and gluten (protein in wheat) are the top four dietary offenders. Try taking the top four out of your diet and see if your symptoms improve. Don't settle for poor care and a bogus IBS diagnosis.
Good luck,
BobKatt

[BobKatt]

You don't have to be diagnosed with microscopic colitis to join this forum of wonderful people and get some support. Anyone who is suffering from abdominal distress is welcome.

MICROSCOPIC COLITIS SUPPORT :: Index

Hope you feel better soon.

[Travelinglady]

I was diagnosed with IBS and was given a med to take, not a psychiatric one. I don't remember the name, alas. I didn't find it helpful. But my doc put me on Lactose-free milk and a probiotic, and I find that I rarely have these symptoms now. Nothing showed up in my colonoscopy either.

Please don't give up. I even found that Pepto-Bismol helped some.

[googley]

Have they tested you for Celiac disease? It has a lot of the same symptoms as IBS. It requires a blood test and the an endoscopy for a biopsy for diagnosis (though if your blood test is positive, you don't really need the endoscopy, that is just considered the "gold standard" right now). If it doesn't come back positive test out a gluten free diet also. It could be you have non celiac gluten intollerance (ncgi). If you haven't been tested for it, ask your doctor for a full Celiac panel. Check out Celiac Disease & Gluten-free Diet Information at Celiac.com for support with GI issues. There is a forum there with lots of people who have gone through lots of GI problems and can help you deal with the symptoms even if you don't have celiac. I hope it gets figured out. If none of these work you might want to go on an elimination diet to see what foods make your symptoms worse. Good luck.

[sabby]

When I first was dx'ed with IBS the doc put me on Bentyl. It is not a psych med. If you are suffering from depression and/or pain from the IBS, sometimes an SSRI (anti-depressant) can be prescribed. It's up to you though if you don't want to take that kind of medication. It's usually prescribed at a lower dose than those who are taking it strictly for depression.

The Bentyl really helped me a lot. I used to have IBS with diarrhea and it mattered not what I ate but would have to run to the bathroom every time I ate. The Bentyl helped with the cramping and the running!

I also decided that I would try to figure out if there was a specific kind of food that would upset my stomach more than others. For 3 days I went on a very bland diet, mostly of scrambled eggs, jello, sherbet and yogurt. From there, I introduced one food every 2 days to my diet to see if it made me run. Oh, I did this without taking the Bentyl so I could get a good reading on what would bother me more.

I found out that fried foods and acidic foods such as tomatoes, other acidic fruits and certain starches bothered me most. I learned to steer away from those foods and found I didn't need to take the Bentyl as much as in the beginning.

I would ask the doctor about trying some bentyl instead of the SSRI and see what they say. Trying figuring out if certain foods bother you the most. If you find that things are not working well for you, then it's possible you need more testing for some other issues as some members spoke of in their posts.

Wishing you well!

I have IBS and am currently taking a low dose anti-D. It helps because the gastro part of the body is also full of nerves - like the brain - that need to relax to function normally. I am not totally cured but by watching my diet and taking the anti-D, there is improvement. I agree that deep fried, acidic, high fiber and dairy products (excluding eggs) are problematic if one has IBS. And, that includes beverages like coffee, orange juice and soda! Does having IBS make like more complex? Absolutely. But, it's doable.

[lizardlady]

Brontoset, while IBS isn't any fun it can be managed. As others have said, I learned to manage mine with diet and stress management. Acidic foods and fried foods will set it off for me, as will stress.

I'd recommend talking to your doc about what meds are available for you.

[redbandit]

I was also dxd with ibs, I think I just need to eat more fiber. I take pepto bismsl also and that seems to be the best help