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Perhaps you are too distant from your experience of IBS, or your symptoms were not as severe as some, but IBS can destroy someone's life just as well as an IBD
by Klinky 12y ago
Perhaps you are too distant from your experience of IBS, or your symptoms were not as severe as some, but IBS can destroy someone's life just as well as an IBD can. Someone in remission with an IBD may have better quality of life than someone with uncontrollable IBS. Severity varies by patient, and while IBDs are usually more severe, that isn't always the case. Mentioning the two together does not mean that I am indicting they are equally severe. C.diff, IBS and IBD are all ailments with the potential to be treated via fecal transplantation.
The IBS issues I've dealt with have lead to some catastrophic effects. Twice after dealing with stomach flu/food poisoning I developed gastroparesis or severe gastric motility issues. I lost 60 lbs during the first bout in 2006 and 45 lbs during a second bout in 2012. My quality of life was horrible during these periods of time. I basically lost a year of my life each time.
Luckily you found a solution for your IBS, many people have not. If simply upping my fiber solved the problem then I would be set, but fiber lead to more gas and pain for me. Probiotics on the market often leave me constipated and nauseated. Even if I stick to a regimen irregularities continue, and my body still seems to ebb and flow. So far regular strenuous exercise seems to help me, but IBS often leads to fatigue.
This all happened to me after I went swimming in a river with friends and got ill later in the evening. I may have swallowed river water contaminated with agriculture run off. Nothing has been the same since then. This is similar to many people's stories about IBS. The hope is that the pill would restore whatever was killed off due to the initial illness, which might result in regulation and relief. Yeah it's a shot in the dark and not officially meant to treat ~anything~, but at least it's something with some promise. The doctors over the years haven't had an answer for me. Treatments are also used off label all the time and trials are often very narrow in scope to meet regulatory guidelines. Somehow I think you know this already and are being a bit of a smartass.
- 300bps 12y agoFrom the little you've written here, it doesn't sound to me like you have typical IBS or perhaps even IBS at all. The diagnostic criteria for IBS are here: http://www.aboutibs.org/site/what-is-ibs/intro-to-ibs/diagnosis http://www.aboutibs.org/site/what-is-ibs/intro-to-ibs/diagno... Dramatic weight loss as you've outlined is a sign you're suffering from something more serious than IBS. That makes sense since you list several other non-IBS related disorders ("stomach flu (sic) / food poisoning" as well as gastroparesis). The thing that doesn't make sense to me is why you attribute these things to IBS? If simply upping my fiber solved the problem then I would be set, but fiber lead to more gas and pain for me. There is nothing "simple" about increasing your fiber in a manner to solve IBS. As I mentioned in my original comment, it takes actual work. First, you have to eschew eating anything at all throughout the day that doesn't have dietary fiber. Second, you must gradually increase your fiber intake over a period of a year to avoid gas buildup and pain. Third, you must actively seek out fiber rich foods to eat throughout the day. As I said, there is absolutely nothing simple about it. This all happened to me after I went swimming in a river with friends and got ill later in the evening. Again, I'm questioning why you think this has anything to do with IBS. You don't catch IBS by swimming in a river.
- Klinky 12y agoI had IBS symptoms well before my severe issues with gastroparesis and digestive motility in 2006 and 2012. I feel my underlying issues with IBS made me more predisposed to additional further complications brought on by severe gastroenteritis from viral or bacterial origin. Often most people do not know what caused their "24 hour stomach flu", if it was something they ate or a virus. I am not doubting the work it's taken you to achieve your remission of IBS, but I am saying your cure may not be the cure for others dealing with IBS. >>You don't catch IBS by swimming in a river. In a contaminated river you certainly can. Have you really researched IBS fully? Post-infectious IBS is quite common. There have been major studies on it. http://www.aboutibs.org/site/what-is-ibs/intro-to-ibs/post-infectious-ibs http://www.aboutibs.org/site/what-is-ibs/intro-to-ibs/post-i... http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/main/news/news_2010/walkerton_study.html http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/main/news/news_2010/walkerton_study.h...