Thank you everyone for the great responses!!
This is a really hard thing to struggle with because it's embarrasing, so people don't really talk about it in real life. I think a lot of people struggle with it and don't say anything (estimates are 10% of the population has IBS now).
Originally Posted by MD'05
Mucosal edema in the rectum. Anyone in your immediate family have problems with internal hemorrhoids or any similar sigmoid or rectum issues? I'm sure the GI would have seen internal hemorrhoids. Was there anything that might have happened back in 2003 to initiated these symptoms? Trauma such as a rectal fissure, straining with BM? Did the GI see any AVMs? You are probably too young for diverticulosis. Very interesting.
Only GI history in family is my paternal grandmother had colon cancer that was operated on and has been in remission for decades now. There were no hemorrhoids seen on my scopy, but with my bleeding I expected there to be! There was a benign polyp that was removed. Nothing happened in 2003 that I could see causing this. One day I was out shopping and out of the blue I got real real sick, sicker than I've ever been since (explosive diahrrea). I had just eaten some spicy food, so I attributed it to that. I was fine for about a month and then it happened again, and this time it was the start of the chronic problem (not explosive diahrrea, but urgency and frequency). This led to major anxiety of worrying about getting to a bathroom wherever I went, and I wound up having a panic attack at one point - which of course led to seeing a psychiatrist and getting on xanax and paxil, and seeing a therapist.
Originally Posted by mysophobe
I HAVE IBS, so I can tell you what I did (if that's what you have that is). I changed my diet and eating habits so that I didn't eat anything before 10 or 11am, I cut out soda entirely, and I don't eat much sugary stuff. I don't eat anything big after 10pm either. This has decreased the amount of attacks I get dramatically.
I used to have attacks almost every morning, sometimes so bad that I couldn't stand up. Once I changed my eating habits a bit, I got a lot better. I drink tons of water and some iced tea too, and that's about it.
Good to hear from a fellow sufferer (whether I have IBS or IBD, same symptoms). As it is, I don't eat breakfast, never have. Rarely drink soda - indulge in sugary things occasionally, but haven't noticed a difference in symptoms from that. The only correlation to diet I've found is that pizza makes me sick pretty consistently - but cutting out lactose didn't solve anything so I was confused (could still be the gluten in the dough). One thing I do do all the time, is eat after 10pm. Often I'll eat after midnight. I'm up late studying usually, and if the last time I ate was at 7, I get really hungry around midnight, and I can't sleep hungry at all. I've spent several sleepless nights with a growling stomach, so I don't know if I can stop doing that...maybe I should try adapting my schedule so I eat dinner at 9ish.
My attacks are in the mornings too - but just when I have to be at school, or some place else. At home I'm usually fine.
Originally Posted by beary
I don't have IBD or IBS (at least I don't think so!) but I have an extremely "nervous stomach" and tend to have to run to the bathroom a lot when I am stressed out. This gets to be a vicious cycle which sounds like what you are describing - I worry about getting diarrhea, which then gives me diarrhea!
A few things I have done - I take Imodium and pepto bismol in the morning on extremely stressful days, as a prophylactic. I think it helps. Also, if you need to go, just go. Especially as a med student, there will almost never be a time that you can't go use the restroom if you need to. Just knowing that you can leave may help with your anxiety about it. When I started third year, I had an extremely bad problem with this, and now as I just about finish fourth year it is basically not a problem at all. I agree with the earlier poster who said just try to relax (which is easier said than done - I'm not making light of it at all).
This sounds exactly like me! I sit there worrying I'll have to go, which of course sets my bowels rumbling, and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's really hard for me to relax and not worry about it though because there have been so many times (most days) that I DO have to run and go, that if the angel on my one shoulder says to "its okay just relax", the devil on the other side is saying "you know you're going to get sick just like every other day." I also have a big phobia of incontinence - it's never happened, but it's a fear. I use diphenoxylate (prescription-strength immodium basically) PLUS immodium as a prophylactic every morning that I have to be somewhere. It usually doesn't do anything for me. Thanks for the comforting words about being able to go when I need to...as you said, sometimes just knowing that makes it not happen.
Originally Posted by closertofine
Thank you for this thread...I have IBS too, on top of my other issue that I posted about! (though with a recent time of what seemed to be pseudomembranous colitis...awful (and bloody)...at least I'm hoping and assuming that's what it was, since it went away with Flagyl...I've never had a colonoscopy, though). I deal with it by eating a very limited diet, especially when out in public...which may not be the best way...I may take some of you all's suggestions.
I was inspired by your thread to post this one - so thank YOU.
I also limit what I eat when I'm in situations where I really don't want to risk getting sick. Often I'll skip lunch entirely and won't eat until 5 or 6 just to try and avoid it.
