Abdominal issues acting up again

[flutterby]

I was diagnosis'd with irritable bowel years and years ago. In July - the weekend of the board gathering, actually - I started with new or worsening symptoms. It led to a CT scan of my abdomen, which found something about my right ovary (had an ultrasound and ovaries are fine) and a colonoscopy, which was normal.

It was *intense* - the symptoms. Cramping so severe I felt like I would pass out, belly distension, pain in my lower and right abdomen even without touch. It feels like everything inside is inflamed.

It would last about 5 days or so, then calm down. About the time the sensitivity in my abdomen went away, it came back again. It was revving back up every 2 weeks.

After drinking the magnesium citrate for the colonoscopy, it was much better. I had one smaller episode after.

I should back up...initially these episodes consisted of diarrhea. The latter consisted of constipation. So, when the last, smaller episode kicked up, I took miralax prescribed by my doctor.

Well, it started up again. And it's just like the first one. I can't use miralax because I am the exact opposite of constipated. I can't use Immodium because it will shut things down for days.

It *hurts*. Sitting, standing, lying down. Then I get these waves of cramps that put labor pain to shame. by the way, those cramps don't always produce anything. In fact, they usually don't.

Are there any foods that might be helpful for....uh....slowing things down?

 

[GoingNorth]

Oddly, adding a soluble fiber like Benefiber to your diet would help with both the runs and being bunged up.

Benefiber is neat as it blends into anything, doesn't get slimy or sticky, and is totally tasteless. You can even mix it into hot beverages or soups, etc.

I do have one question, though. Have you ever been checked out for endometreosis?

Excess endometrial tissue can turn up all over your innards and cause all sorts of very unpleasant symptoms up to and including outright intestinal or bladder obstruction.

As time goes on, scarring and adhesions develop from the foreign tissue, and symptoms often seem to cycle with the menses since the misplaced tissue still responds to female sex hormones.

One of the first places endometreosis shows up is in/around the ovaries. I'd start to think, in your case, since the other tests have been inconclusive, that it might be time to ask about an exploratory laparoscopy to actually get in there and take a good look at things.

 

[flutterby]

I do have endometriosis and had a lapraoscopy in 2000. It returned and I couldn't afford to take the time off work for a hysterectomy (my new GYN didn't want to do another lapraoscopy because of scar tissue and my pelvis was fixed so it couldn't be done vaginally). Besides, me - hormones = homicidal. I know I would do hormone replacement, but it would take a while to get it right and....let's just say it wouldn't be pretty at all. I took Lupron (which throws you into immediate menopause) following the lapraoscopy. I was supposed to take it for 6 months. After 3 months (maybe...not sure I lasted that long), I called my doctor and told him I wanted to kill someone and I wasn't picky about who. LOL He stopped that medication.

I take Aygestin to keep it under control. Agyestin is a synthetic progestin which keeps your estrogen at a low level. Your estrogen is lowest right after a period, and Aygestin keeps it there. I felt relief in days and my pelvis is no longer fixed. I've been on it about 5 years now.

The endometriosis was wrapped around my colon when I had the procedure done.

I just saw my GYN a couple of months ago, or less, when the CT scan showed something with my ovary. She did an exam and said everything in that regard feels much better. Then they did the ultrasound.

 

[witzend]

Plain white rice should help.

 

[flutterby]

Thank you!

 

[flutterby]

Of course, I can't find any white rice in the house. I know we had some, and I know I didn't eat it.

Sigh....

I munched down a lot of cheese. It doesn't normally bind me up, but it would my brother. Figured it couldn't hurt to try.

I see a new neurologist tomorrow and I'm going to meet him for the first time in my pajamas. I can't stand for anything to be against my belly and my jammies are loose in the waist.

 

[flutterby]

I also have Benefiber, but I'm afraid to try it tonight since I have an appointment at 9am and I'm not sure how it will react at first. I'll start it tomorrow.

 

[susiestar]

Add fiber to your diet. Benefiber, mini wheats, those new fiber bars, oatmeal, anything like that. If you use rice, cook brown rice. It has much more nutrients and fiber and can really help your situation.

I used to get a day or two like you are describing with the start of each period. After a few years it settled down to just five or six hours but I felt totally exhausted afterwards.

Fiber REALLY helped.

If you choose oatmeal, get the old fashioned five minute kind. You can cook it in the microwave and it is far better for you than the other kinds. It only takes about 3 min in my microwave, so the wait is very short.

There ARE medications that may help. My rheumy put me on librax, a combination of 2 medications, to help with what you are describing. It helped a lot.

anyway, I hope you feel better soon.

 

[rlsnights]

applesauce is constipating. also bananas and carrots. and you may want to avoid certain things like pears, apricots, cherries and prunes/plums all of which help to treat constipation.

Benefiber is great. I doubt it would bind you up real fast. It's more that it holds stuff together. Miralax makes things slippery. Very different things.

you might try charting your symptoms for a few months and see if there does seem to be a rhythm to it that suggests renewed endometriosis problems despite the treatment you're on.

here's a link to the University of North Carolina Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. They have a great website with lots of information on IBS causes and treatments including alternative medical approaches and info on the most recent research.

http://www.medication.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/

 

[tiredmommy]

Heather... I've had IBS for 23 years, it's been especially bad for the last three years since I was treated for H. pylori with three strong antibiotics. My symptoms were so bad that I was having several episodes a day and started to suffer from malnutrition. I started using Align this summer and I'm about 90% improved now. I still have an occasional episode of bloating, cramping, constipation or diarrhea but we're talking one every week or two rather daily. I'm hoping that these break through episodes will also go away in time. I also eat an Activia yogurt every other day because it has probiotics.

 

[rejectedmom]

Fennel tea helps with IBS and other digestive tract discomfort. -RM

 

[DammitJanet]

TM...I have also used Align when I get into those episodes. I started suffering from what I know now was IBS back in about 97 or 98. It started happening to me at work and I would start thinking I was having menstrual cramps and head to the bathroom. I would end up in there for 30 mins or so and almost pass out from the pain. I would be ghost white when I came out and dripping in sweat. One time my coworkers drove me to the ER. Thats when I found out it was IBS. Its happened to me over and over again even now but its much less if I avoid certain foods. I cant drink too much milk or milk products and raisin bran is completely out for me even though I love it.

 

[Josie]

Try no gluten. Anything without wheat, rye, oats, or barley. Also avoid natural flavors and malt since they could have gluten.

 

[flutterby]

I'm thinking it was/is food poisoning.

It's already much better today, though nowhere near 100%, and I wondered about the pepperoni on the pizza I ate for lunch yesterday. I only ate one piece of pepperoni and took the rest off because it didn't seem right, but it was still cooked on the pizza.

My mom thinks it's from stress from easy child the other day because I reacted similarly then. But, it lasted longer and was somewhat different.

So we decided to split the difference and decide it's a little of both. easy child's girlfriend has decided it's food poisoning because she doesn't want easy child to be causing me so much stress it's making me sick.

Tell me about this Align product. Is it a supplement or a food or what? Any issues adjusting to it?

 

[witzend]

It can take your gut weeks or months to recover from food poisoning. Keep it gentle, and keep the Pepto around.

 

[DammitJanet]

Its a product sold over in the Pepto isle and it is said to even out your gut issues. If you have diarrhea it helps that, if you have constipation, it helps that side. Im not sure exactly what it is made up of but it works really well. It keeps things on an even keel. I think that is why the name...Align.