women suffering constipation - page fifteen
The tale of...Kim
I am a 46 year-old woman, wife and mother of two wonderful boys. I was diagnosed with IBS in 2000 (had barium enema test - would rather give birth to triplets) after several years of suffering from constant constipation, anxiety and depression. I had a hysterectomy in 1997 after having repeated problems with pre-cancerous conditions on my cervix and I also had a condition called adnomiosis, which is endometriosis in your uterus. I had my uterus and cervix removed during the surgery, but since my ovaries were OK, my doctor left those alone.
My IBS has been relatively "dormant" for the past four years. As long as I take extra fiber, watch my diet, don't drink alcohol, watch my caffeine, etc I have some episodes, but nothing like many people have described on this site - heart-wrenching stories - especially the young girls, my heart really goes out to you brave women.
Two years ago I started going through early menopause. I had no idea I would long for the days when I just felt crappy and exhausted all the time in the early 2000os. I have had every possible symptom associated with menopause and was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Thousands of dollars, trips to the ER, trips to endocrinologists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, antidepressants, you name it, and two years later my menopausal symptoms and my thyroid symptoms are somewhat better, but guess what's back with a vengeance?
The constipation, bloating, gas, then sometimes (if I am lucky) alternating diarrhea is totally unmanageable. Nothing that worked in the past is helping. My doctor put me on Zelnorm - that is just nothing more than a laxative and made my anxiety flare up. I just tried peppermint oil, that has helped slightly and I've upped my probiotics temporarily just trying to get stabilized so I can go out in public. I also just started on primrose oil, which is supposed to help menopause as well. I can't really go to my yoga classes right now and I depend on those to manage my stress level.
I was just wondering if there are any other women out there that are experiencing an increase or return of IBS symptoms and are in menopause or know of other hormonal links - I know there have been documented issues with menstrual cycles and pregnancy. Could it be any fluctuation in hormones? I haven't found any other sites that have discussed any connection with an increase in IBS symptoms and menopause. Most references state that symptoms are better after menopause.
E-mail Kim: kimjgalb[at]gmail.com
The tale of...Suzanne
Ever since I suffered from glandular fever I just haven't felt right. I came down with glandular fever when I was 14 and finally got over it when I was about 16 or 17. Ever since then I never felt right, I had random attacks I guess you could call them. I can't really place myself in either the diarrhea section or the constipation section as I suffer from both really.
One day I may have diarrhea and need to go many times in one day and have cramps and feel awful for at least a few hours once I've passed my last movement. Then it may be days or a week and I'll need to pass and I'm now constipated, I end up sweating and cursing and praying please just let me pass. Once I have actually managed to pass a movement I will then feel extremely tired and nauseous for hours (generally four to five hour recovery time), I have no energy to do anything and all I can feel is my stomach.
I haven't been able to keep a job as this really interferes: how can I possibly concentrate when feeling sick for hours at a time, I'm sure no employer would like that. I am now 25 and still suffer from these symptoms, and the last doctor I spoke to told me that it sounds like IBS and it's all in my head and I just need to change my eating habits and think I'm healthy and it will all go away.
Some days I'll have good days, but most days I feel awful. My stomach bloats out, and I can't stand up for long periods of time as it tires me. I have to find a seat or I think I will pass out (thankfully I haven't discovered what will happen if I don't find a seat).
When my stomach bloats out the pain is quite low in my abdomen and is fairly constant, how can I make this go away...it's embarrassing and I really hate feeling like this. A lot of people don't believe I even feel this way, they believe I'm making it up. What they don't know is I'm a fairly good actor and just make them think I'm feeling OK, but they have no idea how I really feel and what I really put up with all day every day, as I'm sure a lot of others do the same.
It is embarrassing trying to talk to someone about these problems. How do you tell them that you need at least 10 minutes to half an hour in the toilet, and while I'm in there taking that long I'm thinking, "Do they notice I've been gone for this long? What are they thinking when I'm gone that long?"
I along with hundreds/thousands of other people I'm sure look forward to a miraculous cure for this as I'm sure many like I would like to live a normal life without the pain, bloating and embarrassment. Thanks for listening :)
E-mail Suzanne: spite_girl[at]hotmail.com
The tale of...Linda
I am a 50 year-old woman who has suffered from IBS for at least the last 22 years, although I suspect it may have been since early childhood. I say this because the first really bad episode was when I was 28. I was stressed out with a person I worked for and I started to have continual pain and bloating.
Eventually the GP sent me for tests, and to my complete surprise I had to endure a sigmoidoscopy, where a camera is inserted into the rectum to have a look at the bowel. Maybe not so bad if you are forewarned, but it certainly took me by surprise! I left the hospital like a scalded cat. Still, I was not told it was IBS, just that nothing was found. It was not till a number of years later that another GP, looking through my notes said "Oh yes, that was when you were diagnosed with IBS" - I was so angry that I had not been told this.
For a long while I only had episodes when I was stressed out, and after being put on Paroxetine for panic attacks and depression I had lots of minor discomfort with constipation, trapped wind and bloating, but not major attacks.
That has all changed over the last couple of years. I seem to be constipated all the time, different foods seem to have a really bad effect, including eggs, cheese and bananas. I am always wondering what I can eat. I have recently started looking into food allergies as I am convinced this has a lot to do with what I eat, but as we all know getting advice from conventional GPs is just a laugh. My doctor has told me not to bother with any "fad" diets.
I have tried for the last 10 days avoiding anything containing lactose, which made me feel better for about four days, then something set me off again. I am still sticking to it as the soya is really helping my hot flushes, but it isn't proving to be a wonder cure. I am now being crystal dowsed for food intolerance, sounds daft I know but a friend swears it helped him and I am willing to try anything. The lady who is doing the dowsing thinks I may have an overgrowth of candida because I have had numerous doses of antibiotics in the last two years, for a stubborn urinary infection and a bacterial infection of a fingernail.
I have relied on Lactulose for the constipation but I am now thinking I shouldn't take it and I don't know how I am going to go to the loo without it. I have also been taking a natural fiber supplement with FOS, but I don't know if this will affect candida (if I have it), and it does not make me go as well as the Lactulose. I am taking acidophilus caps too and have ordered horopito and aniseed to see if it helps.
All this is so confusing, not to mention expensive. I wondered if anyone else on the site can give me any advice. IBS Tales is a Godsend as it makes me realise just how many people out there suffer the same symptoms. My husband is very patient with me, but as he can eat anything he likes I am sure he gets fed up of hearing about my "bad guts". By the way my symptoms never include diarrhea only constipation. Here's hoping someone can help me out there.
E-mail Linda: westcoast[at]tesco.net