women suffering constipation page seven
The tale of...Leigh
My name is Leigh and I am 29 years old. My IBS started shortly after the birth of my first child nine years ago. At that time, I only had the diarrhea. By the time my daughter turned one, I was no longer having this problem. However, after my last child was born two years ago, my "little bathroom problem" as I call it, has re-appeared.
At first it was the diarrhea, now I think I am experiencing the constipation. My family and I went on vacation last week, and this seems to be when the problem started. While on vacation, I only had one episode of diarrhea. After that day, I didn't go again for two more days. Then after I went to the bathroom I felt like I had horrible gas and bloating. Again, it was two days before I went to the bathroom again.
Today I went to see my family doctor. She felt my tummy and did an exam and told me that all looked normal. SO, here is my question...For those of you who have the constipation/bloating/gas/painful abdomen, how long does this normally last? I am new to the constipation side of IBS. Any advice or comments will be much appreciated.
E-mail Leigh: jennyleigh1975[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Stephanie
I am only 22 years old and have been suffering in silence for the last three years. I hate asking for help and I had difficulty telling whether it was all in my head or not. I've gotten used to holding in my breath and "sucking it in" throughout the entire day in front of people so I could hide the disgusting pregnant-looking tummy that doesn't match the rest of my body's proportions.
My social life depends on my tummy's size that day. I need three days' notice for going out at night with others to parties and at least three weeks' notice before going swimming, that way I can starve myself without panicking and fit into my clothes. It's a nightmare looking in the mirror and seeing this bloated stomach monster that sticks out.
My constipation is extremely severe and I can't have bowel movements until a week or longer has passed between them. And even then it's really disappointing because all that comes out are a few tiny pellet pieces - no relief from the bloating or the fullness I have been looking forward to ridding myself of the entire week.
The excessive straining with no result is extremely frustrating and time-consuming! Enemas, stimulant laxatives, suppositories, stool softeners, fiber laxatives, etc fail to work as well. Correctol laxatives work for me in 18 hours but the result is an entire day and in a half in the bathroom and a burning pain in my stomach that makes me double over wishing I could just die. I swear to myself I'll never take them again but after a week of discomfort I prove myself to be a liar. I take them every Thursday after work so my tummy will be a normal size by the middle of the weekend.
I just had a colonoscopy this June due to large amounts of blood in the toilet, and areas were found torn and bleeding but the biopsies were okay. They aren't sure what it's from. I am now having an endoscopy done in a few days and the GI specialist believes I have IBS with constipation and probably some ulcers.
What angers me the most is that this all started when I was put on extremely high doses of tricyclics for migraine prevention back in high school. I trusted that my doctor would be looking out for my well-being but all the prescriptions throughout the years have completely messed up my body. The tricyclics have pretty much shut down my system's ability to even function on its own.
I went to the neurologists for help and I left in worse shape than I ever would have been not asking for help in the first place. I just weaned myself off the tricyclics two weeks ago and have to wait four more weeks for them to completely get out of my system before I can start the IBS medications. All I want is to feel relief after a bowel movement - to actually have a real bowel movement. It seems like so little to ask for but it would mean the whole world to me.
E-mail Stephanie: yummytummy1981[at]yahoo.com
The tale of...Gemma
I graduated three years ago and in the last year my IBS (constipation) has got really bad after travelling to Nepal and coming off the contraceptive pill. Like other people on this website, I think hormone changes and food poisoning was the initial cause. However, even when I was young I was diagnosed with a 'nervous tummy' by the doctor.
I have been told my stomach aches are wheat and yeast intolerances (by doctors, nutritionists, naturopaths and an allergy test) and I have cut out both at various times in my life, once over a three-week period, only to find myself underweight, pale, drawn and not enjoying one of life's greatest pleasures which is food. After an Italian meal I'm usually crippled and have to take painkillers, peppermint tea and a warm bath! As for alcohol its not only the hangover I have to cope with, it's the cramps and pain, so yet again another one of life's pleasures I have to limit/give up.
My family generally have similar symptoms so we named it the 'Elliott tummy'. I feel my partner thinks I'm mad and has to put up with a lot! When we travel I take every stomach remedy there is on the market from senna to Windeeze to Imodium. I think it is a great way to dampen your love life and I pray he doesn't want to go off with a IBS-free woman.
I do find probiotic yogurt helps or Actimel and Yakult, also evening primrose seems to help a wee bit. Eating nothing but rice and cooked vegetables for a few days often settles my stomach down too, however, how boring and uneasy...and being pretty slim I lose more weight. I'm a big fan of chilli, garlic, cheese but I have to suffer big-time afterwards, especially after pizzas.
I have a new job starting after quitting teaching (one of the issues was having to stand in front of kids panicking because you can't leave the room to go to the toilet). I'm hoping I can tailor my diet and lifestyle to keep it under control. I have just been to the doctors and got Mebeverine, has anyone tried anti-spasmodic drugs, do they help? I'm nervous as do not want to make it worse for my new job!
I do yoga regularly and find that and brisk walking is amazing as it keeps away depression (another symptom of IBS I gather) Travelling is a killer and I'm off on holiday soon and bracing myself for stressful times ahead looking for loos in airports.
Do get in touch, it feels good to know I'm not alone in this but would love to speak to other people about this, no-one except my family with the 'Elliott tummy' understand.
PS: After reading other people's stories I have now discovered that depression, migraines and lower back pain are associated with IBS...is this true do you know? I look forward to hearing from fellow sufferers.
E-mail Gemma: neilgem[at]blueyonder.co.uk