men suffering diarrhea - page one

The tale of...Shane

It has been about eight or nine years since being diagnosed with IBS, and it has been nothing but hell for me. Going to work I have to make sure that I know where a toilet is along the route, when going to the shops I go before I leave home, and then I sit in the car because I start to feel light-headed and as if I am going to be sick.

Being at a party is the worst for me, because of all the people, and even at my own parties I feel ill. There have also been embarrassing times where I haven't been able to make it to the toilet in time, and for me being 30+ it's not the nicest of feelings when you've soiled yourself.

I have tried special diets and even tried aloe juice which was working for a while, even to a stage where I didn't need it any more. I'm still suffering with IBS, and would like to one day go into a shopping centre with my wife and do some shopping with her or without.

E-mail Shane: stacey_shane[at]aapt.net.au

The tale of... Brian

In brief, I have had a gastrointestinal problem since about 1996. It reached its height after a year or so when any exercise made it far worse. A GP said 'definitely not irritable bowel syndrome'. I saw a consultant at a hospital and introduced myself with the phrase 'It seems to be a case of IBS.' He snapped back at me 'Don't tell me what I already have in front of me' - a note from the GP who had told me it was not IBS. This rather spoilt the interview.

He prescribed Mebeverine HCl which produced no detectable effect. Neither did Colpermin enteric coated peppermint oil capsules I had tried previously. Another consultant said 'Nothing to do with your diet' whereas a GP had blamed it on my diet. I guess such contradictions are typical of the problem.

It was especially bad a few years ago, having been being quite painful just to step off the pavement. There was a marginal improvement over years. I suggested the only other antispasmodic listed in the BNF, alverine citrate. The pain was reduced almost immediately and I became far more comfortable, but it did not reduce other symptoms. I needed to take it at double the maximum recommended higher dose, so as a chemistry graduate, I wanted to look into its toxicology.

I found little on the internet, as it is a UK product not apparently available in the USA. The manufacturer refused to send me any details or even references to original papers on the product. Nor would it send the details to a US citizen who tried to get details for me. I have found a limited amount of information on it, but feel it really should not be so difficult to obtain detailed information on any pharmaceutical.

A GP suggested a tricyclic antidepressant which I refused. I have tried paroxetine and venlafaxine which have not caused any problems at all, maybe helping me to relax more easily, but they do not seem to have helped much with the problem itself.

After nearly a year or so I stopped taking alverine citrate to see what happened. The pain did not return. The other symptoms such as bloating are rather less severe than in the past, but are still a real nuisance. Hopefully the slow improvement will continue, but I expect it to take years.

My guess is that it is useless expecting a 'Zauberkugel' (magic bullet) from any drug for IBS (and probably for many other health problems). Drugs may help, but I guess many IBS sufferers would do much better if they could change their lifestyle. This is easier said than done in many cases. I spend far too long in front of a PC!

The tale of...Peter

Where do I start? Well, just thinking about it makes me want to cry...I am always in fear of an attack and don't know what to do...I don't know what to eat and I'm afraid to go out and eat. I'm afraid of eating at other people's homes...I'm afraid of eating out with friends such as when we go to drive throughs...I am scared of eating, but I have no choice but to eat since I want to live.

Over 60 per cent of the time I have an attack...sometimes two to three weeks go by and no attack. This past week, three attacks in less than a week...can anyone help?

I take Dicetel but it does not seem to be 100 per cent effective, even some help from it would be nice. I even have times when I don't eat, but I go to the bathroom and still suffer... I do admit I worry a lot and I do suffer from anxiety, but how can I stop my worrying...I can go on and on but living with IBS is a nightmare, it's terrible.

I can't enjoy myself when I go out to restaurants... If there is anyone out there who sympathizes with me, I would like to hear from you...It's so sad and so depressing...Why me, I just don't understand it...I know that there are worse diseases out there, but I still do suffer and I wish that it would stop...

Within minutes of eating something, I rush to the bathroom and end up spending about a half an hour in there. My stools are usually soft, very light diarrhea if any, small thin stools and feel constipated during my visit to the bathroom... I have a girlfriend who loves me, a family as well and friends that are surprisingly supportive. I think they are what keep me going...

An update on Peter...

It's me again, Peter who continues to suffer. I just had a small bout of IBS and finally have some time to sit down on something other than the royal throne. I've read stories of people lacking the will power to live or to continue on and I can sympathize with them. The important thing to remember is that we are not alone and as we can see, others suffer from the same thing we do and that is IBS.

I have found that supervisors/bosses can be somewhat understanding as they too are people, sometimes, but it sometimes doesn't hurt to try and talk to someone at your work. I sometimes wonder to myself and think what is worse, somebody terminally ill or somebody with IBS. I guess people who are terminally ill if given the chance to pick, would pick irritable bowel syndrome over some terrible illness that they have.

I think what I am trying to say is that others have it worse than us. I myself have had to make changes in my diet and restrict myself from having dinner at a restaurant because I fear an attack. I have a loving and very understanding girlfriend who is there for me and I would not want to leave her alone without me in her life who she loves dearly.

I'm sure we all have special people in our lives who care about us and want us in their lives. Until next time I guess, take care of one another and I hope the best for everyone.

E-mail Peter: Petermantas[at]rogers.com

The tale of...John

I am a 52 year-old male with alternating diarrhea and constipation. I have had the symptoms since childhood but I was only diagnosed in 1990. Prior to this I was treated with tranquilizers (since 1975) for 'anxiety state'.

I stopped working in 1989 due to the severity of my condition (that will be 15 years next March). My main problem today is depression and isolation and I see a psychiatrist for this. Today I am not taking any medication as the side effects make me feel worse. I have tried most drugs including anti-depressants and major tranquilizers but they do not help.

Over the years I have tried many alternative/complementary therapies but nothing works for me. These are some of the things I have tried. Diet: excluding sensitive food, avoiding dairy products, no alcohol etc. Eating bio-yogurts, bulking agents, taking extra vitamins, honey and anything advertised as the latest cure for IBS.

I have tried hypnotherapy, meditation and holistic ideas all to no avail. I ran a self-help group in the early 1990's in London but nobody ever reported success in overcoming their symptoms.

To conclude, my situation today is one of isolation as I feel unable to leave home and if I do I have 'panic attacks'. My latest 'therapy' is to begin an exercise programme but this is proving difficult to do. This is my first time using the world wide web and I would welcome any comments that other people with IBS would care to share with me.