John,

I understand you very well. I started to have this syndrome, thinging retrospectively, when I was in high school. It was a nightmare... I had problems with gases all the time during classes.

In junior and later years in University situation was quite the same.

I felt a little batter later, but I still have the problem which we in Russia call the "bear illness". That means I need to go to the toilet before any social meeting or situation that makes me anxious. It can be just a talk over the phone.

I on meds now. Antidepressants help, but since it is Zoloft, it causes diarrhea, but not the spasms in my stomach I had before...

I am very glad that you found the method to win over IBS. I understand the calmity you are enjoying now. ))) Very glad for you.

Alexey

So far this is working for me guys:

Half cup of Fiber one cereal, plenty of water 8 cups a day minimum, good posture(not flexed over or slumped) and loose fitting cloths, no belt.


Hope this helps, I don't claim to know anything just what has helped me out.

I took Zoloft for almost 5yrs and it gave me diarrhea at first and I told my doc and he told me to take an over the counter medication called accidofilis and the diarrhea went away in less than a week. My doctor said that SSRI's can kill off microff flora in the intestines and that is what causes that side effect.

I hope this helps.

-Logan

I have suffered from IBS on and off for most of my adult life. I am interested if you know if there is any link between CSA and IBS? If so, could you direct me to where I culd find out more information.

I've had IBS troubles for quite awhile, also, and didn't know anything about it. I had some bleeding issues and ended up going to the ER (all is well) but that sent me on a journey to find a GI doctor.

I ended up getting a colonoscopy and an endoscopy, etc., and everything's fine. BUT, my doctor said that he thought my symptoms sounded a lot like IBS. We tried the medication for "traveler's diarrhea" but that didn't take. Then, he suggested that we try one of the "PROBIOTICS" on the market. He said he liked the "Align" product (over the counter) 'cause he said they have better quality control standards.

I started on it about three weeks ago and have been having much better regularity and my nagging feeling of "having to go" has mostly vanished. It's worked quite well for me.

Most drug stores will order it for you, or you can get it online at aligngi.com.

On a personal note, since I was abused "down there" I've had a number of issues regarding having that urgency to go to the bathroom, and the IBS has been a sort of trigger for body memories/feelings, etc. The past few weeks have been some of the best for me in terms of my physical health as well as mental health. I feel really lucky to have found a great doctor who seems to understand this issue greatly.

Best wishes,
Scott

A good GI doctor recommended another solution to me. I used it for years. It doesn't involve any medicine so it doesn't have side effects.

His recommendation was to take large doses of psyllium powder. Don't misunderstand me. In regular size doses, psyllium acts as a lubricant for the colon and will clear it out. BUTT in large doses it actually stabilizes colonic motion. The dose he recommended is about a quarter - cup to a third - cup at at time.

This is how you take it. You prepare a 12-ounce drinking glass about 2/3 full of drinking water. In a little measuring cup have ready the dose of psyllium powder. Have a stirring spoon ready. Then with quick motions you dump the psyllium powder into the water and quickly stir it. Get the psyllium wet but don't hesitate. HOLD YOUR BREATH. Then drink it quickly. Rinse the glass out with a little water to consume the dregs.

The way that it acts is that it provides 1. a lot of fiber bulk to the intestine, which helps it to not be ADHD (I know that this is an invalid comparison). The point is that the intestine is churning like a washing machine and it's not good for it to injure itself churning too much. 2. It tends to form a gel inside the intestine so that the contents stick together forming a workable lump. 3. It keeps the intestine from having this food become a mechanical irritant as it works inside like the action of a washing machine. 4. When the material is passed as fecal matter, it is kept soft so that it doesn't injure the anal opening or hemerrhoids.

Advice: Don't buy the kind with a lot of sugar in it. The sugar is not good for you. I trained myself to just take it raw without any sweeteners. The psyllium fiber itself is not capable of being absorbed by the intestine so that it is essentially nonnutritive.

I buy the stuff at a health food store. They order it in large quantities which gets the cost way down.

Allen

pufferfish

Zoinks pufferfish that would kill me! A regular dose is to much. It solidify's and makes the stool much larger and more painful to pass.

My solution which I had been working at w/o a lot of success was posture and pelvic position. It worked off and on for years and I never understood why it wouldn't take I stretched and stretched the hamstrings and arched my back. Then I got a lower back ache a few weeks ago and I could barely move then when I got going if I stoipped I was frozen to that spot for a while. I spoke to a sports massage person describing what I do and she said the only thing she could think of was the flexors.
That was it! I wasn't stretching thew flexors so they were pulling the pelvis forward too far. The pain went away as soon as I started the stretch.
A few days later I noticed I'd been having easy and clean movements for those few days. So I have it for me anyway its the position of the pelvis that was kinking or tightening the tubes down there probably not much differently that the belt John was talking about.
I've also got a stool in the bathroom that I put my feet up on to further adjust the position of my colon and pelvis. Its about 8" tall. It helps.

Kidney,

No! This really works. I used it for a number of years and I may start it up again. You just have to make sure you drink it with plenty of water.

I know it's paradoxical. Psyllium in small amounts is a laxative. In large doses it stops the irritation of IBS.

The Dr. who recommended was a board-certified GI doctor, one of the most reputable.

Psyllium is pronounced "silly-yum". It is sold as the product Metamucil. But as I said, I don't take the kind with sweeteners added.

Allen

pufferfish

Here's a link establishing a connection between IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and CSA (child sexual abuse)

http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/3/490

And here's another one:

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/cus...;accno=EJ841139



Allen

Thanks Allen but I was serious. One teaspoon for three days in a row is as good as filling my colon with cement. I can take it weekly or every few days and I should as I'm type2, but its so painful if I get it just a little wrong I don't take it very often.