IBD Intro Thread.

[zelda25]

Feb 25, 2014 22:04:45 GMT -5 Catlawdy said:

Feb 21, 2014 16:24:48 GMT -5 zelda25 said:

Is anyone still reading this thread? Figured it was the best place to do an intro.

I'm the only person I know under the age of 60 with diverticulosis with occasional bouts of diverticulitis. If anyone else around here has same, I would love to hear from you, partly to swap symptoms, triggers, frequency, etc., but also because I'd like to not feel like the only weirdo walking around with a senior citizens' problem, LOL.

I had my first infection two and a half years ago and ended up in the hospital at that time because of an abscess. Two CT scans and a colonoscopy later, I'm pretty much just managing day-to-day and get the occasional script from my doctor when I/we feel I have an infection. I can probably count on one hand the number of "good poops" I've had since then--and have fingers left over.

The surgeon and hospitalist who read my first CT scan both pushed for a resection, but my internist and GI doc both thought that was ridiculous without a history of frequent problems. I didn't want the surgery at the time, but I'm starting to question whether or not that was the right call.

Anyway, hi!

Welcome, Zelda! I don't know if anyone on the board has diverticulitis, but we do have some that have had resections. My ex had diverticulitis and a resection, it was a great solution for him.

Thanks. I actually just saw my doctor Monday because I thought I was having another attack, but based on the location of my pain, he thought diverticulitis was unlikely and wondered about an ovarian cyst or even appendicitis and decided to take a wait and see stance instead of treating right away. The pain is subsiding, so that looks like the right course so far. Weird. 

Anyway, while he was reading over the reports from my colonoscopy, he saw that in addition to pockets in my sigmoid (common), I also have them in my cecum (really unusual), which makes me think a resection wouldn't work, anyway 

[pixelpassion]

I figured I'll post an intro and start posting on this board.

I was diagnosed with IBS in grad school after a particularly bad flare up. I'll have periods of time where it seems like I have limited symptoms, and other times where I feel like I've had bloating and diarrhea for a month straight. I'm actually out sick from work today since I had a particularly painful intestinal spasm last night.

I'm trying my best to treat my IBS with diet, but the foods I'm eating for weight loss also can cause flare ups (raw vegetables, legumes, etc.) Anyone have good/bad experiences with antispasmodics?

[moonlight]

How did I never know this board was here?

Anyway, if anyone is still visiting, I was diagnosed with UC in 1988. I've been trying different meds and treatments and have yet to find the right combo.

Right now I'm on Lialda, which put me into remission for five years, until I got divorced two years ago and the stress caused a flare that I never recovered from.

Right now I am trying different supplements in an attempt to naturally ease inflammation and also on a gluten-free, dairy free, trial and error diet also in order to control inflammation and promote healing. We shall see.

ETA: Zelda, if you're still here...my co-worker has diverticulosis and she's in her mid-30s.

[Ohhmm(bligo)]

Sept 3, 2014 11:53:26 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

Ohhmm(bligo), how frequently do you take the Levsin?  Do you take it regularly or only as-needed? The GI doctor I saw a few weeks ago gave me a script but didn't tell me  how to take it other than "as-needed." I looked it up online, and I guess you can take 1-2 tabs every 4 hours, up to 12 in a day? I'm having another bad episode this week (stomach and intestinal cramps) so I'm wondering if I should just load up in this. I've also been taking advil, which is a no-no if I'm actually having problems with my stomach lining, but it seems to help.

Also, does anybody have symptoms that come and go related to your menstrual cycle? About 6 weeks after J was born, I had 2 days of terrible diarrhea, like literal shitting the bed diarrhea. Looking back, it happened to be when I ovulated for the first time. My intestines haven't been the same since, but I've only started having stomach involvement (pain) since E was born. For the past 2 months I've had bad cramping and stomach pain mid-cycle. I also have some at other times, but the worst seems to be around ovulation. I wonder if it's coincidence or if they're related.

I only take it as needed, when I feel a bout coming on.  My prescription is for up to 12 a day, too.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE A MENSTRUAL CYCLE ANYMORE.

*cartwheels around, wearing white and doing all that tampon-commercial shit*