IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

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justme
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IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby justme » Fri Dec 16, 2016 4:41 am

I don't know how many of us have experienced the scourge of IBS after C. Diff recovery. One size doesn't fit all. Some of us have IBS-D and others just endure the constant BM's with accompanying gas pain (which can be pretty intense). I've been experiencing an especially bad case of IBS (with lots of painful gas and trips to the john to have a BM - 8 times today). It's been happening for about a week. I notice that it gets especially worse if I'm nervous and/or I eat sweets (especially chocolate). I have pre-diabetes (and I get sugar dips and a little piece of chocolate perks me up), it but wrecks havoc on my intestines the next day. My family is coming to spend New Years with us - son, daughter-in-law, granddaughter (12) and son (10) and I'm excited. We haven't seen them in 3 years. I guess I am anxious about their trip and want to be able to do things with them. That anxiety doesn't help the IBS. It's a real Catch 22. I hope everything turns out okay and I can enjoy their trip without spending too much time in the john. Wish me luck. Happy Holidays to all of you. And, Mele Kelikimaka from the islands.
Aloha,
Anne

NanciT
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby NanciT » Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:49 pm

Hello Anne

Sorry the IBS has continued, I do wonder if you might have had a flu bug with that many BM's. There are alot going around and I find POST CDIFF it effects my GI more than ever in the past. I take Hycosamine when I get bad bouts of IBS on and off. I have also kept myself on 1 VSL#3/day which does help IBS. Just a few thoughts for you.
I hope things improve and you can enjoy the time with your family
Take care and wishing you better days ahead
NanciT

justme
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby justme » Fri Dec 16, 2016 5:00 pm

Thanks Nancy. Yes I did have a bout of Gastroenteritis that my husband brought home from his students, but that was a few weeks ago. Is Hycosamine an anti-spasmodic? I'll ask my PC doc about it and see if it would be okay. I take so many pills per day due to my heart issues, so interaction with drugs is a problem. I can't get VSL#3 in Hawaii and they can't ship it in (I've checked). All probiotics tend to bother me, but I was thinking about trying one again just to see if I can tolerate them now. Having IBS is up and down - good days and bad days. Thank you for the advice.
Much Aloha,
Anne

NanciT
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby NanciT » Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:22 am

Hi Anne

Yes Hycosamine is an anti spasmatic and it is a very good one. I like it because I can break it in half and take very little if needed. For me it only causes dry mouth.
I buy VSL#3 on Amazon now, not sure if you can get it through them. It states on the bottle it treats IBS and has really helped me. They are capsules and you can try a small amount. I was allergic to florester.
I also am on a rollar coaster with this. The months of Dificid really caused issues for me and I have this on and off. When I have bad days, I go back to bland diet, sometimes just liquids for a day or two.
Hope you feel better soon!!
NanciT

Ril
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby Ril » Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:34 pm

Anne, I have had IBS since I was 20 so the PI IBS I have endured off and on for 4 years has been brutal. I use Imodium as needed and my GI dr knows although it is my last resort. I take Align in the morning and Florastor evenings and do take hyoscyamine twice daily. I have used Enteragam with good success then 1 round of xifaxan helped a lot and has lasted. Chocolate is one of my favorite things and I do still eat it but due to lactose intolerance, which I had before c diff, I pay for it the next day despite taking lactaid pills.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me.
Rita

justme
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby justme » Sat Dec 17, 2016 4:50 pm

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and information. I saw my doctor yesterday, and he gave me a subscription for Bentyl. I took it when I started cramping and it worked! I'm taking chocolate out of my diet permanently.
Mele Kalikimaka and Hapa Hana Hou (Merry Xmas and Happy New Year),
Anne

justme
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby justme » Thu Dec 22, 2016 4:02 am

As an update on my bout with IBS . . tonight i got the dreaded WD. I was taking Fluorester and Benytl for the last 4 days and they'd work and then they didn't work. The Fluorester started to give me lots of gas so I stopped it yesterday, but took the Benytl. Since I take so many other kinds of drugs for my heart, the probiotics may be contraindicated with some of those medications. This is about the 6th time I've tried a probiotic (yogurt, kefir, fluorester, etc., etc) and get the same reaction - lots of gas and D. The Benytl does help relax my gut, but I have to be careful because you can't take it with an antacid or acid reflux med and must spread it out. I think I'm going to give up on any probiotic - as it seems my system just can't tolerate them. The Benytl helps a bit, but I haven't seen a big improvement yet after 4 days. It's frustrating! This old temple is starting to show it's age and needs to be extra careful with medication.
Aloha to all,
Anne
(Thanks for letting me vent).

amyc
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby amyc » Thu Dec 22, 2016 12:01 pm

Did your doctor order you any stool tests? WD and that level of cramping could just be IBS but you could have something else happening, and if you have heart problems it seems like you shouldn't ignore a possible infection. If you get tested and all come back negative I'd recommend trying questran or colestipol tablets. I take them daily and will forever. They don't have a lot of interactions with other meds so might work well for you.

justme
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby justme » Thu Dec 22, 2016 3:09 pm

Thanks for the comments, amyc. I'll look up the two products you recommended and talk to my doctor. I just took a blood test the week before my PC doctors appointment last Friday (when he put me on the Bentyl) and a recent appointment with my cardiologist. Everything in my blood work is good. Blood pressure is great, etc. I just CANNOT take probiotics! I keep trying and the same thing keeps happening - WD and cramping. I also could have picked up a bug at Walmart or someplace I recently visited. I'll wait a few days and see how things settle. For now, I've eliminated the probiotics and Bentyl and taking Pepto. I'm leaning toward having a flu bug because today I don't feel well - stomach unsettled, sweaty, etc. Hopefully, it's just a drug interaction and not a flu because my family is arriving the day after Xmas and spending a week with us. I miss my grandkids a lot. They live on the mainland, so we depend on Facebook and the phone in lieu of direct contact. There are some disadvantages to living on a tiny little island in the middle of a huge ocean, but I wouldn't live anywhere else.
Aloha,
Anne

beth22
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby beth22 » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:29 am

Anne - Sorry you are feeling so sick. Florastor was the worst for me. It gave me horrendous gas, D, and a rash as well. I will never take it again. Bentyl never really helped me, but it has for others. The Pepto helped more than most things. You may have a virus, as you mentioned. The Pepto is probably the best thing to take for that and of course, to stay on a bland diet until the D stops. Hopefully, you will feel better in a few days.

If Colestipol is in the same family as Questran, I think it might bind up some of the medications you take, so do check with your doctor about that. EnteraGam should not. There is also a product called IBGard that is a form of peppermint capsule. It has helped some. That is OTC. I hope you feel better soon.

justme
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby justme » Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:09 am

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and good suggestions. I'm pretty sure I have a type of intestinal flu or gastroenteritis that I picked up somewhere. I'm with you Beth, I think Floraster is off the table for me too (gas and D). The other two meds, I looked up and they would not be good with the heart meds I'm currently taking. The Bentyl worked today (I only took one when the cramping got bad). It's funny how after one gets C. Diff, every time a new intestinal bug attacks, our systems seem to react to a greater degree than normal. I think that is because our colon has been damaged and the healing process is very slow in that area.

It's a bit early, but I'm wishing everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and/or HAPPY HANUKA. And of course, best wishes for a wonderful New Year.
Aloha,
Anne

Ril
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Re: IBS - THE LEFTOVER SCOURGE FROM C.DIFF

Postby Ril » Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:50 pm

Anne, if this does turn out to be IBS and the bentyl doesn't help, ask about switching to hyoscayamine. For some reason bentyl didn't work for me but hyoscayamine does.


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