Tummy Troubles
 

I've noticed that I have more frequent tummy troubles than I ever have before.

It's not heartburn. It's not acid reflux. It's more like IBS. I've gotten to where I don't eat many dairy products anymore because they seem to cause the most trouble. Ice cream was the worst - but it won't hurt me to give that up. But just about anything causes me some sort of problem. I do take supplemental Vitamin D3 because I never have liked Milk.

I don't think this is MS related. I think it's age related. Does anyone else have these problems? I keep popping Tums but I know that just masks the symptoms (sometimes). Sometimes Tums don't even help. :(

me me me! I have had tummy troubles for years. IBS is the word of the day. The MD recently gave me bentyl, which calms the spasms of the tummy, and I am so impressed with how well its working. I was afraid to take it because I stay constipated, and its side effect is constipation, but so far it hasnt affected me that way. I am happy to have any relief.

I find heating pads, or rocking chairs help. gentle stretches help, and so does yoga. I eat light meals more frequently. nothing worse than being bent over half the ding dang day.

:hug:

Kitty if you want to find out if some of it's dairy related you could take a lactaid before you eat those foods and see if that helps. As for the rest of the tummy troubles I hope you can figure out what's going on and find some relief.

(((Kelly))) It can be so many things. I haven't been able to tolerate dairy products for quite a number of years now - cream cheese being the worst. I also can't tolerate a lot of fat in my diet anymore and if I eat too much I certainly regret it either later on that day, during the night, or the next morning. It doesn't cause IBS symptoms, just pain.

Like you, I don't if it is MS, age, something else, or a combination of things. I just know which foods I need to avoid and the list seems to be getting larger.:(

I did read an interesting paper by some medical student about leaky gut syndrome and MS. I wish I could find that link. I just checked and did see it. I am hesitant about some of the links that came up when I googled it. I would rather read through the scientific studies that some random site promoting pills to help.

I 1st read about it in the ALS forum: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread33616.html

Has your doctor ruled out lactose intolerance? My granddaughter has IBS-like symptoms for a long time, and she turns out to be (as SHE puts it) "lactarded".

"lactarded" too funny!

Me too! I deal with irritable bowel, nausea, gerd. I guess it is time for me to start ruling out certain foods. Nexium helps with the nausea and acid reflux. I just realized I forgot to take it this morning when I started feeling nauseated

I'm thinking I'll get either Pepcid AC or Prilosec. They're both OTC now. I'll see if either help.

I was also thinking about trying one of those Probiotics like Align. Has anyone tried it? It's so expensive......so not knowing if it's going to work makes me hesitant.

Sorry to hear you're ailing, Kel...I have dealt with IBS for many moons...I used to have a med I'd put under my tongue as soon as the first cramps would start...haven't gotten that refilled for awhile. My neuro wants me to increase fiber instead....eat more fiber, not the citrucel that I was using...

I live with an unhappy gut . . . and without a colon. Life with only a small intestine is interesting (I don't have an ostomy, but instead a pull-through anastamosis) . . . so believe me when I say I understand. And these days I am eating cautiously until I can schedule my next surgery . . . adhesions have created two hernias and they cause blockages all too regularly!

So I have days when my gut hurts, my feet hurt, my hands hurt, and I can't function after taking meds to address all of the pain.

I take probiotics every day, because the good bacteria live in the colon, and without one of those anymore, I have to keep adding more good bacteria every day. I use VSL-#3 which has been created to prevent pouch inflammation, but also I eat yogurt.

Do not delay a trip to your doctor if you see blood, black in your stools, or any significant changes in your habits. IBS is an immune disorder, and unfortunately we all seem to have wacked-out immune systems these days. Be careful using over the counter acid reducers, as they can cause issues of their own.

It might help to review the known side-effects of any medications you are taking as well. It is amazing how many new symptoms are a result of treating other unrelated symptoms.

:grouphug: Hope you all find some way to alleviate your intestinal issues . . .

Kell, I think they did a small study on very low LDN and IBS. If I remember right, it was somewhat successful? Go to the LDN homepaige and check it out.

Sally - Aren't they doing some studies on LDN and Crohn's disease? I thought I read that LDN was proving to be very effective in treating it and they were going to start clinical trials.

Oh god, Kitty....I do all the time and being sick for a week did not do it any good. I was in terrible terrible pain for a couple of days and it was a mess.literally.

I had to quit eating any dairy , soda or anything acidic. It is a terrible feeling and I feel so sorry for you.... Huggs.

I bought some regular strength Pepcid AC and took one yesterday and one today and it seems to work. I haven't had the tummy pains like I had before. I drank coffee this morning and it didn't bother me. Hopefully this will do the trick!

Im glad you are feeling better Kel.:hug:

Coffee! You can drink coffee????? ACK.... I get sooooo sick on coffee.

I will add that I had terrible iffy stomach, with pain, for years.
(I have a GI congenital defect which I always blamed for it)

1) you can have a sluggish gall bladder, and I have 2 things that work for that very well. Mine was so painful...and the tests showed "normal"... etc. Contact me for my useful hints...

2) This is something that can be hidden for a long time...giving IBS symptoms. It is fructose intolerance. This can cause gas, cramping and stool frequency. It comes and goes depending on what you eat. There is even fructose in some salad dressings!
Once you go on an elimination diet for fructose (both fruit and high fructose corn syr), you can have relief within a week.
A hint would be if you get upset by apple juice/cider, or apples, then you most likely have this. Pears it turns out have the highest fructose of any fruit/serving, and I used to throw after eating pears! After 2 yrs of eliminating fructose I can have now an orange a day. Small amounts following regular food which dilutes it etc. I have seen reports on the net that fructose intolerance can be diagnosed as IBS.
http://ibs.about.com/od/symptomsofib1/a/fructose.htm

This article is an eye opener, and reveals how common this really is!

Kitty, I hope you get to feeling better soon... :hug:

Mrs. D, so that includes high fructose Corn Syrup too, you said? It is in so many foods nowadays. Interesting fact that you can be fructose intolerant.

Thanks for the information.:)

PS: Kitty, vitamin D3 bothers my stomach yet the plain Vitamin D does not. I don't know what the difference is in it's makeup. I have allergies to many things, foods included.

I hope you feel Bette real soon.:hug:

My IBS was out of control for a loooong time till I went on a non boxed diet. I removed HFCS, MSG, Sodium nitrates and so on from my diet. With my celiac DD we were already gluten free in the house, but I discovered that my stomach stayed upset, tense, and I had some bad tummy issues. I went onto a 1940s style diet. I can eat mac & cheese, but not from a box. I make it myself. I can eat spaghetti sauce, but I make my own. I never eat anything McDiet or KFC, or BK type food.

As time marched forward I found that by reading ALL the lables in the store, I found many great products that didnt contain High fructose (hfcs) or MSG and there are many great products on the market now that avoid the over processsed chemical traps. If you cannot pronounce ANY of the ingredients on the lable, PUT IT BACK! It takes a couple of weeks of clean eating to help calm that tummy, but its oh so worth it.

Hey Kell! Sorry I'm seeing this so late, but yes mah dear~ I can relate. I've been on Aciphex for quite a while and just nursed a small ulcer last Nov. I have too much bile back up, so tend to have probs. *even had GB out*

Probably TMI, but for years I was '' constipated'' and all of a sudden, it's gone. I started eating yogurt and I think that helped.

A note on your dairy question. My dear Mother became lactose intolerant in her 60's. So, guess it can happen at any age. Hope you get some relief, but I do understand. :hug:

I've eliminated coffee and most dairy. I've added Activia but just started that today. I do feel much better without the coffee and dairy. I can have a little dairy - like a piece of cheese or milk in a recipe - but no ice cream. I'm also taking a regular strength Pepcid AC once daily. Seems to be working.

Kelly,
If this lasts more than a couple of weeks, you should get checked out...take care, sweetie!!:hug:

I've eaten Activia everyday now for four days (counting today) and eliminated coffee and it's been like night and day. I really miss my coffee but if this is all it takes to get rid of the pain I'll do it. I haven't taken my Pepcid for a couple of days. Hopefully this is the fix I needed.

Hope you're right and you've found the answer...