Hi

[hryan77]

HI...I'm new here.
I don't have Crohns or colitis....I was "diagnosed" with IBS a little over 10 years ago and was put on zelnorm, which was pulled off the market about a year after.
Zelnorm is the only thing that ever helped me. I've had numerous colonoscopies, endoscopies, transit tests, upper GIS....I've been vegan for 6 years, gluten free for roughly 4 or 5. I have gotten relief here and there but the constipation, bloating, etc never ends for good. I am totally laxative dependent now, but even then things aren't normal. I had it leveled out for a while but in the past 2 years it has gotten bad adain. There is more I can't eat than anything I can and even then I usually do best on a liquid and soft food diet.
All the laxative use has caused what I'm guessing to be rectal prolapse (sorry if that's TMI)...in any case after getting sick this past weekend from Rice Chex of all things I am finally going to go see a Naturopathic doctor on 3/13..I've pretty much given up on western medicine.
I just know I can't live like this anymore I have no social life and I'm 35 and single. If it's not chronic constipation it's dealing with the exhaustion or swollen eyes and face from something I thought was "safe"....like RICE CHEX...grrrrr
this is pretty much ruling my life...and I take a ton of supplements (probiotics, l-glutamine, etc so that is expensive...) I just wish I knew at some point it would get better.

 

[David]

Hi there and welcome to the community. I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles

Have you been vegan for the last 6 years? If so, do you supplement vitamin B12? Have you had your vitamin B12 level tested? If so, what is it?

What are your specific symptoms other than constipation, bloating, and exhaustion? Any weird symptoms outside of your digestive system? Does any blood work ever come back abnormal?

By the way, Zelnorm CAN be taken by some people on a very restricted basis. If they can't figure out what's wrong with you and it helped a lot, you may want to look into that.

All my best to you.

 

[my little penguin]

Sorry about the rectal prolapse . Ds had that for over year. It was the start of our ibd journey.
Have you seen an allergist???
Your face should swell from eating a food . That can be a sign of an allergic reaction.
Please talk to an allergist about.

Have you tried just an elemental diet ( eo28 splash or peptamen ) for 6-8 weeks -no food to see if you can calm things down

Did they ever check for mast cells on your biopsy slides??
Mastostcytic enter colitis can cause issues but still have clean scopes.

 

[hryan77]

lets see....I do supplement with b-12, and d and I take a multi vitamin
I havent been this bad for years....everything I put in my body makes me bloated...
I am by no means the smallest I've been my lowest was 106 Im about 110 now and Im fine with that...mind you Im 5'9 and I work out a lot.
the swelling and exhaustion only happen when I react to something...from what I can figure it's rice or gluten or wheat that does that...but I will literally sleep all day and have the usual fog.
I want to get off of laxatives so desperately...I hate that this rules my life.
I have read a lot about bacterial over growth and it really with my symptoms...
sorry if I seem all over the map with this but Im getting frustrated and it's hard for me to talk about.
I haven't been to a GI in years...I got tired of the tests tired of being told that no one knew what was wrong...10 years ago IBS was a blanket diagnosis for everything...7 years ago when I suggested to a doctor that it was gluten I was told no...ha whatever. I was told to eat more fiber and drink more water...IM VEGAN...MY DIET IS HIGH FIBER!!! I did had one decent GI she said that if the laxatives and teas worked then to keep at it...really?!?!?! Well guess what they don't work.
I really have wondered if something in my house makes me sick. I've been here 12+ years and was fine until 10 years ago....I also haven't had a period in 5 years....went off the pill and no period and no one knows why.
so anyway, I'm going to a ND in a few weeks...going to beg to be tested for allergies...I was told to have a OAT test and IgG....I guess this guy does some sort of blood test. I'm desperate at this point...i can't live like this,\
I am once again afraid of food and yes will be going back to a all liquid and soft food diet and no I haven't done the elemental because I'm vegan and it's never been suggested as I said the drs always say we don't know what is wrong....

I just want to cry

 

[Jim (POPS)]

Welcome to the forum, we are hear to support you.

 

[hryan77]

Thank you so much!! Some days I just feel like giving up and then I read what other people go through and I realize I'm not alone...
I hate dealing with the rectal prolapse...it's horrible, but I can't have it fixed until I find out what causes my constipation and bloating and then get myself off of laxatives. I don't know what to do