I hope this doesn't offend anyone--I'm in my mid twenties and I'm one of those people who was diagnosed with IBS ten years ago. I cut out gluten, grains, dairy, did crazy elimination diets, took herbs, drank peppermint tea, did yoga, avoided stress, basically did everything right. At the same time I had "IBS" (diagnosed on the spot with no testing since I have a family history of anxiety) I got this weird skin rash that has come and gone with my digestive issues.
Ok, so I spent about five years using the bathroom three times a day at least (which I guess is not actually normal) but managed it well around my work schedule, often with mucus and usually a little blood even though I was never constipated and couldn't have hemorrhoids. Every few weeks I would wake up at night in excruciating pain for apparently no reason--chalked it up to ovulation pain (?) because it felt so deep, like someone was turning a screw in the innermost depth of my lower belly. Felt nausea like I had morning sickness for no reason. The less I ate the better I felt so everyone thought I was anorexic. Two years ago I ended up in the E.R. because my stomach was swollen and in a lot of pain--the doctors wanted to take my blood and put me on an IV antibiotic but I thought they were overreacting. I told them it was "probably just IBS" and went home without treatment.
The rash came back and got worse, and nothing topical worked on it. I started getting random fevers and was exhausted all the time. Diarrhea, which I'd had every morning for years anyway, started happening randomly and with little warning (pure liquid) even when I wasn't stressed. Went nuts trying to avoid food poisoning and viruses thinking it was something in my environment. Immodium made me feel awful for two days after I took it, so that didn't work for much except getting me to work.
THEN: Last year I had diarrhea for a month. I couldn't work. Never at night though, just throughout the day no matter what. At the end of this it developed into a fever and pain so acute I was forced to the doctor, who thought I had appendicitis. My stomach swelled up like I was pregnant. The CT scan was done, my doctor called the hospital and told me the scan showed my appendix had ALREADY BURST. Emergency surgery. When I woke up the surgeon was in my room with another lady and said, "Well, good news is the appendix was intact. Don't know what that was on the CT scan. We just wanted to make sure that took care of your pain." Then at the follow up he thought maybe I should go see a gastroenterologist for the diarrhea and I didn't. Things were ok for a few months. Not great, but almost solid stool sometimes.
Then I developed mastitis out of nowhere (I am not breastfeeding and have never been pregnant) and was given antibiotics, which obviously lead to bad diarrhea. I wasn't hungry so I decided to stop eating. The stuff that came out of me over the next few days was horrifying. But after things calmed down, after I'd fasted for a several days, I had my first truly solid BM in seven years. I almost cried. So I got overconfident and started eating again, carefully at first and then with more confidence. About a week of eating normally and I was right back where I started, only this time with new constipation, tons of mucus and swelling and yep of course pain. Actually having c&d at the same time (that is possible, apparently).
I don't want to go to the doctor and have them tell me again that I need antidepressants for my IBS. I am depressed because of my guts! Not the other way around! Should I go? Please help. I'm afraid. Apparently my appendix did need to come out and I almost didn't go to the doctor because "IBS" is supposed to be "psychosomatic." But they never tested me for anything else, they just said IBS first thing. Why on Earth would I make myself sick when I'm just sitting at home doing nothing stressful at all?? Sorry if this isn't the place for this. Just need your help. They'll either think I'm crazy or put me through some godawful tests. And then call me crazy.
Ok, so I spent about five years using the bathroom three times a day at least (which I guess is not actually normal) but managed it well around my work schedule, often with mucus and usually a little blood even though I was never constipated and couldn't have hemorrhoids. Every few weeks I would wake up at night in excruciating pain for apparently no reason--chalked it up to ovulation pain (?) because it felt so deep, like someone was turning a screw in the innermost depth of my lower belly. Felt nausea like I had morning sickness for no reason. The less I ate the better I felt so everyone thought I was anorexic. Two years ago I ended up in the E.R. because my stomach was swollen and in a lot of pain--the doctors wanted to take my blood and put me on an IV antibiotic but I thought they were overreacting. I told them it was "probably just IBS" and went home without treatment.
The rash came back and got worse, and nothing topical worked on it. I started getting random fevers and was exhausted all the time. Diarrhea, which I'd had every morning for years anyway, started happening randomly and with little warning (pure liquid) even when I wasn't stressed. Went nuts trying to avoid food poisoning and viruses thinking it was something in my environment. Immodium made me feel awful for two days after I took it, so that didn't work for much except getting me to work.
THEN: Last year I had diarrhea for a month. I couldn't work. Never at night though, just throughout the day no matter what. At the end of this it developed into a fever and pain so acute I was forced to the doctor, who thought I had appendicitis. My stomach swelled up like I was pregnant. The CT scan was done, my doctor called the hospital and told me the scan showed my appendix had ALREADY BURST. Emergency surgery. When I woke up the surgeon was in my room with another lady and said, "Well, good news is the appendix was intact. Don't know what that was on the CT scan. We just wanted to make sure that took care of your pain." Then at the follow up he thought maybe I should go see a gastroenterologist for the diarrhea and I didn't. Things were ok for a few months. Not great, but almost solid stool sometimes.
Then I developed mastitis out of nowhere (I am not breastfeeding and have never been pregnant) and was given antibiotics, which obviously lead to bad diarrhea. I wasn't hungry so I decided to stop eating. The stuff that came out of me over the next few days was horrifying. But after things calmed down, after I'd fasted for a several days, I had my first truly solid BM in seven years. I almost cried. So I got overconfident and started eating again, carefully at first and then with more confidence. About a week of eating normally and I was right back where I started, only this time with new constipation, tons of mucus and swelling and yep of course pain. Actually having c&d at the same time (that is possible, apparently).
I don't want to go to the doctor and have them tell me again that I need antidepressants for my IBS. I am depressed because of my guts! Not the other way around! Should I go? Please help. I'm afraid. Apparently my appendix did need to come out and I almost didn't go to the doctor because "IBS" is supposed to be "psychosomatic." But they never tested me for anything else, they just said IBS first thing. Why on Earth would I make myself sick when I'm just sitting at home doing nothing stressful at all?? Sorry if this isn't the place for this. Just need your help. They'll either think I'm crazy or put me through some godawful tests. And then call me crazy.
). It seems possible that fasting could ease symptoms in many digestive conditions, however, it's going to be really bad for your health to keep fasting for this long, especially if you do it on a regular basis. Amongst sustaining many other vital functions, you need energy coming in in order for your body to heal. I was in hospital recently, and due to a surgery complication, my digestive system had to be rested entirely for several days - i.e. no food. The only way the hospital could safely do this was to give me TPN - calories, fats, vitamins, etc. going straight into my veins in order to bypass the digestive system. This is the only safe way to go any length of time without eating - and, obviously, it's a last resort, as it comes with its own risks.
