I've been depressed and staying away from this thread because I don't want to bug you guys with my relatively minor complaints (I still can't get off of pred and I don't know if LDN is helping enough, blah blah blah). So now I have some catching up to do!
Yes, it was me who had turned my bathroom into a spa-like environment for doing prep a couple of years ago. I had scented candles and fancy bubble bath and face mud masque, an ipod on a dock in the bathroom playing a soothing & calming playlist, etc. I told myself that celebrities often do "cleanses" so I was just doing a cleanse and having a spa day, that's all. And that did make it easier, I think. My most recent prep was done in the hospital which was not exactly a relaxing spa-like time.
As for the gatorade & miralax prep - I found it easy to get down, but it made me too dehydrated. I've done that prep twice and had to go in for IV fluids both times. Maybe that's just me, but personally I would not do that prep again. Prepopik (also known as picolax/pico salax) was probably the easiest prep I've done. It didn't taste bad - it did make me pretty nauseous and dizzy, but zofran took care of the nausea. GoLytely is the other prep I've done and honestly I didn't hate it even though it tasted like nasty seawater. I did that prep in the hospital. I was hospitalized because I couldn't digest anything and was having 20+ bowel movements a day and severe cramping. GoLytely actually gave me less cramping and less bowel movements than I'd been having.
So I was fine with doing that one.
Wildmtn, be careful with the Imodium. That stuff is opioid-based and it's not a great idea to take more than the recommended amount. For the short-term it's probably fine, but be careful.
Sarah, that's great that you're finally going to get the tube feeding! Night sweats are not indicative of IBS, though. They can be a part of IBD flares - I get night sweats too when I'm flaring. And of course, as you know, weight loss isn't part of IBS but can happen with IBD. When I lost 17 lbs in a month back in July/August, all my doctors (GI, GP, and the doctors who treated me during my hospitalization) all agreed that you simply just don't lose 17 lbs in a month with IBS. Anyway, I know you know all this stuff already. Keep fighting for answers, and in the meantime, keep us posted on how the tube feeding goes and the gastric emptying test too. Good luck!
Akgirl, I've been having some similar thoughts lately. I'm just so tired of this and it never ends. LDN is helping me, but not enough for me to get off of pred, and I keep flaring up whenever I try to taper. I feel like I'm on autopilot much of the time, I have to be to get through work and most of life. I'm like a robot who goes into the bathroom and cries. That's basically what I am these days. And I just hate pred so much. I woke up this morning in a mood, feeling fat and worthless (pred has made me chubby and I'm a recovering anorexic so I'm getting those destructive thoughts again). So I put on makeup to try to make myself feel less ugly, but then I just felt clownish on top of feeling fat and ugly and worthless. Sorry for venting, I'm just having a really rotten day (week, month, life). Last week I had some weird pain in my breast, and I thought, great! Maybe it's cancer and I can just let myself go and all this can finally end. That's a horrible thing to think, but that's where my head's been at lately, so I know how you're feeling. You're not alone. Just keep trying to put one foot in front of the other, that's all I can do most days but that's okay.
I feel like just giving up I don't think my doctor
even cares anymore. I didn't even get to see a gastroenterologist just a medical Doctor at the hospital
if that is even possible to do as I don't think anyone believes me
I think it's important to remember that there are doctors out there who do want to help you, but there are many who just don't seem to care and are unwilling to put in the time and effort. I've had doctors flat out tell me that I'm making up my symptoms, or that I'm just depressed, or that I just need to exercise more, etc. You never know what you're going to get when you see a new doctor! And it's so frustrating! My problem is that I've told all the doctors I've seen that my symptoms started a few weeks after my mom passed away. I thought this info would be helpful, since crohns and other autoimmune diseases often flare after a stressful event. But some doctors just use it as an excuse to say that I'm depressed and they can't help me. Keep in mind, my mom passed away over three years ago, and some doctors still try to use it as an excuse. My husband told me to not even mention that to my next doctor. I guess my advice is to just keep fighting! But I know that's easier said than done. It sucks! But you can vent to us anytime. 
There's so much great support here!
