Help with symptoms
#292718 - 12/06/06 12:00 PM
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can someone please tell me if these are symptoms of IBS. I seem to be o.k. when I get up in the morning before I eat. About an hour after eating I have gas and bloating in my midriff just below my ribcage on the left and right sides for most of the day, it is not painful just constant bubbly bloat. Sometimes I feel nauseous. I generally only have a bowel movement in the morning and it is either loose or slightly constipated. In the evenings I seem better most of the time and I sleep o.k. but for only about 5-6 hours. I feel like I have post nasal drip or a lump in my throat so I swallow alot.
This has been going on now for almost 2 months. I keep a diary of what I eat and how I feel but there seems to be no correlation from day to day or meal to meal. I see a gastroenterologist in two weeks.
The holidays are so near and I feel horrible.
Please help.
-Mara
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Hope springs eternal.
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That sounds similar to my intial symptoms, except I went through cycles of diarrhea follwed by constipation, too. The EFI diet and fiber supplements have helped me a lot, so you should give them a try between now and your doctor's visit and see if it helps.
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-Carol
IBS-A
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http://www.helpforibs.com/
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Hello kenjari :-)
Thank you for your response. May I ask what EFI stands for? I am new here and looked in the abbreviation list but it did not list EFI. I have not read all of the website yet.
-Mara
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Hope springs eternal.
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Hello HanSolo :-)
Read the symptoms list but it didn't say anything about upper GI discomfort. I did read somewhere that gas can sort of pocket at the curve/turn of the large intestines (upper left and right under ribcage) and can cause discomfort in those areas. Is this part of IBS as well?
-Mara
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Hope springs eternal.
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Is it possible for IBS to subside for long periods of time (years) and then start up again? I seem to be o.k. and can eat anything for years and then (generally when there is some major stress in my life) these symptoms start and continue for several months, then subside again. Is this normal for IBS sufferers?
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Hope springs eternal.
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EFI = Eating for IBS. It's the diet Heather developed. If you look to your left on this page, you'll see a link called IBS Diet and Recipes. It leads to a full explanation fo the diet. It might seem restrictive at first, but believe me, there's still plenty of yummy things you can eat once you are stable.
It can take a while to stabilize, so hang in there!
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-Carol
IBS-A
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Thanks Carol 
I never thought about the book Eating for IBS! I bought the book at my local bookstore last night and started reading it when I got home. It seems swallowing too much is a big problem for me...guess that is what a lot of my bloating is from. Heather mentions swallowing several times in the beginning chapters.
I also received the IBS Hypnosis tapes I ordered yesterday in the mail.
It is just very, very frustrating for me. Anxiety seems to trigger this with me, and then the anxiety of not feeling well just adds to it. Now I have the anxiety of waiting to see the gastroenterologist and find out what tests and such that he wants done and what his prognosis will be. 
I really appreciate your responses. It means a lot to me to know that others have this problem too and that I am not alone.
Thank you so much.
-Mara
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Hope springs eternal.
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Quote:
Anxiety seems to trigger this with me, and then the anxiety of not feeling well just adds to it.
I have a similar issue with the stress - there's something cruelly ironic about it. Having a cup of Traditional Medicinals Easy Now tea is a great help for this. The tea has chamomile, lavendar, passionflower, and catnip, which are all mild sedatives. Plus, it also has peppermint, which helps soothe the tummy.
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-Carol
IBS-A
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Hi Quietseraph,
I experience that bubbly sensation under left and right side of the ribcage that you mention, with the nausea. I have had IBS for many years, but this symptom is quite new to me and started about 8/9 months ago. It worried me because it was new. I was having it alot on a daily basis - it sort of felt like hunger -pangs sometimes, even when I had eaten well. But I have found that following the EFI diet and taking Acacia has greatly reduced this particular sensation. I still have it, but not daily and it doesn't last as long. Also, I think drinking fennel tea helps.
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