Is this how it starts?
#316596 - 10/13/07 05:42 AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
SO, Im 46 year old male.....runner, workout, always able to eat healthy...salads, pasta, chicken, whole wheat....ive had panic disorder on and off for 20 years...only illness......i take a subtherapeutic dosage of prozac 7mg......it helps for my panic...and klonopin(like a xanax drug) for any major attacks...i faint during my major attacks so it can get pretty bad......usually, i have no issues in my corporate job and live a pretty active life with running, etc etc....
So, 1 month ago, I started doing these intense crunches at the gym and thats when i realized that my stomach seemed more distended and solast week, after eating salad at work(been eating it every day for years), I got CRAMPS during a meeting...ran to bathroom and had a BM after forcing a bit....felt better....went back to meeting...it started happeneing again.....except this time the cramps were intense waves throughout my stomach..like a baby kicking...i ran and had the explosive diarhea......which led to a massive panic attack.......since then, im scared to eat at work since im afraid of having to leave meetings....I was eating tuna annd lettuce on whole wheat for lunch this week and wasnt really having the normally great BMs that i had when i ate the salad daily ...so on friday, i tried the salad again and 30 minutes later, the same thing happened as 1 week ago friday.....and again, it led to running out of a meeting....pushed a bit, had a small bm...went back to meeting and then major cramps and ran out again and explosive d....then massive panic attack......went back to meeting after taking klonopin and almost fainted in meeting......
So, does this sound like how IBS starts....distended stomach from situps...all of a sudden not being able to eat salads suddenly.......if it wasnt for my panic attacks, i could handle this better but everytime i get the explosive D, it makes me feel faint/panicky and then im useless at work .....im now fearing meetings ....how do i break this cycle....should I not push for BM during the day so that it doesnt start the cycle? is it really just the salad causing this(i wont be eating it again).....could this be just stress thats causing these violent episodes....i never had this before and with panic disorder have had so much stress in my life......Also with salads, is it just the lettuce that causes it? OR could it be the broccoli, eggwhites, croutons, chick peas and olive oil? I dont know how to eat healthily anymore....still have the oatmeal in the AM but for lunch...tuna and the processed meats...ie fat free turkey/chicken have tons of sodium.......what else can lunch be without salads for it to be healthy?
Should I increase the prozac....has that helped for anyone...ie SSRIs? Take Klonopin daily to calm down ....?
Tons of questions, i know.....I am seeing a gastro for first time on Wed....Dr Gerson in NYC>..he seems to specialize in IBS if that is indeed what i have ....he has a website......
Thanks for listening......
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi and welcome!
I'm not sure if what you're describing is IBS just because the onset of your symptoms seems to be rather quick. My IBS developed over a couple years. But then again every body is different.
It's good that you're seeing a doctor. You may only have some intestinal infection or parasites (I know, sounds bad but it still beats IBS). It's important for your doctor to rule out other conditions before confirming it's IBS.
Meanwhile you could try easing your symptoms by following the BTC diet and then the Eating for IBS diet described here. You may be little hesitant to try this - I also had hard time believing that I should eat white bread and rice over brown and have pasta instead of a salad. I thought no way eating like that was healthy. But then again, healthy is what makes our bodies work well. If white bread and rice are what it takes then they are healthy for us, right?
Good luck (and I do hope that you turn out not to have IBS)!
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I'm so sorry that your'e feeling overwhelmed and unsure about what's going on. I totally relate to your panic which can be exacerbated by an attack. Well, first things first, the other poster is right...you may not have IBS...maybe something else is going on, ie., a touch of a virus, etc....You definitely need to get checked out. If you read all the info on this site (not just the boards) you'll see all the medical tests that are necessary to rule out everything else...then if everything is normal, it's likely IBS. In the meantime, salads can be harsh on anyone's stomach and since you're having a rough time, stick to soluble foods (you can find a list on Heather's cheatsheet on this site) like rice, bananas, french bread, etc... YOu can branch to brown rice and SF fruits like the inside of an apple (no skin) if you are feeling better. Stay away from dairy, egg yolks, red meat, and other triggers listed here also. Your stomach should definitely settle down. Oatmeal is a great breakfast if you are tolerating it okay. I have it almost daily and I am a d (meaning IBS more prone to diarreah).
As for a healthy lunch, you can do a turkey sandwich (try to get good turkey with less nitrates, etc.) on white bread, maybe mustard, no mayo or use low fat mayo sparingly, and only add tomato/lettuce if you are doing okay for a few days. You can also eat non-traditional lunches like graham crackers and smidgens of peanut butter, etc. If you do a search, you will find TONS of suggestions for lunch ideas, however, right now I suggest you stick to the bland ones for two reasons: to calm down your system and to calm down your psyche. The less attacks you have, the less anxiety you will have that is directly related to food. With that said, remember that this is just temporary. YOu must find out if you indeed have IBS or is something else going on. And if it is IBS, then you need to read more here on the site or get Heather's book and you'll get wonderful info. on how to do the break-the-cycle diet and add insoluble fiber (IF)which is where you will get most of your nutrients that you're worried about. You may be able to eat salads again, but not on an empty stomach, and maybe alongside some italian bread and in a smaller quantity. You have found a wonderful place. This site has saved my life and so many others who were panicked about our bathroom issues (and yes, the pattern of d that you describe is exactly how it happens for me).
As for the meds, don't change anything yet. YOu already seem like you have an idea of what you need during your high-stress moments so take what you need to get through this period, but get to the root of what's going on physically first before altering anything (just my opinion). Good luck and welcome to the boards. Keep us updated on what the doctor says and if you are successful with eating more sf foods at work. 
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
