Is this really IBS?
#37958 - 01/16/04 10:47 AM
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I know that nobody can diagnose me on here, so that's not what I'm asking.
In 2001, I weighed 200 lbs. I started taking Metabolife 356 to lose weight, and it worked. My symptoms started in March 2002 which would be about 6 months after I started taking the Metabolife. I had gone out to dinner with friends, we had pizza, and my stomach started feeling kind of funny that night, almost constipated. The next morning I couldn't go at all. So, I took 2 Correctol laxatives. Nothing. Later that evening I took 1 more. Nothing. Next day, still nothing. Finally, 3 days after taking laxatives, I was able to kind of go. Constipation seemed to be the only problem. A few months later my lower abdomen started to bloat, starting right underneath my navel. My upper abdomen would only bloat up if I had eaten ALOT, and would usually go down in a few days. Now, my entire stomach is distended, starting from right underneath my and going all the way down. My clothes do not fit; I usually wear a size 10, today I'm wearing a size 11 and the waistband is digging painfully into my stomach as I speak.
I guess my question is this - do IBS symptoms change and get worse over time? The pain is the worst on my lower left side but has been steadily working its way up the left hand side. There's times that my whole entire abdomen hurts, actually most of the time, but it's always worse on the left side.
I now weigh 125 and look like I'm 6 months pregnant. I'm not so much upset by my appearance (though I'm not crazy about the fact that after losing almost 80 pounds, I still look chubby in the gut), I'm more upset at the fact that I have not gone one day in almost 2 years without feeling horrible. I got married July 12, 2003, and the happiest day of my life was still a bit marred by the fact that I was in pain and uncomfortably bloated.
I know that my problems are not worse than anyone else's. I still have not gotten an official diagnosis of IBS; my first doctor tried to say I had it within 5 minutes of speaking to me - he hadn't run any tests, done any bloodwork, ANYTHING. He gave me a "prescription" to eat 2 bowls of 100% bran flakes every day. Gee, wonder why THAT didn't work (Thank you, Heather, for pointing out that bran and raw veggies/fruit are NOT helpful when it comes to IBS!). I am going on January 28 to the University of Washington GI clinic and hopefully will be taken seriously there; I've already been to 3 doctors and one specialist - had a colonoscopy that didn't go into the small intestine and only showed 1 diverticuli (sp?); everything else was "normal".
Again, I know my problems are not worse than anyone else's. My heart goes out to each and every one of you - nobody should have to be in pain all the time, for any reason. I guess that I am just depressed and frustrated, scared because I've been sick for almost 2 years and still don't know what's wrong with me. I know that there are other conditions/diseases that mimic IBS... I just don't know what to do at this point.
I'm sorry that I sound so negative; I'm just at the end of my rope and feeling like I'm losing my mind. Thanks for letting me vent.
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Hi, don't worry about whining, everyone does it here occasionally. As near as I can tell, IBS is what they diagnose you with when they've ruled out everything else. Don't listen to the doctors who just tell you to eat more Fiber. I think I went to that guy, he was a jerk. 
Are you still taking the Metabolife? What's in it?
It sounds like it could be IBS... but you should wait until you talk to someone professional. Make sure you get tested for allergies, the constant bloating could be a sign of a wheat allergy.
Bear with it... hopefully something will get figured out to make it more manageable for you.
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Could Be
#37973 - 01/16/04 11:20 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Becca, in answer to the question in your third paragraph, in my case it's yes. But -- for me -- the syptoms changed according to my stress and level of anxiety. Other factors that influenced my symptoms were my diet, my degree of (or lack of) exercise, and the fact that I was cheating by having my beloved coffee.
Also, I'm a "D" -- so I don't know if I'm of much help to you. However, I will say this -- the pain and bloating in your abdomen, especially how you described it on your left side, mimics mine to a "T". I haven't been able to wear anything with a waistband in 3 years. Even pants with elastic bothers me. For awhile, I was wearing moo-moos.
What helped me the most were: following the diet, CUTTING OUT THE COFFEE AND STOPPING THE CHEATING, exercising more, and the hypnosis program.
Becca, I'm so sorry you are frustrated and scared. If it were me, I'd seek another doctor. I'm real glad you're going to the GI Clinic at U. Dubb. I have a feeling you'll get your answers there. Let us know the results, won't you?
Bev.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Thanks for your reply. Metabolife has quite a few different ingredients...when I first started taking it they were still making it with ephedra. Now it's ephedra-free (ephedra is pretty much legalized speed and NOT good for you at all). I think too that the both kinds (356 and ephedra free) all have TONS off caffeine (sp?) in them, as well as chromium picolinate (sp?)...there's tons of herbal ingredients, but I don't have the bottle in front of me. I actually stopped taking the pills over the Christmas holiday for good. When these symptoms first started I went off the Metabolife for a while because I thought they might be the problem; went off for a month, still in pain, so got back on them.
I went to Robert Thompson in Seattle. He's an internal medicine specialist, and while I don't like bad-mouthing people, he is NOT the person to go to; he got quite a few irate letters from me, lol.
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Yeah, don't take that stuff! As for your Doctor, maybe we should start a list of quacks? Or could that get us sued?
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LOL...I was thinking the same thing, about the list of quacks.  Thanks for making me smile.
In all seriousness, though, maybe the DOCTORS are the ones who should worry about getting sued. For all I know, his diagnosis of IBS may have been right, but it was TOTALLY irresponsible and shady of him to make that kind of "snap" diagnosis without running the battery of tests necessary to do so. Same with anyone else who has seen a doctor like that - how do we know that potentially life-threatening health problems are being overlooked, because a doctor hears "chronic D" or "chronic C" and just chalks it up to IBS? When I first went to see him (Dr. Thompson), I hadn't even been having the symptoms long enough for him to say IBS - at that point I'd only had the symptoms for 3 weeks.
If a doctor doesn't know what's wrong, then he should say so, you know? I don't know about anyone else but I'd be alot happier if a doctor said "No, I don't know what this is, I'll send you to someone who knows more about this stuff", than one who couldn't give a darn (I'd love to use stronger language at the moment as I'm cranky as all get-out, but will refrain, lol) and just wants to get you out of his office ASAP.
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hI becca; that is what we are here for. I am sorry you are feeling so bad.
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Yeah, I don't really like Doctors in general. Although there are exceptions, for the most part I find them unbareably arrogant. They're always right. They don't care to spend enough time to talk to you to find out what's going on. My Dad did PR for a group of doctors that you paid a subscription fee to be able to attend... they charged extra so they could keep their practice really small, actually talk to the patients, and have some stupid bed side manners. Makes me wish I had the money to join such a thing!
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Bev, thanks so much for your response. I wish I could say that there was a correlation between stress and the pain for me, but there doesn't seem to be. I'd mentioned in a previous post that all this didn't start until I was actually HAPPY. I don't understand.
You've had to wear stretchy stuff for 3 years? Gawd, I'm sorry  It's reassuring in some ways to know that I'm not alone in some of these symptoms - does your stomach just feel hard as a rock?
I will definitely let you know how the appointment at UWMC GI clinic goes; I will also stop cheating with the coffee - living in Seattle that's hard to do, I'm sure you can relate.
Thanks again for your response, Bev, you're a sweetheart. I really enjoy your posts and your positive attitude. You're a dolly.
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I'm not sure what all is in the Metabolife that could possibly do this, but if there are ingredients that upset your GI tract, the chronic use could become an "insult to the gut", which can lead to IBS. You can do search for past posts on this, or check the First Year IBS. It's a possibility, and the laxatives could have exacerbated the GI upset and started the IBS ball rolling too. And your symptoms do fit the Rome Criteria, info about that is here web page
Good luck at UW - let me know what happens there, and what you think of them.
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Well first of congrats on the weight lose. Second sorry your feeling blue and confused. Have you tried a fiber suplement to see if that helps? I took metabolite for about 1 month 2 years ago to try and drop pounds. I didn't like it and I only took one a day. It had no ephedra or caffiene.
I spoke with other women taking the metabolife and there are some awful side effects and warnings. I never have been one to have problems with IBS until recently after a flu bacteria set it's pace in my Gi track. It's taking me quite some time to recover and now IBS.. It can come anytime in life something may bring it on and stress a big one, in some of us. Dirvccc?? Is when feces stick to intestinal walls? Supplements and diet can take care of it? It can mimic IBS too? See those docs..in the mean time it wouldn't hurt you to try the diet and see how you feel or some of the supplements. My heart goes out to you..knowing how fustrating it is not knowing whats wrong and the docs guessing.How about trying a probiotic like prebio7 it claims to help with distention and bloating. Hang in there and I'm rooting for a good outcome for you!
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Heather - WOW! I'd never heard of the "insult to the gut" thing, but that certainly makes sense. I've cut and pasted the ingredients of the Ephedra-free Metabolife below; do any of these ingredients set off "alarm bells" to you?
I'm going to read up on the Rome I criteria too; thank you for posting the link to that.
I will definitely let you know how that UWMC appointment works out. My husband says that the UW has one of the best medical facilities on the West Coast (he's a graduate student at UW), and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll finally be able to talk to someone who 1) will listen and 2) will know what he/she is talking about.
You all are awesome, and Heather you are a goddess - I don't know what I'd do without you!
Manufacturer's Description
Boost your energy and enhance your diet with Metabolife's ephedra-free tablets. Using a precise blend of herbs and other nutrients, this supplement offer the same benefits of other Metabolife formulas, but without ephedra. Taken as directed before a meal, the supplement may also help with weight loss. Each tablet contains 40 mg caffeine alkaloids.
Label Information
Ingredients
Calcium (as hydroxycitrate and dicalcium phosphate) (50 mg), Chromium (as chromium piccolinate) (150 mcg), Sodium (60 mg), Potassium (30 mg), and a proprietary blend (1,132 mg total) of the following: Green tea extract (leaf) (standardized for EGCG and total catechins), Super Citrimax Garcinia cambogia extract (fruit) (standardized for hydroxycitric acid), Guarana extract (seed) (standardized for caffeine), Yerba mate extract (leaf) (standardized for caffeine).
Other ingredients: Modified cellulose, maltodextrin, caffeine, dicalcium phosphate, stearic acid, sodium bicarbonate, silica, dextrin, citric acid, dextrose, lecithin, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sodium citrate.
Directions
Take 2 tablets 3 times per day, one hour before each meal. Do not exceed recommended servings. As with any dietary supplement, read all label warnings and directions before taking Ephedra-Free Metabolife.
Warnings
Do not take if pregnant or nursing. Not for use by persons under age 12. Consult with a health care professional prior to use by persons between the ages of 12 and 18. If you have any medical condition or are taking any medication consult a health care professional prior to use. The recommended dose of this product contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Limit the use of caffeine-containing medications, foods, or beverages while taking this product because too much caffeine may cause nervousness, sleeplessness, and occasionally rapid heart beat. Keep out of reach of children. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 2 Tablets
Calories Total: 5
(Amount per serving, followed by percent of daily value)
Sodium: 60 mg, 2%
Potassium: 30 mg, less than 1%
Total Carbohydrate: 1 g, less than 1%
Calcium 50 mg 5%
Chromium (as chromium picolinate) 150 mcg 125%
Proprietary Blend: 1132 mg*
Green Tea Extract (leaf) (standardized for EGCG and total catechins)
Super Citrimax Garcinia cambogia extract (fruit) (standardized for hydroxycitric acid)
Guarana Extract (seed) (standardized for caffeine)
Yerba Mate Extract (leaf) (standardized for caffeine)
*Daily Value not established.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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Hi - I actually have no idea about most of those ingredients - I'm sorry! It doesn't sound like there's enough caffeine in there to so over-stimulate the gut it could trigger IBS. And things like the chromium I just don't know about. You might actually take the list to the UW docs and ask what they think. They'll be well-aware of the insult to the gut theory, and may also have some ideas of something else in your history that could fall into that category.
The UW is a great medical facility. They have some of the top IBS researchers in the country, including Margaret Heitkemper and Monica Jarrett (sp?). I don't think they're MDs, though, but PhD researchers, and I'm not sure if they actually see patients. Still, it makes sense to me that they'd be part of a team of IBS docs in general, so I'd assume some of the GI docs who do treat patients there are top notch. Hopefully, they're nice as well.
I think that Novartis has done a lot of funding and grant-giving to the IBS folks at UW, so it will be interesting to see if that has swayed their point of view on Zelnorm. Not sure that's at all relevant to you, it's just something I'm curious about.
Keep us posted!
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Heather - I'd heard from someone who also took Metabolife that the chromium resulted in him having to have his gallbladder removed - but he also has a twitchy stomach anyway, so it could have been anything. Thank you for looking at the list of ingredients.
I'm seeing a Dr. Hwong (Not sure of the spelling), and there will be a "fellow" there as well...not sure what that is.
I've actually tried the Zelnorm - other than giving me the runs something terrible, it didn't help with the bloating or pain; just made going to the bathroom a bad adventure. It also costs $140 for a month's prescription, though if it worked I'd have paid double that, you know?
I will definitely keep you posted, and thank you for taking an interest in my situation.
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Becca, welcome to the boards. As others have said, don't worry about sound negative. We all get down once and a while... not feeling well will do that to you! Your symptoms certainly sound like IBS, but you're very smart to be looking into other doctors and getting it diagnosed for sure. That's something you should always do, because the symptoms can be so similar to other problems like Crohns and Colitis. As for your symptoms changing over time, mine have definitely done that too. For a while I was having diarhea, and now that I've start controling my diet and avoiding triggers I'm back to the constipation that's plagued me most of my life. Plus my bloating and gas is constantly changing locations, etc. I guess that's just part of the condition. Good luck with your upcoming appointment at the University of Washington, and I hope you get diagnosed for sure soon! Feel free to post here with whatever questions you might have!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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I sat here day after day an read what you all write.I,m not good at putting into words what I,m trying to say.but here go as you can see I,m not good at typeing or the computer.I,m 69 years old.been marryed for 52 years right to the same man.an had four children an raise our grandaughter.my husband was in the service for 21 years then
the police department for 19 years.I was told for years I had a nervoris tummy because I had d.I keep going to doctors an they would tell me the same thing.finally the last few years it got so bad I had to stop work.couldn,t even get to work with out stopping.finally the last 2 years the pain started.really bad.then they took my gall bladder out.still pain.run all kind of test on me.the special said I didn,t have IBS.but a spastic colon which I found out from Heather is the same as IBS.so I went back to my reg,doctor first thing he said was I had IBS.so who do you believe I think Heather because she has been there.I have high blood pressure an I,m a diabetic I give myself 2 shots a day.an a hiatel hernia.I don,t want you all to feel sorry for me .because I do have a wonderful husband who takes very good care of me.yes I have had a lot of stress in my life.with a husband over seas fighting a war .an then trying to raise 5 chilren by myself most of the time.but what I,m trying to say is when nothing was going on bad in my life I get IBS.we are retired,our children are all gone.we have very little money problams.we have a new car,house,RV.an I still get IBS.so will some one please explain this to me .Gerry. 
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Neta G.Yale
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Hey There, Gerry!
#38075 - 01/16/04 02:25 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Gerry, bless your heart, thank you for sharing your story. My hubby is your age; luckily he hasn't had a sick day in his life! (Why is that?!?)
You want someone to "explain it to [you]." I wish I could. I'm sure all of us wish we could. When I read your post, and came to your question at the end, the thing that came to my mind is: "boy, no one gets through this life scott-free." It seems, just when things began to turn around for us, something comes along to throw a wrench in it. 
Have you thought about the hypnotherapy program? Actually, it was my hubby's suggestion. I read him your post, and, since you're the same age, he was able to emphathize with you. He said it's worked well for me (he's noticed!), so maybe it would work for you too. Why not give it a try, Gerry?
It's good to hear from you.
Bev.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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please for give my spelling.I know some of the words are spell wrong. 
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Neta G.Yale
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Thanks Bev.it is so nice to know there is so many of us who have IBS.that really care about each others.no I haven,t tryed the hypnotherapy.maybe I will give it a try.Gerry 
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Neta G.Yale
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Hi Gerry - I think you should give the hypnotherapy a try. It's great!
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