Bowel trouble too?

[Sue10]

I am just wondering if anyone else is having the same bowel problems as I am having. I was diagnosed with IC October/07. In January/08 I started with severe diarrhea. I thought it was a side effect of the Elmiron so I went off of it. I have been off Elmiron for 3 months now and still almost everyday I have loose watery stools. Sometimes just pure water with no form at all.
I have had IBS almost all of my life and this doesn't feel the same. If it is then it is severe form of it! I use to get cramps with my bowel movement now I just run to the washroom after I feel the gurgles. I have an apt. with a GI specialist this week. I have been doing a lot of reading about IC and understand that it is not just a bladder disease, that it comes with many other symptoms such as bowel.
I am just concerned that it came on so suddenly and almost right after the IC diagnoses. In my mind it must be connected somehow. I think its odd that I could be developing yet another problem so close together.
Anyone else out there have these kind of severe bowel issues with diarrhea?

[lauriecircle]

I don't know but I have the same issues, I am seeing Dr. tomorrow, so I will tell you if she tells me anything! But you are not alone!

[omarito]

well for a sec, i doubted my diagnosis of ic coz i am having also symptoms of iBS , but mine is swinging between severe diaherria & constipation, but i began to feel that the drugs we r taking might affect our bowel movement for example the Elmiron can cause diaherria while pain killers as ultram or medicines as vesicare for overactive bladder can cause severe constipation.

[justice4j]

Hi,
My experience with IBS is that when I was a child, I now know I had IBS-C. I know that retrospectively and didn't know this at the time.

When I was working nights as an ER RN, the cafeteria served left overs from the earlier meals. So, in my 30s, I began having bouts of infrequent diarrhea intermittently. Since I was working nights, and eating leftover cafeteria food (ISH!), I reasonsed that the symptoms were from the food and the hours I was working.

A couple of years ago, I started having more severe episodes of "green apple two step" diarrhea. My SO and I even have a code...if I tell him, "I need to go to the serious bathroom" he knows it's code 3 to the nearest restroom as safely as possible. In the last 8 months, I've been having circuitous IBS<-->IC which I really didn't have before.

Bottom line, it seems like IBS can evolve over time, at least judging from my own experience and that of other posters here.

Thankfully, I've been taking an alternative med called Low Dose Naltrexone for the last 26 days. I noticed a significant improvement in IBS in about 7-10 days. My bad...should have kept a better diary re LDN. The improvement has continued and I would estimate that IBS is 80% or more improved. I've progressed from having daily, frequent "dances in the loo" to having 1 or 2 "dates with the loo" per week. If you Google Low Dose Naltrexone, you'll find the site if you're interested. I found the rationale reported regarding hwo LDN achieves its therapeutic affect quite interesting. It's on the site too.

I'm not advising anyone to take LDN. That must be your decision in consultation with your doctor. But, there are clinical trials ongoing at Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania. The Stanford clinical trials are for FM, and the U of Penn. trials are for Crohn's disease.

There are doctors scattered in many parts of the US that are prescribing LDN for MS, Crohn's and some other autoimmune diseases. There is excitement in the MS community about this med.

I plan to continue taking LDN.

[stacym]

Have you noticed any improvement with your IC on Naltrexone? Thanks for the info. Stacy

[Mothergoose]

I don't kown about your case, but I can tell you I have had IC for many, many years. Last year during a flare I got diarrhea. It made the flare much worse, I don't know what started it, or what ended it but it lasted for about 5 mos.
I did find that if I took my pain meds it slowed it down, I also might say that I needed pain meds for all the pain from cramps etc. I ended up have a colonoscopy which found nothing (big surprize). It just finally went away. As I said I have no idea what started it or ended it, but I flared the whole time. My stool was tested for parsites etc, but I didn't have that either.

My freind all of a sudden got server diarrhea, it turned out to be she was diagnosed as diebetic, she had started using artifical sweeteners. They can cause diarrhea, once she stopped using them she was fine. Artifical sweeteners are not good for ICer's either. Just a thought in case you are using these or maybe changed which one you use.

I don't know if you use artifical sweetener, but just thought I would tell my expirences.

Hope you get better, or at least fine out what is causing it.

Mothergoose

[jen74]

I swear I think somethimes there is no rhym or reason why we get these things. I am going to make an appointment to see my GI as well to talk about my recent issues ( loose stool and major flatulence). After I eat I like maybe 10 minutes later I get this rushing gurgling in my intestines and then I get major gas attacks. I sometimes feel like I going to have to rush to the tolilet, but then it is gas.
I am taking more probiotics too see if it will help straighten things out a bit. I also have been taking this organic acacia fiber, It is just like benefiber and is a powder that is clear and has no taste. I mix it in with food. It is a soluable fiber and it suppose to be easy on the gut.
Jen

[Mothergoose]

fiber of any sort can cause gas. GO FIGURE WE NEED it but it give us gas which causes pain in the gut etc.
Mothergoose

[hanabell0421]

me too. I have pain in my lower right pelvic quadrant and my stool go from one day of being constipated to the next being very loose and just a different texture not to get to technical. I am going to see my Gastro on Friday. I too was diagnosed in October of 2007.

[yvette]

Hi All: Just thought I'd add a note about the fiber...If you haven't tried it....Acacia fiber might be worth a shot....It's pretty nuetral stuff, it can help both diarrhea and constipation and it can help promote good flora in the gut....and I'm pretty sure it won't cause more gas--I don't think it putrifies. :)

[Sue10]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I went to see my GI specialist today. He is sending me for a colonoscopy at the end of this month.
This is really draining my energy. If the IC wasn't bad enough....and its just barely under control right now. This bowel problem is driving me crazy! I have watery stools or most of the time NO form just water every day since January. I can't figure this out. Can IBS be this bad?

[stef000]

When i first was going through the testing process to rule out anything 'sinister' my bowels were real bad like yours.....
So yes unfortunately IBS can be this bad.....
I know of people on groups for IBS that take everything possible to slow it down and they still have trouble....
Its good you are getting that test to see if anything is wrong....
i hope you find relief soon
:hi:

[jen74]

I wonder if you could have a bacterial overgrowth going on. By any chance did you take antibitoics anytime prior to these issues starting up so bad?? Antibitoics can definitely cause this issue. I pray you get better soon. ALso, have you been taking probitoics as well to put good bacteria back in the gut?
Jen