Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) describes a sense of exhaustion and post-exertion malaise, even when you have gotten enough rest and sleep. The disease is characterized by six months of incapacitating fatigue experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina, and problems with concentration and short-term memory. The cause is unknown, but it is a...

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2097Maris 02/14/2015

OK! Here I go again! I am now absolutely certain that my condition is IBS : The knots in the gut, very sluggish digestion bordering on constipation, gassy, major discomfort throughout abdomen especially in knot areas. Feel full all the time even though I've not eaten.
Looked at the FODMAP diet and am considering doing elimination diet.
I know what triggered it: trying new anti-depressant (Effexor) just killed my gut and triggered this major episode that has NEVER been so painful before. Got off the Effexor early this eek and am trying Prozac. Fingers crossed.
Am eating oatmeal and kiwis and dare not eat anything else!
Also looked into a yoga sequence to do for IBS which I will do in about 5 minutes! Anything to get this settled down
Do any of you have any other tips on how to settle this down once it is in major flare? Am taking supps from Naturopath and bicarbonate of soda before meals , but not much change.
I am so, so tired of this illness!
Thanks in advance!
Happy Valentine's Day and I hope whoever sees this is feeling better than I am!!!

triunfadora 02/14/2015

Hi, honey. I was going through that a few years ago and I got a colonoscopy and I did that test where you take a pill that is slightly radioactive and they track its progress through your intestine with x-rays for a few days. I tried Miralax and Metamucil and senna, but nothing worked. The only thing that worked for me was Amitiza. Finally, after years of being stopped up, I can go to the bathroom like a normal human being. It sounds crazy, but it was glorious after years of pain. Maybe ask your doctor if you can try it. It is pricey, but my insurance covers it. Many blessings.

skinnybinny 02/14/2015

I unfortunately, suffer from IBS. It started with constipation, which is as you say the knot, then it went the opposite direction and every time I walked in a store I had to run find a bathroom, until I went out less and less.

It's daily for me and sometimes the pain from it wakes me at night.

I have recognized some foods that are problematic for me and avoid eating them if I have to go somewhere. Now I seem to be also dairy intolerant this last year.

I take a daily probiotic that helps stabilize me. And I have a prescription Lomotil for really bad attacks.

2097Maris 02/16/2015

Thank you Triufadora and Skinnybinny for your thoughtful responses.
It got so bad I almost went to my MD, but was able to see my Naturopath. He said the Effexor anti-depressant had gotten into the cells in my small int, and that medication had greatly aggravated an issue I've had since birth. He gave me a remedy to deal with it and i feel SO much better today. It's not gone, but wow, about 60 % better than when I went to his office. A blessing I could get in and be seen. So, I just keep getting more information about all this and figuring it out. Just another painful bump in the CFS/being human road! Hugs to you both,
Dneise

RosaQ 02/17/2015

Glad you were able to see your ND and that you've gotten relief
for the IBS. It sounds like he has a good understanding of
how the various medications are reacting with your system.
I've had IBS off and on for probably 15 years. I have
found that taking gluten, processed foods and sugar, plus
caffeine and such out of my diet has definitely helped with
the inflammation. There are many anti-inflammatory diets.
Everyone's different for certain. Did your ND mention any
of this sort of thing? The main thing is that you're feeling
better and that's very good news.

2097Maris 02/18/2015

Thanks RosaQ. My ND has me doing a low acid diet which really almost mirrors the anti-inflammatory diet. He said that the Effexor had been highly acidic in my system and that was part of the major aggravation. So, I've been pretty careful about my diet, not perfect, (oh, what a surprise ) but pretty darn good. Low acid diets are hard, well, any diet is hard!, but I figure if I'm on it most of the time it will work and if I really blow it I'll get valuable feedback.
The thing that this has done is really made me that much more nervous about using 'drugs'. The difficulty is that we need them and never know how they'll effect us. The conundrum continues. Ah well, sometimes they are great, and sometimes not. This is life, no?

aussiedi 02/18/2015

What always helps me is a simple diet of pink papaya , hot Japanese green tea, slippery elm powder in juice or water , and metamucil for two or three days.It takes the inflammation away and rests the whole digestive area.Also a gentle colon massage with a little coconut oil.Place the palm of the right hand directly on top of the left hand and starting close to your lovely little belly button , massage in a clockwise direction slowly expanding in width as you go ,covering the whole abdominal area.Did that make sense? Also heat applied to the area helps to relax it.xo

2097Maris 02/19/2015

The coconut oil massage and heat sound really good, Di. Thank you for that. I'll give it a try.... Anything to get those darn spasms to settle down. It gets to the point where I feel panicky and trapped because I can't get away from it. The massage may help calm things more. Thankyou !

Nina1959 02/19/2015

I'd add marshmallow root tea, with coconut oil mixed into it. Not too hot, though, just nice and warm.

hollie9 02/19/2015

I had a colonoscopy yesterday and the gastro doc told me I have "redundant" and "spastic" colon. Which means I have extra long colon and spastic is medical speak for IBS. He had to really push to get around the "corners" of my long colon.

So I have that Fodmap diet handout, haven't started it yet but will be meeting with him in a couple weeks for a sonogram on my abdominal distention.

I'm always constipated, never diarrhea like others with IBS. My best food for this is oatmeal. He gave me a sample for Linzess which did not unconstipate me, so perhaps Amitiza will be better.

I hate this condition. Does anyone else have distended abdomen (looks like your pregnant)?

Nina1959 02/19/2015

I get distended if I eat gluten containing foods...
Re linzess, it takes a couple days to kick in and then watch out when it does.....

2097Maris 02/20/2015

Thanks again for all of your responses. Very much appreciated. I've heard about the FODMAP diet, was looking at it the other day. I may need to give it a try. I like the marshmallow root tea idea as well with the coconut oil. Have been using peppermint tea with coconut oil, but I'll try the other.
Thanks again. You are all so kind and generous.
Hugs

2097Maris 02/20/2015

GRRRrrrr... Having another flare of spasm in gut. Think some herbs for my immune system triggered it. And I ate brussel sprouts the same evening. ( I may have just gotten some more valuable feeback, but they've not bothered me previously...)??? I looked at FODMAP list, HOLY HELL, now I'm afraid to put anything in my mouth. Talk about adding another layer of anxiety.... So, what do you guys eat, besides oatmeal, when you are having a flare up? I'm thinking rice, oatmeal, ??? Last night I had applesauce and gluten free toast for dinner. I'm with you Hollie, I hate this condition. When my guts are a mess it triggers a migraine. The whole thing makes me feel undone and more anxious. I think having anything unsettled in our guts just sends us back to pre-verbal age - the gut is so primitive and crucial to survival that when it is out of whack it is very emotionally disturbing... I feel like a colicking baby! Thanks again for your help everyone..

Nina1959 02/20/2015

My go to for really bad days is a smoothie made of vanilla almond milk, whey protein, a shake of ginger and a shake of cinnamon.
For warm it's marshmallow root tea. I've had months with my IBS and chronic gastritis that all I drink is mm root tea, it's all I can get down. The smoothie is for sustenance.
Bear in mind, that not everyone is sensitive to all fodmap elements...it may only be some that bother you so you may be able to eat the others. For example, I can't eat fructose...period, of any kind, even hf corn syrup, or any grains at all. Even rice makes me hurt. But I can eat any cheese I want and ice cream, etc.
So it may not be that daunting, it's experimentation and seeing what works for you.

hollie9 02/20/2015

I am not good enough to figure out what helps or hurts my always constipated/pregnantish condition. I do know oatmeal helps me. I thought we weren't supposed to eat much dairy and if so, whey protein powder is from dairy.

Also, lettuce in salads, I read a post that it makes things worse?

I have a second problem, post nasal drip that only comes on at night when I'm trying to sleep. Dairy really makes this worse so I have given up on my Whey protein powder.

So, Lina, Lynzess really causes diarrhea after a couple days? One dose did nothing for me. I should try it again.

2097Maris 02/24/2015

Thanks again for all your great replies. It is pretty difficult to sort this out, but yes, dairy is often a no-no for us with CFIDS as it can be kind of sludgy in the body, be mucous forming and slow down the lymphatic system which is like our body's house cleaner. We all respond to different things, that's what makes it so tricky. I made a really lovely soup tonight which seemed very benign: chicken broth, coconut milk, onions, garlic, green beans, zucchini, lots of mushrooms, a little lime and cilantro. Well, I thought I was going to blow up after dinner. Nausea, gassy enough to fuel my car for a week! I think maybe it's the onions. It's one of the don't eats on the FODMAP list. So, hmmm..... Dang! Onions!

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