CVID Female Issues Community Group

A place where CVID patients and supporters can discuss topics specific to women of all ages. (Women only please)

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Women's Health
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tummy issues

autoimmunesx
autoimmunesx
Ok ladies I am blushing as i write this for not one to start taboo topics. Have any of you had major problems with constipation after starting ivig? I have had more minor problems with in in the past, years ago, but since I started ivig about 6 weeks ago (I am getting ivig once a week for 12 weeks and then will go to once a month) it has been a major issue. I tried all over the counter medications and nothing worked, I didn't go at for three weeks, one medicine finally worked but stil struggling with constipation. My doctor says he doubts it is from the ivig but I have a hard time believing that for not only has nothing else changed, no new meds or change in diet, but I was having the reverse tummy issue for a few months prior to ivig and doctor said it would help that, so don't see how it couldn't help too much and cause constipation.
Hope you are all doing well
Thoughts and Prayers
gliderlove
gliderlove
Hey! There is a lot of activity on this thread but I figured I would jump in! I am way to familiar with stomach issues! I typically have extremely frequent BMs so when it jumps to the constipation side we jump on it really fast. I have been in the hospital for a blockage before, and it was the worst pain I have ever felt in my stomach, and a very unpleasant thing to be in the ER for! If I have absense of stool for 24 hours I automatically take medicine to be sure it doesn't get bad, otherwise I take maintenance doses of medicine about 3 times a week just to be sure things stay "normal". I've done both Miralax and Milk of Magnesium, but prefer magnesium as it comes in pills and not strictly liquid. I am also on pancreatic enzymes that absorb my food for me and take anywhere from 5 pills anytime I eat but it doesn't seem this is a normal necessity with CVID. It is a big issue to not go for that long. Once it gets to a certain point you can't reverse it without extreme measures, and I never would have survived 3 weeks! I think a GI doc on your team would be great. My doctors don't typically go outside of their fields either which can be unfortunate but it's better they are comfortable with giving you information you need. Hope you are doing well!!
ELC87
ELC87
PrincessButtercup, have you been tested for SIBO? I was diagnosed with it at the Mayo Clinic--also had very clean scopes, etc. But was wrongly diagnosed with IBS by my family doctor and I actually had a very insidious bacterial imbalance in my small intestine (SIBO).

These were my symptoms: diarrhea/constipation, intermittent vomiting and nausea, gas,, bloating, and carbohydrate intolerance (SIBO digests the carbs before they should be... which results in fermenting carbs in your small intestine...and the toxic by-products from the bacteria strip the mucosal lining from the rest of your intestines while leaving you feeling like you've been poisoned)

SIBO is tested for by using Hydrogen Breath Testing... Strongly recommend getting tested for it if you have not been already..