Hi Everyone,

I have been suffering for sometime with bowel issues that I first thought were IBS-D, but after landing in the ER with a blocked colon due to constipation (sorry for TMI), I realized that I should chase after this and figure out what's going on. My first wave of tests (parasites, yeast, bacteria, liver, Celiac, blood workups, etc.) have come back negative, which means that I'm going in to see my doctor on Tuesday and he'll refer me to a GI. I hope to have answers soon.

At any rate, I've been quite uncomfortable much of the time (cramping intestines as if I have diarrhea), and it's really interfering with my ability to exercise. On Monday I was on the elliptical for 13 minutes and then had to run to the bathroom for an incredibly painful BM...today I only lasted 3 minutes before I started cramping again and said "screw it." I've tried gentle stretching, but doubling over in any way causes bad cramping, too.

Is this a common thing to happen? Are there forms of exercise that are gentler on the stomach? I'm really getting frustrated, so I'd appreciate any advice! I'm also dealing with Interstitial Cystitis & fibromyalgia, which hinder my exercise & diet enough as it is...grrrrr.

Thanks so much!

Poor Maalisse! I live with two IBS sufferers and know how miserable you must be feeling.

The problem with exercise is that it will definitely stimulate your gut. So it's going to trigger the kind of episode you had on the elliptical. I'm afraid that you may have to sort this out medically before you can get back to your usual exercise program.

In the meantime, I agree that gentler exercise might be better. Maybe something like walking or yoga won't set off the cramping?

I'm so sorry that you're going through this at your age! DH and DS ended up with IBS after a bad bout of giardia (parasite) and both developed lactose intolerance. Have you tried cutting out milk products? I know that DH's is really affected by what he eats and he spent about a year on a diet of chicken, rice, and applesauce -- really bland stuff.

Best of luck to you and I hope you get some answers soon!

Medical Advice should always be the first order of the day; ask your doctor if you need more fiber and water in your eating plan. In our family, we have an inherited intestinal/bowel disorder where food moves TOO SLOWLY through our systems (symptoms are severe diahrrea w/cramping and constipation alternating, plus uncomfortable bloating and gas).

After diagnosis (which took years BTW) my sister's doctor gave her a med called DOMPERIDONE here (only by doctor's orders on prescription), which helps food move faster through her system; she says it has worked wonders for her.

I don't have the diahrrea as much as before (only 1-2 times a week now), but get the constipation more now that I have cut down how much I eat. I have added more fruit, veggies, fiber, and am trying to drink much more to help alleviate this problem. However, I just may have to try the DOMPERIDONE as the bloating symptoms are not pleasant at all.

I second many of MEG's comments about switching to walking; exercise and walking always make the bowels move. Now, you do want them to move (they are supposed to) just not with all that discomfort. Make sure that you don't have a stomach flu which can play havoc with your insides temporarily; and definitely ask your doctor if your diet and water intake are adequate.

Increasing your water intake can help to loosen up your stools, and encourage bowel movements without unnatural force. I have suffered from this problem since my early twenties. We have been told that STRESS can aggrevate the problem for some people. Hope you can find some answers really soon.

ROSEBUD

Thanks for the hugs, both of you! Feeling a little less defeated today. I already deal with IC and fibro, so I guess another illness isn't going to be a huge change in the grand scheme of things (adding one more bean bag to the bunch but I've already learned how to juggle, so to speak). Just want to get it sorted and defined so I can start juggling.

Meg>> Yoga is a good idea; I should try that out. Walking is definitely do-able; I'll try out a nice stroll tonight!

I haven't tried cutting out milk products, now that you mention it. I'll give that a go and see what happens. Thanks so much for the tips!

Justwant2Bhealthy>> Thanks for the pointers!

I get 30g of fibre a day, but unfortunately I have to restrict my water intake to keep my IC in check (sighhh), so I've tried cutting back on the fibre a bit, and that actually seems to be helping. Go figure. I'm glad I've been tracking my diet in FitDay, because I am planning to print a week's worth out and bring it in with me when I see the GI!

I'm curious that the food moving too slowly thing, because those symptoms sound almost exactly like me. The only thing weird is that I will eat something and (sorry for TMI) it passes through quickly, about 4-6 hours later. Does this sound like the same sort of thing?

Thanks so much for your advice!

I have diverticulitis. I can relate to gut problems. I've been in the ER twice with it. I hope you get some answers soon.

Have you tried cutting back on nuts, seeds and corn? That may help until you get an answer.

Not yet, but I will do so. Thanks so much for the suggestion!

MALISSE ~ Yes, the diahrrea part can come on very quickly; you eat and there it is, a few hours later. The other part of the disorder is that on some days, your system moves too slowly. For many years, most of us suffered from the chronic diahrrea/cramps/gas problem; later on, as we got older, it switched to the combo disorder (in my early forties).

I agree with CBMARE & MEG about watching what you eat; cheese and other dairy products like icecream, nuts, popcorn, seeds, and spicey foods. I do know that nuts bother me big time, if I eat too many or too often.

I'm not surprised that when you CUTDOWN the fiber you felt better; becuz you must drink a lot of water if you are adding fiber becuz that in itself could cause your problem. The fiber can kinda block then get pushed out with looser stools later on; hence the cramping/pain and so on. But I found that adding a little fiber early on, soaked up some of the water; and that helped me some.

*** But the best was taking 'STRAWBERRY EXTRACT' that you get from the drug store (ask the pharmacist). It now comes in a creamy version or the original pure extract. It gives 'immediate relief' for severe pain and diahrrea; and I used that for years.

We really know what you are going through; it got so bad that I couldn't go out becuz I never knew when I would have an accident (and I had many). Sometimes guests would come over and I would spend half the time in the washroom; and felt terrible. My sis was so bad that she had to stop working for a few years. Now with the help of a changed diet and meds, she was able to return to work; and I'm doing much better myself now.

Try all these different things and you will surely find something that helps. BTW, CONGRATS on meeting your goal weight; and your avatar pic is divine!

i have diagnosed IBS. I found what works the best for me is a really good vitamin. Since I have been taking the womens ultra mega (from GNC), I haven't had an episode in over 3 weeks which is highly unusual for me. So a good multi vitamin may help.

I also don't do hard core excercise. I walk, swim and if the tummy is not upset at all is the excercise on the stationary bike.

I find that excercise does give me acid reflux so I take a acide reducer before I start excercising.