STASIA’S PERSONAL STORY

I have had digistive problems from about age 55 (I am 63 now). Mostly gastritis, diverticulosis and and IBS, which make it difficult to know what to eat. More recently it seems to be more IBS-D with urgency and even a couple of really upsetting episodes of bowel incontinence. I read everything I can about IBS and related conditions such as bile acid malabsorption, and SIBO. I try to follow a fodmap diet as much as possible, I have used probiotics, fibre pills, and use mostly
Pepto-Bismal for bowel symptoms, Gaviscon for nausea and Tylenol for pain. As a passionate cook and a foodie, it has been really hard. I feel like IBS has robbed alot of joy from my life. I have begrudging given up the occassional glass of wine but refuse to give up a morning coffee. I am really saddened by the lack of real help from my family doctor, and even my gastroenterologist, who I think is comparatively a good one. All the interventions seem so very insufficent. Lifestyle (diet restrictions) feel drastic and hard to stick to. Symptom treatments aren’t great, and most preventative treatments have unacceptable side effects, at least for me. I wish there was a daily effective preventative treatment, without noticable side effects. People with asthma take a daily preventative inhaled drug that prevents them from having attacks. I wish there was something like that for IBS. It seems so much is not understood – probiotics help, but which ones and how much is not known. IBS is called a functional disease because tests come up empty and because it doesn’t lead to IBD or shorten life, we are told to just live with it. Because of my IBS, I have closed my business because I can’t be reliable, and I can’t be there for my family in the way I would want. And the frequent sick days are really upsetting to me. Thank you for this forum and for reading my story- it does feel therapeutic to be able to share my experience.