Hi...check in and question about nausea

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Hi...check in and question about nausea
2
Thu, 03-23-2006 - 8:14pm

Hi...how is everyone doing? It's been a while since I've last posted. I'm hanging in there, but just barely...I've been in all-out study mode for the past week or so, but we just finished our last final exam today. I was having so many problems recently that I wasn't sure I'd be able to take all the exams, but I wanted to get them out of the way, so fortunately I made it through...but I'm expecting to crash and sleep a lot soon!

This is going to be pretty gross, but I figure if anyone can handle gross, it's people with IBS! Well, a while back I'd taken an antibiotic for a sinus infection (which I still have too, by the way), and a while afterwards I got very watery diarrhea, which I wrote off for several weeks as IBS (though it's not normal for me)...but one day I went to the bathroom and had bright red blood, a good bit of it...which was very disturbing!

So I went to the doctor, and she thought I probably had something called pseudomembranous colitis from bad bacterial overgrowth. I had a stool culture, though, and it came back negative...which was strange...but the treatment (an antibiotic) for the colitis helped almost immediately, so she told me to keep taking it. But now I'm doubting if that was what it was if the culture was negative? Hard to know, I guess...

Since then, I had bright *green* diarrhea, but no blood that I could tell...the doctor said the blood could also just have been from a hemorrhoid that burst. But by now, things seem to be back to "normal"...no more really watery diarrhea, etc...

Still, I have my usual constant pain throughout my digestive system, along with nausea and feeling disgusted by the smell of many (most) foods. I was wondering if this is a usual symptom of IBS. I've had it for a good while, but first attributed it to a medication I was taking (Topamax)...now I'm off that medication, though my current antibiotic has nausea listed as a side effect, but this is kind of a constant thing for me.

I'm guessing it probably is IBS since I don't think I had this sort of problem while I was on antidepressants (Prozac and nortryptiline, a tricyclic). I was on those meds for a long time, but was so sensitive to the side effects...I was so drowsy all day that I had to get *another* medication to try to counteract the sleepiness, and then I was just overmedicated.

I've been trying acupuncture for migraines, and it does help the pain in my stomach and the nausea, but only very short-term (like a few hours). I'm thinking I may have to go back on the medication, but I don't see how...my doctor did give me a new medication to try for the fibromyalgia pain (Neurontin), and I wonder if that might have an effect.

OK, wow, sorry, this is way too long of a post. But I think I am going to have a lot of trouble getting healthy again if I can't manage to eat. That's the main problem...it just hurts so much, and the nausea is so much, plus I have to run to the bathroom after eating, that I just do not want to put anything in my mouth at all. I have been surviving weeks on maybe a piece of bread and cheese and some Saltines a day.

Finally today I tried the dietary supplements for IBS advertised online with peppermint and ginger, etc...and I think they helped a little...I finally drank a Boost, which has always grossed me out too much before, and that was an accomplishment. I can't imagine what I must be doing to my body with this diet...I do take vitamins, but still...

Sorry again for this very long post, but as you can tell, things have been very complicated and not so good...any advice or ideas would be much appreciated. I see a therapist for other issues, and she mentioned maybe seeing a dietician for help with my eating habits...but I don't think she understands that if I could eat, I would!

Thanks again,

Rose

P.S. One other kind of strange thing...the thing that gives me a little relief is taking a little Ambien at night (a sleep med, but I take only a little dose)...maybe because it's relaxing? That's the one time I can usually eat a piece of bread or something...




Edited 3/23/2006 9:26 pm ET by rosa444
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Sat, 03-25-2006 - 10:48am

Hey Rose!!


So good to see you again!!

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-16-2006
Mon, 03-27-2006 - 12:38am

My guess is the reason the Ambien works for you is that it is similar in composition to benedryl or other antihistamines that had antiemetic properties as well. Nothing works better for a small bout of nausea than a benedryl in my opinon. Drowsiness is a side effect, but if you are like me and nausea is an all day, all night daily thing, some relief is necessary. Think of it this way- if you go into the ER they generally give you Phenergan for nausea, another antihistamine. Just an idea, but one that has worked for me.

I am taking nexium now, and had been diagnosed with IBS for years, until I recently had an endoscopy done and found out I have ulcers and severe chronic gastritis. You may want to check in to that as a possibility as well. I am not prone to significant bowel issues, although occasional constipation is normal for me. You could be experiencing side effects from your combination of meds also, so talk to your doc or better even, your pharmacist about interactions between meds. Hope you get some relief! Take care,

Heather