Issues With A Lot Of Ibs Flares Lately And Need Advice!

[foundationbaby]

I just feel like venting at the moment, but would also like some advice...so to start from the beginning...I have endometriosis which is also tied to my IBS issues. I am mainly urinary incontinent, but do have some bowel incontinence. My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for awhile now, and I had been prescribed a medication to help facilitate getting pregnant which in turn has screwed up my cycles. I stopped the meds because my endocrinologist doctor said I didn't need to take them anymore. Now the bowel incontinence is getting worse because of my messed up cycles, and I am not sure what to do . I used to have some idea that I was going to have bowel movement (granted I only get a few minutes at the most to get to the bathroom before I have a messy accident) and now I don't have any indication other than the immediate need to evacuate my bowels accompanied by severe gas. I don't want to go on any medications that I won't be able to take when I get pregnant. I have been seeing a Chiropractor to see if that will help alleviate the issue in a natural way and been using a heating pad on and off which hasn't helped yet. Even though I am diapered, I have been luckily enough not to have a bowel accident in my diaper at work because I used to have some indication that I needed to go. Now I am completely freaking out. I can deal with messy accidents in public, but I am not sure if I can handle them at work. I know that I don't have a choice especially if I want to keep my job. The upside to this issue (if you can say that there is an upside ) is that my boss does know that I have IBS issues, but she doesn't know that I wear diapers which she doesn't need to know of course .

[Dill_Pickle]

I use dicyclomine. I dont know its pregnancy category. I also use florastor and other non-dairy probiotics to get my guts under control. I am about to completely drop dairy products to see if that helps....doc today said that drinking cows milk is net negative for calcium, nowhere near enough vitamin D. I supplement both calcium and D.

[foundationbaby]

I don't eat a lot of dairy as a rule...I try to avoid it; I can't drink milk as I am lactose intolerant. I drink almond milk. I also found out from a mutual friend who also suffers from IBS that my lactose intolerance may also be connected to my bowel issues. I used to love drinking milk. Thanks for the input about dicyclomine...unfortunately WebMD labels it possibly safe for pregnant women...so I will have to check with my RE doctor to know for sure. I have never heard of florastor...I will have to look into that to see if I can take it as well. My GP also knows that I am trying to get pregnant and she too suggested a probiotic...I just forgot to pick it up...ooops . I will need to do that tomorrow.

[WetDad]

My wife and I were married 17 years before our first child came along. It was worth the wait, as we now have 2 healthy outstanding teenagers. Never give up hope.

[foundationbaby]

[Dill_Pickle]

What the doc said was that since the FDA isn't allowed to regulate supplements, there are a lot of them on the market that don't contain the ingredients claimed on the label.

Florastor is an exception to that rule. Go to your drugstore, look for a fleets enema, then look around a bit to find the florastor. It's a box with capsules in it.

Peppermint oil is a potential OTC to relax your guts. The problem is, when it comes out the far end, it tears up my skin something awful.

[foundationbaby]

I also heard that pregnant women shouldn't use peppermint oil for fear of miscarriages. I think that Florastor is probably the way to go or what I had been taking which was Align. Thanks again Dill_Pickle.

[Dill_Pickle]

Align was also on the docs "good" list...doc said her source was consumer reports.

you can also check on peppermint oil by eating peppermints...

I'll see my GI doc in a few weeks, but I will say that my colon got scoped out as normal about two weeks ago, so that part is not my particular problem. I have also had to fast a few times to get my guts to calm down, and there is now a shrink in the mix for stress reduction. I am idly wondering if I should re-take a stress reduction class that was basically meditation at our local university, too.

Edit: No thinking about Align, it was one that the Dr recommended.

[foundationbaby]

I don't really have a lot of stress other than trying to start a family. My issues are more genetic as I get if from both sides of my family tree. I just hope that my sister doesn't get affected by it. I have had tummy issues pretty much my whole life...now that I am older it definitely got worse.