Question:
Does this clear up after surgery?

I have what I, and the dietician was assuming is irritable bowl syndrome. No matter what I eat healthy or not for the past year and a half I have had to use the bathroom within 20 minutes after eating. I also have a horrible hemmorid that hasn't went away with any over the counter medicine, and recently I've had alot of blood in my stool from straining. I go to the bathroom atleast 4 times a day. I know this is really gross and I hate talking about it, and when I went to the dr. today he really didn't give me a straight answer and said it could also have alot to do with stress but at this moment, i don't feel alot of stressing other than waiting for approval from the insurance. I was just wanting to know if anyone else has experienced this..and if it went away after the surgery.    — Mandy K. (posted on November 17, 2003)

November 17, 2003
Hey!! I will be 5 weeks post op Wednesday and here is my experience on the IBS thing. I have had SEVERE IBS for pretty much my whole life. Especially the first meal I ate daily, I would have to run to the bathroom. For years I couldn't eat out. I have tried numerous meds over the years with no relief, and was on nortriptyline up to time of surgery with very little relief from it. You can't imagine how much better it is now and I can't believe it. I am off the meds completely. I now have a bm on average once a day, sometimes twice, but it is NOTHING like it was. This is like a miracle to me. I am not kidding, everyone in my life, including my co-workers was familiar with my stomach issues. I would sometimes have to get up and go before I even finished eating. It was horrible! I work in a 911 center and am in a room full of people, so everyone there knew that once I ate someone was gonna have to listen for my radio so I could go to what they all referred to as "Pam's office". It was embarrassing but what can you do?? Now that I have been back to work this week I only had to go to "my office" once. It is a drastic improvement for me. I will tell you that I did have kinda the runs for about the first 2 weeks but now that has stopped and I feel NORMAL for the first time in maybe ever! I am not sure what brings on the change but it's something I am very happy about. I was told by my doc and GI doc that this surgery would help this but the improvement has been better than I expected! I also had severe reflux symptoms and that is pretty much gone too. My whole digestive system seems to function a whole lot better in general now! You should do great! Hope this helps and good luck to you! Pam in GA
   — Pam B.

November 17, 2003
Well, this will sounds totally stupid when you've consulted so many medicals. But I was dx with IBS at age 36. Like you, within 20-30 min after every meal, violent cramping and, well, I'd better be IN there by the time the cramp ended. And many times I was not. I continued on for 8 yrs. My husband began to think he was lactose intolerant and experimented with skipping milk products. He was, and it changed things for him. Well, poor guy, there was no way *I* was doing without milk. But as it turned out, I went off milk for 2 weeks, then back on. WHOA! For 8 yrs I'd been treating IBS and nothing ever worked. Skipped milk (freak thing for me, actually) and there it was. The first night back on milk, kablooey again. I did NOT want to her/find that. I loved milk. As it turned out, it was just as well, because my surgeon forbids it. If I thought I was lactose intolerant before surgery, well, that was NOTHING compared to now. Not that I have stepped any toes over that line, but when you ask if there is milk in something, people often say no (bite, sip, sip), just SKIM! AAAAAAAAA! Still lactose, still sugar. Still, the miseries. I am very careful now, of course. But just thought I would toss out that little story. You might skip all milk products for maybe 3 days and then add them back one at a time and see which one triggers attacks. It's kind of a free trial thing, and should not interefere with anything medically, right?
   — vitalady

November 18, 2003
I too had IBS before surgery. I had my RNY on 8/18/03 and have not had a single problem with IBS since. In fact, I even had to give Metamucil wafers a try. So hang in there and hopefully you will have that needed relief after your surgery.
   — Lee A.

November 18, 2003
I also had to run to the bathroom after every meal with cramps and diarrhea. I don't know how I got fat. You would think the food in me wouldn't even have time to absorb. However, I am 4 1/2 months out and haven't had loose stools since. In fact, I actually get constipated once in a while. Until now, I have never had a problem with being constipated. I have a bowel movement every couple of days.
   — lindadougherty