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I have had digestive issues since childhood and has continued to plague me through treatment. I would occasionally get severe indigestion and reflux as early as the age of 9-10 years old, which by late teens turned into a daily occurance, diagnosed with IBS at the age of 18, and started having a lot of R upper quadrant pain starting in early- mid 20's in grad school. My stomach, R upper quadrant and bowels seem to be less than happy with food, especially any carbs or fructose. I keep asking myself, what am I doing wrong?! For the past few years I started getting very pale oily looking poop, and of recently my poop is always pale, with undigested food, mushy, very smelly, and oily appearance to the water. Yuck! Sorry, TMI, but anyone else have/had this? When I look up causes it talks about pancreatic insuffiency, leading to malabsorption. This should improve with treatment, right? I guess, just looking for some encouragment from someone dealing with a lot of digestive issues that has been in treatment for awhile. I will not give up, my bowels and bladder will not win this long faught battle!
Do NOT give up! I have read
Do NOT give up! I have read of many people (not necessarily in treatment here) with similar digestive symptoms that improved in treatment. Those people probably took 2 years to get better, and they did NOT have IC too. So you have to keep fighting and taking the long view. What does Dr. B say about the poop from a TCM perspective??
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
I have read that it is yeast
I have read that it is yeast related, but Dr. Brizman has to get you to a place where you can tolerate antifungals, right? And that might take a while? What does she say about this?
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Mimi, I meant to address in
Mimi, I meant to address in the other thread. Yes, I haven't really tolerated any of the antifungal protocols, so doing more of a building and nourishing protocol (I think) more recently switched to more killing. 1 ear and 4 RP. We are taking things slow, so this is going to take a while. You are very right I have read that candida can be a huge contributor because of leaky gut. I just don't understand how yeast can still survive on this diet?!
Thanks Mimi! I promise I will
Thanks Mimi! I promise I will not give up, even though my body frustrates me beyond belief, I have no other option, but to have faith my body will slowly, oh so very slowly turn the corner. It has been 2.5 years I have been in treatment and instead of adding food, I continue to cut. For energy reasons eat potatoes occasionally even though cause such gas and pressure, but at least not significant reflux like other grains, especially rice. Good to know others seem to have healed through similar treatments.
As you know the appointments always go so quickly, and usually squeezing it in during my short lunch break and am stressed to the max trying to get to my car to have privacy for my appointment that my brain is less than focused. I write all my questions down, but usually run out of time to really get too detailed. Of course I have brought up this subject, but haven't had her thoughts on the Chinese perspective what it all means. When I look it up I fall between damp cold (more often) with damp heat (often, but less frequent) with yang deficiency in the spleen and kidney.
I wish there was a place we could post questions that Dr. B could answer more from a Chinese Medicine perspective. It is all so fascinating. Love to read all about it, and wish I could go back to school to learn more, but my doctorate program has put me in the hole! Maybe someday!
I'm so sorry you have been
I'm so sorry you have been going through this for so long. I know it must feel like you're just stuck here. I have felt that way so many times. But I really think this will get better. Our bodies have an amazing capacity to heal.
About a year before I started treatment with Dr. B, I had taken a very powerful antibiotic for what my doctor thought was a vaginal bacterial infection (looking back, I don't think it was). Anyhow, while on this medication, I started having totally unformed bowel movements with undigested food in them. I kept having these unformed bowel movements for a super long time, even after starting treatment. I have finally started to have formed BM's on a regular basis, and once in a while they are loose. But they are very dark, which Dr. B says is due to the toxins in them.
I know you and I both are dealing with major food issues. It is very slow going for us, but we will get there.
Could your bowel issues have anything to do with your gallbladder? This is where bile is stored before it goes to the small intenstine. Just a thought.
Hi Lisa! I know I feel
Hi Lisa! I know I feel terrible for complaining and know that we are all suffering in our own ways! Hard not to feel alone though, and the reason I posted. There don't seem to be too many of us moving so slowly on the food front, but know this has to shift at some point! Just hard to wrap my head around how much I have cut trying to stop the pain. Living off of puréed zucchini, summer squash, limited potato, beef, a little cheese and yogurt (not sure about the last 2, but not willing to give up just yet) gets rather boring. I know you totally get this limited list.
I too was on very strong antibiotics, several the year before starting treatment along with course after course of antifungal treatments. The antibiotics tore me up. I hurt such diarrhea and intestines hurt. I called the Dr. and said there was no way I continue the last round. Since starting treatment I have had my fair share of constipation, but even during those times when I would have a BM it would be unformed, but still predominantly diarrhea type IBS. Good to know that different colors mean something. Yes, typically plae stools has a lot to do with bile and the gallbladder while the oily appearance is from poor absorption of fat secondary to poor functioning pancreas not releasing enough enzymes to breakdown fats and carbs. I have had several tests to check my gallbladder and I think it was functioning at 70%, so in normal range, US looks normal even though it is very painful to have the US performed. I have a growth on my liver, but don't really want to go through another CT scan at this point. Dr. B is concerned about nutrition, and is trying to figure out how we are going to introduce the needed nutrients I am lacking. Do you guys bruise really easily? I have huge bruises all over my body, and most often have no clue where they come from.
Thanks for reminding me I am not alone with the limited diet. One day at a time!
I do have food issues with my
I do have food issues with my stomach, but it sounds as if yours are beyond frustrating. I have no words of advice...just empathy as i have some issues in this area with having unformed dark bm's that are sometimes more as you described. Something that seems to really be helping me thru my journey is taking time each morning and night for about 15 mins to repeat an affirmation while lying in bed. My favorite is "every cell in my body vibrates with health, healing, vitality, and love". The affirmation also helps with stress reduction which is a trigger for IC, and falling asleep is much easier too. Hope this helps:)
Thanks Heather! LOVE that!
Thanks Heather! LOVE that! Thanks Lisa Ann!
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Thank you Heather! Your
Thank you Heather! Your affirmation is perfect. I am trying to do meditation before goi g to bed each night. I will add this to my morning and evening routine.
I can't thank you ladies enough for your kind words and encouragement! Happy healing to you all, and one day healthy looking poop! :-P
LOL....yes, to healthy
LOL....yes, to healthy looking and feeling EVERYTHING!!!