I Have IBS and Goldilocks Syndrome

During my long quest for constipation relief, I have discovered that not only do I have IBS-C, I also suffer from Goldilocks Syndrome.

You know the tale. Bad little girl breaks into the house of the 3 bears, tastes all the porridge, sits in all the chairs, and lies in all the beds. Papa bear’s is too hard, Mama bear’s is too soft, but baby bear’s is just right, and she falls asleep in it, but not for long. The family returns and finds her. She escapes and runs home.

My takeaway

She’s not a bad little girl. She’s conducting single-subject research. The “just right” discovery is achieved through experience and intuition. She learned a lot during that home invasion. She took matters into her own hands, despite the risks. She found out what works.

I, too, have been conducting single-subject research. I am the lone trial subject, and the hypothesis of my study is simple: Try every remedy known to humankind that will remind my bowel to produce stool every day. My method? Start with over-the-counter (OTC) meds. If those fail, try prescription medications as a last resort. I have used OTC meds for years, with complicated results. I have now arrived at the last resort.

What I've tried so far

From allowing nature to take its course, to over-the-counter (OTC) treatments, to prescription drugs specifically designed to treatment IBS-C. To date, no treatment has produced the “sweet spot,” that elusive effect that mimics a temporary cure.

First, I tried Miralax at the first sign of constipation, which was that a whole day went by and I realized I hadn’t had a bowel movement (BM). But I discovered that taking Miralax does not have a predictable outcome for me. I needed something different. A half dose of Miralax didn’t produce a BM for me, and a full dose was unreliable, meaning it didn’t necessarily make me go the next day when I took it at bedtime the night before. So, next, I decided to try prescription meds for my seemingly intractable IBS-C.

First, I tried Linzess, a prescription drug that was formulated to treat IBS-C. But, it produced diarrhea the first week, and although it settled down the 2nd week, it was still loose. I didn’t see the point in continuing to take it with that kind of effect, so I stopped, and tried Trulance instead, another prescription drug. But Trulance acted the same way Linzess did, so I stopped that drug as well. I decided to try a combination of OTC supplements.
After trying unsuccessfully to promote a normal daily BM with Miralax, an OTC supplement, and prescription drugs Linzess and Trulance, I did find a treatment regimen that makes me have 3 relatively normal BMs every day.

I found my perfect Goldilocks scenario

Every day I take:

1) One Dulcolax tablet and 4 stool softeners at bedtime;
2) one glycerin suppository 3 times a day.

This regimen causes me to have 3 BMs per day, with several well-formed stools. This is what I would call the “sweet spot.” A regimen that works most days and helps me feel like I don’t have IBS-C. It took 8 years after my IBS diagnosis to find the regimen that works.

I hope this helps anyone who is at a loss to treat their IBS-C.

Big hugs, Kim