A Long Journey

I’ve had IBS-D for 35 or 40 years. The doctors I saw mostly didn’t think it was much, but I would insist I needed meds. They would reluctantly prescribe Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, Librax, and/or Lomotil (not all at once). None were very effective.

As the years passed, the flares got worse and lasted longer. My stress level would go up, and that only seemed to aggravate the flares more. It became a cycle every few weeks, lasting a week, two, or four. The hemorrhoids I had due to multiple pregnancies would flare up, and my pain would be doubled. Sometimes it hurt to sit down. I had multiple colonoscopies, all with no answers except some mild inflammation.

A Life-Threatening Crisis

The worst flare almost killed me. I had the worst flare ever with six full days running back and forth to the bathroom 15–20 times a day, expelling nothing but water with terrible cramps. I drank as much as I could to at least stay hydrated and kept expecting it to settle down by the next day. It never did, and on the sixth day, I felt I was dying, so I had my husband bring me to the ER.

They found my blood pressure was almost nonexistent and my kidneys had completely failed due to the dehydration. I was on the brink of death. I was admitted and spent three days there with an IV and multiple meds to get my blood chemicals balanced. The diarrhea continued, and they never gave me any kind of med to stop it. I hadn’t eaten, and they finally put me on a BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and dry toast, which finally stopped the diarrhea. They still weren’t giving me anything to stop it. I almost died because of the diarrhea and dehydration. My kidney function finally returned to normal, but to this day, I have to have it monitored every three months. Staying well hydrated is the most important thing to do with IBS-D.

The Breakthrough Diagnosis

Now to the present. Six months ago, my gastroenterologist ordered a diagnostic colonoscopy with a biopsy. All my previous colonoscopies were fine. Voila! The biopsy finally gave me the first true diagnosis. The inner lining of my colon was inflamed, and I had a form of micro colitis. It is called collagenous colitis. While it can be caused by various things, such as a gluten intolerance and some medicines, my inflammation was caused by anti-inflammatories I was taking to help with my severe arthritis.

I was put on a six-week course of budesonide and taken off all NSAIDs: ibuprofen, Aleve, aspirin, etc. Amazingly, the diarrhea has finally stopped. What a wonderful feeling that after all these years, my IBS-D finally has a cause and a name, and it’s not in my head. I still do take a few days of an anti-inflammatory when the arthritis pain gets too much, but I quit as soon as my stomach starts to bubble and act up. It’s just a balancing act now. I still need to control my stress and stay away from fatty and sweet foods as there are occasional short, minor flares. Compared to all the years before being diagnosed, these are pieces of cake. The moral of this story is to be persistent in your search for the underlying cause, no matter how many years or doctors it takes. Good luck in your journey.