The IBS "C" of 40 years that suddenly changed to chronic IBS "D" & why!

Half of my life (over 40 years) consisted of regular bouts of constipation, sometimes so bad that a visit to a therapist for colonic irrigation was the only answer! Tell me, please, who could go through all that for so long without mental stress of some kind, & accepting relief of that stress by some form of drug to ease it all, especially when 2 winters in a row spelled SADS depression?

Well, that was me, & a chosen new life in a warmer climate nearer the sun cured the SADS, but I still took the medication for the anxiety & stress that the regular constipation bouts brought about! I have always eaten sensibly, mainly home-cooked meals containing my own home-grown organic produce. I never ate fast foods of any kind or drank alcohol to excess & my choice of IBS-relieving substances has always been natural when possible!

Identifying the root cause

Suddenly, about 5 months ago, it all changed drastically as watery diarrhea became my constant sufferance, up to 9 or 10 visits per day to the toilet, every day with loperamide giving me my only relief. This went on for 6 -7 weeks, during which all the clinical tests showed nothing! That is until a colonoscopy with biopsy was taken with a diagnosis weeks later! By this time (which had allowed me many hours of research & investigation online) I actually knew what my diagnosis would be! I have MICROSCOPIC COLITIS (collagenous) & the root cause of it was 15 years of prescribed SSRIs medication!

Today 3 months after my diagnosis I am much better. I still have abdominal discomfort but often almost normal bowel movements, certainly not CONSTIPATION though! I am happy to reveal my chosen therapeutic path in all this at a later date for those who may be interested!

This is my story.