Advice for gastro problems?

[mawest]

I'm a 21 year old female and I'm currently a college student. About a year ago I started having some minor stomach pains. It was mostly just a feeling of pressure in my stomach, almost like i had to pee but just all over my abdominal area. My x-ray showed I had a lot of gas bubbles so my doctor said to start using miralax and I did and it worked and things had subsided until this summer. In June I started feeling very constipated and the pressure came back. This was much worse and I was bedridden for a few weeks because I was in so much pain. A CT scan as well as an abdominal xray with barium later showed that it appeared my intestine had telescoped (intussusception) but it had resolved itself. I began taking a fiber supplement to prevent this happening again. But it has happened again. It is not as bad this time but I constantly feel bloated and pressure in my abdomen. My lower abdomen feels somewhat hard, like I'm backed up with stool. It also feels very tender and the pressure makes my bladder feel like its full all the time and when I go to pee only a little bit comes out. I'm pretty much constipated all the time. I usually have several bowel movements within 3 hours of waking up and that's the only time I go all day. Heartburn is another symptom I frequently experience especially at night. According to a lot of medical sites online my symptoms match up with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and my GI doctor said that's a possibility. I'm now waiting for a colonoscopy to rule anything else out. I had an ultrasound to rule out other issues from my uterus, liver, pancreas, kidneys and so on. I'm just worried because my great grandmother died of colon cancer and colon polyps run in my family. I was just hoping to get some advice or anything anyone can offer me tips on for anyone who has IBS or went through something like this. Like what I can do to help relieve the pressure or the bloating. Those are the 2 symptoms that are most debilitating throughout the day for me. Sorry for the winded post. Any tips would be appreciated!!

[silverfox67]

  Hello Sassymom - I had a surgery done stapling the top of my stomach to my esophagus - I fell in June and broke it loose - so am having it done again next Tuesday.  It is called Transoral Incisionless fundopliction.  (TIF).  
     It helps to some extent - the hardest is the 6-8 weeks of diet - mostly a liquid diet.

     I was on Dexilant, Prilosec, Tagamet, you name it.  Now I take Hydrochloric acid capsules.  One with the first bite of food and believe it or not, it stops the heartburn.
   Wishing you the best

[sassymom505]

I have real bad heartburn so bad the doc only give me pill that dint work I might have to a surgre done

[silverfox67]

  I am so sorry that you are suffering this way!  Poor baby.  IBS is no laughing matter.  Most doctors prescribe Dicyclomine to help with the stomach spasms.  And, unfortunately, you may have to take a Colon Helper every day.  Enzymes can also help so that you don't become bloated and uncomfortable and a good Probiotic every morning.  Basically, you need to do everything you can to keep things flowing smoothly.   That being said, don't eat too much bread or wheat products as these tend to slow things down.

    Hope this info. helps.  Wishing you the best.