IBS-C for about ten years

[John Arnau]

Jeffrey and Emma, my name is John Arnau and I am brand new to the site.  I have had IBS-C for about ten years now (ten long years).  Please see my other post on the IBS-C thread.  I was on both Klonopin (anxiety) and Zoloft (anxiety and depression) for about eight years and they did not help me with the frequency or intensity of my IBS attacks, which normally last between 7-10 days and usually occurs about once a month.  However, these medications did help to control my anxiety and depression.  The thing that helped me more than anything is regularly taking Ex-Lax and colace during an attack.  This lessened my pain during IBS attacks from 10/10 pain level to about a 5/10.  I still take Librax, Bentyl and peppermint pills during the attacks and they help with the abdominal distension (i.e., spasming of the colon), but for the most part I just have to ride it out until the attack is over.  I retired two years ago and I currently have little or no stress in my life, yet my IBS attacks have not lessened in any way.  This leads me to believe that medical science may be wrong about what causes IBS.  For me, I believe that it is almost 100 percent about food.  I have a listing of 36 items I made of foods that I know will cause me to have an IBS attack if I eat them.  The low FODMAP diet does not work for me as it includes a lot of foods that I know will cause me to have an IBS attack.  The number one food for me to avoid is vegetables of any kind (raw or cooked) and the number one drink to avoid is caffeine.  Giving up caffeine was very difficult for me, since I was so badly addicted, which I guess is a workaholic's curse.  In my opinion, years of massive coffee drinking probably also contributed significantly to my Barrett's Esophagus, hiatic hernia and GURD.  I have made significant changes to my diet which have really helped with the GURD, but no such luck with the IBS-C.