IBS-C

mrsmcandrews

*****TMI warning:constipation******



I was wondering if any of you are diagnosed with IBS-C(constipation) TTC.....It seems most of the thread are either in the pregnancy board or about babies with IBS-C. Wanted to know what you guys have been doing with medications, etc.? At the worst of my symptoms, I would go 10-14 days with no BM and when I would go it would be after an enema/laxative. After many different diet/natural remedies failing  I finally gave in to prescription meds. My GI doctor had me on Linzess (definitely not pregnancy safe) back in January with no improvement in symptoms and horrible bloating/cramping/gas so he switched me to Lactulose a month or so ago and it has been great. I was very happy because Lactulose is a preg cat B medication. I have seen a lot of women actually talk about being prescribed it for pregnancy related constipation (from what I see, it is used a lot more in the UK). What are your plans for management of IBS-C during pregnancy? Have you struggled at all TTC because of IBS-C?

LadyMillil

mrsmcandrews said:

*****TMI warning:constipation******



I was wondering if any of you are diagnosed with IBS-C(constipation) TTC.....It seems most of the thread are either in the pregnancy board or about babies with IBS-C. Wanted to know what you guys have been doing with medications, etc.? At the worst of my symptoms, I would go 10-14 days with no BM and when I would go it would be after an enema/laxative. After many different diet/natural remedies failing  I finally gave in to prescription meds. My GI doctor had me on Linzess (definitely not pregnancy safe) back in January with no improvement in symptoms and horrible bloating/cramping/gas so he switched me to Lactulose a month or so ago and it has been great. I was very happy because Lactulose is a preg cat B medication. I have seen a lot of women actually talk about being prescribed it for pregnancy related constipation (from what I see, it is used a lot more in the UK). What are your plans for management of IBS-C during pregnancy? Have you struggled at all TTC because of IBS-C?

It's great that your medication is safe for pregnancy. I think this is a great question for your GI doctor, particularly since some pnvs and pregnancy can cause constipation. I have a friend with IBS and she had no problem getting pregnant - it took 3 or 4 cycles which is completely normal. Unfortunately, everyone is different so her experience will have no bearing on yours. Good luck.

juliehollz13

Hi, I don't have any real advice but wanted to say I feel your pain. I have IBS but it's not as severe as yours, it went from being UC to IBS so i'm counting my blessings. I'm not medicated but I do follow a pretty strict diet and luckily haven't had an ulcer in a while. Hope you find some relief and good luck!

beff12

@mrsmcandrews it sounds like your IBS is pretty serious compared to mine. I've never been prescribed anything for it, so I can't speak to the medicine part of your post. However, for me personally, the IBS itself did not prevent me from getting pregnant. It's made things inconvenient (like flaring up during a fertile week) but I don't think it's affected fertility at all! Good luck!

whenwillieversleep

I have severe IBS C with chronic gastritis and SIBO. I take amitiza which has been a lifesaver for me and I like it better than linzess. However, my gastroenterologist advises against using it during pregnancy. But she did say that I can take Miralax daily which I have been doing while TTC. It took about a week for my stomach to get used to the miralax. I want to try this lactulose you speak of too. Can u take it if you're lactose intolerant? My doc also told me to follow a low fodmap and sibo diet very strictly while pregnant which is going to be very hard due to cravings! 

whenwillieversleep

Oh...and my IBS had no effect on my fertility. With my first pregnancy, the pain and intolerance to food actually eased up throughout my pregnancy but the constipation was still there of course.

kiwieloping

Have you tried natural solutions?  Like taking a probiotic with meals?  Also, sounds crazy, but the chiropractor can work wonders if things aren't flowing properly ; ) 

whenwillieversleep

That might work for a normal person with constipation but for us IBS C sufferers, it takes a lot more than chiropractic and probiotics unfortunately. Although those things are a necessity, they don't help with the constipation that IBS C brings. Not for me anyway.

ChaoticWolf

I don't have any real advice but just came here to say can I trade you my IBS D for some of your IBS C? Maybe it would even us out and we'd all have a normal flow then lol.

mrsmcandrews

@whenwillieversleep, I tried taking Amitiza when I was first diagnosed probably 6 or 7 years ago. It made me so sick, hot  flashes, dizziness, horrible nausea. Luckily I was able to manage the symptoms with just diet, etc for a long time after that didn't work. But somehow after I stopped my bcp 6 months ago, it just got completely out of control. I'm not sure about Lactulose in regards to being lactose intolerant though, I would ask your GI, I know they do caution diabetics in taking it. I looked a lot into the low FODMAP diet as well, seems very limiting. I'm hoping the lactulose will continue to do the trick for me. Initially my Dr told me 2 tbsp twice a day. I did that for a month with great success and now I have weaned myself down to just once a day. It doesn't taste good at all, very sweet. 

@kiwielopingbride I tried EVERYTHING before turning to medications. I take a probiotic everyday and drink tons of water. Before I started the Linzess I was drinking 60-100 oz of water a day and taking a fiber supplement with miralax. None of it worked. I don't live a stagnant life either, so I know it wasnt from lack of exercise. With IBS-c the nerves that innervate your intestines don't work properly to send signals to them to contract. If there are no contractions then it becomes very hard to pass stool. 

@TotororyInLove lol!