[MommyDee]

I have IBS-D, and it is mainly controlled by watching my diet. I know what I can eat without difficulty and what I either have to avoid or take in moderation. However, there are times when medication (Modulon) is necessary for a couple of days to get a particularly bad bout to settle.

What measures do you take to keep your IBS (C or D) under control? I would love to get some information rolling here to help out others who suffer from this condition.

[maryavan]

Well my IBS has not gone back to its previous normal self after 2 pregnancies and 2 miscarriages in 6 months. It used to be a dependable 1 or 2 bms a day followed by minimal discomfort. I could almost even time it last spring when the morning episode hit.

I wonder if the Metformin I'm taking to help w/ my PCOS and pre-diabetes is responsible for some of the change. I've been on 2000mg for the past month. That's when stuff really started going goofy. Hormone changes always change my IBS, as well, but it has really changed since the last m/c. So I do suspect the medicine is the main cause. But complaints I've read for metformin are usually for diarhea. Go figure.

I know have 2 or 3 days a week when I don't have a bm. It is sooooo weird after years of bms 355 days a year. But when I do have an episode, it is much more painful, like it used to be years ago. Stools are very different as well. I really miss my more predictable IBS.

The best thing I found for helping w/ the pain was peppermint like tea, strong mints, or gum.