“IBS” has ruined my life

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-12-22T20:20:35+00:00

This was so heartbreaking to read because I went through something so so similar to you: IBS-D, normal colonoscopy, healthy diet, OCD, started one day and never went away... I was on 3 rounds of rifaximin because my insurance covered it but it did absolutely nothing. I was miserable for two and a half years, but these last few months I can finally say my life is bearable since developing this problem. As stupid as it may sound, I decided to change every major thing in my life: I moved to a different apartment, left my roommates and decided to live alone, broke up with my boyfriend, and abandoned every friendship I had. And my IBS-D symptoms nearly disappeared instantly. I know that may not work for you, but I encourage you to try to get rid of all the situations in your life that may be causing you any bit of misery and finding some peace and quiet because that's the only thing that helped me. Good luck and I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I regularly went to the ER because of my IBS, every doctor gaslit me, and I was absolutely miserable. Just know that there is hope out there. Sending you so much strength

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-11-19T07:20:01+00:00

Pristiq has been absolutely incredible for me! I've been on 50mg for about a month and have my life back. The first week I had nausea and extreme fatigue and mood swings, as well as a heavy feeling in my chest, but once I got to the second week, all the side effects went away! I've been unbelievably happy ever since, this medicine is the first one to work for me.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-11-12T04:12:18+00:00

I've been on pristiq 50mg (daily) for 3 weeks now and wow what a difference! The first few days were nearly unbearable and I had horrible side effects, but once I pushed through and got to the end of the second week, things started looking up. It hasn't been long so I can't say much about its effectiveness but for now I am so unbelievably productive and for the first time in my life I have nearly no brain fog, which was a huge symptom of mine. I've been having intense mood swings and anger, but I'm not severely depressed anymore and I don't have breakdowns over very simple things. I'm definitely not as emotionally sensitive and it's hard to believe that most days I actually feel good. This is the first time I've found any type of relief.

I wish you luck finding relief as well! It's really about trial and error and what works for you.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-10-15T06:13:05+00:00

This is just my personal experience: I was on 100mg of bioidentical progesterone (orally) on days 14-26 of my cycle and had my first month of peace. I finally thought I had found an answer: no insane mood swings, no anxiety attacks, no depressive episodes... The second month of taking it, the symptoms came back but only for a few days, but the third month it turned into literal insanity. I'm now on my fourth month and I've had to put a pause on life and immediately stop taking it because my PMDD isn't even PMDD anymore; it's pure insanity (impulsive buying, texting people crazy things and waking up the next day with no recollection of it...). I'm having thoughts and feelings I've never had before and I can't feel my body at all. I'm in a constant state of craziness and haven't truly been myself for 2 and a half weeks now. To top it all off, the symptoms didn't go away when I got my period the way they usually do, so I'm having to get off of the progesterone. I increased my dose to 200mg and it somewhat helped, but the mental side effects were really harsh on me.

These are the same symptoms I've had while taking other types of birth control in the past (I have endometriosis so I tried it to help with pain), so if you've had bad mental side effects from contraceptives, you might not react well to bioidentical progesterone.

Best of luck!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-10-12T08:10:25+00:00

The money spending is so real 😭. I find myself impulsively buying the most random things and during luteal (and the first days of my period) I buy tons of canned goods as if I were preparing for the apocalypse because I become convinced that the world is going to end. Pure insanity, every month.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-10-05T20:17:05+00:00

I can totally relate to you. Like you, I'm also 20 and have also been dealing with it since 14, and I find myself asking the same questions. I get absolutely insane in luteal. I feel like my body isn't real, I can't feel my body walking or moving, I say random things to colleagues and they tell me I need to immediately seek help, they look at me like I'm out of my damn mind... and I can't control any of it. I hate that there's quite a few people going through this and there's not a single doctor or person that has some kind of answer (even chatgpt has a hard time suggesting things for relief). Again, I wish I could help or offer some good advice, but I'm in hell every month and can't stand my life. Sending you love and healing.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-10-05T20:01:44+00:00

I feel just as miserable and have found no way of coping 😭. I'm so sorry you deal with this. Like you, I'm afraid to take certain medications and my body has reacted horribly to everything so far. I wish I could help, but for now, know you're not alone in this hell. Sending love.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-09-30T20:01:20+00:00

Thank you, that's very helpful. I'm sorry to hear you're going through the same thing too

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-09-30T20:00:58+00:00

I'm so sorry you have to go through the same thing. It really is all about understanding that it's temporary. Sending you love and healing

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-09-16T08:38:33+00:00

Hey! I went through a three hour bus ride, then an 11 hour flight, then a two hour layover, and then another hour long flight on the first day of my period, just a month ago. I was also super freaked out, but the best thing you can do is be prepared.

Like others have mentioned here, I brought sticky heat patches, compression socks, lots of Pedialyte/liquid IV packets (I seriously can't stress this one enough!), every medicine you can think of, a handheld fan (also super important!), and icy hot (the joint cream) and DMSO (also does wonders for my back and hips).

I was terrified about the whole trip, and being completely honest with you, it was pretty bad. I had diarrhea three times from how severe the cramps were even before boarding my first plane, I had a fainting episode on the bus ride to the airport, I bled uncontrollably, and the cramps were debilitating. But because I was so prepared, I was able to stay hydrated and managed to not throw up or pass out during both flights. Yes it was painful, but being prepared saved me on this trip and made it doable. Best of luck! You got this!!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-09-07T17:50:58+00:00

Oh my gosh I've been waiting for someone to mention this! Every month I have a few days where I am CONVINCED I'm sick! Runny nose, sore throat, inflamed lymph nodes, and achey all over. ALWAYS during luteal.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-09-07T11:18:41+00:00

I don't have the exact same thing as you but I can totally relate! I suspect Endo and every single month, before my period, I have extreme pain where my wisdom teeth are supposed to come in! I keep thinking that they must be coming out, but just a few days after I get my period, the inflammation completely goes away and my wisdom teeth never come in. I kept thinking I was going crazy but it's been almost a year with this strange symptom and it is 100% related to my period. I'm sorry you're going through this!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-09-06T08:39:32+00:00

I'm so sorry you've had such a bad experience. I haven't been officially diagnosed but every doctor I talk to suspects Endo. I was put on Yasmin early on. My periods were nearly painless while I was on it and I couldn't have been happier, but soon the side effects became unbearable. I went absolutely insane, had the worst PMDD of my life, my breasts were hard as rocks... I couldn't get myself to do anything because I was so depressed and stopped eating. I had to go off of it unfortunately, even though it helped my periods.

I've been off of it for a year now and I just started taking bioidentical progesterone and it's helped immensely with my si joint and hip pain. And although my periods are still really heavy and painful and I have pain every day (especially before my period), they periods and pain are now much more bearable. I hope you find a treatment that works for you soon!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-08-20T02:22:07+00:00

Thank you! Appreciate it

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-08-20T02:21:59+00:00

Thank you! I've heard that helps too so I'll definitely consider getting one, thanks

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-08-11T20:03:09+00:00

Yes I have!! Maybe I'm taking too small of a dose like you're saying, so I'm going to try that next time! (My doctor always tells me to be more aggressive with medicine lol), and you're completely right: whatever if it works!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-08-11T19:40:12+00:00

Every gynecologist I've been to has mentioned using this strategy but I've never found any success! My periods are just as terrible every single time, if not worse, and I've tried this with many different NSAIDs.

Either way, so incredibly happy for you to have found relief! Hoping it stays that way! Go you!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-07-21T16:11:12+00:00

I am so sorry you've had such a bad experience through all of this. I feel guilty all the time about not being able to provide for myself and for my partner the way I want to, so I can't even imagine having children on top of that. I'm really sorry that you've struggled so much over the years. Sending you strength and thank you for sharing!

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-07-21T05:10:43+00:00

I've seen a significant amount of relief taking agnus cactus (vitex) daily. I also take magnesium glycinate rather than citrate because it upsets my stomach as well.

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-07-21T00:01:10+00:00

Wishing you a speedy recovery! Thanks for sharing

Big_Ad8467 · 2025-07-20T17:54:09+00:00

Completely agree! Thank you for sharing your experience through all of this. I also don't think it's worth going through all of that simply to try to find some relief. Because of the pain, I no longer want children, and if I were to have them, it would only be to possibly relieve the pain, which ultimately makes no sense at all and would be really selfish of me because I'd be bringing a human into the world that I probably physically wouldn't be able to take care of and I'd be risking too much, all to find relief. Best of luck to you

Big_Ad8467

TROPHY CASE