I have just read several posting's and I can relate to several in the care my mother is receiving (or lack there of). She has been sick for almost three years and lost over 25 lbs. The doctors have treated her with anti-depressants and fiber. The symptons persit with swelling after the second meal of the day to the point of vomiting. She is mal-nourished and now on a liquid diet. We are pushing with the current GI doctor for some answers after several Barium x-rays and CAT scans we do not have any.

I am a sufferer of Crohns Disease and more recently diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Double Whammy! My pain in my lower right quadrant of my stomach was so intense; I was literally bending in half. The frequency of diarrhea is still a consistent problem. (Appx. 7-10 times a day) Still losing weight; approx. 18-19 lbs. so far in almost 2 months. I was also told that I also have narrowing of small intestine, so therefore; I have been taken off any fiber, any fruit, with the exception of bananas and any skinned fruit in which skin has to be removed, and all vegetables except those are to be considered to be root vegetables, which to the best of my knowledge consists of potato, (white and sweet), beets, carrots, parsnips, and most recently discovered that onions are root vegetables. My Dr. has me on Entocort, Flagyl, and was just told to order VSL#3(Probiotics), consisting of live bacteria and germs. I have not yet started that method yet. I will be starting VSL#3 this coming week. I do not know if this information will be helpful to any of the other sufferers out there. All I know is that I am still suffering, though not quite as intense, but nonetheless, still suffering. I truly hope that something will soon help.

For the last few months I have been having upper abdominal pain and quite often I actually look like I'm eight months pregnant and feel very bloated and I have a lot of gas. I will get diarrhea quite a bit. I don't know why this happens. The last couple of times it's been full of blood and clots. I am 51 years old and I can't seem to lose any weight no matter how hard I try.

I cannot go one day without having diarrhea. I have to take anti-diarrheal medications just to be able to eat. I never know when it's coming. I single piece of bread can trigger a cascade of events. I stay very depressed from having this disease. I've had it now for about 10 years and will probably die with it.

I have had persistent diarrhea for 3 years now when I get my flare ups sometimes it is slow course I eat and then 20 minutes later I have to use the restroom and this cycle goes on for months and sometimes resolves itself other times it turns into painful cramps and watery diarrhea and nothing I do helps. If I go to the ER they just pump me full of pain meds and send me home so I try to handle it on my own. I have been diagnosed with diverticulitis, then gastroparesis, then colitis without ulcers, then Crohn's. I am just ready for some answers because when I do have flare-ups I am taking oxycodone and only drinking water until my symptoms subside. I don't know where to turn to find out the real answers.

I have had this problem since birth. I have all was been told that I would need a small operation, and would need to wear a pouch for the rest of my life. I had a test done last week and was told that I have a long line of disused and looped bowel and it needs to be taken out.

My bowels can be very active for several hours, so it means having to stay near to the bathroom as it can get more urgent each time and I have to make quick dash.

I suffered the symptoms of IBD for many years. This happens to me at least several days a week, sometimes every day for weeks on end. Until I discovered what my problem was, about 3 years ago. I discovered, by accident and coincidence really, that I am very sensitive to monosodium glutamate including all its analogues (yeast extract, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed protein, etc). Since I began carefully avoiding MSG, the frequency of my IBD symptoms has declined - to ZERO. In 3 years. I don't know if it's genetic, but even very small amounts of MSG give me IBD symptoms - Every Time. No MSG - No symptoms. I would suggest that anyone experiencing IBD symptoms try really hard to avoid MSG for a week and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.