MG: "Real" doctors get it wrong sometimes. I waited years for a correct diagnosis of my problem, during which I underwent multiple sigmoidoscopies and colonoscopies. I was told (correctly) that I didn't have colon cancer, but that was never my concern ~ I wanted to know why I was having so much trouble taking a simple shit, and no one had an answer for me!

It was an MD who eventually set me straight; I went in for a routine checkup when my regular doctor was on vacation, and his substitute (a woman doctor who normally works in an emergency room) took the time to discuss various aspects of my health with me, and finally gave the bowel-related answers I had been seeking in vain for so long.

I think that sharing each other's experiences is entirely legitimate and helpful ~ not as a replacement for conventional medical advice, but as a supplement. We all have to decide for ourselves how to interpret what our doctors tell us, and decide whether to seek second and third opinions, especially when the first opinion offered is not helpful.

I'd also like to point out that there is no one well-defined irritable bowel condition. The "Syndrome" can be any of a number of things, each of which causes similar sysmptoms for different reasons. The most effective regimen for a person with diverticuli might be entirely different from what works for a person with food allergies. And, of course, the list of foods to avoid is different for each different allergy.