New here and need advice, please
#10284 - 05/30/03 08:41 AM
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Gretchen
Reged: 05/30/03
Posts: 45
Loc: Muncy, PA, USA
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Hi. I'm brand new here and have a couple of questions, and am hoping to find someone who can "relate".
First, a little bit of my story: I 've had IBS for about two years, but was only just recently (March) diagnosed. I am the C,with nausea for 4-5 days, followed by D type of person. Never know when or where it's going to hit. That's the worst part. Either I'm sick from the nausea or I'm sick from the D!
Good news: Heather's eating guidelines have had me free of symptoms for three days now! (I've only started this on Monday.)
Bad news: Because of several months in a row of being sick and not knowing when or where "IT" would hit, I am now literally afraid to leave my house. I do when I have to but I find myself avoiding things as much as possible because I am afraid of an attack. The thought of being without access to a bathroom, or too far from one causes me incredible stress which then actually CAUSES an attack! Can anybody relate or am I just going nuts!
Questions: Has anybody seen the light at the end of the tunnel? Has anybody been where I am (afraid all the time of an attack)and gotten past it? ANY advice would surely be appreciated.
My husband is extremely supportive and understanding, but he simply cannot relate to what I feel (pain/urgency)or the fear of attacks. (Lucky man has an iron gut!) So I am really feeling very alone. My kids do not understand why I don't want to go to soccer games or class field trips. It's very sad.
Sorry this post is so long. I couldn't figure out how to shorten it!
Gretchen
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Gretchen: Welcome to the board, you've definitely found the right place. We all relate to everything you said. Once you stabilize you'll feel more comfortable going out, just stick with the diet. We all know where the emergency restrooms are, yesterday I hit a Circle K that I'd never been to before......lol. If you really need to go somewhere like the children's field trips, take a few immodium before leaving the house. Make sure you eat well the day before, ie no triggers. Start out with short trips out, to the store where you know where the bathrooms are. You'll start venturing out farther and longer, I promise.
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Hi & welcome to the board! 
I can totally relate with you! I used to be terrified to leave the house. About 3 years ago, I can remember not being able to make it to the store only a 5 minute drive from my house, for fear of having an attack. I had started taking Caltrate with D for the urgency & it helped a little, but the thought of going out anywhere brought on an attack. I felt ridiculous! Here I am, a grown woman, afraid to leave my house for fear I'll have to go potty. I got so frustrated that I started going places by myself to get over the fear and figured whatever will happen will happen. That helped too. I could leave my house for little things, but forget about commitments! The thought of them brought on an attack. Then last fall I found Eating for IBS and between that and getting antispasmodic from my doc, I feel almost normal. My last hurdle was dealing with the anxiety. I started doing the hypno tapes, and they have really improved my anxiety. I'm still not 100%, but I am SO MUCH BETTER than just 2 months ago. I can't believe the difference.
Oh, and also about 1 1/2 month or so ago, I started taking Pepogest (enteric coated peppermint) in the morning. I kept having this burning/nausea feeling in my stomach every morning from like 7:30-10 or so. Since I started taking them, it seemed to go away.
So, you are not alone!
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I understand the never wanting to leave your house. I have that problem. A little over a year ago my stress level and IBS got so bad that it would, at least once a week, take me an hour to get work which is normally a 30 minute drive. I would be stuck here for hours after it was time to go home waiting for my stomach to settle and get my mind off of it. A lot of my trouble is triggered by my fear. I knew it was time to do something about it when I was scared to go shopping, my fave past time. I still HATE commits. I limit them to bare minimum. My husband and I bought a travel trailer so I would always have a toilet when we go out of town. I have a friend who lives on the other side of town, about 45 minutes to an hour away and there are lots of places to stop but I still won't drive over to her house. Lucky for me she's very understanding and comes to my house to see me. She's the only friend who is truly understanding. My husband, parents, and sister are great. I am currently trying to find ways to deal with the anxiety. The diet helps with the stomach but I have the D kind and I can eat safe foods and get the least bit stressed and BAM! I carry toilet seat covers, toilet paper, and wipes in my car. I also care a change of clothes, just in case. I haven't eaten in a restaruant since November last year. Coming here has helped. I have started going places that are close to my house to help get back my life. I swore 2 years ago that I would never let IBS take over my life and I have. I am determined to get my life back.
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Laurie 
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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Thank you all. It helps just knowing that I am not the only person afraid to go places! I guess there is some hope that I will eventually get past this crazy anxiety. My doctor prescribed Prozac but I haven't taken any. I'd really rather not rely on a drug if I don't have to. I feel that if I can make my bm's "predictable" through fiber and diet than I will feel much, much safer. Of course that sounds great in theory...When I actually DO have an appointment or committment, the panic starts setting in...
Gretchen
Oh, how I would SO LOVE to be the "once every morning, whether I need it or not" type!
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I went to the doc to get meds to help with the anxiety and he wouldn't prescribe anything. He wanted to help me get the IBS under control to see if that would help the anxiety go away before he gave me anxiety medicine. He put me in a clinical study for IBS-D medicine and it actually helped me relax. Then study ended and I was supposed to go into the continuation and that was over a month ago.
Yes there is hope though. We can do it!
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Laurie
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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Thank you. You're right. We CAN do it, one step at a time. I hate being afraid like this. I hate that my stomach ties in knots whenever I leave the house. I hate that this is controlling my life. There HAS to be a way to get past the anxiety.
Good luck. Let me know how it goes for you.
G
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I ordered the hypnosis CDs/tapes, everyone has said that it can help with the anxiety.
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Laurie
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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Hi Gretchen,
Many of us can relate to how your fear of leaving the house. I'm a sociology student and have studied these kinds of situations before, I'm not an expert but I do have a bit of knowledge on this. It is important to realize that the IBS and anxiety about leaving your house, although very related, are not the same thing. It is great that your IBS is getting better, and there is much to be hopeful about!!!! This being said, your panic about leaving the house will probably not just disappear, even if you are feeling better. It is going to take time to recondition yourself to be confident about going out, and that may take getting help from outside sources, like psychotherapy.
Many people with anxiety disorders, even if they are physically feeling well, work themselves up so much with fear that they become a self-fulling prophecy and this actually triggers an attack. Then it becomes a cycle, and they take that attack as confirmation that they can never go out again.
That being said, there is huge hope! Take baby steps, and just make sure you get help if you become discouraged! I'm glad your IBS is feeling better and I'm sure you'll make huge progress!
ken
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I can definitely relate to the anxiety! One thing that I found helped me was medication. I know you don't want to rely on medicine but sometimes just to get you over that hill you need it. Sometimes it is better not to suffer.Then eventually when you start feeling better you can get off the medicine. I'm not saying medicine is the only answer of course diet comes first. I hope you feel better, just take it one day at a time. It will pass and it is only temporary thats what I kept telling myself when I was going through it.Each day will get better. Good Luck!
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Gretchen,
Everybody else has said most of the things I wanted to say so I'd just like to welcome you and voice my support too.
Like you, my husband and family are understanding and supportive which is wonderful but I find this board gives me a different kind of support because you are communicating with people who know just what you're going through.
I also recommend the hypno tapes, I am on day 45 and although I wouldn't class myself as suffering from anxiety to the level that you are I definately feel that I worry about it a lot less since starting the tapes and feel better able to cope with it all.
Hang in there, we'll do the best we can to help you with any questions you may have.
Kerrie
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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
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First of all, welcome to the board. You are in the right place. Many of us have had problems with fear of leaving the house (myself included). It is possible to overcome this once you get control of your symptoms. IT will take time, but you should get there if you continue to follow the dietary guidelines.
It's so frustrating when you feel like you are being controlled by something. If you have other concerns about your anxiety, I have an anxiety disorder. The fear of leaving the house for IBS and my anxiety disorder are two different things. If you want to talk more about it, I'm here.
In the meantime, if you haven't already, check out this part of the website on how to break the cycle of attacks: web page Take care.
Let us know how you're doing.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Hi, Gretchen!
Since following Heather's "breaking the cycle" diet - and rarely straying - I've been virtually free of IBS attacks for 6 weeks. (Just started the diet about two months ago - IBS-D). I was able to complete a four-week training program for a very stressful job and attendance was a huge factor in deciding whom they will actually hire (temp to perm). I missed exactly 1/2 day due to IBS - still not sure what the trigger was, but could have been from my colonoscopy - who knows! This is a dramatic turn of events for me - my previous job allowed me to have a very flexible schedule - could go home for a couple of hours if I had an attack, or come in late, etc. I've had IBS forever, it seems - just didn't know what it was. Mine is IBS-D and the attacks could be sudden and violent. I learned to take Imodium any day I would need to keep a commitment, or any day I was going to be really stressed out - my primary care doc said it was okay to take daily as a pre-emptive strike. I also carry Imodium with me as well as water, so I can chug one or two down if I feel the "gurgles" coming on! It has been a real help.
Regarding the anxiety about leaving the house: the important thing is to break the cycle - then start venturing out. And when you DO go out, take along a little lunch pack with your "safe foods" and tummy aids - and don't be tempted to order unsafe foods! Now that the weather is nice and school is about out for the summer, if you can't "leave home", spend time with your kids outside, sitting on the porch, playing in the yard, etc. My mother is physically handicapped from childhood polio and therefore wasn't able to do a lot of the things other moms did - but she did what she could and always was interested in whatever we were doing. If we went ice skating, she had "from scratch" hot chocolate waiting for us when we came home. It was the LOVE that was important! Don't feel guilty - this is something you didn't do to yourself. Try not to make a big deal about being sick in front of your kids - reassure them that you'll be better, but it's going to take some time and you're learning how to help yourself. Read thru the posts (use the search function for "nausea" and "constipation" posts, etc), and experiment with the tips until you find what works for you - and what to avoid, too! Remember to take your Citrucel or some sort of soluble fiber supplement. Watch out for high-fructose corn syrup, too. So, take heart - there's hope and you don't have to be chained to your house. You can be a "soccer Mom" again! Consider this a "recuperative" period while you break the cycle just as you would have to be a little home-bound from surgery or a bad flu. It will end! Your anxiety should ease as your physical symptoms ease. If you find yourself experiencing anxiety or "panic" attacks not related to your IBS concerns, you might want to talk to a counselor. (Learning deep breathing techniques helped me a lot).
Praying you're soon feeling much better!
Blessings,
Kaybee C
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HanSolo, you make a good point about the anxiety. I also have an anxiety disorder (panic disorder, formerly agoraphobic - Praise God, I had a good counselor who helped me out of that!) and it is definitely different from the anxiety tied to the IBS. Actually, while I'm recuperating from my hysterectomy, I'm going to have an evaluation with a psychiatrist to determine if I have a form of bipolar (bipolar II or cyclothymia - more a mood disorder than anxiety disorder, but a strong anxiety / agitation component). It would explain a lot! Very kind of you to offer to "be there" for Gretchen - include me, too, Gretchen! I'll be out of commission for a while, though, due to the surgery on Tuesday.
Blessings,
Kaybee C
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A big thank you to all of you. I read all of your advice and I appreciate your support. I feel that with help and advice from those who know what I'm talking about, I WILL be able to do this.
Thanks - G
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How can you tell if the problem is anxiety due to IBS or if it's an anxiety disorder? I never used to be this way. I have always been ready to go anywhere, always up for an adventure. In the last few months that all changed. I guess I had one too many "close calls" while out.
Gretchen
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KaybeeC--
I know you'll be "out of commission" for awhile, but when you return, if you've been diagnosed with bipolar II, and need someone to talk with, that's my diagnosis as well, and my e-mail address is in my profile. Best of luck with your surgery!
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I would say that would then be an IBS triggered thing. I had anxiety long before I had IBS. I think it's possible that IBS can be a contributing factor to the onset of an anxiety disorder, though. Many people seem to have both.
Basically with anxiety disorders, it is only labelled as a disorder if it interferes/changes your life in a drastic way such that you can't control it anymore. We all have anxiety, but plain old anxiety is really quite normal. IT's only when it gets way out of hand that they call it a disorder. I hope this helps - not confuses. If you are really bothered by your anxiety, you should of course talk to your Doc. You are right, one can fuel the other - IBS and anxiety seem to feed off each other and make both worse.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Of course I'm here for you! If you would like to talk more, feel free to e-mail me! My address is in my personal info stuff. We're all in this together... if we can help each other out I say the better off we all are.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Thanks. That helps. I think this is totally IBS-related. I am very hopeful that once I am stabilized ( and BELIEVE that I am stabilized), life will resume as normal...
Gretchen
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I am concidering buying the tapes. From what I read, they seem to deal with stress-related issues very well. My husband always tells me that I need to "relax" and "not worry so much". Now that my stress is effecting my gut, I think it's time I learn how to lighten up!
Gretchen
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Gretchen, let me know if you have any questions and also so you know they do work on anxiety, but not just anxiety that is more kind of a side effect but they also work on the global symptoms themselves in IBS.
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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Thank you
#10694 - 06/04/03 11:07 AM
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Gretchen
Reged: 05/30/03
Posts: 45
Loc: Muncy, PA, USA
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Thanks, I appreciate your response. It's good to know that the tapes help with both anxiety AND other IBS related symptoms. I'll check in at the hynotherapy message board when more questions come up.
Gretchen
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