Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | To Notadocter, please read with care, your friend Ruchie

Notadocter,

In response to your recent post on bloating...

I had doctors telling me I needed sinus surgery. For over a year and a half I was on some of the strongest anitbiotics on the market. Then I had nightmeres before setting up a 2nd opinion with an ENT about surgery. I knew something was wrong. So...I sent my CT Scan copies to my hometown ENT. He told me to get checked for migraines by a neurologist and that; no, he didn't think my sinuses looked bad enough for surgery. Turns out it WAS migraines the whole time! All that medicine and aggravation....because no one thought of migraines!

Doctors do NOT know everything and some know more than others. Therefore we must learn to listen to our bodies.......

I have been on these boards for 2.5 years now. And I am just scratching the surface of what I need to do to keep well. Gluten makes me bloated, gassy, over emotional, fatigued, and it brings on fibro symptoms as well as migraines. Sugar contribtes to the above symptoms as well. Cucumbers give me a full-on IBS attack every time. Dairy can give me symptoms of sinusitis in addition to migraines and gas/bloating.... I learned all of this in time, with patience, and by doing RESEARCH! You can too...you must listen to your body and treat it with care. It's not about looking muscular or fit...if you had a baby to care for...what would be your primary goal? That the baby looks good? No way!

You would give that baby the best care possible! If someone told you milk was bad for your baby-- you would read labels like a fiend making sure nothing had a trace of the stuff! Treat yourself with that care...you deserve it! *hugs* It is ok to be confused. Relish in it. The more confused you are...use that energy to investigate! You can do this

*hugs*

If I am stable I can eat many fruits raw as well as some veggies. If I am unstable, even water can bring on attack...or not even eating at all. "Not even eating can cause an attack? If that's possible...then how will I EVER figure this out?" You have to get stable before you can truly figure things out. And even then...you will get out-of-the-blue attacks as IBS is CHRONIC and unpredictable. That is the nature of a chronic illness...and unfortunately for better or for worse...you have IBS. And this WILL effect you for life. A person taking medicine for migraines (I know this from personal experience), will still get migraines. I rarely get them anymore, thank G-d! But the herb I am taking for it keeps me stable most of the time. However...even with the herb I take...if I eat gluten, a sure trigger--I get a migraine (like I did yesterday! And yes, I ate gluten by accident. But my body doesn't know the difference.....).

The good news is...my quality of life is GOOD! Perfect, perhaps not. BUT I eat healthier than the average population in our society. My fibro flares and IBS are pretty calm and do not stop me from living my life most of the time. And I have learned a lot about myself.

It's neat getting to know your body and learning to how to stop and listen to it. I'm GLAD I have had all these medical challenges because it has helped shape me to be a sensative, caring, and nurturing individual! Hurray for IBS!!!

Not to mention this fantastic bunch of righteous people I have met on these boards who love and support me always and forever...love to you all *blowing a kiss, and sending cyber hugs*

So you see my friend...having IBS is a detective game. This site gives you the clues. The FOUNDATION on your journey to healing IBS and getting well. You must USE the clues as your guiding light on your search for wellness. But YOU have to figure out the rest of the puzzle in order to come out on top. And you WILL come out on top!!!

And we'll help you on the journey...but the clues are all here with a click of the search button and by simply reading them everyday. (Something I did SEVERAL TIMES A DAY until I had memorized them). P.S. I used to carry the book everywhere I went....

I have 7 learning disabilities so I can understand needing reminders. Maybe you can ask someone on the site to be your buddy...someone you can pose your questions to daily in an e-mail? This way no one on the boards becomes frustrated with your (neccessarily), repeated questions that are all answered on the site. This might be hepful in figuring all of this out without this added stress...just a thought

In any case...we're all here for you. We want everyone to get well! But we all have to use the clues and do our homework one way or another

Sending you good use of the search button, a magnifying glass to zoom in on your personal IBS triggers, the frequently asked questions as a map to guide you, and a Sherlock Holmes outfit to fit the part

Now go get some clues!!!!

Your friend

Ruchie~~~

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Formerly known as Ruchie

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