down in the dumps with a rumble in my tummy
#272077 - 07/01/06 10:59 PM
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I've been working very hard maintaining the IBS diet for 6 months now and I get frustrated because even though I may follow the diet to the letter of the law I won't get enough sleep or I'll be stressed out and I'll have an attack. The IBS diet isn't just a diet it's a total lifestyle change. And for someone who is naturally anxious I am beginning to wonder if I'll ever be able to getting my guts and my mind in harmony.
I also have a hard time because I feel alienated from the mainstream. (Live in Madison, WI - home of consumption of mass quantities of cheese, beer and brats.) I didn't know how to cook at all before discovering this diet. Had to learn how to cook because the easy fixes I was used to were suddenly not an option anymore. I miss the convienence of eating out. And to top it off my boyfriend is a diabetic with high blood pressure so when we cook together we have to make our food work with even more restrictions. (We do alright, the main one I haven't solved is dessert because I can't eat the artificial sweetners and he can't have much reg. sugar.) Anyway, the point is, food rules every minute of my life. I have to take food with me, can't share food with non-IBS people and I often feel left out and unsatisfied. I like the dairy alternatives like vegan cheese and vegan chocolate/cookies but that involves going to a 3rd grocery store (1 already for cheap groceries and another for good produce, meat and bread) and everything thing at Whole Foods is expensive it seems to me. I don't eat any trigger foods but have a hard time with caffeine. I clean people's homes on the side (as well as my own and the hallways and empty apartments of the building my boyfriend and I manage) so sometimes I really need that ZAP. If anyone knows of a safe natural stimulant that doesn't upset IBS so much please let me know.
This turned out to be a real ranting message but I've been so frustrated and just needed to get my thoughts out. Anyone in a similar place right now? My stepmom studied alot of Hawaiian natural healing techniques and one of her best phrases she got from that training was "energy goes where attention flows." I wonder often how much just WORRYING about my gut and what can I eat tonight or whatever is affecting me.
Well, thank goodness for this website which has seen a few of these late night postings from me and also thank you to those who respond. Honestly, without this website and its resources I would not be in as good of a place as I am now. There's a way to cheer yourself up, no? You think you're bad off now huh? Think back to 6 months ago when you lived attacks and diarrhea day in and day out.  Alright, enough, goodnight.
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Hey there,
I'm sorry you're feeling crazy discouraged/frustrated right now. Though I don't have IBS-D (I'm a C) and thus have a little more leeway in what I can eat while symptom management is a little more "tidier", I still know the frustration & feeling of being overwhelmed. I deal with nausea from IBS, which feeds my emetophobia (fear of vomitting), so I know how helpless you can feel as I sit in a never-ending cycle of disorders that feed on each other.
You're right - dealing with IBS isn't just a quick temporary lifestyle modification. It IS a complete lifestyle change, and unfortunately the change really does have to be COMPLETE (wholistic - diet, exercise, stress management, supplements) and set in motion on all levels before we see the benefits. It's not like other healthy people who can take "baby steps" in order to make a lifestyle change...we have to work up to EVERYTHING changing faster than others in order to see true relief. That in and of itself is overwhelming at times. And to top it all off, not everyone understands why you have to eat differently, you may have a Dr. who is worthless...there is so much to a chronic disorder that is totally overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Which only makes the IBS worse.
That said, for me I've put myself on "Project Status" - my health is now my top priority. As I do project management at work, I now consider my own life a project & treat this whole IBS thing accordingly. It's not always that simple, but trying to dial down the emotion and practically look at what I have control over has helped. I can CHOOSE what to eat, I can CHOOSE to pursue hypno/yoga/therapy in order to manage stress & sort out what I'm feeling, etc. etc. And I can CHOOSE to follow the guidelines outlined by Heather, knowing that these things are rarely (if ever) going to hurt me further and really should make things better eventually. It's a win-win.
hang in there. Not sure how long you've had this IBS diagnosis, but if it's truly IBS, you CAN get some relief if you treat your body & deal with life in the right way. FYI - if you haven't gone through all the tests, please do so - no sense trying to heal IBS (& getting frustrated when things don't get better) when you have something totally different that is healed differently.
If you take it one hour at a time, one day at a time...whatever you need to do to avoid being overwhelmed, do it. Ask yourself what you can do RIGHT NOW to help, rather than hurt, your body. Then do it. Seems trite, but it's less overwhelming that way.
OK. Enough from me at this point...I think I rambled a bit. Late night emails tend to do that.
I'm so glad this forum has been a source of help for you. Keep coming to us for encouragement! Even if you just need to complain.
~ Emily
P.S. ~ I didn't emphasize this enough above - if you can afford therapy and/or the IBS Audio 100 hypnotherapy CD's (they're $89 US), really seriously consider this. It's been a GOD SEND in my life as both have dramatically impacted my anxiety - an IBS trigger big-time. Therapy in particular has worked great, as there are more immediate results with that. Hypno is more of a PROCESS.
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East Palo Alto, CA (San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley)
IBS-C, pain, nausea
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Doh! I see I got a little carried away with the bigger-picture "Don't be overwhelmed!!" message, that I totally ignored some of the more practical issues you brought up. So sorry!
I'm guessing others will speak more on those - I can't add much there unfortunately. I live in CA with Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and other healthfood stores abounding. And frankly, I'm not much of a social eater, so not being able to eat when I'm with others (or not being able to eat THEIR foods) isn't a stresser for me much. I really don't care one way or the other most times. Food and I have an odd relationship at this point - so I can't empathize at this point. =(
Sorry...if I can add anything else to another person's post, I will!
~ E.
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East Palo Alto, CA (San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley)
IBS-C, pain, nausea
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I'm starting to realize that this is going to be an ENTIRE life change to manage this. I've always eaten healthy and exercised, but it's just not enough for IBS. You have to eat SO differently from other people. And even if you follow the diet, it still doesn't work if you aren't managing your emotions and stress.
Like yesterday, I was so bloated and had gas (on both ends). I'm pretty sure it was from sitting in the car for 3+ hours to visit my aunt and uncle. Sitting for long periods slows my digestive system even more than it already is! I ate only healthy things all day long, but without the exercise, I still felt like crap. It's so frustrating. How can you always have control over every aspect of your day?
And worrying and getting mad about it only makes things worse. Managing IBS takes so much effort on so many different levels, but it would be worth it if I felt normal. So I'm going to keep trying different things. You should too. Don't get discouraged.
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IBS-C, gastroparesis, burping, bloating, spasms
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Thanks for posting in response to me. It does help alot to have support.
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I got a diagnosis hmm 2 and a half years ago. 6 months ago I took a break from college to get my IBS in order. (2006 is the year of my health revolution! And like I said, things are better now but it's a struggle. Next week I'm seeing a nutritionist (just got health benefits) so I'm hoping they can help me come up with ways to get more vegetables among other things. (I plan to call at the beginning of the week to make sure the person I'm seeing is well-versed in IBS.)
At any rate, today is a new day made a little easier by some positive encouragement from you. Thank you!
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