Fear of car travel
#34081 - 12/29/03 04:43 AM
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First of all I want to express my thanks to Heather for finding a way to heal IBS. I was shocked (to say the least) that this diet worked so fast and also that a doctor never gave me this information.
My question is...will I ever get over the fear of car travel? Will I ever get over the bathroom issues? For instance yesterday I had to drive about an hour away to visit family. I was extremely fearful and anxious the entire trip. Did I have an attack? NO! But the whole while I'm there I am anxious about the fact that when the visit is over I have to drive an hour back to home! So what do I do? Leave earlier than I would like 
So will the anxiety dissipate with time? Is there anything I can do to hasten the process? How do you all deal with this?
THANKS!
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Hi - what I found to help with this is the IBS Audio 100 hypno cd's. I had the same problem. I always got anxious over any car trips, outings, etc. I did the tapes last March - July (they take 100 days). This past summer I actually went on a vacation AND looked forward to it!! It was about a 1 1/2 - 2 hr car trip too. But I actually went places and enjoyed myself. I thought it was a miracle! 
Check out the hypno board on my past posts, plus others posts on this same type of thing.
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I have been through the same thing all the time. The anxiety is something I have to talk myself out of because in reality I know that most of the time I do not have my outbreaks while I am in the car especially if I have been eating right and that if I do have an attack, I will do my best to get to a bathroom then when I can I will try to get home when it's safe to leave the bathroom. It's a constant battle of anxiety. I have found taking my peppermint tea with me, even on the road is very calming and makes my stomach feel nice an warm and therefore more relaxed. Who knows maybe that is all in my head too!
Lately, my biggest fear has been driving in the car somewhere, getting stuck in snow (we get bad storms here in Cleveland) and have to go to the bathroom while I'm stuck on the side of the road! Ugh, I can't wait for spring!
OK has this helped at all? At least you know you are not alone.
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Tomorrow is my last day of the hypnotherapy tapes and I am doing much better! I just took a 14 hour car trip to a destination and 14 hours back. I still have some anxiety, but I am doing much better. I only had to take some pepto bismol once! 
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Oh Yeah!
#34118 - 12/29/03 07:41 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Yep. I was in bad shape, confined to this condo, scared to death to leave. It was really bad -- because our other home was up in Canada, and that meant having to cross the border and be questioned by border guards, not to mention the long drive up there -- it was a nightmare! I scouted out all the bathrooms along the route -- and USED them!
Michael's Audio 100 program is incredible. He gave me my life back. So did Heather and this web site. And ultimately so did I.
I keep a medicine cabinet in my purse. My hubby makes fun of me, but when we're on the road and he has a headache and needs an aspirin or comes down with acid indigestion and needs a Pepcid AC, I got it! Then guess who has the last laugh!?
I keep a supply of Equalactin -- and my IBS meds -- in a little zip bag in my purse. When we drive down to Nowhereland to my hubby's favorite shooting range, and I'm stuck in the car, knitting, while waiting for him to return, sometimes I get to worrying, "OhmyGod, what if I have an attack?!" And guess what -- I'll worry myself into actually HAVING one! But then I pull out my Equalactin and Donnatal, and in a few minutes I'm fine.
I'm SOOO much better now, though, such that I actually play games with myself when I'm on the road. I actually try to see if I can mentally bring on an attack. I think about the attack, and when it comes on -- and it does -- then I think about stopping it. If my hubby says something to me, and gets my mind off it, I'll realize all of a sudden, "Hey, Self, your attack is gone!" It really IS all about that mind-gut connection!
And, really, lets face it -- if you have a sudden attack and there's no bathroom around, as gross as it may sound, there ARE logs in the woods that you can hang your a-- over. (EW.)
Bev 
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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And you think car travel is bad. I actually got trapped in a lift (elevator to you guys!) today. It was only for 10 minutes and then we were rescued, but while everyone else was panicking about being stuck in a lift, I was praying to G-d that my bowels wouldn't let me down. They didn't (phew!). At least it took my mind off being stuck in a lift! Weird thing was, I sort have had a little premonition about it first - wanted to take the stairs, but my mum insisted, then as the doors shut thought 'I hope this lift doesn't break down' then it did!! Spooky.
Seriously, the anxiety is often the worst trigger (but it doesn't cause IBS in the first place). If you can learn to deal with the anxiety, I'm sure that's half the battle. I can only suggest you try the hypnosis programme. I know a lot of people have really benefitted from that.
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Good grief! My heart started racing just reading that! LOL
Glad you (and your bowels  ) did okay!
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Re: Trapped!
#34182 - 12/29/03 12:04 PM
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Debby
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 460
Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
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Here's another situation that's full of anxiety for me:
Going to the dentist! I pray my stomach cooperates while I am sitting in that chair. It's not really easy to be running the bathroom in the middle of getting your teeth drilled! Unfortunately I have been there a lot lately catching up on my dental work. So far no attacks but the constant worry. I don't even care about the pain in my mouth as long as I don't get the runs while I'm there! Wish me luck I have to go back tomorrow. 
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I can totally relate to this!!
One of the first times I had ever had an attack was in the dentist chair. I had to keep stopping the dentist to run to the bathroom - it was awful!! I was there for a root canal, which is a long procedure. I ended up having to leave, because I couldn't stay still long enough to go through with it. I went back the next week and survived. Barely. 
This was before I because anxious about leaving my house, because it was way back in the beginning. Ever since then, I'd always had a hard time going tot he dentist. I hated that trapped feeling!! In October I went for my first visit since the hypno - no anxiety, no problems!! What a relief!!
Good luck tomorrow. 
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Oh the dentist - how I dread that one. Even just a check-up induces the most horrific D all day for me! My sympathies are with you on this one.
Recently, I had to get up in the middle of having my hair done and race to the bathroom in the hair-salon. How embarrassing. I managed to make up some excuse, but deep down I was mortified. It's got that way now that I can't even stand in a queue for more than a few minutes without that terrible churning anxiety starting.
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