will my IBS just keep getting worse?
#361738 - 10/28/10 05:38 PM
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renee21
Reged: 06/02/05
Posts: 486
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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I've had IBS for around 13 years, and though I've developped better ways of managing my symptoms over the years, the symptoms themselves have gotten worse. It feels like the IBS has "spread" - I used to feel symptoms (cramping, gas) only in my lower right gut, at the ileocecal valve. Then it spread to the entire ascending colon. Then, last year, it spread to my entire colon. The whole length of it is just burning and tight. It feels like someone is giving my colon what we as kids used to call an Indian Arm Burn (pardon the cultural insensitivity of that term, but it's the best description of the feeling). People talking about using heat to ease cramping, but for me, that makes it worse - it's already burning and hot.
So I am scared. I am scared it's just going to keep getting worse. Every year seems to be worse than the year before. I have not much of a social life, and I haven't had a real romantic relationship in many years. Except for work, I am mostly alone. I am 34 and I feel I'm never going to have a normal life - never going to get married, have kids, build a real career, travel, etc.
I know everyone's IBS is different, but is it common for symptoms to worsen over the years? I think I was told or read somewhere that symptoms gradually abate in old age. Is that true? I am extremely fearful of what my future holds. The last 13 years have beeen pretty bad and have robbed me of so much, so I am terrified of what the 13 (or 50) hold in store.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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Well no one knows for sure - there certainly are those who do get better - as well as the other way around...
However-
From my own experience - having symptoms since 1983, dx'd in 1988 - yes my IBS did keep on getting worse and worse.
It started out with a few episodes every 6 weeks or so; to gradually escalating to intense attacks lasting 4 hours or more almost on a daily basis - at least a few times a week.
Happened no matter what I ate - could be on crackers and water - happened in the hospital, with nothing but ice chips by mouth, happened while on meds, different supplements, diets, etc. Got worse and worse and more incapacitating as time went on. Was on every med, diet, etc. there was - had surgeries, hospital visits, trip to Mayo Clinic - nothing helped in the long term, or even to a very good degree.
I got IBS at age 31; I am now in my late 50's. I speak with IBS patients in their late 70's and 80's. IBS can wax and wane over the years - some go thru times where it subsides then comes back. Everyone is different.
However, I am here to say that in 2000 I broke the intensity of my IBS with hypnotherapy. It not only stopped getting worse, but it has gotten much better - I speak with other people all over the country who were incapacitated, and even elderly, and who have gotten their lives back.
Doesnt work for everyone, isnt a cure; but as a last resort ditch effort, for most folks, this is the ticket that finally works - at the very least - it gets the condition more manageable and keeps it from getting worse - but at the very best (most people) it alleviates or eliminates IBS symptoms.
If you need to talk to someone - 877-898-2539 for support, and if you want more info - look here
http://www.helpforibs.com/hypnosis/
and also at the hypnotherapy forum
http://www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=hypnotherapy
So there IS hope - might not be the way forward for you, but the IBS Audio Program has been extremely helpful for folks since 1998 - a pretty good track record! 
Hope this helps and gives you some encouragement - all the best.
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My Journey and Success with the IBS Audio Program Hypnotherapy Program: www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=hypnotherapy&Number=224850
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Thanks for your kind words, Marilyn. However I am the person whom you recently advised in the Hypno Forum that hypno may not work for me since I have tried a few times before without any results - both with Mike's CDs and with two hypnotherapists trained to tackle IBS.
One of the peculiar issues I am facing is not knowing whether my IBS is 'different' in some way than others' IBS, because I had an eating disorder, so I am not sure if the malnutrition, etc caused some type of irreversible damage to my digestive function.
I do feel things are working a little better now that I'm at a healthier weight, so that does give me some encouragement. And I am seeing an osteopath who is far more knowledgeable about IBS than any of the GIs I've seen (she is well read up on Drossman, etc). Osteopath is a type of body work. When she works on the tissues of my gut, she says it feels a lot better than when I was underweight.
And I am continuing to do stuff like yoga to help manage stress.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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Oh that's right, Renee! Duh... Well, I do hope you can improve with your osteopath - that is encouraging at least. If you do want to rethink the hypno, sometimes Mike will do a personal consultation; let me know if you want to consider it. But glad your osteo sounds like she is on top of things and hopefully that will get you on track... all the best to you.. 
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My Journey and Success with the IBS Audio Program Hypnotherapy Program: www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=hypnotherapy&Number=224850
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But you are not strictly following the EFI diet, are you? (I seem to recall that you eat fruit on its own and also a lot of dried fruit)
why not try adhering to Heather's diet entirely, being very careful about the IF and see how you feel in a couple of weeks' time?
I also recommend that you try out the cell salts I 'advertise' in my signature.
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Susie, born in 1985,
(pseudo-)D and bloating April 2007-December 2010, now stable
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We call those snake bites BTW. 
Don't lose hope. People do go through phases with IBS and it can almost go away for some people especially as they age or really get to know their bodies. My IBS is worse this year too than it has been in other years. Its usually better in summer but not this year. I had so much stress I was sick almost every morning and never before in mornings! I don't think IBS will ever be cured but there may be new drugs or treatments in the future, if you don't improve some on your own. It is so hard to regress! The best thing is to go back to square one when you got better and do those same things. I plan to do an elimination diet as soon as the winter fruits are in the store.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I cut out the dried fruit because I felt it was making me gassy.
Yeah, I realized I shouldn't have posted that message, because it merely invites people to point out that I'm not following the EFI. I guess I don't have enouhg confidence in it. Plus I am recovering from anorexia and am following a meal plan for that which is not entirely consistent with EFI.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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I cut out the dried fruit because I felt it was making me gassy.
Yeah, I realized I shouldn't have posted that message, because it merely invites people to point out that I'm not following the EFI rules. I guess I don't have enough confidence in it. Plus I am recovering from anorexia and am following a meal plan for that which is not entirely consistent with EFI.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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Quote:
it's already burning and hot.
Pardon me if this is obvious and you've already tried it, but does the peppermint help at all w/that? Just recently someone described that peppermint caps leave them w/a feeling of 'coldness.' It sounds like you need that! Maybe you need more than one capsule in your case. ?
kem (daughter w/ibs-d dx)
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what meal plan is that?
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Susie, born in 1985,
(pseudo-)D and bloating April 2007-December 2010, now stable
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