Stupid Tummy - Attack at the mall
#70634 - 05/15/04 09:30 AM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hi,
My boyfriend and I planned yesterday to go to the mall today because I finally got some money in the bank and desperately need some new shirts as the weather is finally starting to get a bit warmer..
So today I woke up, again feeling insanely nauseous, and was determined to go. So I got up, got ready, went to the bathroom and had a somewhat normal BM and was ready to go. Before I left, I took an Immodium just to be safe.
Well, the bus ride to the mall was fine but almost as soon as we started shopping I could feel the rumblings in my tummy. I was in the LONGEST queue for the check out that I have ever seen and was getting a bit anxious. I said I needed to find a bathroom as soon as we were done there. So I got to the front of the line and the woman who was serving me was the slowest woman EVER. She swiped my card about 3 times and couldn't get it to work. Finally, it went through and I hauled butt out of the store, and into the mall (we were in a shop outside the mall) to find a bathroom.
I had bad D and was feeling really nauseous again. I took another immodium and went back. My boyfriend and the friend I with were hungry so they went to MCDONALDS OF ALL PLACES to eat - I thought that was a really shitty thing to do but I was already feeling crappy and didn't have the energy to make a big deal out of it. So I let them go and eat without me, and I browsed a few stores on my own for a while. The rumblings came back and I was starting to get really upset about it. I really wanted to go shopping, though, and I didn't fancy a bus ride home on my own (boyfriend had to wait as he was going in to see the eye doctor) so I stuck it out. Eventually, tummy calmed down a little and I made it through the afternoon.
On the bus ride home, we got stuck in major traffic and the bus was really lurching all the way down the street. I felt so nauseous I thought I would throw up right on the bus and the traffic that was making the journey take so long was giving me the beginnings of a major anxiety attack.
We finally got off the bus and my boyfriend kept questioning why I feel nauseous, that he doesn't think I could get sick from both food and motion (what??) but I am too on edge to explain it so we walk home in silence instead.
I just got home now and am feeling greatful to be back, close to a bathroom, off a moving bus and where I can wear pajama pants instead of jeans that squeeze the tummy.
I don't know why today was so bad for me.. Last night I had Indian food, but I ate lots of rice and bread before I had the chicken.. I only ate a small amount of chicken and it wasn't spicy. Today I had a breakfast bar in the morning (apple flavour, they are usually my 'safe snack' at work and stuff) and a bunch of pretzels. Because they ate at McDonalds, I didn't eat at lunch and so maybe that's why I felt nauseous? No food in tummy?
Anyway, this is just me feeling sorry for myself again.. I'm glad I made it through the day and got some shopping done, though.
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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you didn't eat lunch made you sick. I know if I travel in a bus or car on an empty stomach or if I have skipped a meal, I get sick. It has to do with motion sickness and also the fact that buses make lots of turns. Also make sure you never read while traveling in a bus or car because that makes people sick. Looking down causes motion sickness. I am glad you made it home and I hope you feel better real soon. 
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Steph,
I am sorry that you had such a bad time of it. You are very brave to ride a bus. I never, never get on a bus if I can help it because I always get motion sickness and then I worry the whole time that I will have an attack. I work in the school bus office. On occaision they have asked me to ride the bus and I have told them no. For me the stopping and starting and the bus jerking around a bit would be enough to make me nauseous.
You made it home to the safety of your own bathroom and comfy clothes, plus you got your shopping done too.
I'm also sorry your boyfriend doesn't understand more what you are going through. Sometimes those that don't have IBS have a very difficult time undertanding what we are going through.
Hope you are feeling better.
Janey
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Janey
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Aw, poor Steph! Sometimes when my husband "doesn't get it" it's because he's scared -- he wants me to be okay and feels helpless that he can't make it all better for me, so he goes into this denial mode that involves acting insensitive (really charming, yeah, I know). But over the years I've learned that if I zip the lip (JUST LIKE YOU DID, YAY, STEPH), but stand my ground firmly but politely, we get through it. He's even come around on a few issues that I thought he was HOPELESS on!!
A hint for the future re buses and nausea (or maybe I mentioned this already), in the states we have a product called Dramamine II (generic name meclazine) that is a nondrowsy anti-nausea med that really helps me, even if I'm already queasy. I always keep some in my purse.
You're havin a real tough time lately, which means you're due for some GOOD LUCK!! So here's lots of good luck energy coming atcha, babe!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Steph!
#70653 - 05/15/04 11:05 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Oh, pretty lady, I'm so sorry for you. I KNOW what you went through! I guess we all do. I had a bad D attack last week at the fabric store, then the panic attack -- remember? -- so, yeah, I hear ya.
BF needs to be a little more sympathetic; he should realize that just a little understanding would go a very long way! Hopefully he'll get it eventually.
Maybe it takes someone who's been there. I went to the Pharmacist today to get my blood pressure med refill, and I told the pharmacist I didn't want the other med that was phoned in for me by my doctor -- it's the Paroxetine that Heather mentioned in her newsletter (bad side effects!) -- and I was anticipating there might be a problem since he'd already filled the prescription. Turns out the pharmacist's WIFE has IBS -- and he understood perfectly why I wouldn't want to take it! There was no problem at all -- he was great about it -- so I wrote down this website for him to give his wife, together with Heather's name and the name of "The First Year." He was very grateful, and put my note in his pocket.
Okay, how'd I get off on that tangent?
I don't know what caused your attack (Indian food?), but you SOOOO need some Equalactin! There's just so much going on with you right now, I just have to think it's gotta be stress in your life. BF needs to help you over it, instead of contributing to it.
Okay, I've said too much. Sorry. I have a BIG mouth....
Bevvy
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Hi all,
Thanks for the replies. I too usually avoid the bus as much as possible. Because the boyfriend always wants to go out (and sold his car so he can immigrate to Canada - so 'because of me'), I start to get that guilt thing after saying no too many times. That is why I risked the bus ride today. My worst attack on a bus was riding from Heathrow airport in London, to my boyfriend's house the last time I came back to London. It was like 3 hours, and I had to get off early, with 2 huge suitcases and a carry on and my boyfriend to run into a pub bathroom.. that was after 20 minutes of rocking and crying in my seat on the bus - awful. I have already said I will pay for the cab when we go back.
As far as the boyfriend goes, I know how hard it must be for everyone around us to try and understand but sometimes I think... they just should!! He is usually fantastic, I know I whine about him sometimes but he is normally the best thing ever... I think it might be like Laura Sue said, a scared thing. I see a look of scared and worry in his face whenever I start to hold my tummy or come back from the bathroom a bit paler and grumpier.
And then there is Equalactin - Trust me, I am trying to get some! I have asked my mom in Canada to send me some, and she says she is looking into it. She looked at the WallMart in Canada, with no luck and some specialty store in downtown Vancouver, with no luck. She says she will order it, then send it to me (as that will still be cheaper than me ordering it from the UK).
I go back to work Monday, so let's hope everything settles by then. I got some new rice crackers today at the store - salt and vigegar flavour (no milk or anything!). I will have a few of those, and watch 'Fight Club' on TV with my boyfriend, who has offered to rub my back for me.
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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I am so sorry you had such a rotten day. I do not take public transportation unless it is the only option. I get so stressed about "what is I need to get off" that makes it worse! So I basically worry myself into the big D. I do take Dramamine if I am going in anyone elses car etc. I take the less Drowsy formula and it does the trick.
I hope you are feeling better. It is such a rotten way to spend the day. My DH used to have a tough time understanding my urgency when I said I need a bathroom. I finally had to tell him that when my body says I need to go there isn't any waiting period! That really helped. It also helped me to tell my family that if we are traveling etc it helps if they keep doing what we planned. Before they would "wait" for me to feel better and that made it worse as I felt bad making them wait etc! It is tough though. Not a subject that is fun to discuss with anyone!
Hang in there somedays that is the best I can do!
Valerie
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Sorry to hear about your lousy day! The last time I was in London, I had terrible nausea the morning after eating Indian food. I'm not sure why, because like you I had plenty of bread and no dishes with cocounut milk or anything. Anyhow I had to wake up very early that morning so we could catch a flight to Venice, and I almost got sick in the car to the airport. When we got there we went into Boots and bought Motilium 10, which really helped a lot. It wasn't on the shelf and we had to ask the pharmacist for some, but other than that it was easy to get. It's a Johnson & Johnson product, and I'm not sure if it is the equivalent to any American / Canadian products, but you should definitely get some. I was fine after taking it and it did not bother my ibs symptoms. Good luck and feel better!
AmandaPanda
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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I dont know if you can get access to a Wal Mart, but the pharmacy should have no problems ordering the Equalactin for you. Actually, you may be able to get any pharmacist to order it for you. Just give them a call, it only takes a couple of days for me to get it at Wal Mart.
I know exactly how you feel, I think being stuck on the bus could be the equal to getting stuck on the freeway in rush hour. I started carrying a larger purse so I can keep pretzels and animal crackers with me. Wal Mart (again) carries the animal crackers, "Circus" is the brand, they are very low in sugar, they come in a huge bag sometimes you can find them in individual snack bags. I love them, they do not bother me. Read the label just to be on the safe side, your mom may be able to get these for you and send them to you.
Hope you are feeling better.
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Hey, Steph -- enjoy that backrub!! Whoo, boy!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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