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I believe I was a sufferer of IBS-C my whole life starting when coming home from the hospital with my mom. She said I didn't go for days and she was a brand new mommy so she was clueless. My mom had to give me an enema when I was only a few days old. Her and my grandma would make me onion soup (some home remedy) to relieve my gas. My grandma would massage my tummy and I would then have a BM. (I still do this when desperate or uncomfortable) I would throw up lots of times and it would come with force my mom said..shooting several feet. I think this was and is IBS related to this day. I get nauseaus (sp?) very easily. So this is how I have always known life to be. Last summer, I began having actually very painful attacks that would keep me down for days. My social life went out the window and my boyfriend almost did too. I always had to cancel plans at the last minute because of something I ate giving me pain. And I had no clue what I was doing wrong. It was bad times. But I got to a GI and am finally stable today. I have never been one to have a BM daily. Now I am going daily. There are several things that go into making me have a BM regularly:

1. I drink over the recommended daily dose of water per day.

2. I take 4 stool softeners per day per my GI request.

3. Citrate calcium with magnesium works wonders.

4. Omega 3 (flax seed oil, fish oil and borage). This also helps with cholestrol, depression and to keeping a healthy heart.

5. I take a women's daily vitamin daily.

6. I go to the bathroom when I feel the urge..no matter where I am or what the circumstances are!!

7. I learned that like food, some people I have sensitivities to. For example, my little sister is a drama queen and is always getting me to fight her battles. It is always something so I cut back on my contact with her and that helped like you would not believe. (her and I were roomates when I started having attacks..you can imagine!)

8. Exercise is always good although I don't get much of it these days. I am trying to work on it more.

9. I try to stick with the diet pretty closely but don't live and die by it. I am taking baby steps! And those baby steps have gotten me a long way now after a year has passed.

10. I take acacia 3 tablespoons 3 times a day also. I used to be on zelnorm which worked great but I don't have insurance and wanted to try a cheaper product, not to mention, more safe for the long term use.

11. I use an enema if I miss a day of BM. Right now my clock is set to 6:30ish a.m. every day. But stress can trigger me to not go at times (not often at all). I use the enema because it gives you that urge and resets my body's clock. I got hemrroids (sp?) from straining so laxatives burn my booty too bad! OUCH! ICK! I don't like the enema but it is quick and over with before I know it rather than suffering all day with painful roids!

12. I try to keep my tummy full of something at all times. I get sick if it is empty. So I just eat small amounts every 2-3 hours.

13. Lastly, I try to eat 1 yogert a day to increase good gut flora.

Wow that was a mouthful! I hope this helps! Just know you aren't alone and it takes time to find what will get you stable. You take care!

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~Wookie

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