very bad IBS day, Please Help
#157327 - 03/05/05 04:14 PM
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thumper41
Reged: 03/02/05
Posts: 37
Loc: Wisconsin
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Hello everyone, Does anyone have any ideas that I might try? My IBS is very out of control today, I am sure it is stress related. I have tried mediatation and it never worked for me, I can't even leave the house to go for a walk. Though does running to the rest room count as exercise ? ha ha... I have tried journaling in the past but my ideas often run too fast for my hand. I can't afford hypnosis and I have tried yoga but couldn't get the hang of it and didn't enjoy it. Nothing new to my diet so I can't really blame that. I am to the point of trying anything that anyone may be kind enough to suggest. My poor bottom is very sore. Thanks so much.
Thumper 
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Aww!
#157331 - 03/05/05 04:28 PM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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Those days *stink*, no doubt about that. I'm assuming you're an IBS-D? If it's not D you have, that might change a thing or two about what I'm recommending, but anyway...
Damage control first: If you haven't taken an antidiarrheal, do. It will save your poor sore bum.  I like imodium myself, and I start with half a dose, because I don't believe in overmedicating... but if it's really bad D, go ahead and do a full dose, by all means!
When I'm having a bad IBS day, the best things I find are relaxing as much as possible. Lay down with some inane TV, a heating pad on your tum, and some hot peppermint tea (antispasmodic!). When you feel like you've stopped running to the bathroom quite so much, try a hot bath, as long and hot as you can stand. Then go back to the heating pad.
Diet-wise, you can go back to eating the "breaking the cycle" diet for a day or two. Stick with white bread, plain potatoes and pasta, maybe bananas and applesauce, white rice. No margarine or oil, go easy on spices, no insoluble vegetables or fruits, and DEFINITELY nothing that's a trigger food, not even in tiny amounts (red meat, soda, caffeine, etc). It's boring, but it's only till tomorrow or the next day!
I'm a journaler myself, but I learned a long time ago that writing in a paper journal was pointless - my hand can't keep up with my brain. So I type. There's a program out there called Pocket Diary (do a Google search for it, or look it up on download.com) - you can try it for free, but I liked it so much that I ended up buying it. It's pretty simple and user-friendly, and if you have a shared computer (or even just a shared household), it can be password-protected.
If you find you have stress-related problems often, look into seeing a therapist. Seriously... a few sessions with a good therapist is a great investment, you'll learn all kinds of techniques for coping with stress and anxiety. If you're not against the idea of medication, you might even look into a low-level antidepressant. There's a research-proven "mind-gut" connection with IBS, meaning that what's going on in the brain affects the colon. It doesn't work for everyone, but lots of us have found that AD's really help our IBS symptoms.
Hope you feel better soon! There should be laws against having IBS problems on the weekend. 
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Re: Aww!
#157343 - 03/05/05 05:03 PM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hi there,
I'm sorry to hear you are having such a bad day today, that really sucks! We've all been there, but it doesn't make them any easier to cope with sometimes. Try and relax and remember that it _will_ get better, you just have to sometimes wait out the badness for a while.
Casey gave you some excellent advice, I would second everything she said. (She's a smart lady!  )
I wanted to also add that for really sore toush days, baby wipes or anything similar (wet wipes or whatever they are called) are often much more gentle than regular toilet paper. I get the generic brand from our local drug store and I get a huge box for really cheap.
I wanted to also comment on the stress/relaxation stuff. I agree with Casey, a therapist and low-dose anti-depressants/anxiety medication can be so helpful to so many people. But getting back to the stuff you mentioned, meditation, yoga and hypnotherapy - there are all worth a good effort. The thing to remember with _all_ those things is that they take a long time to get used to. Being able to fully relax your mind for meditation and stuff takes AGES to be able to do, but is totally worth it once you can get a handle on it.
As for yoga, there are so many different types of yoga that you might want to try a few different kinds and find one that you like better. My doctor said to me the last time I saw him that I was to do yoga - but not to concentrate on the physical, but the mental part of it. When I did that, I found the physical part less annoying and frustrating.
The hypnotherapy CDs are really good, and a good investment and if you can't afford them now, maybe saving up for them might be a good idea if it's something you are really interested in.
In the meantime, fennel tea and cammomile tea are also really helpful for me on bad days.
Good luck, and I hope you feel better really soon!
--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'm sorry you're having such a bad day! Even though I'm still fairly new to these boards, I'm not new to IBS-D or Heather's diet. I was stable for quite a while, until last fall, when I got sick, lost a significant amount weight, and just started feeling really lousy about life, really stressed out by every little thing. I finally saw a dr about the anxiety that I know brings on the attacks (or atleast makes me think I'm going to have one!); I started on an anti-anxiety medication last week (Buspar, takes two weeks to work) and counseling. Seeking out help is new to me, I feel like a very independent and proud person, but I'm glad I realized I needed some outside help. The last week has been really difficult--I don't like taking medication of any kind and the counselor's recommendation to journal everyday at the same time what has been making me anxious isn't fun--but I'm trying to stick with it. I'm hoping for the best. 
Everyone's advice is always so great on these boards, I hope mine is useful to you. If you want some relief now, I'd recommend--in addition to the Immodium--HEAT! Tea, of course, is always good. Take a warm shower or bath to relax your body and soothe your bottom. Do you have any of those menstrual heating pads (like Thermal Care or the Playtex brand ones)? Those are great for alleviating the abdominal cramping and soreness. I like to do crossword or logic puzzles, which forces me to focus on something other than the attack and/or related stress, or I read silly magazines to get my mind off more serious matters.
I hope you have a quick recovery from this attack!
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Sorry you are having a bad day. I really can't add much more to what everyone has already said....which by the way was very good advice.
The only thing I can say is Imodium has been a lifesaver for me. AND, I also take Librax to relax me and relax my tummy because a lot of my IBS comes from stress. I have found that a hot bath and Tucks medicated pads are very soothing to my sore behind.
Hope you feel better soon.
Barbie
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Can't really help. A lot of my symptoms are caused by stress too and like you my hand drops off when I try to write everything down.
Just try to maybe take a rest in a quiet place and meditate a little to ease the stress and once the D has stopped take an easy walk to calm down a bit more. Also just a small tip, vaseline on the bottom right before you go helps a lot with the stinging/burning. Hope you feel better soon.
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Amy
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First thank you all that have already given me such wonderful and encouraging words of advice. Does anyone know that when you have such a nasty IBS-D attack that you should go a day with out any food so to give your "guts" a rest? I know that dr's say that for when you are sick with D or the stomach flu but this really isn't either of those... And I don't feel ill.... except for my IBS that is. I look so forward to hearing from you all, and words can not express how thankful I am to all of you for caring and listening and giving of yourselves
I really wish someone had a magic wand to just wave all this ugliness away, don't you?
Thumper
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Personally, I would keep eating. Eat only the safest foods, like I mentioned - the pure soluble stuff like white rice and pasta is really mild and won't further irritate, and in fact will probably help stabilize things. If you feel really nasty/queasy and can't eat, even nibbling on fat-free saltines will help. For us, it's best to NEVER have an empty stomach for very long... unless, of course, you have a virus and can't help it!
Hang in there... it does get better! (And yeah, I wish for that magic wand too, all the time!)
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Hi again,
I agree with Casey, I would keep eating if I were you. I would try and eat small amounts, throughout the whole day rather than eating any large meals and waiting a long time in between meals - I think that is harder on your gut, to deal with a lot all at once.
If the D gets so so bad that everything is going straight through you for days at a time, THEN I might consider giving your stomach a rest for a little while but otherwise I would try to keep up eating soluble fiber.
Have you taken any immodium or anything? Do you ever take stuff like that? I went for ages without taking any, and it really helped me get stable once I did start taking it.
If you don't eat anything, sometimes you have to be careful with peppermint tea.. but fennel and cammomile and stuff should still be fine.
How are you feeling now, by the way?
--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'm having a bad day, or few days myself. If anyone can give me advice, please do.
I'm always IBS-C. However, last weekend, for whatever reason, I had D. The kind where I had to quickly get to the restroom. No pain, felt fine, and it was gone in a day. Then about Wednesday, I had to leave my classroom at school to go (D again). No pain, didn't really feel badly, but went again at the end of the day (slight D). Then the next day, I ate lunch, nothing that I thought was a problem or ever bothered me before, but I just felt AWFUL after lunch. I literally thought I was going to throw up. After a few minutes, I felt FINE! Then yesterday, woke up with D again. It actually woke me up to go! This never happens to me. Had some pain through-out the day, and at times just didn't feel great. Just thought it would go away. Again, ate nothing too strange. Then today, I feel TERRIBLE! I have pain in my stomach area mostly, sometimes a little higher. I even had my first "accident". It feels so much like gas that I tried to let some out, and it wasn't just gas (sorry - tmi). I immediately had D again within a half and hour. So now, here I am. Still having pain, still don't feel well, been lying around all day, have tried to eat a little all day (safe things), and am just frustrated.
Here is the only thing I can think of through the week. I DID take Ibuprofen a few times b/c it was that time of the month and I had cramps, which has never bothered me before, but know it does some IBS'ers. Also, I took a Donnetol (antispasmodic) on Friday. Would these thing still be affecting me this much?? I feel so, just, yucky! I'm so bloated, and feel like I have so much gas (some is coming out), and my stomach is just doing strange things. Have tried gas-x which usually helps a lot.
Sorry for the long post, but does anyone have ANY advice???
Thanks.
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