Type A personality and IBS
#321155 - 12/24/07 05:59 AM
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CJIBSDG
Reged: 12/24/07
Posts: 153
Loc: Idaho
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Hello all, I would like to perform a little survey... I was recently diagnosed with IBS after 8 months of exhausting testing. Actually, this is the 2nd time I've been diagnosed with IBS (the first was 20 years ago). After the final test results came back and I spoke to my Doc's nurse - Naturally I had a million questions (none of which she could answer). The only advise she had for me was to remove caffeine and dairy (both of which I had already tried to no avail). Her final bit of advise was that perhaps my problem is just my personality!!!! I was already feeling pretty hopeless due to the lack of information provided by medical professionals (and I use the term professionals very lightly here) - But to hear that all of my pain, embarrassment, inability to carry on a normal life is because of my personality. This was the straw that broke the camel's back - Now I was feeling completely hopeless. I mean I can change my diet, try some drugs, get more exercise, but change my Personality???? After crying for 3 solid days, I then got angry and searched the web like I've never searched before, thus stumbling upon this site (THANK GOD!!!).
Anyway, I mentioned this conversation to some co-workers and one of the women (who has also suffered from IBS symptoms), says "well, are you a type A personality?", "It could be a big part of it"... So my question to all of you IBS sufferers, is are you a type A personality? I would love nothing more than to be able to go back to these people and tell them that I've found a great number of IBS suffers who are not type A personality (because although, this personality type may be a small part of it, I don't think it plays that big of a role in it). But, I could be wrong....
I appreciate your responses and honest opinions (whether you agree or not!)Thanks
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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I have to say that I am definitely a strong type A personality. I do believe it plays a huge part in controlling (or lack of controlling) my IBS symptoms. I too, did not get much relief from removing dairy and caffeine and half a million other foods from my diet.
BTW, you might likely not get very many responses to your posts.....just because it's the holidays. So, you may have to bump up your posts or wait until after the holidays before more people come back to the boards. Just don't think people are ignoring you. 
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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Thanks Jordy, I appreciate the feedback. Like I mentioned, I do want honest responses - just out of curiousity. I am so sorry to hear that removing foods has not helped you - have you found anything that does help? I've been following Heather's diet for 2 weeks now and my symptoms are 90% better, so I'm feeling pretty hopeful however, instead of my typical 5 to 8 BMs per day, I'm lucky if I have just 1 every 4 days.
Merry Christmas!!
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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Your nurse and your co-worker are confusing cause and effect. IBS requires a large degree of hypervigilance. They should keep their mouths shut with their lazy opinions presented as fact. Stupid people have no business giving their advise on something they don't know to someone who is sick.
OK, I'm kinda in a mood having spent xmas with my obtuse family, trying to deflect their insistence that I "try some food" at the dinner table. I would have thrown something, but there was a 6 year-old present.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't listen to advise given from a nonIBS-er anymore. They're full of crap. And nurses have no business making you cry.  
~nelly~
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Nelly, I'm so sorry to hear that your family is so ignorant to your illness! It's bad enough to have pass down foods that you love, but to have other's trying to push them on you is just insane!! I guess I should consider myself fortunate - most of my family is understanding and compassionate, but I do have 1 daughter (who happens to be an RN) who is "Sick of hearing about it" - I sure do hope that she never has to deal with this herself!!
As for the nurse who said this to me, I made sure to tell my GI doc about it and made it perfectly clear how those words affected me. So, I would expect that she'll be more careful in the future. I also plan to purchase a 2nd copy of Heather's book (the 1st year) and send it to my doc in hopes that he'll read it and purchase copies to hand to his patients when they come to see him. It's ridiculous that people are given a diagnosis with NO treatment plan what-so-ever!! Everything treatment plan I am following was all initiated by me - including the medications I'm taking (I researched and asked my GI for them).
Hope you're feeling better!! Merry Christmas!!
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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I am Type A, however I didn't devleop my IBS until I was 44 years old and had my GB removed. I imagine if you are Type A or stress easily (as I do) it can make symptoms worse but I seriously doubt it is the original cause.
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Laura
DX IBS 12/07
Following IBS Diet with Weight Watchers
Also GERD
Former cast iron stomach
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That's the most ignorant thing I've ever heard! Please don't give that crap "diagnosis" a second thought or shed another tear over it!
With that being said, however, I'm sure you already know that stress can and often does impact your IBS. And, as a fellow Type A personality (and a busy attorney to boot), I can vouch for the fact that when I stress too much, my IBS can and sometimes does get worse.
However, your personality is not the cause of your IBS. I'm sure an equal amount of non Type A people suffer the same sort of obsession with their IBS symptoms that your doctor is implying Type A'ers suffer. Sounds like a very uninformed medical professional if you ask me. I'd consider finding a more understanding doc.
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I too am a Type A and stress definitely makes my IBS flare up. Stress definitely isn't the root cause of my IBS, but has certainly made it harder at times. I've found though that in some ways having IBS has made me less type A -- being healthy is more important to me than being a superstar at work or being "perfect". I make different choices now than I would have made before my IBS.
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I agree with the other responses.. Having a type A personality doesn't "cause" IBS. Personally I'm a type AB personality. I know stress and anxiousness is a contributing factor for me when I have flare ups. The key words are contributing factor, not cause.
I'm so glad you're here.
--Val
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Thank you Valerie, I'm so glad I found this site!! It's just so nice to be able to talk and seek advice openly - bowel function just isn't something other people want you to ask questions about (which in my opinion is just strange - I mean it's the most natural thing we do right  )
BTW, in case you don't see my other post - I've found a GI doc whose nurse suffers from IBS so I'm very excited about that!!
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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