IBS and sensitivity
#183264 - 06/03/05 10:21 AM
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Tinkerbelle
Reged: 04/17/05
Posts: 231
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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How many of you consider yourself to be sensitive people? I may have mentioned this before, but I remember watching movies as a kid where someone would have an ulcer and say, "I got a weird feeling about that person and I could feel it in my gut." I often wonder if our tummy issues are us feeling our emotions in the core center of our bodies. In a symbolic sense, it is our core, and apparently it does have a brain of our own.
I personally am a very sensitive person. I feel all of my emotions, all of my physical sensations, I am sensitive to foods and chemicals, I am very empathetic to other people's emotions, I feel the pain of the world. I have always been this way. I can also be very strong and independent, but as of late, while dealing with all this IBS crap (pun intended!), I've felt more sensitive than ever before- I cry when frustrated, I don't want to go out because I feel effected by the world so much...
Just wondering if you guys experience emotional, physical and spiritual sensititiy as I do...
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I just logged on and I got overwhelmed with Tinkerbelle posts! Hon, you need to try and chill out here! You need to stop and read and breath. Not all your questions can be taken care of in one day!
You need to get some other intersts besides this board. Honestly, you need to get a more balanced life...not all based around your problems.
Do you have friends? Maybe get a PT job? Go for walks or take up reading (fun novels) or knitting or doing crossword puzzles? Anything to help take your mind off of your problems all the time.
Your questions are overwhelming and so many here...Why not try reading through old posts and doing some searches to help get some answers to all your questions. Really, most of the answers to your questions can be found in Heathers books and this website links and posts.
Your stress is stessing me out! Please, please try to get into see a counselor or something. Or talk to a doctor about increasing your lexapro. I don't want to sound mean, but I think it would help you greatly to get some help outside of these boards. We all want you to find some peace and it may need to come from getting help in addition to these wonderful boards. Please, consider it. You sound so consumed with your body and mind. You need to get away from it
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Thanks for your honesty Cyndy, and I totally agree! I know I am overwhelming people and I definatly need outside help. I feel like a bored housewife and these boards help me feel a little less bored and very supported. But yeah I will stop posting here for a little bit.
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Some people discussed a book, I think in the Livingroom, that dealt with (I think it's called) Hypersenstive Personality. I can't do a search right now, but maybe you should. It was pretty interesting.
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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I think it's called The Highly Sensitve Person or something like that!
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Is this the discussion? Are you a HSP? How interesting! This was before I was here, so I can't wait to read about everyone's opinions and experiences.
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Thanks for that thread Maria, it's great!!
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I'm not trying to dissuade you from posting if you have questions. But I am serious when I say you need to find somethings in your life outside the boards and that is fun and non-health focused!
Believe me, I know it is hard to enjoy anything when all we want is for our tummies to feel better. So, we center all our time and energy into trying to get our answers so that we can then start living life. Well, I was like that. And all that happened was a year or more of my life has gone by and all my time was spent reading GI books and trying to find answers. I have nothing else to show for that lost year or two. I will never get it back. So now I am trying to live while also trying to find some relief. I am still very constipated and still in pain every day of my life. But, at least I have my painting, walking, a job now (which I relish as it gets me out amongst people and I can try and distract myself from all the pain). It doesn't go away, but it's hard to do a job and be focused on the pain at the same time.
I have just started counseling, and I think it is helping to be able to just tell someone about how horrible and frustrated I feel.
Try reading more of the posts here. Lots of information can be found in them. Do you know how to use the search button? If not, we can explain it to you if you need some help. It's pretty easy. All the replies people are giving you are from past posts that they have pulled up by doing a search. And go take a walk today!  It's good for your tummy and your mind!
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Thanks Cyndy, I as I said before I really appreciate your honesty. And thank you for sharing your experiences with me so I have an understanding of where you are coming from. I for sure will take a walk today, I know, it always makes me feel better. I do find that when I am around other people, even if I'm in pain, I always feel at least a little bit better. Yeah I think it was a bad move on my part to totally stop my life to focus completly on healing, but I felt like working was stressing me out and making things worse (weight loss and not sleeping at all), so that's why I decided to drop everything.... now I'm realizing that although I was stressed, I wasn't so focused on this and depressed!
Healing is such a bizarre issue, and I totally understand how a year or two can go by trying to focus on healing and doing nothing else- it becomes a downward spiral. Congradulations for getting your life back and focusing on healing at the same time! I hope to be there soon as well...
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Tinkerbelle
#183338 - 06/03/05 01:44 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Cyndy has given you some great advice. Please consider getting some additional help for your anxiety, depression. And I also agree that many answers can be found just by taking a deep breadth and reading the older posts, Heathers books, and all her helpful links and posts at the top of the board.
I just feel so badly for you. I know where you're at, honestly. We are very similar in our situations and desparation for relief. We both are trying to pursue answers to help our physical and emotional suffering...to the point that it may be becoming counter productive.
I too am sick. I am desparate for answers. I am depressed, anxious, and so eager for help of any kind. I spend so much time seeking for outside answers, but trying to come to turn more inward now. It is hard. It is so hard.
I also stopped working in order to get a better "grip" on my health situation and you know what happened? I got sicker. I spiraled into a worse, more chronic pain and symptoms. I started back to work Part Time, and I am attempting to work FT now. While it is hard and I may be more stressed, it is an escape and I am not allowing the IBS to rule my ability to perform at least one "normal" activity. Yes, it ruins most other social activities, and most non-working hours are spent with a heating pad and surfing the net for answers. But I think working PT was better than not working at all.
Please consider all the helpful info all the loving folks on this board have offered to you. This board has the most caring, supportive people I know. They really care about each other.
I hope we can grow and experience some relief (emotional and physical) soon.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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PS
#183361 - 06/03/05 04:43 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Just wanted to add that I don't know if working Full time is good for my GI system as the stress has taken a toll big time. But working PT was a good decision for me, and one that I might have to go back to, but I'm trying to hang in there with FT because it makes me feel better about myself.
I am also very, very, very centered on my GI problems. It is the first thought I have when I wake up in the morning, and the last thought I have at night. And all the hours in between are filled with thoughts on my bowels!  I don't know how to not let this consume my life. How to have any sort of life besides the pain and looking for answers. If anyone can help share some thoughts on this, I would like to know how to escape from the prison of GI pain and food choices and thoughts of my stupid GI system all the time.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Beth!
#183410 - 06/03/05 09:43 PM
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Hey, welcome back! We've been worried about you. I'm sorry to hear things still aren't great with you, but it's certainly nice to have you back on the boards! *hugs* 
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I have read the book several times. There is a sequel about relationships as well.
It is very insightful. My son's therapist recommended it to me several years ago. We are both very sensitive people and the book shed light on a lot of issues.
It is called 'The Highly Sensitive Person" I recommend that you get it.
You will see that you are not alone.
Mary
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It only takes a few committed people to change the world!
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Hi Laurel!
#183453 - 06/04/05 08:41 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I've missed seeing all your familar faces! Thanks for the welcome back. I needed some time away. But, hopefully, I'm ready to try and tackle all this again, with the help of you guys. I may need to start over at square one, but I'll do anything to be able to someday write the kind of post Casey just posted! I don't have such great hopes though, since I have many different issues going on (GI, gallbladder, gastroparesis, UGH!) but I'll settle for any degree of improvement at this point!
Thanks for caring enough to post me a "welcome back". It's good to "see you" again! I hope you are well and that life is treating you kindly! You have always been so generous in your efforts to help us "unstabe strugglers".
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I missed your voice. Thanks for participating. You are such a valuable and sensitive voice at this site. Truly heartfelt wishes/energy goes to you.
Kate (Wind)
IBS-D pain prominant
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but I used to be an overempathic, bawling wreck! No wi just feel a twinge in my gut every time a person gets hurt, or is sad, or anything like that. However, i can watch someone barf and it doesn't bug me. LOL. Go fig.
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Keep on keepin' on...
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Hmm...I am
#183513 - 06/04/05 04:39 PM
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_Willow
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 2090
Loc: Canada.
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super feeling sensitive, but not so much shy. I am much more so than in the past, but when I get to know people, I just talk and talk and do crazy uninhibited things.
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Keep on keepin' on...
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Me too sore tummy mommy! I think we are all paradoxes, and while we may be sensitive in some ways, we are strong in others. I'm a total extrovert and love being around people and loud things! But feed me anything that doesn't agree with me or light some incense around me and I'm a mess!
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who verbally shot me down to nothing and often smacked me(really, only once or three times in a moment, not AWFUL) but he apparently smacked my mom around(we never saw it)....and since that time, anyone so much as raising their voices to me, or any personal conflict, causes major tummy aches. I remember not eating for days after boyfriends of a week broke up with me. Or having D for days after because of the killer cramps.
Yeah, so aggressive people, any confrontation, watching stuff like WWF, etc...scares the poop out of me, for REAL!!
Anyhow, sista(sounds funny, I'm so white...) I'm there for you, and sadly, am sort of relieved there's another social butterfly out there with a sensitive side.
By the way- toughness-I never cried during my 40 hour labour with my daughter, and almost worked on an appendix flare,but I'm a feeler hard core. It's almost to a fault with my students-if they're mistreated at home, i want to smack the parents several times and take the kid home and love them properly. Hence why I'm a teacher, and not a vet(and thank God for my allergies for that!!) 
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Keep on keepin' on...
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I'm glad to see you're back. Your advice and insightful questions were missed. I read in another post that you're working full-time, but considering going PT. I hope you do go part-time, but I do admire how long you've stuck with working full-time! WOW! Welcome back! 
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Thanks for your reply..
I'm sorry to hear about your experiences with your stepfather, and that makes total sense why you would have issues with aggressive people. I was never abused but also hate aggressive people, and I espically hate being snapped at! I also get really messed up from relationships with men, I can't eat when I date them and espically when we break up, and often get loose BMs, etc.
It is cool to meet another sensitive extrovert. I call myself an introverted extrovert- I love people but I seek out very intimate emotional relationships with individuals. I love the world of feelings and I love sharing that world with others.
You do sound pretty hardcore in those other ways! And I admire that you are such a strong role model for children. Congrats on being able to handle being a teacher- I was an afterschool teacher and had to quit that job because of stress!
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Thanks for all the sweet things you've said.
I know what you mean about OSC teachers- I've done that and daycare teaching too, and it doesn't remotely compare!! I ran a dayhome and was almost SUICIDAL after that 4 months. The baby I took in was my daughter's age and cried CONSTANTLY. I researched like a maniac to try to "help" her but i finally gave up because I couldn't handle the crying and my hubby being angry about getting no sleep(he owns a restaurant and works nights) and the kid was awful and the parents were Nazis.
ANYHOW!!!! It lasted four months. So did my daycare stint, LOL.
As for the stepfather from he!!, he was gone when I was 10, so it's residual but it wasn't lifelong, thank God.
Yeah, i know what you mean about sharing feelings- my friends have always been super extroverted, and when i married my Dh, I got out of the party scene and lost a lot of friends. Now I'm in this new city and have few friends, and of course, being someone qwho craves that "best friendship", it drives me NUTS that I am a substitute teacher who never gets a place of work to go to every day...and that my DH works nights andf weekends, so there's no "couples nights" etc...etc...It will get better, but just like you, I'm sorta stymied in life too.
I want to have another baby, but till I get a full time teaching job we can't afford to. We want to buy a house, but till i get that contract, we can't afford to. I can't ge5t a teaching job when there are none out here, and we can't move ecause my DH has just invested a ton in his restaurant. AUGHHH!!!It makes me insane. The worst part is there's nothing I can do to make it better beyond what I have done. Teaching jobs find YOU, not vice versa. I've applied for each one I see, and just have to wait till it comes. i'm a very outgoing person who's so willing to do what it takes, and the principals out there see that, but they can't give jobs they don't have. So stupid. 
OK, I'm done now. What a rant. And I wonder why I'm in gut agony today.
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Keep on keepin' on...
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Cyndy
#183538 - 06/04/05 07:40 PM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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As much as I agree with you that Tinkerbelle would do better if she had stuff to do away from IBS, I hate anyone discouraging anyone from posting! She's had genuine questions and that's fine...if you feel stressed by her stress, then don't read all her posts at once. Educating yourself is a big part of the healing process...some people need to jump in at the deep end and can only move on once they can't think of anything more to ask!
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Soooooo glad to see you back...I hated that you went away. 
You sound you're doing really well...working FT - wow! Good for you. 
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Hi Linz, thanks for that post, I appreciate it! Today I drew a picture, read, did some yoga and danced, all at home, but it's a start. I also went to Whole Foods which was a fun outing... so I'm trying!
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Great start! I've never been to Whole Foods. Did you get some yummy, IBS-safe treats?
Cute pic, by the way!
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it didn't come out the way I meant it too! I wrote Tinkerbelle again lower down in the thread to encourage her to keep posting.
I was having a rough day and when I logged on I was already sort of stressed and I could tell Tinkerbelle was too. You know how when you are around stressed people you get more stressed and when you are around calm people you tend to calm down?
I apologize that my post came across the wrong way. I just felt all this stress when I saw 5 posts all started at once from the same person. Sorry again. I hope no one is mad. I certainly didn't mean to discourage anyone from posting.
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Baby steps, sweetie...baby steps. The first thing I ever did when I was in a Fibro-hermit-rut was go for a 5 minute walk straight up the road and back! Was a tiny thing, but made a hell of a difference. Trips to HFSs are a good way to make yourself get outside....and everything you did at home sounds very therapeutic! 
PS. Maria's right, you are such a cutie!
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S'ok!
#183547 - 06/04/05 07:51 PM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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I just get a bit worried about that kind of thing now. And Tinkerbelle's a sweetie!
PS. It's kinda my fault she got into a posting-swing - I was answering back for ages when I should've been doing something useful around the house! 
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Thanks for being so kind and supportive of me! I went out tonight for a few hours with my best friend as a favor to her (we've both been going through depression and not wanting to go out), but it was also good for me. I felt tired and physically unwell the whole time, but at least I was out and got to meet some nice people, and I got my mind at least half way off my body! It's a good start for an ex-socialite!
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It only takes a few committed people to change the world!
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Thanks Kate
#183643 - 06/05/05 10:18 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I feel the same about you sweetie!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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thanks Linz
#183644 - 06/05/05 10:25 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I feel much better about things. Thanks for everything. Plus I was missing my "family" so much. I posted a few times in the Living room already. Guess you missed them!
I'm not doing so well, though, actually. I'm not handling FT work so well. Still having major GI symptoms, anxiety is sky high, depression as well. Plus I was in a car accident yesterday so I am in big trouble money wise, no car to get to work, big bills for towing, storage,car rental, etc.
Plus, somehow I'm gonna need to come up with some money to replace my old car. Life is a struggle. And all the turmoil is all coming out in my tummy.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Thanks for your welcome home. Unfortunately, the only way to go part time would be to find another job, as my curent job is not adaptable for PT. I should have never left my PT library job. It was the perfect fit for getting me out of the house some, but still had time for myself. Working FT is major stress for me. I don't know how to do it when I am overwhelmed all the time and need to be home with my tummy in the mornings. Big mistake to leave.
I was able to work PT because I had supplemental disability pay, which I have lost now. So, I kind of "messed things up" for myself big time. I seem to take one step forward, two steps back.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Thanks Mary
#183646 - 06/05/05 10:34 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I'm glad your still posting. It's helpful to have anothe constipated, former anorexic, Gluten free eater along here with me! Not good that we are, but good that we have each other. I hope you continue to post so that we can share and learn from one another.
I wish we lived near one another.
How is your diet going? I posted a message on the fitness board about trying to "mesh" GF-constipation eating with Heather's guidlelines. Would love your feedback. But I think you can do a lot of foods I can't like raw salads and other raw veggies. Seems like you can do more insolubles without the soluble base. I have a hard time figuring it all out.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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It's great to hear from you again. I was hoping you'd come back. I have missed you!
I'm sorry to hear things are not going well for you. A car accident? Bless your heart! Were you hurt?
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