Life-long IBS
#208191 - 08/24/05 01:23 PM
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sdan49
Reged: 08/24/05
Posts: 9
Loc: SE USA
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I have studied your website for two days now and found that over the years I learned most of the tricks listed there by trial-and-error. I have had IBS since I was in the third grade. I have had multiple episodes of explosive diarrhea in public places, and although I was able work for over 35 years, I have now had to stop. I had 15 inches of my sigmoid colon removed due to recurrent diverticulitis, and if you think the cramps from IBS are bad (and they can be), the diverticulitis pain is excruciating. I have also had blood clots in my legs and both lungs, and must take blood-thinners for the rest of my life. Over the years I have just learned to live with all of the issues you list and others have spoken about. After my colon surgery, the only thing that changed for me was that "transit time" of a meal was reduced from about two hours to thirty minutes, and most of the cramping I used to have, as well as the gas, is now gone. For that I am thankful.
I have been calling myself a "vampire" for years, because my IBS has always been worse during the day than at night. Anything I eat between about nine or ten in the morning and seven or eight at night goes right through me. After nine o'clock at night I can eat ANYTHING without distress. I often have a glass of 2% milk as a sedative before bedtime. I am acutely aware of the humiliation of incontinence in public, and my cubicle at work was right next to the bathroom. During the final ten years of my work I did not eat at all during the day. This ultimately led to dizziness and fatigue long before the day ended, to say nothing of the social isolation. Co-workers want to go out for group lunches, and I always declined.
As much as I like to drink water, I drink nowhere near the recommended six 8oz. glasses per day, and could not possibly double that amount. It seems to me that by doing this you are just replacing one reason for runnning to the bathroom for another! I shall try the soluble fiber supplements, and I shall stop drinking all colas and coffee from now on. Other than that, I don't know what else I can do. I have not been able to travel in retirement due to this issue -- I have stopped and eaten on the road -- driven thirty more minutes, and then had to stop for a restroom at least twice within about fifteen miles.
Thanks for the great website, and for sharing all your stories. It is nice to realize I am not alone in this struggle.
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Re: Life-long IBS
#208236 - 08/24/05 04:19 PM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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Welcome to the Boards - it sounds like you've had quite a hard time.
I can't speak to the results of your colon surgery, but unless that mandates otherwise, I would urge you to try Heather's diet full out: no trigger foods (even late at night), lots of soluble fiber, and careful addition of safe protein, fat, and insoluble fiber. Most people also find it helpful to eat frequent small meals and snacks throughout the day.
An SFS was vital for me. I take acacia and am currently up to 8 teaspoons a day, which is considered a lot (I'm IBS-D). I got there very slowly: started with 1/4 teaspoon a day for 3 days, then went up 1/4 teaspoon a day every 3 days. Getting enough water is important with an SFS. I don't get 128 ounces a day, but I do consistently get 64 a day and feel best if I manage 100. My body really did adjust to all that fluid and even if it hadn't, I'd rather be running to the bathroom because of too much fluid than because of diarhhea.
Imodium can be very helpful, although I found it worked incredibly well in conjuction with Heather's diet and not so much before I started the diet. You can do a Search on it (two, really, one for each spelling: Imodium, Immodium). Some people swear by peppermint capsules, Heather's or one you buy in the health food store. There are also prescripton anti-spasmodics that may help (I use Donnatol occasionally), but they do have side effects.
For an interesting look at why foods that don't seem to be triggering your IBS may still be, you could take a look at this post.
HTH and, again, welcome to the Boards.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Thanks for the welcome, Sand. I grew up in Highland Park, NJ, btw, back in the 1950's. I also lived in Elizabeth as a teen, and graduated from Jefferson High in 1967. I appreciate your thoughts, and I must agree that it's better to be running for the john to pee than the other! One of the other things I would like to try is the peppermint tea. In addition to my colon surgery, I have also had my gallbladder removed. I have used Imodium, Bentyl, and that white prescription powder (can't think of the name, but it binds cholesterol or something after gallbladder surgery). Bentyl never worked, and my doctor discourages Imodium more than once in a while. It does work for me, however. I have an excellent internist, but she doesn't consider IBS my major problem, as I have been so sick with blood clots since 1999. I am pretty healthy otherwise. She sees IBS as mostly "in my head", and if you read the medical studies linked to this website, you can see that she is right. It's just that there is a real, physical connection -- not "just" mental. So she wants me on SSRI's, but I cannot tolerate them due to my genetic disorder -- I get a Parkinsonian tremor whenever I take an SSRI (like Paxil or Zoloft). I have seen studies that show that there is so much serotonin re-uptake going on in the gut that GE's (gastroenterologists) sometimes refer to the gut as "the other brain". I was born with a genetic neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (named after the 19th Century MD's who first identified it) that involves the nerve endings, especially in the legs and feet. The myelin sheaths are eroded to the point that the legs and feet are deformed by adulthood. I had many orthopedic surgeries during my late twenties and early thirties. Twenty-five years later I am now having recurrent blood clots for which the doctors cannot find a cause. However, I have researched this and concluded that it was the damage done to my leg veins during surgery that led to clots years later.
It is also possible that my genetic disorder has something to do with the IBS. Anyway, I am also interested in trying hypnotherapy, and per this website there is an IBS therapist (LMSW) within a hour's drive of my home. I think frequent small meals are a good idea for any of us. What I will never understand is why my episodes have always occurred during the day, and never after the evening hours. As I said, I have no trouble between the hours of about 7 at night till 7 in the morning. That is a half of every day! Of course, I was always more relaxed in the evenings and at night during my working years, but now my time is completely my own (hence my propensity to run on so!) and you would think that I would have an easier time handling the day-time hours now, but not so. Anyhow -- I shall attempt several of these strategies, and let you know. Thanks again for your warm greetings and helpful ideas.
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...unless you do the diet 100% you aren't giving yourself a proper chance. And a gentle SFS will help.
Btw, Immodium is safe to take all day long, in the long term. I was lucky enough to see one of the best GI's in this country (private medical insurance - yay!  ) and he had me on daily Immodium for about 6 months...at which point I had stabilised so well with the diet that I didn't need it.
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as for the nighttime calmness, it's possible that it's related to the fact that when we sleep, our digestive systems effectively shut down - a nap has always been a great help for me in stopping an attack. i don't know if this applies to you, as 7pm seems a little early for this effect to kick in, but it might be related. especially with the bedtime milk - as you take it right before bed, it won't affect you till you (and your digestive system) wake up in the morning, and then you get a day of havoc - the eating anything you want after seven with no ill effects may just be a postponement till the next day.
jaime
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Thanks, Jaime --- I thought of this over these many years. You theory is as good as any I have been able to come up with. It's amazing how much time I have spent (to say nothing of my long-suffering wife) trying to figure out what it was THIS time. Nightimes have always been quieter. Then again, I have seen the just eaten raw tomatoes in the commode less than an hour after I injested them at noon-time, so transit times are different, although, as you say, the "cause" may lie in that mid-night snack the night before.
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Beginning third day of "new" diet -- actually nothing really new as much as a shift in eating times/habits. More frequent meals, but smaller portions. Oatmeal every morning (I had been doing that in the winters recently anyway), no more coffee, Coke, iced-tea (not so easy when you live in the South) or any other iced drinks, no more late night milk, addition of SFS, and LOTS more tepid water. Three days now without D. Not bad! Thanks to all for the encouragement.
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Re: Life-long IBS
#208774 - 08/26/05 09:58 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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Ah, sweet tea. One of the joys of life. Here's my substitute (I'm originally from Alabama):
Brew 1 Honeybush teabag in 4 cups of boiling water for at least 5 minutes - 10 is better or just forget about it for a while. Add sugar to taste. Let cool. Drink at room temperature or, if your tummy can handle it, cold from the fridge or, if you're really feeling brave, iced. (It took me a while on the diet to work up to iced, so be cautious.) Honeybush is as close to "plain old Lipton" tea as any herbal I've found.
I'm glad to hear you're doing so well.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Thanks again, Sand. Of course sweet (iced) tea is ubiquitous here. I am not all that convinced that regular tea is a problem at this point, but as I usually have D at least every other day, and have now for 40 years, I am willing to try just about anything. I have not had any in three days now. Most of the "sweet iced tea" served in local restaurants is pretty watered down anyway. I make our home brew from Lipton's decaf tea (two family sized bags -- boil for ten minutes and add water and 3/4 cup of granulated white sugar), and it never seems to bother me. But then, the whole idea of "attacks" that so many here are referring to seems foreign to me, as I don't have "attacks". I have a "life-style of diarrhea". No lie. I think Heather's ideas about the coldness of the drink (triggering that gastrointestinal motility) is more the key. My internist warned me years ago about hot coffee, because of #1 caffeine, and #2 the heat. She is right about the caffeine, but wrong, I think, about the heat. Hot tea seems to help calm my stomach a lot. Peppermint tea, especially. I traveled from here to New England for two weeks last winter, and hardly ate at all. I lost 20 pounds in two weeks. It was my first real "trip" in about 15 years. I visited friends and family in NH, MA, PA, and NY. They all tried to get me to eat, but I only allowed myself supper, and then just something bland. But I drank LOTS of hot peppermint tea. And, I had no problems with my gut for the entire two weeks. Very rare for me. A first, actually.
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as someone who has dealt with IBS for some time, what can you recommend to someone who is very young, possibly just beginning the journey of life into the "real world"?
my names ashley. ive had IBS with constipation since i was 16. this past year became my 4th year battling it, which makes me 20. im about to go back to college again in the springtime. and i have alot of ideas in mind as far as the rest of my life goes. but i notice when i get into a time-crunching schedule, im unable to tend to the comfort of maintaining my stability.
i just returned from a month-long european vacation and am still on a "leave of absense" with my job. i still have about a week of free time to myself before i have to return and in my "free time" i seem to have been very responsive to my constipation problems. im worried that when i return back to work, i may not be able to keep up the same schedule. ive been able to relax and wake up at my own pace which has naturally set me back on a normal sleeping schedule, which i now see is very important.
what types of tricks did you use for managing your own stability? were you often stable/unstable? i had been pretty unstable for awhile, and went thru some eating struggles, and then i changed my whole diet around and became a strict-vegan [ie: no animal-by-products; no presservatives] so you see ive already got to be careful with my nutrition since i lost vitamins in food sources i used to eat. with the IBS though, i feel i need to be extra-careful. any advice you can offer would be wonderful to me. im sorry that you had to go thru so much with all of your struggles. but if youre alright [esp after 9] then that is very good thanks in advance--peace
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VEGAN ASHLEY~IBS/C
www.myspace.com/dutchflowers
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this tea is 100% herbal, totally caffeine free, totally safe and tastes just like the real thing. Celestial Seasonings
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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When I have days off of work, like the weekend, I have much better bowel days. I am usually C all week and then usually go on Saturday when I can relax, sleep in, and wake up to my bodies natural schedule. Makes for a very long and painful week.  The C got really bad when I went from working my PT job (which started at 1 pm, so I could still sleep in and relax in the morning) to going FT where I am awakened, startled, at 6:45 am to the sound of an alarm clock.
I want to stay working FT, but my tummy and Bowels like the no work, later starting time schedule. I know exactly what you are talking about and would love some advice on this myself!
What are you going to study in school? where ya going to go? Good for you! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Well, Ashley -- as you can see I am 56 and still trying to find the right foods. Since you are C and I am D, I don't know if what I have learned would be of much help for you. I have never known what it's like to be really constipated, but I've been married for 27 years to a lady who is all the time. So I know it's no fun. Stress reduction is key for me. Regular exercise, lots of water, plenty of sleep. Along with everything else I have sleep apnea, and cannot tolerate the C-PAP machine, so I don't get real good sleep very often. Anyway, this website has more and better information than any I have yet found, and I worked in the healthcare industry for almost 30 years. Many doctors still think IBS is "just in the mind". I learned as a child that any stress made my situation with diarrhea worse, and it still does. Although I have now retired, I still have lots of stress as my only child, a girl just two years younger than you, just left home for her first year of college and her Dad (that's me) is really missing her!! Plus there are a lot of bills. But still, my advice would be to really study this website, especially Heather's links and tips. She is very knowledgeable about IBS, and her links to other sites and studies are worth reading. I think most here would agree that perhaps you need a fiber supplement, too. Try the Benefiber -- that's the one I am taking now. Check out Heather's "IBS Cheat Sheet". There is good advice there for "instant" treatment.
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Ashley----here's the link to the page for Heather's Cheat Sheet...http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/cheatsheet.asp
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hey thanks for the ultra-fast reply  its really a shame to hear that most doctors still think of it as a mind issue. especially when there are more and more cases of IBS and related symptoms popping up! i actually had a doctor, [i think this one was the fourth i had seen in my ongoing search for answers and remedies] who was so frustrated with the long process to diagnos me [w/IBS] that he gave me a box of laxatives [dulcolax--too addicting] and recommended i continue taking it for "relief". well i dont know that you could call that relief. weeks passed as i took them and he only encouraged me to take more when the effect began wearing off. it was really sad--and when i read some of the posts on here, it makes me feel sad that this problem hasnt yet been recognized to the extent that it deserves. also as a vegan, its a wonder how more practitioners havent made the connection between harmful foods and the digestive track [and im not just talking the RED-FLAGGED foods on heathers stay-away-from list] ie: foods with presservatives and chemicals, etc.
when i first came across this site and learned about the safe/cautious food groups, i was shocked at some of the stuff i used to eat that i had then considered safe. i agree that this site is very helpful but i think i come here more for the nice friends and support. ive kind of veered off heathers diet and kept to my own vegan one, still eating safely of couse but just not so reserved about my foods. coming here really makes dealing with my health issue alot easier b/c i can literally see that im not alone. its hard to feel anything but alone when you read statistics and numbers about people who also have the same sickness as you. its just too impersonal and cold. but here is great--i really like coming here thanks again for the link! dont worry, my dad was the same way when i was starting school too hang in there!
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VEGAN ASHLEY~IBS/C
www.myspace.com/dutchflowers
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hey beth-->im gonna go for a 2-year associates degree in art--and i want to study photography. ive already set up my classes for the next 2 years and aside from the general courses like math and science, my remaining classes are electives that i get to pick and i chose most of the photo classes offered as well as some writing classes and a shakespeare class! im really excited to take those ones but in order to get there i need to get the boring ones out of the way  oh well! im a little nervous to start though b/c the only thing stopping me is myself. i have to put my first foot forward but my parents have always been there to help me but since their divorce, its been kind of hard. like---im not in school now and i should be and for some reason its okay with my parents that im not. its wierd--but yah. you live in chicago dont you?? are you in school? i only want to do 2 years so i can have a degree. i have more things i want to do myself then for companies and stuff so i dont really want to be in school that long. i actually want to travel and photograph in europe after i get my degree. i also really want to paint.
hey beth i want to ask you something. my friend jessica, she posts on here as jessica28, said in an email to me that it would be cool if there was a message board on this site for suffering/recovering anorexics with constipation. i was writing to her about my troubles with food and i really liked that idea! alot of times i feel really wierd things about weight and body image and stuff and want to post it here but i dont want all the other ladies to get upset. i think it would be a really great idea to have a board like that. do you think heather would make one if enough people asked?? hit me back! later
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VEGAN ASHLEY~IBS/C
www.myspace.com/dutchflowers
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Hi Ashley/Beth... sorry to butt in  I'm not a recovering anorexic, but I just wanted to say that I think your idea for a board devoted to those topics is a really good one. You should definitely suggest it to Heather - I'm sure she'd be really open to it 
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--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Quote:
When I have days off of work, like the weekend, I have much better bowel days. I am usually C all week and then usually go on Saturday when I can relax, sleep in, and wake up to my bodies natural schedule. Makes for a very long and painful week.
Augie, I'm TOTALLY the same way. My first year of teaching was not a fun one for my C. I also do best when I can sleep in, sip some hot tea/soy coffee, and relax and let my bowels do their thing. During the school year I was the same as you, I wouldn't go all week long most weeks and then would be unable to plan early morning things on weekend because I NEEDED that time to get my bowels moving again. It really stinks, and it's the main reason I'm not looking forward to the start of the new school year in a little over a week! There goes my quasi-regularity. 
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Hey Kree
#209077 - 08/27/05 10:01 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Not you too! If you come up with a solution let us know! I thought my bowels would eventually adjust to the new wake up time, but after 9 months, nothing! I was C all week, and this morning I slept until 10 am...off and on...and when I got up I had the biggest BM!  Guess it was a weeks worth!
What are we going to do? Can't give up our day jobs, but this is crazy!
I have a baptism tomorrow and I am actually thinking of skipping it because I don't want to give up my Sunday morning slow wake up/bathroom routine! I would need to get up and drive a distance so early! Isn't that horrible!
I don't eat any more IF on the weekends or anything else differently than during the week....it's just that ability to sleep in, relax, drink my herbal tea, and it the best! The weekends I don't have the BM, I know I'm in serious trouble because if it doesn't happen on the weekend, it ain't gonna happen all week! I feel cheated out of my weekend BM! This is so sad and embarrassing to admit!
The life of an IBS-C!
I love being able to eat white rice (and other foods that tend to constipate me) on the weekend because I tend to avoid them all week! So, Sat and Sundays are white rice, and banana days!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hi Sdan, good to hear you're doing much better! Say, I noticed
you mentioned graduating form Jefferson H.S. in '67. A good
friend of mine from Rutgers, Mike Boyko also graduated from
there in '71, and he has an older brother, Nick who is just
about your age.I was wondering if you knew them? They lived
at 636 Bailey Ave. in Elizabeth. During my summers in New
Brunswick, I often rode my bicycle back and forth on Route
27 to visit him(them). Ah, the good 'ole days! -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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You too huh Kree. I start teaching classes this monday.
Fortunately, I have a monday-wednesday-friday schedule. So
I suppose I can makeup for things on tues and thurs,I hope!
Even though I am C, I can't fathom not going for five days.
Im surprised that you'd be able to eat on the fourth and
fifth day. Good Luck when you start school! -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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Not your post (which was great too), but the one by Little Minnie that you linked to. I guess it drives me crazy when someone posts saying how unstable (s)he is but then will make remarks like "oh, dairy doesn't bother me". HOW DO YOU KNOW??? YOU'RE NOT STABLE!!!
I am not stable and I can't understand how anyone can be confident that something doesn't "bother" him if he's still having attacks. I can't even guarantee what DOES bother me -- the only thing I am 100% positive will get me an attack every time is herbal tea.
Thanks for linking to that! I think that ought to be a sticky note!
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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And people who say they're not stable, then insist dairy/meat/alcohol/whatever doesn't bother them, drive me nuts, too.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Hi -- BobK
#209135 - 08/27/05 04:07 PM
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sdan49
Reged: 08/24/05
Posts: 9
Loc: SE USA
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No, I don't remember anyone named Nick Boyko, but if you know Jefferson High -- it was big --(at least in the 1960's) an all male inner-city school. I was in the band, and knew most of the guys in there. Some of us got our girlfriends from Battin High. People in college always asked me if my high school was private (due to the segregation of the sexes), but were surprised to learn the public high schools in Elizabeth had been that way for years. I lived on Pennington Ave., a block from Elmora. I grew up in Highland Park, right across the Raritan River from Rutgers U. Small world.
For all of you who are having trouble with those week-day work schedules, I hate to say it, but my symptoms are just as bad now as when I was working a regular job. Also, I had to stop the Benefiber as my D got worse today. Of course, my daughter came home from college for her first visit (her school is just an hour away) and has now left again. It's like two weeks ago when we moved her into her dorm -- I swear this breaking away is much harder on the parents than it is on the kids! Now, this is not to say that your schedule DOESN'T make a difference, because it probably does. However, Heather has medical links here that show studies which reveal a "hard-wiring" of the brain-gut connection, especially after a long period of time such as in my case. I am no longer "aware" of the stress until sometimes I catch myself breathing very shallowly. Big, deep breaths are relaxing, which is why yoga probably works so well.
Edited by sdan49 (08/27/05 06:08 PM)
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...but I'm not sure if Heather would start another forum. But, it couldn't hurt to ask. I know Jessica! We used to email one another a lot...but now we seem to have lost touch. I don't see her posting much anymore. Hope she is doing okay with the pregnancy.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Kandee
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--------------------
~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Kandee
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Good idea, and I would also be very interested! Jessica and I email a lot, and it is nice to connect with someone who has similar experiences!!!
Thanks!
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Hi beth!
#209202 - 08/28/05 07:13 AM
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jessica28
Reged: 08/10/04
Posts: 294
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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Sorry I've been MIA lately....just been busy with work and then passing out tired from the baby. All is going good though...Just taking tons of miralax to poop. I'll try to stay in touch more...how have you been?
Jessica
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Augie!
#209209 - 08/28/05 08:27 AM
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Kree
Reged: 10/08/03
Posts: 3748
Loc: Northern NY
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So Augie, did you make it to the baptism this morning? I can definitely relate. I hate to admit it, but I skip church a lot of weeks during the school year for that same reason. I like going to church, but I feel like my health is also very important. The life of an IBS-C is right!
The funny thing is, this summer I've been able to follow my body's preferred schedule and have been much more regular... but overall I've been LESS stable! I'm sure it's the heat, but I've been swinging towards A more lately. That always seems to happen to me in the summers. I still prefer this to feeling like I'm going to explode by the end of the week, but can't I just feel normal for a change?!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Bob
#209211 - 08/28/05 08:30 AM
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Kree
Reged: 10/08/03
Posts: 3748
Loc: Northern NY
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Bob, a MWF schedule sounds great! I hope that works out well for you. Yes, sometimes it does get hard to make myself eat by the end of the week, but I just remind myself that the more I eat the more likely I am to have a BM.
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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of those Tuesdays, Thursdays and Weekends. At least you can have a good morning every other day! I would love that schedule myself. Should have been a professor like I wanted to be!
Kree, I'll have to remember that eating helps induce BMs. I tend to ease offf food the more C I become...it's hard to reason that putting more in will make it come out. 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I chose a BM (and it wasn't even a decent one )over a baptism. I know what you mean about church too! I love going to church, but in the summer they take away the 11:00 service and only have early services, so I end up missing church most of the summer. I really, really miss the healing power of church...but my body just needs those weekend mornings.
At least I work at a Christian College (for now, but probably will be looking for a new job) and we are allowed to go to chapel on campus every Wed during the summer and on Fridays during the school year. I don't get to hear a sermon, but I get some worship in.
I agree, I'd rather swing to the A side than be constantly compacted with toxic waste!
I thought you were pretty stable Kree. Your recipes have pretty "iffy" ingredients like onion and garlic. I assumed you were pretty stable for some reason. Do you take an SFS? Have you tried increasing the dose or trying another one? Myself, I can't seem to find one my body tolerates.
Have you ever tried eating wheat bread after a piece of white bread? Or brown rice instead of the whiter foods? Or decreasing your bananas? Something with more IF? Just curious...but you've been at this longer than I and I should not be giving advice since I am totally not stable and have no clue!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Re: Bob
#209243 - 08/28/05 11:24 AM
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Johnny T. Reb
Reged: 07/09/05
Posts: 987
Loc: Lake Linden, Mich in the U.P. IBS-C
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Kree, Yeah, so far I've been lucky in one sense, that since
I got this IBS last Jan., I've only had one day where I didn't
go at all, but there have lots of days where I hardly went at
all. Although, I've been sorta forcing the BM's by drinking
lots of water over a short period of time, and when the BM's
hit you, they're urgent and not too comfortable, not to
mention all the peeing you have to do after drinking all
that water. With classes, I can't afford to do that. So
I may end up in the same boat as you and Beth. However,
I am tired urgent and comfortable BM's. It may be worth
it to wait and have a near comfortable BM's. By the way,
do you take Miralax at all? I'm doing one 17g dose a day
now. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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Yes Beth, hopefully. As I was telling Kree, I can't use the
water blasting trick to induce BM's anymore because of classes
.So, I might be in the same boat as you and she. I'm thinking
about trying to drink the evil coffee again. I'll see how
things go this week. Wish me luck. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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Thanks Sdan. Elmora definitely rings a bell. I think Bailey
ave.is a side street of it. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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I sense the frustration of all those who say, in effect, "how can someone rule out (diary, red meat, fill-in-the-blank) when they are not stable"? All I can do is speak from personal experience over 45 years. I have repeatedly tried fiber powders and supplements, and they ALWAYS make my diarrhea worse. Even after days of trying to stablize. What works for me better than anything is eating when I am calm, and NOT eating when I am stressed. My list of illnesses is long, and IBS, though a long-term problem, is not going to kill me (not yet, anyway). I have more serious health issues. I am so fortunate that I have been able to retire.
More than once I have had fecal incontinence in public places -- once on the crowded floor of the Luxor hotel in Vegas -- imagine riding up to your room in a crowded elevator in a light gray suit. No one uttered a word -- but I figure they were all thinking I had just lost my life savings in the casino. Actually -- I was there for my sister's wedding, and had had a big breakfast of fresh (raw) fruit for breakfast, trying to be "healthy". She was married two blocks from the hotel in one of those little road-side Vegas wedding chapels which do not have public bathrooms. I sat through the ceremony in cramps and agony, and finally bolted for the hotel only to "lose it" about a half-block away. Don't look for me at the upcoming convention! LOL. That was in 1994, and was the single most embarrassing moment of my life. I tore off my clothes when I got to my room, took a long shower, and just sat in the room for the rest of the day. Finally my other sister came searching me (the reception was just about over by that time). That night, at 4:30am, the Northridge quake hit LA, about three hours from where we were, and threw us all out of bed. A couple of days I shall never forget.
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"hard-wiring" of the brain-gut connection, especially after a long period of time such as in my case. Are you saying the longer you have IBS, the more natural a state it is for the body and that your chances of getting better are pretty well shot?
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i talked to her via email not too long ago and she said shes doing fine. just C with the pregnancy but thats expected.
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VEGAN ASHLEY~IBS/C
www.myspace.com/dutchflowers
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its called oakton community college and super-easy for a stressed college student [ive been told] im gonna take the general ed to get it out of the way for requirements but im gonna get a 2-year associates degree in art and study photography. i want to be like rick steves on channel 11 and travel around the world taking pictures of everything i can! in the spare time while ill be at school i want to learn more about cooking b/c i would like to have a vegan-organic coffeeshop that features IBS safe treats! i also wanna paint huge canvas-paintings.
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VEGAN ASHLEY~IBS/C
www.myspace.com/dutchflowers
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