At my wit's end ... I need help please
#243909 - 02/03/06 12:14 PM
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erinb_77
Reged: 11/23/04
Posts: 21
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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Hi everyone. Before you read any further, this post is long and contains details about my situation that some people just might not want to know. But I am desperate for help so if you have the time and can read this and give me some feedback I would appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
A brief history first … I am a 28 year old female who has been suffering from IBS since I was probably 10 or 11 years old. I would put myself in the IBS-D category. I am on medications for IBS. I take Dicetel for the IBS and Losec to help control the acidity in my stomach and therefore in the bowels. I am also on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications to help the IBS as well. I haven't really been following a diet for IBS per say. I know a few major triggers that get me (MSG, aspartame, some spices, and high amounts of fat) and try to stay away from them.
I have been under "decent" control for a while. I have the odd flare up and deal with it. But the last month has been a complete nightmare. It is not uncommon for me to have 3-4 BMs per day. Now there are days when I have in excess of 20. And here's the crazy thing … some are D, some are C, and some are "normal". But they switch from one BM to the next … in a matter of minutes or hours. There is just no rhyme or reason to the changes. It makes no difference what I eat at all. And speaking of eating … the past few days whenever I eat (and it makes no difference what it is), I am running to the bathroom within a matter of minutes. All of these BMs have lead to the dreaded "H" word … yup hemorrhoids. One actually burst last night and I was bleeding so much that I ended up in the ER.
I have been under a disgusting amount of stress lately which I know is directly related to this major IBS attack. And it leads to more stress because I have missed a lot of work. I am a nurse and it is not always possible to leave a patient in order to hot foot it to a bathroom. And the pain has been overwhelming. I am weak and tired all the time. My life seems to revolve around my bed and the couch and the toilet. I am afraid of losing my job. I love my job and being a nurse has been something I have worked so hard to become.
Does anyone have suggestions that I can try to get at least a little stability back into my life? Anything from foods to eat, methods to help the pain, or anything to feel like my life is mine again and not a prisoner of IBS. I am starting right at the beginning again.
Thank you for reading my post and for any suggestions you can give me
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Erin
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Hey fellow Canadian! I'm so sorry, sweetie. I really feel for you. I used to be a teacher - so I know all about not being able to go to the bathroom when you need to.
1. Immodium!!!
2. Put yourself on "What to eat when you can't eat anything" part of Heather's diet for at least 2 days. It's under the dietary guidelines at the front page of this board.
3. Then SLOWLY add back other foods. - things like cooked soluble fibre foods - ie. carrots, ...
4. Drink TONS and TONS of VERY strong hot peppermint tea. This is the best medicine for me - dicetel didn't do a darn thing for me. It really can work wonders. Put it in a thermos and take it with you wherever you go.
5. Go see your Doctor to make sure you don't have a parasitic infection of some sort - it may explain the sudden changes. Besides, any change in symptoms should be checked by a Doc.
6. If you have IBS, you have ALL the triggers. Triggers are universal. The same biological reaction happens in you as in me. TRY HEATHER'S DIET. You're almost there anyway. Try eliminating the rest of the triggers and see how you do. Seriously - this may be a real key for you.
7. Are you on a soluble fiber supplement? Try Acacia, Benefiber, Equalactin, Citrucel .... but NOT Metamucil - it contains psyllium which could make things worse.
8. Plenty of fluids - you must be exhausted from dehydration from that much diarrhea.
9. Try hypnotherapy and/or yoga to help with the stress. You can also ask your DR for a different anti depressant or an increased dose to help. I found effexor really helped my IBS but not my anxiety.
If you have any more questions, please ask. I'm concerned about you - please give us an update on how it's going.
Hugs,
A.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Hi,
Try starting out at Information for Newbies and follow suggestions there.
Hope you begin to get things under control soon.
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I just came through a bout like this, (running to the bathroom every 1/2 or so, going a lot. Not D but a lot!). It seems everything I ate made this happen. You got some good advice. Stick to rice, bannanas, tea etc.
Keep us posted on how you are doing. Immodium is a lifesaver for me. I also take Lomotil and donnatal when I really need it which lately is more than I would like to.
I hope you get stable soon!
Sandy
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Hi Erin,
I'm sorry to hear you're not doing very well. In addition to what's already been said here you might want to look into taking a good probiotic, they have really helped me and my IBS. They do take about 2-3 months to really notice a difference, but you might feel some relief sooner. The other thing I think you should get checked out is how much Candidas you have in your body.
I hope you feel better soon.
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I seriously think you should consider the Hypnotherapy for IBS. It can help global symptoms and the anxiety stress connection as well.
"Why Consider Hypnosis Treatment for IBS?
by Olafur S. Palsson, Psy.D.
Hypnosis is only one of several approaches to treating irritable bowel syndrome and may not be the most suitable option for all patients (click here for discussion of treatment options for IBS). However, hypnosis treatment has some advantages which makes it an attractive option for many IBS sufferers with chronic and severe symptoms:
- It is one of the most successful treatment approaches for chronic IBS. The response rate to treatment is 80% and better in most published studies to date.
- The treatment often helps individuals who have failed to get improvements with other methods (see for example: Whorwell et al., 1984, 1987; Palsson et al., 1997, 2000).
- It is a uniquely comfortable form of treatment; relaxing, easy and generally enjoyable.
- It utilizes the healing power of the person's own mind, and is generally completely without negative side effects.
- The treatment sometimes results in improvement in other symptoms or problems such as migraine or tension headaches, along with the improvement in IBS symptoms.
- The beneficial effects of the treatment last long after the end of the course of treatment. According to research, individuals who improve from hypnosis treatment for IBS can generally look forward to years of reduced bowel symptoms."
http://www.ibshypnosis.com/whyhypnosis.html
You might read these also
What can be done to improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
http://www.ibshypnosis.com/IBStreatments.html
and this is excellent
The Other Brain Also Deals With Many Woes
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/other/articles/2005/08/23/the_other_brain_also_deals_with_many_woes/
http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/ibs.asp
http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/functional.asp
This is one big reason how stress effects IBS
Posted on Thu, Jan. 19, 2006
Stress can wreak gastrointestinal havocStress doesn't cause irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal problems -- but it can make the symptoms worse.
The gastrointestinal tract is governed by the autonomic nervous system, the nerve network that serves internal organs and works mostly without our thinking about it. The autonomic system has two parts: the sympathetic nervous system, which activates in stressful situations; and the parasympathetic nervous system, the counterpart that promotes quiet activities (such as digestion).
When stress occurs -- work problems, disagreements, money woes or true danger -- the sympathetic nervous system goes into high gear. Your body responds in fight-or-flight mode, prepared to face or run away from danger, even if the "danger" is a traffic ticket or a teenager driving you crazy.
When the sympathetic system is in charge, in essence, your gastrointestinal system turns off. The body is not worried about digestion when it's geared up to respond to an emergency.
That is the motor side of things; yet the gastrointestinal system also has a sensory side. The autonomic nervous system sends sensory signals to the brain. During times of stress, our brains are looking for clues from all over; our bodies are more vigilant about sensing what is going on. Under stress, the gut feels more and does less. For anyone, stomachaches and diarrhea are common symptoms of stress.
So it's no surprise that stress can intensify symptoms of gastrointestinal conditions.
With irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic condition with symptoms that include abdominal pain, cramping, gas, diarrhea and constipation, the severity of symptoms varies widely.
For many people, managing stress is the first line of treatment, along with changes in lifestyle and diet. Medication can be helpful for people with more severe symptoms.
SOURCE: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/dfw/news/news_to_use/13661149.htm?source=rss&channel=dfw_news_to_use
The fight or flight responce
http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html
The fight or flight reponce is directly connected to cells in the gut that can contribute to pain called mast cells. Which are normally part of food allergies but can be effected by JUST stressors. Also serotonin is GREATLY implicated in IBS and also has to do with moods and emotions. However, IBS is not caused by stress (Its Not in your head) or foods, both are triggers to the underlying problems. The brain and the gut together are operational to cause IBS symptoms.
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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