I just have to ask this........
#306308 - 05/01/07 11:17 AM
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AndrewIBSC
Reged: 03/23/07
Posts: 159
Loc: PHiladelphia, PA
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I really believe that sometimes the fear that accompanies IBS is worse than the actual symptoms. For example today I read Heather's newsletter and it had a story about a woman who was going 50 times a day. When I read things like that it really freaks me out because it puts a new fear into me. I have been told that IBS is not a progressive illness but I have seen my symptoms progress before I started this program. Now I am stabilizing but when I read stories like the one in the newsletter I get a little freaked out. Does anyone else feel like sometimes the fear is worse than the actual symptoms?
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For me personally, the fear outweighs the symptoms alot of the time. Fear of an attack, fear of dealing with this forever, fear of my IBS getting worse (god forbid). I actually read that story & was just grateful I wasn't dealing with 50 times a day...although I'd be happier with at least once a day!! 
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Cindy Sue
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By the way...I am not trying to offend anyone who really has bad symptoms, I just want to learn how people deal with the fear.
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Quote:
By the way...I am not trying to offend anyone who really has bad symptoms, I just want to learn how people deal with the fear.
Hypnotherapy. It really helped me get over my stress trigger (well, most of the time!) and keeps me much calmer during my now fairly rare attacks. All of the suggestions made on these boards and on this site about stress relief also help on the fear and anxiety front.
--AC
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I completely agree!! That's so ironic, because today I was freaking out about NOT feeling as bad as I had a few weeks ago...isn't that crazy? I guess I'm just so used to preparing for an attack that I have gotten into the mind-habit of constantly expecting it. I think I am going to try hypnotherapy to see if it can help with the mental part of the disease (which certainly can be just as bad as the physical part  ). Glad to know I'm not the only one!
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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
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I always fear that my symptoms are going to get worse. Even during "good" periods I already fear I'm going to get worse 
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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I had done everything to help myself get better, complete diet change, excercise, stress management, lots of sleep, lots of water, fibre supplements. I noticed a huge impact physically, but mentally I would still battle with the fear of getting sick. Nothing I did could stop the thoughts of "oh my god, I feel better, what If my brain is fooling my body into a false sense of security..I am so going to get sick..I feel way to good for this to be normal" The Hypnotherapy is making ALL THE DIFFERENCE mentally. I have only been doing it for just over two weeks and already I notice a difference in my negative and anxious thoughts related to IBS..I really do reccomend doing it...it's been one of the last puzzle peices to fall in place for me on this journey to getting consistantly healthier...I am happy to say I am now 5 weeks without an ibs attack after 7 months straight of being sick every day...
shannon
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Check out some of my older posts... I talked about this A LOT... I have been to see many alternative medical doctors and they believe that most of my symtoms are caused by anxiety... not to belittle IBS as a syndrome but I really think a lot of it is our body's reaction to stress/fear... the digestive track is very sensitive to stress... it's the first thing that gets out of balance when stress/anxiety occurs... Just my two cents, I wrote way more in older posts on this topic...
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Shannon,
Your description of how you feel is exactly what I have been going through. I am constatly worried that something is going to go wrong! Can you tell me a little about the hypnotherapy and what it is really about. Thats so great that you have been 5 weeks without an attack...any suggestions?
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Abby-IBS-C, Lactose Intolerant, fructose sensitive
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Hi abby,
The hardest part for me is the "what ifs"..."what if I get sick", "what if I feel fine, completley fine get to where I am going and then get sick". That part of the Ibs for me is the worst part. After 7 months the anxiety was finally starting to take over, I was only going to work and back-starting to cancel on friends, making excuses to not have to go out at all. I had to sit back and realize that I was completely unhappy. My life was not mine anymore, and at 23 a life revolving around anxiety, fear and discomfort WAS NOT WHAT I WANTED FOR MYSELF.
I changed everything as I said in the last post and have huge support from friends and family, and co-workers.
I started looking at hypnotherapy with a somewhat questioning view. I read past posts from people, did a little bit of research myself and started to save money.I wanted to make sure I was 100% committed to the program. It is 100 days which is alot and from what I can tell, many start and don't complete it, or don't follow the program strictly.
I have to say I entered into hypnotherapy very positive. I had decided that it was going to work for me, that I was going to do it 100%,and maybe a tiny part of my success is that I beleived all along that it would work.
I really can't say enough good things. It has improved my sleeping, and my ability to relax and MOST IMPORTANTLY IT HAS IMPROVED MY ANXIETY. After 4 days I noticed a more calm feeling.My first thought in the morning is not about getting sick. Even my second thought isn't about getting sick. I probably have two or three iffy moments during the day where a negative thought will slip in and I can crush it, change it to a positve prepared thought. I can go out and FEEL COMPLETLEY IN CONTROL OF MY BODY. I stil have rough moments negative thought wise but I deal with them in a positive way. The biggest thing is that the "negative thoughts" are not Stopping me from doing anything...that is huge for me.
If you are doing all the others things reccomended to get your ibs in control and feeling better, and the last thing to work on is anxiety I ABSOLUTLEY reccomend the Hypnotherapy. Just be positive and beleive in it...Believe that it will work for you. 
I feel like a preacher or a hypnotherapy sales man..lol
you should check out the hypnosis message board..marilyn is there to properly answer ANY QUESTIONS you have about the hypnotherapy..
if you have anymore questions for me I am more than happy to try and help
shannon ibs-d
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Thank you for the email. It is nice to hear that things are working and that they are people who know how you feel and what you are going through. I am not exactly sure that Hypno is for me at the moment, but it is definately something to look into. Do you do it for 100 straight days, how exactly does that work.
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Abby-IBS-C, Lactose Intolerant, fructose sensitive
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