Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Uh Has Anybody Here Actually Recovered From IBS Or Is This Just a Myth?

Hi Naturapanic, I don't post here as much anymore but I couldn't not to when I read your post. I feel your pain and frustration, I've been/am there, too. I started realizing my problems when I was about 21 (got worse around that time, too). I was like you when you were that age (I'm 30 now) - active, slim, with a bloated stomach. I know what it's like when you just don't feel good about your body. People would tell me stuff like "oh, you have such beautiful long legs", or "you're so skinny, whatever you put on looks good" - but noone knew that I was constantly hiding my gut because it was sticking out so much! I wanted to have a flat stomach, abs to show off...I felt like I deserved it because I ate healthy, excercised....I think those talks about how we shouldn't be vain and care about how we look are all bull, because who in their 20s (and later) doesn't want to look good, right?

I hated how I couldn't eat what everyone else ate when at a party, or even in the school caffeteria....I didn't want to drink much because I was scared (and actually certain things such as wine - even the good quality stuff - makes me suffer later), and while everyone was having a good time, I was getting bloated, I was in pain, gassy, and just wanted to go somewhere alone where I could lay down and relax...IBS definitely took a toll on my social life.

You cannot relate to this part but I wanted to share anyway, I'm pregnant now and I finally feel good! I'm more or less managing and pain, and who cares about bloating now? Now everyone wants to see my tummy! I can finally wear what's comfortable, I can wear fitting tops and the bigger I look, the better. Obviously this will pass but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

But this just shows how important it is that we feel good about ourselves, and how much IBS can affect our lives psychologically.

Now I know you're frustrated, and I don't think you're really mad at Heather, I just think you're mad at the whole IBS in general. The diet probably worked for Heather as it is because while it might be a good place to start, it needs some personal tweaking. Someone who's IBS means diarrhea and no bloating needs a slightly different approach than someone with lots of bloating and constipation. Some people swear by yoga but I don't think it'd help me. I'm active enough, and I hate yoga, tried it a couple times and it didn't work. Hypno CDs didn't work for me, either. I'm sure they've helpled others but one size doesn't fit all.

I've never wished for cancer but every time I'd gone to the doctor's I was praying they'd find "something". I was so happy when I leardned about different intollerancies and celiacs! I was convinced I had one of these, that I would just cut something out and that'd be it. Yeah, right...healthy as a horse. Except for this damn IBS.

Honestly, I don't think there's a cure. I think there's a "stable" place, although that means different things to everyone else. But just realizing this made me feel better. People have various health problems; I have IBS. Sucks. But I can't do anything about it so I have to manage it the best way I can.

Right now I don't take supplements (well I do take Mg before bed but that's it), and I don't really exclude any food groups from my diet (meaning I don't eat fast food, lots of processed food, etc. but I don't obcess about gluten, small amounts of dairy, etc. in my food). I hated how every morning, I would start with a glass of metamucil/citrucel/benefiber, then wait for a bm that wouldn't happen, then force myself to eat a bowl of oatmeal with flax seed (I like oatmeal once in a while but not every morning, I often felt like something else but was afraid to eat anything else), not go out with my colleagues for lunch but eat at my desk, felt guilty about a cookie in the afternoon, refused a birthday cake at the office, rushed to the gym right after work......and didn't feel better! And felt much worse mentally, like I was trying everything, cooked special meals (gluten free, dairy free, low this and that....), food was always on my mind and it wasn't working!

So I decided to just deal with it and I've felt much better since. I eat wheat, I do eat things from Heather's no-no list (coffee, dairy - this is why I don't post much anymore, lol). I am sticking to the basic general idea, soluble fiber base is the key for me, eating a large salad for lunch with nothing else would kill me, I don't eat much red meat or fried, greasy stuff...and when I slip and eat potato chips, I pay later. Then again, I "paid" when I was eating dry rice cakes, too, so go figure. I'm enjoying life again. Of course, I do get frustrated sometimes, I cry and vent to my husband. It's all a part of it.

I've been following this girl Kim at www.eatandbe.com. She has IBS-C, bloating, just like me. She's managing it pretty well but still has problems sometimes. See for yourself but she's really inspired me.

I just wanted to say that you're not alone.

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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant

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