sensitivity question
#359659 - 07/10/10 12:42 PM
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kem
Reged: 06/09/10
Posts: 104
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I am curious about something and wonder if I can pick your brains. . . My young daughter(ibs-d) has some traits - which incidentally run in one side of our family - that feel really connected to being sort of vulnerable or susceptible to ibs. I wonder if other ibs folks have those traits & feel the same about it. ? The traits I'm talking about are basically connected to generally being a super-sensitive person in other areas of life. For example, she has an incredible artistic bent, mostly because she notices details that others don't, and she is sensitive to things that "go together" in ways that many people don't notice. She's perfectionistic and hypercritical of her own work because she obsesses over details that few people see. She doesn't really get it that these things aren't as obvious to others as they are to her, so she often has little patience with those who are less sensitive. She's also always been very emotionally sensitive: she's even affected by the moods and vibes of other people and her emotions are usually extreme - things are either great or horrible. Her highs seem spiritual and deeper than most people have in day to day life, for example. She's always been ridiculously physically sensitive, too: for example, the scratchy tag in a piece of clothing that most people would find somewhat annoying drives her wild to the point that she canNOT wear the garment unless she can remove all trace of the tag. See what I mean? That kind of a person almost seems unfairly set up for ibs, in a weird way. Do others w/ibs know what I mean? Is this common? (BTW, those people in our family w/similar traits - most of them actually did become artists, and many of them battled emotional problems all their lives. Some had undiagnosed digestive problems, too. They are a dramatic bunch! . . . And so is my little ibs artist girl.)
kem (12 yr old daughter w/ibs-d)
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Post deleted by rfwilmot
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Yes, yes, yes! There are many who are hypersensitive to the energy fields surrounding them. Some do very easily pick up on the moods/feelings of those around them, and are deeply affected by them. I cannot be around crowds or large gatherings for a long period of time. If I am exposed for too long a time, it takes me days in a quiet room by myself to recuperate.
I am perfectionistic, and I am an artist. I drive my own self crazy! I am 31 and have been this way all my life. Is there a seriousness to your daughter also? Does she have a hard time laughing?
I can only wear v-neck shirts. I cannot have anything up round my neck, no tags, and every garment MUST be in my comfort level. I do not do heels or dresses. I work quite a bit from home, which allows me the peace I need and the freedom to work in my underwear. 
I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that this all plays into IBS. I think everyone has something and that something must go somewhere within the body. For some, it manifests as migraines, for others it may be backaches, for some, like myself and your daughter, its IBS.
May I ask, have you thought about the hypnosis tapes for her?
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Another thing I forgot to mention. Pick up the book by Dr. Elaine Aron, Highly Sensitive Person or, HSP's and read it. It will explain alot about your daughter.
HSP's are not simply sensitive peeps, but they are overwhelmed by the world. Therefore, the need for time alone to recharge their battery, which gets depleted very easily by the world.
See if this link works for you. http://www.highlysensitivepeople.com/
Here's a link to the author's website:
http://www.hsperson.com/
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Well, thank you so much for responding. This will be such an interesting thing to hear about from all.
As to the q's you posted . . .
When it comes to laughing, I would say it all depends on her prevailing mood. If she is 'up', she has quite a wonderfully sophisticated sense of humor. She and her brother will get everyone laughing, including themselves, and her laughter can be contagious. If she is 'down' then if anybody else finds anything at all funny, she will likely take it as a personal insult. !
And, as to the hypno, we're about 1/2 way thru' the program now. (We're also doing several other alternative things simultaneously - they're dovetailing together very well.)
Thanks, again,
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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Thanks for the book suggestion. (Frankly, at this point I bet I could 'write the book' on this topic! LOL. And, truth be told, it's my side of the family that has this streak, so I'm a more like this than I usually want to admit! LOL!)
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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Oh, yeah - Ditto on the waistband, too. My daughter hasn't consented to wear jeans in years. She lives in leggings, loose t-shirts, and preferably bare feet (flipflops, if she really must). I just picked the tag thing as one of a zillion examples! Thanks for your response. Not being the one in pain (!), it's so interesting to me to see how the puzzle pieces fit together. I have long been wondering if the personality traits are generally a part of the ibs profile, or if in my daughter's case they are things personal to her that are sure to make her ibs as dramatic (painful, horrible, etc.!) as can be. I so want to help her to get a grip on all of the parts of this puzzle while she's still young . . .
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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P.S. We're also vegetarian since forever! My daughter has been so her whole life. One of the weirdest things for me to get used to is that my daughter, who once lived on whole grains and fresh fruits and veggies, currently tolerates neither! Yikes. She really wants her old diet back, too, of course. The up-side is that she already loved tofu, quinoa, etc.,so I guess that part has been a bit easier for her.
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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Post deleted by rfwilmot
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You guys know, I cannot wear tight pants either. I can only wear stretch band pants (OMG at 31!) or some kind of athletic wear.
I am also vegetarian. SOOOO many things in common.
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Yeah, I have a quirky sense of humor, and do like a good joke and to laugh, but more often than not, I am on the serious side. I do need to lighten myself up quite often.
The funny thing is, you would think with that seriousness and rigidity in style that I would plan, plan, plan. But I am as spontaneous and impulsive as the day is long. I very seldom plan, I just go. Makes no sense to me. 
Glad to hear you are doing the hypno. It helped me so much!
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Post deleted by rfwilmot
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I just don't know.  lol
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I am right there with ya'll as far as being sensative. I can't stand to wear shoes that I can't slip off easily, no tags or itchy clothes, no tight waist bands, I am very picky about panties and they have to have a very soft trim, and I am really picky about my pillow. I am constantly buying new pillows looking for the perfect one. I also have to have extremely soft sheets and blankets or I feel like I can't sleep.
I can't stand to be in crowds for too long or be around someone who talks non-stop. I feel like it is sensory overload. I do love my down time to regroup. I also can't stand when people invaid my personal space.
I am not very artsy but I do feel sensative to my surroundings and notice things that many others don't.
I honestly feel so weird sometimes. My husband is wonderful to put up with all of my little quirks plus my IBS issues.
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Janey
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Oh Janey, I forgot about some of this until you mentioned it. People who are talkers, just exhaust me. I mean as in total exhaustion. I cannot wait to get away from them. I prefer peace and quiet most of the time. There is way too much noise in the world.
I too have the pillow/sheet thing. I have the hardest time sleeping anywhere but on my sheets with my pillow. The sheets are just too scratchy. When I go away, which I just did, I take my pillow and comforter, and my fan for white noise. I envy people who can just lay their head anywhere and sleep. I just can't do it.
I have always felt like I did not fit in. I too notice much that others do not. I am very intuitive and hypersensitive to people. I have been known to never seek out a person again, just based upon the first meeting.
Don't feel weird. There are others.
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Geri, I just went away and took my pillow. I suffer from migraines and if my pillow is too hard it will give me a headache. It is good to know that others feel the same way about things that I do. Maybe I am not as weird as I thought, 
The talking thing wears me out too. I don't mind a give and take conversation but someone who just talks and never listens is too much. There is nothing I love more than to be in my own home.
I do have this weird thing with wearing boots. I have always said my feet are claustraphobic because I have to be able to take my shoes off when I sit.
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Janey
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we are introverts...
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Thanks for all the input, Rachel. We're definitely trying to keep focused on positive things as much as possible!
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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I haven't posted on this board in quite a while because the environment became so negative, but occasionally I will check the forums in hopes of learning something new. I'm glad I found this thread!
Like those of you who posted, I am also extremely sensitive in all aspects of my life. I am an artist who notices little details others don't. I am extremely self-critical and hypersensitive to being judged by others. I pick up on others moods; I blame myself when people don't call me back or respond to my emails. I take to heart every bad thing that happens in my personal life or in the lives of people I care about. I have to dress for comfort - I hate clothes that are too tight, not just on my waistband, but even tightness around my legs in the form of stalkings or jeans. I've completely given up underwire bras for soft, light sports bras. I won't wear any shoes with a heel and I can't stand it when my hair touches my face.
I am also sensitive to fluctuations in temperature. I wear long pants and sleeves in the summer, tending toward the cold side, but I overheat quickly and feel terrible when I do. Changes in my blood sugar affect my mood and physical well being dramatically. I have perpetual knots in my neck and shoulders that cause frequent tension headaches.
I hate being in large crowds because I get overwhelmed easily, and I absolutely HAVE to have daily alone time. If I don't, I completely unravel.
So yeah, you could say I am sensitive. And I am absolutely sure that my IBS is related to all this.
A few things have helped me cope with my overall sensitivity. One is taking daily magnesium at bedtime. Another is acupuncture. And finally, therapy has helped me develop strategies to deal with my emotional sensitivity.
I am interested to know what percentage of IBSers fit into this type of profile and what that says about the cause of IBS.
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I am overly sensitive (emotionally especially) as well. All my friends are always telling me "stop being so sensitive!" I take everything to heart. I am sure this is related to my IBS. Sometimes my sensitivity makes me feel guilty about things I can't control and I think this is also related to my IBS. Im also very sensitive with clothes too, if I am not comfortable, sometimes I get a stomachache from that alone. Im also the same with crowds and especially loud noises! I can't stand noise. Makes me anxious.
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Hey there Jen, good to hear from you. HSP's aren't just sensitive folks, as in crying at a sad movie. And I think most are sensitive to a point. HSP's are hypersensitive to the world around them. The world just overwhelms them, and it certainly sounds like you.
I used to make lists for my days and I have come to realize that I can't schedule more than one or two tasks in a day. It has taken me some time to realize this. I am best when I just need to do one thing a day. At family get-togehters, afterward I am a mess for a week...need to hole up in the bedroom and do nothing. Its almost like sensory or nervous system overload.
If you get a chance, read the book that I spoke about in this thread. It will enlighten you. I believe she stated that this is about 20% of the population. I also think she said it has been added to the DSM as a diagnosis, but it has been awhile since I read the book.
Hope you are well!!! Geri
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Sounds like me through and through. I wish I could say that it gets better but it doesn't what I can tell you is that it helps when you get older to find a career that will not only allow you to use both the detail and creativity but one that requires it really helps to create an outlet.
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IBS-D with gas
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I like many others have always been sensitive in many ways, but not until my IBS took over my life have I become hyper sensitive to smell, chemicals, noises, crowds and many other things. I just feel like the IBS is such an overload already to my nervous system that I just can't handle anymore stimulus. Anyhow else become MORE sensitive after IBS?
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OMG is she my neice?! My neice is exactly the same and used to rip all her clothes off as soon as she got off of school and into the car. Tags and other touchy things bothered her a lot and she is also very artistic and has other sensitive and emotional traits. I can't remember the exact thing she was diagnosed with. It was very mild and sort of related to autism. Not anyway near autism but somewhere in the same family. She had treatment including skin brushing IIRC and is much better now at 12.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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kem,
Parent's Thoughts and Worries about Recurrent Abdominal Pain
http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/collateral/parents_thoughts_and_worries.pdf
Frequent stomachaches in children: a reason for concern?
http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/collateral/frequent_stomaches_in_children.pdf
You should REALLY watch this video.
https://uncfunctionalgi.net/xmedia/player.php
In IBS emotions are very important.
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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Kem, I wasn't able to read all the posts, but if someone didn't post this to you here, you should really watch it as well. Someone else posted it to the bb here, but wanted to make sure you saw it, because your daughter can find things to help and its good the earlier the better in life.
http://www.researchchannel.org/prog/displayevent.aspx?rID=26275&fID=1698
on the left you need to choose quicktime or windows media.
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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Wow...this is a great thread...just came across it! I, too am ULTRA sensitive and can relate to most of these posts...always have been!!
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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Just came across this!
I am hyper-sensitive too, body-wise, skin-wise, emotion-wise, temper-wise and am very perceptive. I also used to have mild depression and mild OCD a couple of years ago. I am absolutely aware that my IBS is due to psychological problems and the brain-gut component of the disease is definitely acutely valid in my case. My IBS started after a great emotional upheaval and I just know how my mood alters my bowel movements now and how my digestion always used to be hypersensitive as well. As for being artistic, I used to draw and was involved in all sorts of creative stuff when younger and I studied/work in the humanities now so I guess that would be true to a certain extent as well.
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Susie, born in 1985,
(pseudo-)D and bloating April 2007-December 2010, now stable
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I have become perhaps slightly more sensitive, but not too much. Esp if my IBS is under control I am just as sensitive as I used to be pre-IBS.
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Susie, born in 1985,
(pseudo-)D and bloating April 2007-December 2010, now stable
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