I'm new! Help!
#360134 - 08/06/10 11:32 AM
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LindsayW
Reged: 08/06/10
Posts: 5
Loc: Indiana
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I'm not sure if I'm on the right message board or not but I'm new to this and need help. I just started reading Heather's books and taking the acacia fiber and drinking the teas. I'm really at a loss right now. My wonderful Mother stumbled on Heather's website after I was just about ready to give up from being sick. I have been sick for years (now looking at attacks that happened in childhood that we just thought were "stomach bugs"). I had my gallbladder removed in Dec of '06 and continued to be ill. The dr's just wanted to treat me for "stress" partially due to the fact that I am a young female with a stressful job. I finally got them to take me seriously right before 5 agonizing days in the hosp and one of the worst "flare-ups" in my life. By the time they got me in the ER, I wished I could die because I was in soooo much pain. I am used to the pain and usually just like to be alone but this time I was screaming out for help. I have lost almost 40 lbs in less than 3 months and am still in pain. They diagnosed me with IBS and just want to pump me full of meds and that's it. I feel so frustrated because people look at me and say, "IBS??..oh, I have that" or "my brother has that". I'm sure I will find answers in the book as I read, but I'm just looking for some people that can really relate to what I'm going through, not diminish it. I desperately want to get back to my active lifestyle but the frequency of my illness is causing such fatigue. I thank God that I have a wonderful staff that works for me (I manage a FI branch) because there are days that I have to go to the back room and lay down in the floor and sleep. I've always been a healthy eater (realizing now that my salad eating and whole grain eating has actually not been a good thing). I already don't eat red meat or pork and definitely eat low fat. I'm too tired to exercise which ticks me off because I love to work out and I know that it would help me. I know this is a long post but I'm just looking for answers and people who can relate. Thanks.
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Hi, LindsayW,
I'm responding to you because the recent "flare up" you describe sounds very much like what my daughter went through in June. It still freaks me out to recall and I only was a witness! (I write here as opposed to her writing because I've been the one combing the internet, since she's only 12!) AND my daughter lost a lot of weight prior to the "big one." AND she previously ate (and loved) an organic, vegetarian diet that Dr. Ornish would envy. AND she, too, became too sick to exercise. AND she too has been deeply wounded by well-meaning people who diminished her very real pain (including a few MDs, I might add).
Well, besides the fact that we can obviously relate to your story (!), here's what I really want you to know: Today my daughter is "stable," as the folks on this list say - not completely out of the woods, but she has been nearly completely pain-free for a couple of weeks. That alone is huge, because she was as you described. It certainly HAS to be that if one person can climb out, so can the others, even if their paths may vary. Actually, for me, one of the most helpful things about what I've found on Heather's site has been the knowledge that apparently LOTS of folks have climbed back out. Surely, Heather, herself, for one! Thank goodness for all of them, and thanks to all of them for letting us desperate ones know that it's do-able! There are too many people out there who doubt that or outright deny it, so thank goodness for those who speak up!
[In case it helps you to know, in our particular case, Heather's diet and advice appear to have been the key factors in calming wicked spasms and pain. Sorry to say that it took much longer than expected; perhaps we were in a worse situation than most. We are currently employing multiple alternative tools and very seriously anticipate being able to return to eating without restrictions AND without pain, too.]
May your journey be quick and painless from this point!
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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Thank you for the encouraging words. Does your daughter have gallbladder problems? Even though I have always been extrememly health conscious and have never consumed alot of fats, I still ended up with gallstones.
Thanks again.
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You wrote:
Does your daughter have gallbladder problems?
No, in her case they've not been able to find anything abnormal, at all, including gallbladder trouble, and that is one of the first things they checked. Sorry to hear that you had to have the surgery and then this, too. Yikes!
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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Well, thank you for responding to me. I am excited to continue reading the book and to stay on this site and see what helps other people.
Thanks,
LindsayW
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I understand where you're coming from about relating. My own symptoms are not as bad as yours but when I read that one of out five people have IBS, well, lets just say they don't seem to have the same kind of IBS that I do, since having an upset stomach two or three times a month doesn't seem quite in the same league.
Stress is a factor in increasing symptoms but for me anyway the IBS itself is the source of nearly all the stress. Many people have seen great success with the hypno tapes. I haven't used them but on this board there are many testimonials to it's effectiveness on the mental/emotional side of IBS.
Finally, I hope that you start to see stabilization when you incorporate more of the EFI diet. The best thing I did was the acacia. I think that's half the battle right there.
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Yes it is so draining and like a vicious cycle....the stress contributes to IBS and the IBS contributes to the stress.
I'm glad to hear the Acacia is working for you. I am just starting to increase my dosage. I have the "D" under control but still battle nausea every day and pain in my right side.
Thanks for responding.
LindsayW
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