Co-Workers, outta my way! ATTACK AT WORK!
#74607 - 05/29/04 01:51 PM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hello all,
Well, it's happened to me again! Another attack in an unpleasant situation. If you remember, the last bad attack I had out in public was at the mall - which I thought was bad enough - but today it struck at an even worse time: While I was working!
As I have been moaning about lately, I have suddenly gotten attacks of liquid D and am trying to stabalise. I had to go to work today, though, and I didn't realise that it was an England Football day today. England Football = Very busy pubs! So when I got to work and found out, I knew I would have a helluva time going home if I needed to. So I started working, and felt suprisingly fine.. for about an hour. All of a sudden.. well, you all know.. the cramps and rumblings, and 'uh oh' feeling and told a girl to watch my tables while I was up to the bathrooms.
Without going into too much detail, it was bad. I was cramping up so badly that I started crying and panicking in the stall. Eventually, it finally stopped and I went back to work. My plan was to just go home, but I am so scared of asking to leave, or calling in sick that when I passed my boss and he said, "How are you doing?" (he didn't know I wasn't feeling well, just saying hi) I just said, "Good, you?" and carried on! I took an immodium, even though I have been trying not to since last time it sent me to such bad C, which resulted in even worse D... oy...
So I went back to work, and had quite the terrible day. The guys here seem to just turn idiot while watching football and really annoyed me all day. They kept knocking into me on purpose, getting in my way, stealing drinks off my tray... I have to say that I used up my entire swearing quota for the year today until they finally backed off. I am not a nice girl at work sometimes!
By the time it was time to go home, I was exhausted and so annoyed!
Am at home now, feeling a bit better but still irritable. I have to go into work tomorrow -on my day off- at 10 AM to have a 2 hour training session! I have been waitressing for soooo long, and I am going to get trained by a girl who has been working in pubs for 4 months! I know it's a stupid thing to be mad about, but I have been feeling so crappy and could have used that day to just sleep in and not think about work but instead I have to go in and have someone tell me how to serve drinks, when I've been doing it since I was legally allowed to work! <-- Uh, sorry, didn't mean to get into a bit of a rant there..
Still haven't heard anything from my police admin job, though so I will go my stupid training session, and go back in again on Monday and keep swearing at customers because we are allowed to, customer service isn't what it is in North America!
Anyway, cross your fingers for me that I'll be D free tomorrow, at least until my training is done and I can come back home to boyfriend and bed and computer! Hope you're all having a good weekend!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Hey Steph,
That sucks getting attacks at work  But good on you for making it through the day, you're braver than I!
Hang in there and I hope you feel better soon!
Kelly
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Oh Im sorry Steph that really does suck, and I dont know how you can put up with all that garbage you have to put up with at work. I often feel my worst and work because I guess I'm more stressed and don't feel as comfortable. How sympathetic are your boss/coworkers to your tummy probs because it really sounds like you need a day of rest, not training for something you already know how to do!!!! 
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I know exactly how you feel I had a really BAD D attack at work also still don't feel well but I can sympathize with you it sucks being like that at work! Hope you're feeling better and I hope you are D free at your training!!!
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Steph, I can't believe you're going through this all over again. Does it happen JUST at work? Or is that just a coincidence? This is like the third or fourth time!
I'm just wondering if there's a connection here. If it's just at work, well, I'd say maybe we need Michael's help. If it's not, then we need to find out what you're eating that's causing this.
Don't I recall a post of yours in which you were thinking about your SFS as a possible culprit? Or did I dream it? Was it someone else? What's your dosage?
I had the exact same problem, you might recall, at the fabric store, remember? Then it happened again at the Post Office, and again at the antique shop. It turned out that I was taking too much Acacia. AND, I was trying to increase it even MORE at the time! That's when lights finally went off. I stopped taking it the following morning, and for the first time in ages I had no symptoms whatsoever. I took it that night, and the symptoms returned.
Give it a try and see if that doesn't make a difference. And, damnitalltohell, can we light a fire under the Police Department?!
Bevvy
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Bev! Help!
#74711 - 05/30/04 03:31 AM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hi Bev!!
To answer your questions, nope - it doesn't just happen at work. Do you remember my attack at the mall? And on the bus? Oy... But yeah, I still get attacks when I am at home, but I don't mind them so much as attacks at work. Even on my days off, I am getting D attacks, but I guess I am sort of getting more used to 'em 'cause I just watch some TV and sulk in bed for a while and get on with it... It's at work that it really bothers me for the obvious reasons.. it's embarassing, I can't get any rest, or food/drinks if I want them, the anxiety of being stuck there.. you know the drill.
As for Acacia, yeah, I was trying to up my dosage when I got a bit C, and was suddenly really bad D and wondered if I should blame the Acacia. I think I posted, asking you about dosage, but it got lost pretty fast - darn time zones! Anyway, I am only taking 1 tsp a day now, and that's before dinner. I added 1/2 a tsp to the mornings, before I eat my toast and have my tea. You had mentioned that maybe I had the same problem as you, that my dosage was too high but mine would still only be up to 1.5 tsp a day, over 2 doses - that seems like such a small amount! Since I've been feeling so bad, I stopped doing the morning one and am back to just taking a tsp before dinner.
I am getting really confused.. all I had to eat yesterday before my attack was fennel tea, white toast with a tiny bit of honey (that's what I have every morning) and then a bunch of pretzels, spread out over the morning/lunchtime. The day before I had white rice, and chicken breast in teriaky sauce (which I've had a thousand times without problems). I don't feel any new stress right now (I am way more chilled out than I was say 2 months ago), my period's not near, I'm getting tons of sleep, a normal amount of exercise... My head is just spinning.
Even now, my tummy is really rumbling and acting up and I had grilled chicken breast after rice and white bread for dinner last night.
Any words of wisdom for me now? Should I re-start my food diary? I was doing one for a long time, but stopped a while ago when I couldn't figure out any patterns from it.. I need to be more demanding about some 'me' time too, so I can get back on the hypno wagon.
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Stress with Steph
#74712 - 05/30/04 04:00 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Well, Pretty Lady, it doesn't sound like you're O.D.-ing on the SFS. And only an occasional glass of wine? You're not drinking any coffee, are you? Even decaf? That would do it.
You don't mention anything about fruit or veggies. Maybe you need to try a fruit smoothie or some vegetable soup?
I don't know, Steph, I really don't. There's obviously something going on here; you should be stable by now, and you obviously are not. You mentioned getting on to the hypno wagon. Have you started Michael's tapes? I think "getting on the wagon" is a good idea.
I know you said you didn't feel stressed out, but I sense it in your posts. You've got that awful job to deal with, and that's stress enough (are customers still grabbing you?!), but you've also been waiting for the Police Dept. to come through -- for MONTHS now -- and that's just added stress that you don't realize. I personally had stress over anticipating the inevitable attack when I was on the road (such as the bus, the mall, etc.), and the anxiety would bring on an attack. Michael took care of that problem for me.
You don't mention family issues that could cause stress, maybe stress you don't realize you're carrying around with you? At least you recognize that you need more "ME" time; that's a good sign. I hope you find a way to get it. I also hope you get on the "hypno wagon."
Going back to your food journal is a good idea -- if it helped you at all before, it'll help you again -- but I think there's more going on than food.
What kind of antispasmodic and/or anti-diarrheal are you on? Hyoscyamine? Donnatal? Peppermint caps? It sounds like you could use some Lomotil or at least Imodium.
Honey, I've run out of ideas. Maybe it's time to go back to the doctor; you need some help. Keep us posted.
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Hi Bev,
Nope, no wine at all. I've never been a coffee drinker - even decaf. I've had tummy aches since I was little and my mom always said coffee gives you ulcers so I never drank it. 
I admit I try and avoid veggies I'm not sure of 'cause I am so afraid of it giving me even worse D then I already have.. I eat carrots and peas and when I make sauces, I use onions and tomatoes and garlic and stuff, but in small amounts. Oh, and I eat mushrooms sometimes. I eat apple sauce, and peeled apples, I eat tinned peaches and pears.. but again, that's after rice and stuff and not that often, and when I haven't just been sick..
I did start Michael's tapes, but I kept getting interupted, or being just tired and going to sleep without listening to them first.. I got about 2 weeks in, and then stopped.. I'll try and start again this week.
I guess you're right, there are a bunch of stressful circumstances... I think it's just that things seem less stressful then they did a while back. I don't know if you remember but I had big stress with my family in Canada, and feeling stuck in England and guilt trips on either side.. I guess that since that cooled down a bit, I thought I wasn't stressed anymore... I suppose that's not exactly true. And yeah, I still get grabbed at work.. but I'm starting to like it.. JUST KIDDING! 
As for meds, I am taking an anti-spasmodic called Merbentyl but my GI didn't perscribe me enough until my next apt. so I have to run to my GP on Tuesday and get some more, as I am not taking as much as I should... though even when I was, it wasn't that effective after the first few days. I take immodium before I go to work usually, but I know now not to take 2 as it sent me the other way for about 4 days, followed by the worst D I've had in a looong time. Oy.
My next appointment with my GI is on the 8th of June, but to be honest, I am not even bothered.. The doc I saw last time was such a.. well, she didn't even know what lactose intolerance was, and she just basically did nothing. She wouldn't look at my food diary, poked around in my stomach a bit, didn't order any tests, said she couldn't tell me about diet or exercise.. nothin'. I don't even know why I'll bother the trip out there, to be honest. Whatever.
I've run out of ideas too, I am just hoping I don't get all depressed and anxious about it again, as that's sort of the worst part, once life just stops.
If anyone else has any ideas, I'll take 'em... 'til then, I guess I am just out of luck for a while.
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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I'm Not Giving Up
#74726 - 05/30/04 05:51 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Steph, it's not "whatever." You need better medical help. You have to go back to the doc and be more assertive. That lady doc didn't help you -- I remember -- you need to find someone else.
And I also think Michael can help you if you stick with him. Two weeks isn't nearly long enough. I've been thinking about this since my last post, and I also remember the tug-of-war with your family, and even though it might have lightened up a little, there's just an incredible amount of stuff in your life that's extremely stress-inducing; at least it would be for me. I just SOOOOO hate that job of yours! It reminds me of Linzy's -- both of you have the WORST jobs, very stressful situations, she's got that awful fibro working against her on top of the IBS, I just don't know how you guys can do it.
Please find time for yourself, Steph, and spend some of that with Michael. How long has it been since you were together? I think I'd just start all over again. He helped me so much, I just want the same thing for you.
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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So sorry you had such a bad day!!!!!! I hope you can curl up and feel better soon!
Good vibes being sent your way now!!!!!!!
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