My First Time on The Boards
#88498 - 07/10/04 09:39 AM
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jeenerz
Reged: 07/10/04
Posts: 212
Loc: Northwest Montana
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Well, I have finally logged in. I have been reading the Message Boards for months, but just have never gotten involved. It has been such a source of help to me and hopefully, my experiences with IBS will, in turn, help others. I have IBS-D and have struggled with it intensely for about the last year, although I have had problems in the past, especially when I was a teenager and then again, soon after I was married. However, for the past 20 yrs. or so I had been fairly symptom free--could eat whatever I wanted. Then about 5 years ago, I began having some problems and had a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with IBS, which would go along with earlier diagnosis of colitis and spastic colon. I started to watch what I ate, and still functioned pretty normally. Then about a year ago, things all caved in and I began to have severe problems 3-4x/week. That's when I found your website and ordered Heather's Books and the acacia. Bottom line is that I have learned to take one day at a time. If I'm going to have problems, it's always within the first 2 hrs of the morning and so I can't plan on anything for early morning and it has changed my life in so many ways. My doc has me on librax for the spasms and when they do hit, immodium seems to help stop them. I have levsin on hand, but that doesn't always work. I have very slowly increased my intake of acacia and was at 7tsp/day, but seemed to be having more problems this past week, so I've cut back down to 5 tsp/day. IBS is such a discouraging disease. Just when I think I have it down what I can and can't eat, I eat something on my 'can' list and have problems....there just doesn't seem to by any rhyme or reason to this thing. At any rate, I'm looking forward to actually chatting with many of you, whom I already feel I know.
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Just wanted to welcome you to the boards!  So glad you decided to log in and really join us! IBS is frustrating and discouraging, isn't it? I've really found this board to be an invaluable resource, both in terms of actual helpful suggestions, and just the support - it's nice to have people to turn to who actually KNOW what you're going through.
Anyway, welcome!
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SO! YOU'RE one of them there "anonymous" people we see all the time in "Who's OnLine"?! I always wonder who they are.
Anyway, glad you finally joined us! We're a wild crew. If you don't believe me, check out The Living Room! Oy.
Well, it certainly sounds like you've done quite well on your own. Congratulations! I got Heather's book first, long before I discovered these Boards, and following it wasn't difficult, but I got a LOT better once I came on Board.
I am a D person also -- AND I too have my worst problem in the mornings. Ya know, I think I finally figured it out, though. An empty tummy can trigger an attack. Since we don't eat all nite long, I think we're most vulnerable in the morning when we first get up. Ironically, that's when I'm least hungry -- I never want breakfast -- but if I don't eat, I'll get an attack. Also, I don't like to eat just before bed, and in fact I try to go at least two hours after eating before retiring. Well, by the morning when I get up, it's been 10 hours since I've had food -- way too long. So what I did this morning, when I got up at 2:00 a.m., in an effort to prevent a morning attack, I had a slice of toast (soluble fiber), then went right back to bed. When I got up at 8:00, no attack! I had a slice of toast (more soluble fiber) for breakfast around 9:00, and no problems at all. What a treat!
I admit I'm kind of forcing the toast, because I'm not hungry, but if it'll prevent an attack, it's worth it.
Now, having said all that, I think it works the same with Heather's acacia. We're supposed to take it when we first get up. Now I know why.
Yes, my morning "bouts" have played havoc with my life as well. Had to give up my job. But now, I just don't plan anything until noon. Nail appointment? Noon. Hair appointment? Noon. Meeting the girlfriend? Noon.
I just figure, hey, I'm gonna work AROUND this damn IBS thing. Ya know?
Okay, rambling over.
Welcome to the Boards! (And see what I mean? We're all crazy.)
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Hopefully you will post a picture soon - I think it really helps to see a face.
I did the same thing as you - read the boards for months and tried the diet (I figured had nothing to lose by trying it - the doctors sure weren't giving me much help at that point) All anonymously - but boy did I glean from the wisdom and encouragement from others!
Welcome hope to "see" you again soon.
Leigh
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Welcome!! I'm so glad you decided to join us!! And so glad you've been finding the site helpful.
I see from your profile that like me, you come from a family of stomach problems! My sister was diagnosed with IBS first, which is what gave me the clue! We both agree that Mom has it too, but Mom won't admit it!! And my dad had terrible heartburn all his life. So I totally relate!
Looking forward to getting to know you!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Thanx for your note. I just read your note yesterday about getting attacks when your stomach is too empty. I have tried eating a couple of saltines before bedtime to see if it helps. Usually after dinner I don't eat again until about 9:00am when my tummy settles down. I, too am definitely NOT hungry first thing in the am. I usually get up at 5:30am and do my weight aerobics (which usually involves at least one trip to the 'little room'. Then I shower and get ready for work. My daily BM's are always in the morning and so sometimes I get away with just a couple of times with no spasms and other times it goes into what I like to call a 'spastic attack', where the cramps and urge begins to come pretty regularly. I have beat my head against the wall as to why the mornings are when it hits. I generally never have any attacks after eating meals; it usually waits until the next morning. The only 'good' thing I see about this whole thing is that if I do have a bad attack, the next morning I can pretty much plan on it being a good morning, because I got all cleaned out the morning before if you get my drift. AT any rate, I am going to try forcing myself to eat in the am when I first get up and see if it makes a difference. Usually I have lots of nausea in the am as well and that makes it even harder to eat. But it's worth a try.
One more question for you; you also said in one of your posts that you had to cut back on the amount of acacia you were taking because it began to give you problems. Just how much are you on now. thanx and looking forward to hearing from you
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I'm working on a picture; hopefully I'll get one on soon. It definitely does help to 'see' who we're talking to, doesn't it? Thanx for your welcome...Janene
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Welcome
#88588 - 07/10/04 04:59 PM
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bigblue
Reged: 05/30/04
Posts: 95
Loc: New Jersey...USA
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Came to the right place. I`ve been IBS D for 3 years. Since joining the message boards & have both of Heathers books I `ve seen a vast improvement in my daily life. There are alot of helpful people here. The support is really tremendous especially when not everyone (doctors included)don`t understand. I still have my bad days but thats because of trial & error. Not every IBS person is the same. I started w/acacia fiber, Fennel tea for bloating, & peppermint tea . These little changes helped alot. Welcome & ask ask ask away. Good luck! 
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From Heather's book, I got the suggestion to have a SFS right before bed to prevent "empty tummy" spasms. I think my symptoms have improved, so you might want to give this strategy a try.
Welcome aboard!
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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SFS for Jeenerz
#88601 - 07/10/04 05:56 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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How much am I taking now? Well, uh . . . gee . . . how can I say this?
Well . . . I'm not taking very much. 
Okay, I'm not taking any. I'll probably start back on Acacia sometime soon, but for awhile I'm off all of it. You see, I had a bad time of it with the Acacia at more than the max. dosage -- a REAL bad time, almost to the point where I was once again home-ridden, afraid to leave the confines of this place for fear of having another urgent D attack.
Then I went on Benefiber. Oh, my body did not like Benefiber! Wowwwweeeeeowwww! I had the WORST cramps every morning, right after taking my morning dosage. I cut out the Benefiber, and my cramps went away.
Now I'm just gunshy. But that's ME, not you. I'm just overly sensitive I think. I do intend to get back on Acacia, I know it's beneficial, and I think it's the answer to those morning rumblings -- that's why Heather says to take it in the mornings. However, hubby's pretty ticked off with me about all the different SFS I've been on, and thinks I should give my body a break since it obviously doesn't like the stuff. I'll get back on the Acacia when he's not looking.
About those morning attacks: I believe it was ShawnEric or Michael -- I don't recall which -- who said something about them being brought on by our subconscious. We're used to having morning cramps; it's fed into our subconscious, so that's what our subconscious does every morning -- cramp up our tummies. What we have to do is record a different record up there so that the mind learns a different routine, that it's not going to have morning cramps anymore. Michael's hypnotherapy program ROCKS!
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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