I haven't been here in FOREVER.....I need some support....going through a rough time....
#306821 - 05/08/07 02:57 PM
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Nugget
Reged: 02/10/03
Posts: 2167
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It's been a long time since I last visited. I've missed all my friends here. Hope everyone is doing well.
I had to have a hysterectomy back in September and I did great for the first three months after surgery. I had absolutely NO IBS-D and NO anxiety. However, after three months of feeling great, the IBS-D and anxiety slowly started coming back. I've been battling getting the hormones balanced, and trying to figure out what will help my IBS-D and anxiety. I have an appointment with my gastroenterologist this Thursday to see what he suggests. I know the visit will go well, but I'm still nervous about it. My husband and I are planning an Oregon Coast road trip in July and am hoping to feel good by then so that I don't have to constantly keep my eyes open for a bathroom and can relax. I hope there is something they can prescribe that will help. Imodium helps, but I still have the urgency in the mornings. As for the anxiety, I had been on Effexor before surgery and was able to successfully get off of it after surgery....I don't want to go back on it again...so am trying to deal with the anxiety without medication. So frustrating.....Thanks for listening.... {{{hugs}}}}
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I don't remember seeing you around here before so I guess this means I am new to you. Anyway, I don't have any real advice to give you unfortunately, but I just want you to know I feel for you. Hope someone else here has some good advice and support to offer you.
/Ulrika, IBS-D
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thank you....I appreciate the support....
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Are you taking acacia or anything else?
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***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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no...I'm not taking supplements....not sure where to start?
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Hello! I may be a new face to you as well, but welcome back.
Have you tried hypnosis? It can help both with your D and with your anxiety.
Wishing you the best of luck and happy tummy thoughts.
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Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up! 
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no I haven't tried that. Thanks for the suggestion. A gal I work with told me that Magnesium helps anxiety. Have you heard that?
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Awww so sorry you are having a rough time. I can relate. Do you think that because you had your hysterectomy that you were focused so much on that and recovering that your IBS and Anxiety were kinda on the "back burner". I tend to do that. If I'm focused on another issue of my body (like when I had mono or the kidney stone) I had next to nothing IBS issues and my anxiety was kinda gone. Then as soon as it straightens out, BAM all comes back! Perhaps it is your hormones too since having the hysterectomy. Doc's should be able to get them straightened out with some kind of hormonal therapy.
I too battle anxiety and don't take meds for it. I'm kind of like you, I don't want to have to take anything but if it's just temporary to get you back on track then maybe you should go back on it for just a little while. I feel for you though because I know it is frustrating. My anxiety comes and goes and I get so mad when it comes. I saw a psychologist years ago and he did teach me some techniques(coginitive therapy). I however, only have general axiety.I'm not sure how severe yours is but I hope that you'll be able to keep battling it without the meds but if be it, and you have to start up the meds again, don't beat yourself up about it. Just think of it being a temporary thing HOpe you are feeling better real soon!
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~~~Lisa~~~
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Hi! Yes, I've heard that magnesium can help you to relax. A lot of the folks on these boards use a supplement called Natural Calm which is magnesium based. I can't tell you much about it as I live in the UK and it's not available over here. But I use magnesium citrate tablets at night to help me to relax and also it helps with C. I wouldn't recommend it for someone with D, though.
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Hi Lisa....
thanks for the input....I'd never thought about it that I may have just been so focused on getting well after surgery that I didn't have time to worry about my IBS-D and anxiety. Maybe that's what happened. I think, too, that some of it is hormonal. I am currently trying to get everything balanced with HRT. I am going the bioidentical route with creams from a compounding pharmacy. Have been using them for about a month and a half. I think I'm seeing slow improvement in some areas. It's been a long, frustrating road and learning experience. It all happened so fast....one week I found out I had a growth the size of a tennis ball inside me and the next week I was having a hysterectomy. Thankfully there was no cancer.
My anxiety is just general....not as bad as what some people go through, but still uncomfortable. What are some of the techniques you use? I have often thought that I will probably end up back on meds for it, but I hate to have to do that....am so in hopes that I can control it with out meds. Ya know?
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thanks for the information. I'll check into that Natural Calm and see what it is....or if it would help me.
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Hi Nuggett, I remember you! I am sorry to hear things aren't going so well at the moment. I understand not wanting to take drugs if you don't have to but sometimes, they are necessary. Are you seeing a good counselor?
I have not heard of magnesium for anxiety but I know they use it for fibro patients!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Hi Michele! Good to "see" you again.
No, I'm not currently seeing a counselor. I have in the past and I don't think I got much out of it....I didn't let her do her job because I was too skeptical, I think. I don't like to open up in person to someone I don't know....and it was extremely expensive....I know that's not a good excuse...I just wasn't comfortable.
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Be careful. Natural Calm is meant to help C. I think it would make D much worse. It even gives some C people D if they take too much. Just a warning. Magnesium in general has a laxitive effect.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
 
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thank you ....yes, I've heard that about magnesium. I'm kind of leary of taking it....if I do try it, I would only take a small dose.
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You might want to try hypno first, since that is like a magic bullet for anxiety. Do you ever get the feeling that there's a calm you and an anxious you, and you can't easily get back to the calm you when the anxiety hits? That's the way I felt, and hypno taught me how to calm myself in almost any situation.
--AC (and you can't beat a treatment that's a 20-minute nap!)
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yes...that's me! A calm me and an anxious me....the anxious me usually occurs in the morning just as my day starts....it gets better as the day goes along. Or I get anxious just before appointments or going somewhere...even to the store.
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Yep! And you really can't force yourself into calmness - I'd try and try and it just made me more anxious. But the hypno will teach you how to switch into calm mode and it is *so* nice. I'd definitely suggest giving it a shot!
--AC
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Some techniques......well to others it might seem silly but this is what I do to get myself calmed down or just to feel better. For one, I keep a paper bag in my car(my anxiety a lot of times is in the car when I'm driving alone...it's kinda one of my anxiety triggers)I've NEVER had to use the bag for hyperventilation, however, just knowing it's there makes me feel better. I did have a relaxation tape also that the doc made for me to use when driving or whenever. I haven't used it in years, in fact, I'm not sure if I still have it but it was just his calming voice telling me to breath in through my nose and out my mouth and just other calming words. I actually use that breathing when I have a bad IBS D flare up. It helps. I guess I've mentally been able to just talk myself out of an anxiety attack telling myself it's ok and that I can get myself out of the situation that's making me anxious and will be fine. I dread the day though that it doesn't work  Luckily it has been working and I've (knock on wood)never had a full blown anxiety attack. I've had anxiety for as long as I can remember but I wasn't officially diagnosed until I was 20 or 21 years old and I'm now 39.
BTW my friend who's 43 just went through the same exact thing with a hysterectomy. They were "watching" a growth on one of her ovaries for about 1 year now and that CA test that detects ovarian cancer kept getting higher and higher but yet they still never did a hysterectomy. Well she went in for a D&C and they saw the tumor getting bigger and wrapping around other organs so they finally gave her the hysterectomy! She has no children and thank goodness really didn't intend on having any anyway. But like you said, thank goodness it wasn't cancer!!!
Did you ever try the hypno tapes offeredy by heather? I'm seriously considering trying them. A lot of people seem to say they work. I guess you just have to really devote time to it and I'm not so sure I have the time. I may look into it though. Most times my IBS is triggered by anxiety so if I can get that controlled, maybe I won't have my IBS anymore 
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~~~Lisa~~~
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I'd start with acacia fiber.
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***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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I'm kinda just a lurker right now but I too did the hypno and I have been through some seriously stressful situations over the past three months (Including dealing with an unhappy/bitchy fiance constantly for about four months) and stress that would usually make me violently ill for weeks had no effect on me.. The food triggers don't seem to be as much of a problem (not going to over dose but it's still a start) AND the only thing that did cause me to get ill was when Ben and I were fighting and just about called off the wedding (which is June 2nd of this year) The tapes are amazing.. I also find that being a chronic planner seems to help with my anxiety.. If I have a plan then I feel much better..
I'm an IBS D and I got into the habit of constantly having wet wipes in my purse incase I ever had an attack in public and now.. I don't even feel like I need that around me all the time like I used to.. the tapes really do help and I can't stress that enough.. (or at least they really turned my life around)
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wow...that's great that you are doing so well. Congratulations, too, on your upcoming wedding. I hope all goes well and you have a wonderful day and happy marriage.
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thanks....i think i'll order some....how much do you take?
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i do try to do deep breathing when I'm feeling nervous and it does help a bit. I bought the hypno CD set from this web site a long time ago and got quite aways through them, but never finished. I just couldn't find the time to fit them in without making myself feel guilty for taking some "me" time. Ya know? Nobody ever made me feel guilty...my husband was totally supportive....it was just me putting pressure on me. Tonight I'm real down in the dumps for some reason....I think it's because of mothers day. I don't know what anyone's plans are. Both my mother and my mother in law live here in the same town and they aren't worried about it....so I don't know why I am...Guess I'll just wait and see what everyone wants to do. I've done all the worrying about it in the past and I'm not going to do it this year. Let someone else decide how we are going to fit everyone in for time together.
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I take 1.5 teaspoons a day but that is a pretty low dose. Most people need more. There's a link on the diet forum posted to the top of the page with info on acacia and how to increase your dosage.
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***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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thanks for the info....I just ordered some tonight. Will post tomorrow after I go see my gastroenterologist. Went for a long bike ride tonight and am not so nervous now, but who knows what tomorrow morning will bring....I also have a health day blood screening tomorrow at work in the morning, so have to fast for 12 hours and then my Dr. appt. is just after lunch....
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Nugget, you (and everyone else) deserves at least 30 minutes of doing whatever the heck pleases them every single day. No wonder you're feeling down in the dumps if you don't give yourself even that much slack.
--AC (who does whatever the heck she pleases at least an hour a day, darn it!)
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thanks for the kick in the butt. I do go to Curves for 30 minute workout three times a day and my hubby and I went for 3 mile bicycle ride last evening, but to just lay down and do nothing...I don't do that enough.
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my appointment with my gastroenterologist is in two hours. I'm nervous. Trying to calm myself down. I know everything will go well....and it's just a visit...no extensive tests or anything like that. I had my blood drawn this morning for a health day screening here at work...so if the doc wants any blood tests that's already done...don't know why I get so nervous about these things....I wish I was normal and didn't let things get to me...then my gut would be just fine.
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Hey, I'll dole out kicks in the behind as needed.  I get very blue when I don't take time for myself - not for self-improvement, but for pure enjoyment. Now hypno is not as fun as sitting down with a good book and a bowl of baked potato chips, but it ain't bad!
I don't know anyone who doesn't get nervous going to the doctor, especially a GI doc! As a wise woman once told me, "don't compare your insides to other people's outsides". There's very few people out there who enjoy talking about their guts with doctors with probes.....
--AC
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thanks for making me laugh before I go to my appointment. I leave in 10 minutes. I needed that! {{{hugs}}}
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I'm back from my appointment....all went well....I didn't get to see my gastroenterologist himself...saw his assistant, but she is real nice, too. She suggested increasing fiber. And since it has been 11 years since my colonoscopy, she suggested getting that done again, too because colon cancer runs in my family. The last scope I had showed diverticulosis, and she thinks it might be acting up and the increased fiber will help it. I asked her about Acacia but she wasn't familiar with it. She is more familiar with Metimucil, but she said I could give the Acacia a try. I ordered some last night. I told her I don't want to do the colonoscopy right now because we have a 2 week vacation coming up in July and I'm 8 months since my hysterectomy and I don't want that extra expense right now. She said that was fine...to schedule in the Fall. As for the anxiety...she said to keep doing what I'm doing with the HRT to get the hormones balanced and keep exercising and eating right. She also gave me a prescription for Lomotil....
thanks for all your support! I always get worried for nothing....
Edited by Nugget (05/10/07 01:32 PM)
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