I've been doing a lot of thinking.....
#323342 - 01/27/08 04:08 PM
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Nugget
Reged: 02/10/03
Posts: 2167
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Does anyone here NOT obsess about the little things? Are all of us IBSers prone to worrying? I wonder if people who "go with the flow" and don't stress, have IBS. I wonder, too if things in my past has caused my IBS? Such as living in a house full of cigarette smoke when I was growing up. (I have never smoked) I wonder if having a mother who stresses easily triggered something in me when I was a kid and it sticks with me regardless of what I do to get rid of that tendancy to stress out easily. I wonder if I was just a laid back person if I would be IBS free?
Does anyone else wonder? 
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It's interesting that you should say that, I also grew up in a house full of cigarette smoke, and a mother who stressed very easily. In fact she has Major Depressive Disorder, and was even briefly hospitalized for it when I was about 5 or 6. My parents fought constantly, and separated for awhile when I was young, then finally divorced after my sister and I grew up and left home. I don't know what it is like to grow up in a "relaxed" environment. Jeesh - I almost suppose it's no wonder my intestines are a big bundle of nerves! I always used to consider myself a fairly laid back person, but that's because everything was internalized. I still haven't learned how to un-internalize it - if that's even a word! 
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IBS-A since age 12, and fructose sensitive; with the exception of my pregnancy, have been following Heather's diet since Nov. 19, 2007.
Taking 12g of Acacia per day. Relatively stable since March 2008!
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Erilyn...
I, too, internalize EVERYTHING! I wish I could find a way not to, but I've been that way my whole life. Everyone thinks I'm laid back, but inside I'm a ball of nerves. I think that's most of my problem along with a few incidents as a child that have (I believe) caused me to be nervous about going ANYWHERE, being around lots of people, birthdays, etc. But nobody realized how much these things bother me.
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In my opinion, thoughts like these are because IBS is a stigmatized syndrome. Medical professionals will tell you it's made up, you can't discuss it publicly because it's largely about poop, etc. Do people with asthma worry that their personality is causing their asthma? Do people with red hair attribute that to their mom's consumption of shrimp when they were in the womb? 
I think my IBS is largely genetic and I've had it my whole life. It's not going away, even though it may sometimes go in remission. I deal with it, and the lovely people in my life deal with it, and its part of who I am. A sucky part, but a part. I would hate for people to start making judgments about the rest of my personality based on my IBS.
I can understand the wish to find a cause and a cure for one's IBS, but I personally think it's less helpful than figuring out how to deal the best I can with it.
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Quote:
Erilyn...
I, too, internalize EVERYTHING! I wish I could find a way not to, but I've been that way my whole life. Everyone thinks I'm laid back, but inside I'm a ball of nerves. I think that's most of my problem along with a few incidents as a child that have (I believe) caused me to be nervous about going ANYWHERE, being around lots of people, birthdays, etc. But nobody realized how much these things bother me.
With me it's paranoia which is very real to me, but everyone else just laughs it off as if it's all in my head (which it probably is), but I can't stop thinking about the what ifs, and get stressed out about it, like what if I was accused of something I didn't do nor intend to do.
Come to think of it, my symptoms haven't appeared since Highschool, and it started up again after that event (combined with fatty and fried foods).
Edited by Heather (01/30/08 12:42 PM)
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I'm going to make the kind of statement I used to snort at, but I no longer believe that anything can be separated out as just in the mind or just in the body. Even a broken bone, to use an example which is so obviously a "body" problem, still affects your mind. You'd still be upset about breaking it, your brain has processed all of these pain signals, and is relearning to do everyday activities while your arm is in a sling, etc.
So, I think yes, all of those things you cite may have affected your gut, and by the same token, the fact that you have IBS, could be contributing to your "stressing out" more often. It could be that a drastic change to either the stress or your gut would also affect the other. I imagine that if I were sure of my ability to digest just about anything, I wouldn't be the nervous wreck that I often am!
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Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Hawkeye, you are absolutely right! I agree completely.
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IBS-A since age 12, and fructose sensitive; with the exception of my pregnancy, have been following Heather's diet since Nov. 19, 2007.
Taking 12g of Acacia per day. Relatively stable since March 2008!
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Forgive me for forgetting your real name! I've been on and off the boards like you for several months! How have you been? How's the baby? I do remember that you live in
Texas and had your shower here in PA at the Crayola factory! Why can't I remember your name !?!??!?!??!? It will come to me...
Anyhow, you couldn't have said your last post any better!! It's exactly how I feel too. I have IBS, it ain't going away and my family and friends don't look at me any differently because I have this dreaded distruption in my life. I dunno, maybe we are just lucky!!
Take care. Great to hear from ya!
I'm gonna cheat and look back at my old posts and remember your name!
Jenny! That's it!
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~~~Lisa~~~
Edited by LittleLisa (01/28/08 07:30 PM)
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very well put, Hawk....If I didn't have to think every minute of every day about how my body was going to react to the food I put in it, I would surely be able to live a more stress-free life.
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