Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

The gastrointestinal symptoms you describe could possibly be a result of anxiety alone, as stress has the potential to effect the body/mind and manifest in unbelievable ways! I found that my IBS developed more gradually, but if you think it is a possibility, try eliminating fats (the nuts, if you eat any dairy) and significantly reduce the insoluble fiber (the salad, mostly all leafy greens, celery, tomatoes) as well as the whole wheat products, whether it is bread, pasta, crackers, etc. These are all potentially problematic for many IBS sufferers, though it varies. Carbonated beverages, caffeine, and alcohol are triggers too. Though I am not a professional, I don't think that anti-depressants should be at all causal of IBS; if anything, I have heard of using anti-depressants as a treatment because it alters neurotransmitters which is helpful as IBS is a brain-gut dysfunction. More important than all of this though is that the mind plays a very integral role in this (and any) disorder or ailment as far as I have observed, so try to remain relaxed! Good luck!

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21, female, Long Island, NY
school in Kingston, RI

IBS-C, abdominal pain, gas, bloating, cramping; acid reflux; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue syndrome; chronic headaches

"Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

"Suffering arises ... whenever we resist the flow of life and try to cling to fixed forms..., whether they are things, events, people, or ideas."

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