Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Heat is #1, pressure on my belly #2

Hello Kata! Thanks for the question-- I have a lot to write on the subject as it's taken my years to figure all this stuff out. If I can help one person with my info, i'm psyched...

As for heat, I have to be in a place where I can control my climate. Like I said, All Things Being Equal, my stomach will go out 100% of the time if I overheat. I can do everything right, but once that wave of heat comes, I'm DONE for.

I chalk it up to my actual IBS symptoms. I'm a D-- When I get an attack, the first thing I get is a fever.

Then I get a short, sharp pang in my stomach (it feels like an alien from the movie Alien scratching my stomach, trying to get out.) What it is really is trapped gas expanding in my bowels, tearing at my organs as it expands. Very painful and Not Fun.

Then the stomach pangs get harder and closer together. They can start at 14 minutes apart, then 10 and so on til they're on top of each other. I can time them, like Lamaze class where you time baby contractions. If I go to the toilet and push before they're 1 minute apart, nothing comes and I end up tiring myself out...

I have to wait until the contractions are on top of each other before I release my bowels (*unclench*, *explode!*

) before I can expect any relief.

As you can figure out, I can eat up a day pretty quickly in 14 minute increments, having an attack.

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The reason I think heat is my #1 trigger if that it imitates me spiking a fever, the first symptom of my attacks. I think the heat is tricking my body into believing that I'm going into full attack mode!

Pressure on my belly is the #2 trigger of my attacks. I again believe that the stomach pain is tricking my body into going into full attack. Pressure on my belly from tight jeans (ugh), seatbelts (double ugh!), my nephew sitting on my lap (NEVER AGAIN!! Try motivating a quick exit to the toilet while grimacing through an attack with a 6 year old on you and his mother next to you! Not fun!!)

So like I said, being in control of my environment is huuuge.

I drive everywhere so I'm the master of my a/c. In college I made sure I had complete control of the heat + a/c unit for my single room! It helped so much.

I also wear baggy tops and layers, so I can strip down if I'm hot and hide my poochy belly if I decide I have to unzip my pants in mixed company. Happens a lot.

Hope this helps!

~nelly~

P.S. Oh, in case you're wondering, my #3 trigger is my diet and meds. Gotta take those Imodium as preventatives and stay away from the lactose, insoluble fiber and Mystery Food!!! Overeating is especially bad too. Like I said, all things being equal...

[Homer Simpson] Mmmm, Mystery Fooood...! [/Homer Simpson]

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