Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

You shouldn't just have to go on everyday suffering like this. In fact, non-stop pain and bowel dysfunction is not a characteristic of IBS - the diagnostic guidelines depend on pain and bowel dysfunction being intermittent. If there is any way possible to try and find a different GI specialist, perhaps at a teaching university, that may be something to pursue.

Also, since you're housebound, you're not likely to be getting much activity. Exercise is critical not just for good digestive health but also for preventing depression (to the extent that some studies have shown exercise to be as effective as anti-depressant drugs). Depression and bowel function can also be closely linked. So a lack of exercise, and depression, will only worsen your bowel problems, and then things are really in a vicious circle.

If you can get some yoga workout tapes from amazon.com you can use them at home. And if you can try to find a way to get the hypnotherapy tapes, I really think they'll help you. Shawneric posted on the hypno boards for you with Mike Mahoney's email, and noted that Mike tries to make the tapes available to people who have trouble affording them. You might follow up on this.

Best,
Heather

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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