Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Welcome to the Boards. I used to commute into NYC (before I had IBS, thankfully). It was stressful enough then and I can imagine how nerve-wracking it must be with IBS. The diet and SFS should help more as you get further along with them, but in the meantime here are some thoughts.

I agree - definitely try the Immodium - perhaps a capsule (or 1/2 capsule) before bed, then another in the morning.

You could also try peppermint capsules - they're a natural anti-spasmodic. Again, maybe 1 before bed and one in the morning.

Try putting a little something in your tummy right before bed if you can manage that (assuming you don't have reflux problems). Even just a little applesauce and acacia. Then you're not quite so empty first thing in the morning.

If those don't do the trick, you can talk to you doctor about prescription anti-spasmodics. There are a bunch of different ones - Heather talks about some of them here. Different ones work for different people - some people don't find any of them helpful. Heather talks about them in terms of helping pain, but I take Donnatol and for me it seems to help with the stress-induced cramping and twisting that can bring on diarrhea. Also, here's a post from someone who commutes into the City everyday and seems to find belladonna very helpful. (Donnatol contains belladonna, along with other drugs.)

There are also prescription anti-anxiety drugs that some people report finding helpful - I haven't used any of those, but if you're anxious about your commute, those may help.

BTW, my pre-breakfast is 1/2 cup applesauce with 1 teaspoon of acacia.

HTH.

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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]

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