Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: We still don't know what causes it, do we?

I appreciate every single comment everyone offers, although I only respond to a few of them.

Thanks for the words above. I belong to the Unity Church but also study the Course of Miracles, which seems to believe that the entire universe was sort of a mistake, and that if we were awake, it would be like leaving the movie MATRIX, except instead of finding yourself in a horrible world we'd find ourselves ONE with God. We are each then on a path (for 1 life or millions) to awaken. It takes time to become timeless.

I say to myself "I am the body of Christ" and "Thank you God for my health, wealth, spiritual wisdom, peace and strength". My church, the Unity church, suggests that prayers be affirmations rather than pleading requests, so instead of affirming "I am scared, God help me" I tend to depersonalize it and say something like "my mind and body are feeling fear and tension, and the love of God is soothing me now."

Of course, as my minister said recently, God works through us. So if there is a medication that helps, take it! Who knows what inspiration and guidance helped produce that medication for all of us still inside this "dream"?

Today I did volunteer work for the church. I never told the senior minister about IBS. He stopped by and asked how I was doing. Usually I give him the routine "Fine" response but today I told him. He came around to the back of my chair and put his hands on my shoulders and said a long silent prayer and hugged me, which touched my heart (because he is not a touchy feely kind of guy).

Bless all of you who are suffering yet take time to respond to me. My medication, Lorazepam and Paxil seem to have married each other and relieved anxiety attacks that usually accompanied "D". However, in their wake I have a lot of drowsiness, so I go through the day like a teenager who was out carousing half the night or like an old geezer who needs an afternoon nap. I guess it is a mild trade off to panic and hyperventilating.

Today was a miracle. Yesterday I had a "D" flareup - took immodium right away. I assumed this would shut down the system for a day or more....instead this morning I had a bowel movement and the stool was a perfectly formed large smooth torpedo, as good as it gets. For an IBS person, that's a miracle!

I think if we can emotionally get a handle on this, that is at least HALF the challenge. I also ask what I am supposed to learn from this, where is God in this pain, how can I reduce the symptoms? Who would I be without this IBS? Will there be a post-IBS me (in terms of being more mature about it and having a life without or inspite of it?). It is definitely a deepending experience for me, and since I intend to begin chaplain training in the fall, it has increased my empathy for the physical pain of others.

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