Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: down in the dumps with a rumble in my tummy

Hey there,

I'm sorry you're feeling crazy discouraged/frustrated right now. Though I don't have IBS-D (I'm a C) and thus have a little more leeway in what I can eat while symptom management is a little more "tidier", I still know the frustration & feeling of being overwhelmed. I deal with nausea from IBS, which feeds my emetophobia (fear of vomitting), so I know how helpless you can feel as I sit in a never-ending cycle of disorders that feed on each other.

You're right - dealing with IBS isn't just a quick temporary lifestyle modification. It IS a complete lifestyle change, and unfortunately the change really does have to be COMPLETE (wholistic - diet, exercise, stress management, supplements) and set in motion on all levels before we see the benefits. It's not like other healthy people who can take "baby steps" in order to make a lifestyle change...we have to work up to EVERYTHING changing faster than others in order to see true relief. That in and of itself is overwhelming at times. And to top it all off, not everyone understands why you have to eat differently, you may have a Dr. who is worthless...there is so much to a chronic disorder that is totally overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Which only makes the IBS worse.

That said, for me I've put myself on "Project Status" - my health is now my top priority. As I do project management at work, I now consider my own life a project & treat this whole IBS thing accordingly. It's not always that simple, but trying to dial down the emotion and practically look at what I have control over has helped. I can CHOOSE what to eat, I can CHOOSE to pursue hypno/yoga/therapy in order to manage stress & sort out what I'm feeling, etc. etc. And I can CHOOSE to follow the guidelines outlined by Heather, knowing that these things are rarely (if ever) going to hurt me further and really should make things better eventually. It's a win-win.

hang in there. Not sure how long you've had this IBS diagnosis, but if it's truly IBS, you CAN get some relief if you treat your body & deal with life in the right way. FYI - if you haven't gone through all the tests, please do so - no sense trying to heal IBS (& getting frustrated when things don't get better) when you have something totally different that is healed differently.

If you take it one hour at a time, one day at a time...whatever you need to do to avoid being overwhelmed, do it. Ask yourself what you can do RIGHT NOW to help, rather than hurt, your body. Then do it. Seems trite, but it's less overwhelming that way.

OK. Enough from me at this point...I think I rambled a bit. Late night emails tend to do that.

I'm so glad this forum has been a source of help for you. Keep coming to us for encouragement! Even if you just need to complain.

~ Emily

P.S. ~ I didn't emphasize this enough above - if you can afford therapy and/or the IBS Audio 100 hypnotherapy CD's (they're $89 US), really seriously consider this. It's been a GOD SEND in my life as both have dramatically impacted my anxiety - an IBS trigger big-time. Therapy in particular has worked great, as there are more immediate results with that. Hypno is more of a PROCESS.

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East Palo Alto, CA (San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley)

IBS-C, pain, nausea

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