Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Advice needed....hello again

Advice for a new Dad- quit worrying over the type of dad you will be. Babies don't come with instruction manuals and that means you learn on the job just as the baby is learning. My husband was so concerned about being a good dad. We have 2 girls in their teens now and they have shown him the way all along. Worry about paying bills,(kids are expensive little creatures :-), being a dad will develop and you'll love it as they love you unconditionally (till they are teenagers).

On the IBS side- You have to find a way to ease your worrying as that is only causing the issues to get worse. I do yoga before going to work. I also get a full nights sleep regularly otherwise the IBS "yells" at me and I'm constipated and hurting.

"Stable" may be what you are personally able to live happily with. I'm fairly stable but I'm a bit C today from something I ate 2 days ago. Time for the Miralax which I used to take daily and now only use once every few weeks at most. Actually it's been even longer this time around which is great for me. That's my version of stable, I can function and live well more days than not.

The more IF that I have the more C I am. That is totally the opposite of what we have been taught. I've been eating a lot of veggies this week. Oddly, I like them but they don't like me. I use 1 tblsp of Acacia at each meal. I used to use 1 tsp and didn't see any progress. After one of Heather's recent newsletter on the 7 sins of IBS I learned that I wasn't using enough to make a true difference for me. Once I upped the dosage life was much better. Because of the C feeling today I cooked some "sticky rice" in my rice cooker (while I took my shower and got ready for work) and mixed that with the acacia, cinnamon, ground walnuts, a few raisins and some brown sugar with soy milk. Lots of SF with protein and some IF from the nuts and raisins. Yummy, filling and soothing along with a cup of hot peppermint tea. I make a pot of that at a time so it's always available and fast for the morning. Don't increase your IF but do increase the SF when C. It will help you retain the fluid in the gut and coat the bowel so the harder stool doesn't rub it raw.

If anxiety seems to be a norm for you daily, you may want to talk to your doctor or see a therapist. I started on zoloft for hormone issues and found out that it helped with the anxiety that would happen in stressful situations. It also showed me that I had had a low level of depression since my pregnancies. Life's not perfect but I'm able to handle things better than I used to and I'm happy.

Cravings for food is your body's way of trying to find something to make it work. It leads you to eat all sorts of stuff good or bad. Most of the time just laying down and resting with a heating pad on the belly can help relieve things as your gut relaxes. I eat when I'm over tired and needing more energy but I'm not actually hungry.
This is where some help may get you on track. Is IBS a mental thing? No, but it does cause you to question stuff so much over time that you're not sure what is right and that is a mental thing.

Cut yourself some slack as far as the diet goes. My husband feels he has to exercise every day or else his blood pressure and cholesterol will go back up. He is beside himself on the days he can't do his walking or weights. That in itself can cause issues. His doctor says he's in great shape and to quit worrying so much. Nothing is perfect for every person. Follow the diet but if you see things that work or don't work for you then alter it. Life will be so much easier and you'll be happier. You sound like you have the perfectionist streak in you. Much of my family, me included, is like that. You have to learn that it's ok to draw outside the lines. Congrats on the baby to be. It's a big responsiblity to bring another human being into the world but it's also an amazing experience. My husband has learned a lot about what's really important, like singing to them, cuddling with them, being silly, playing Barbies and dressing up because it made them happy and giggle a lot. Enjoy it all girl or boy.

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Catnut IBS-C for many years, finally diagnosed in 2005. Wheat and dairy sensative.

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