What do I do? Panic. 
And that's kind of funny, but then again it's not, but it's what seems to happen. I've had too many close calls (and two definite accidents in the same store) to calm myself quickly when I sense an attack coming on. I try, but there's always that feeling of "What if this is going to be when I poop my pants?"
If I'm going to somewhere new, I make a quick mental note of any bathrooms I see. If it's somewhere that I'm going to be walking from place to place, I keep making those mental notes of the bathrooms. That way, if I have to get to one quickly, I can. If I'm going to be sitting, I ALWAYS sit on the aisle. These are small things I can do to make sure my mind is at ease, that I know if need be I can get out and to a bathroom fast.
I carry peppermints around with me and I'll pop one if I start to feel weird.
I try to take deep breaths and relax as much as possible.
Weirdly enough, I try to buy a lemonade...not the HFCS-full crap, but a real lemonade of some kind. This does seem to help settle my stomach down. Usually it's the Simply Lemonade brand.
I usually carry a small, battery-operated fan in my purse. This helps when I get that hot-flash feeling that usually signals an impending attack for me.
I carry a bottle of activated charcoal and I'll pop a couple of those. Doesn't really do anything quickly, but mentally it helps.
I pray a lot. (And not just, "Oh, God, let me get to the bathroom!!!")
I do get the feeling that an attack is impending, usually with a hot flash. I have anywhere from thirty seconds to up to five or ten minutes to find the potty.
Halt or reverse...no. Not a chance. But breathing deep, trying not to panic, and knowing where a bathroom is can greatly reduce the stress of an attack.
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IBS-D since...well, a long time
(probiotic acidophilous, SF supplements, IBS eating plan)
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Re: What do you do when you sense an impending attack?
