Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Oh dear... are you actually saying, that it would have been better for me to be on the FODMAP diet (had it been available) for the rest of my life, and never ever have even tried the hypnotherapy - which DID help my IBS - and without being on a diet???????

With all due respect, that is ABSURD!!!

At one point, I was in the hospital after being on crackers and water for days - and had NPO - nothing by mouth - except ice chips - and still had symptoms with the barium!!!

I am NOT here to debate hypnotherapy and its benefits vs. diet.

I am here to state what has worked for me, and for many of the folks I speak with all over the nation : never ever have I said that hypno works for 100% - just as the data suggests - however - I 'love' the wording how hypno 'only' works for about 70% - YET - diet, supplements and meds work for only 50% - And no, I am not going to use my time to go look up the reference - and itsnt it interesting to note that in England, the NICE guidelines suggest hypno as ONE of the psychological treatments that are suggested after 12 months of conventional treatments not working - and then this is the treatment that usually works!

So, take meds, do diets, etc. first and put meds into your body first, and after a year of suffering, then do this as a last resort.

Michael has found that the folks he treats upon INITIAL diagnosis - before any other treatment for IBS is given - that these folks improve more quickly. Wonder why?

Because they have not had months or even years of "I have IBS and nothing works" thinking! IBS is not in the mind, but there are differences in the brain - there is a physical way the IBS sufferer perceives pain, visceral hypersensivity, eneteric nerve pathways that 'ingrain' symptoms/motility patterns, etc. so something is 'going on' in the body. It is not woo woo - as we all know that the mind and thinking creates bodily reaction - just think simply of an unexpected very loud noise or bang and how the body responds automatically (heart races, you jump, etc.)

Now I am NOT saying that if diets, etc work for you, then you should abandon the diet, etc - NOT saying that.

But what I AM saying, in just with the nature of the post content, is that it just may be that any hypno program may just not totally be of the benefit you seek ~

This is most likely either:

as mentioned in the stats - there are definitely some folks who do not respond to the 'method' of hypnotherapy - that is, they cannot get into that state in order for it to work properly (this is about 20% of the population in general.)

~ or because the individual is constantly reinforcing that they have IBS by reading about it, actively thinking about it, writing about it, doing the diets, micromanaging every aspect of their diet, and even lives (and yes, I did this too - and believe me, I know where you are now, but without even a diet working!!!)

~ they have other things going on besides IBS. It is my opinion - dont shoot me - (and as mentioned above) that if your symptoms of IBS are abated via diet, etc. you either have another condition such as lactose intolerance or sensitivity, etc. that isnt necessarily IBS in and of itself, but has been labeled so - and many people without IBS have difficulties with fat - we shouldnt be eating some of the things we eat anyway - eating crap and having D later is not IBS, but could develop into it!

You can have IBS in addition to other conditions that also causes IBS symptoms, and so the symptoms linger on even if the condition is addressed.

Michael and I have both met in person, (both in the US and the UK), the good doctor and grandfather of hypnosis for IBS and have listened to his lectures on hynosis. I can only say that all of Mike's very first IBS patients back in 1991 were desparate and had tried everything to help and their Gastros and GPs referred them to Michael at the medical centre he works at - as a very very last resort... Dr. W first published his findings in 1984 - this is where Michael turned for information about his research - but they do not have the same protocol - Michael developed his on his own over the course of a few years with patients he worked with for free. (You can read about this on this site.)

His results are very encouraging - but here is the thing....

Back then, the internet wasnt the same as now, of course, and BBs like this one werent around -

His patients came to him after other stuff was ruled out and nothing else helped.

These patients did not read or write or post about their symptoms (and again, I am here to state that I did... over and over again on another BB, so I am not being a pain here, I am just sharing with you the benefits of my OWN mistakes and findings!!!)

If the diet is working for you, then what are the symptoms you are trying to abate with hypno? While most people are able to 'go off' IBS diets after hypno, this does not mean everyone will, there are a number of folks who are on the EFI or other diet with great success, but used the hypno to take away those last remaining symptoms -especially the anxiety component - but there are those like myself, who no longer need the diet - so yes, as mentioned above - there are combinations and everyone is different.

The bottom line is this -

For MOST people, if you keep discussing, reading, researching, dissecting your diet and trying to figure out what works at the same time you are doing the hypno, and you will either be delaying or sabatoging your progress. Period.

After having IBS since 1983, speaking with others who have IBS since 2000, I have seen these patterns repeat over and over - and I KNOW hypnotherapy works for MOST of those people who, like I was, were at the end of their rope.

These are my experiences with myself and others, my thoughts, my opiniosn, and some facts thrown in - ONLY sharing to help if I can. I am not dissing diets or any other things you may do to help yourself feel better, and if you need to do it and it helps you - then go for it - I am only sharing what I know to be true for those folks I have worked with before, and what I am observing here.

Hypno should be used as a holistic approach alongside other treatments - however - it has been my finding that it is done after all else has failed, and becomes a stand alone treatment because of that fact.

And with 80 - 92% of Michael's patients showing good efficacy, that is pretty good - with close to 100% at least getting the benefit of better sleep, coping and calm at a minimum - and NO bad side effects - free support if needed.

So, unless something really different is asked or needed, I will leave it to your good selves to decide what is best for you - and if you are on the BBs reading and posting while doing the hypno, the process may still work and be helpful to you, but be aware of the other side to this as well.

And yes, most hypnotherapists will say that after a given number of sessions, if you have not seen any improvement, then to give it up. But thank the good Lord above, that I did not follow that - it may be true for some - but we have seen time and again, that NOT giving up can make all the difference. After all, you most likely have had IBS longer than the 100 days it takes - each of the sessions addresses a new thing and are interlinked in a way that progresses you along - if you stop early, you never get that initial benefit. Again, not everyone is helped, some to a small degree, and so forth - but MOST are helped, and MOST are able to walk away from IBS and their other past treatments.

Good wishes to you all in finding YOUR own way forward... I wish you all well!

xx (((HUGS)))

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My Journey and Success with the IBS Audio Program Hypnotherapy Program: www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=hypnotherapy&Number=224850

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