Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | you got great advice. will add...

...that you need to remember that cases vary in intensity, too. you may have very bad "episodes" but your frequency is more spaced out than others.

i went for years with more "mild" IBS--- it went from the occasional D to almost daily D that i still was "ok" with (never gave it much thought) to D that was 7-12 times a morning. i still put up with that! it wasn't 'til it made me stay out of work with the disabling pain that i really stopped to pay attention! (i'm a little bit of a dope)

what my point is is this: it's possible that your IBS is taking a different course than the "typical." (What's typical!?)

you need to remember that other things besides food can be triggers. before my IBS got really bad, i was fine for months and months, but as soon as i got stressed about money (really stressed!) i would be an IBS mess!!! once i got caught up on bills or whatever the issue was, the IBS would go away and not come back 'til the next time i got behind.

stress, for me, is a huge trigger. stress can take different forms! see if you can trace your IBS episodes to some kind of stressor. weather can be a stress-causer. i don't do well in the hot weather at all, at all! if i over-exert, that's a stressor and i'll get IBS (say i help someone move over the weekend or work out too hard). another stressor is getting sick- that's going to make it more likely that the IBS flares up in my case. also, getting really tired is a big trigger for me. again- it stresses the body to be overtired.

what i need to remember now that i'm stable is that i have to be extra careful diet-wise when it's really hot and humid and when i am stressed out about something or when my fibromyalgia is flaring (which is a stress on the body) or when i haven't slept well, or... you get the idea! when those aren't going on, i am able to get away with much more, though i do keep to the diet fairly strictly just about all the time. i've learned it's best for me so i can avoid "breakthough flare ups!"

hope this helps you get to the bottom of it!? (ew- bad pun!)

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