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Steph,
For what it's worth, I think some people's brain chemistry is simply out of whack--either short-term or long term. In my case, I spent a year on anti-depressants, and it was the best thing I ever did for myself. I feel more "me" now than I had in so long, because the truth is that I had forgotten what it really meant to be me without the depression!
If it helps, it helps, and you'll still be you.
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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Couldnt agree with you more msmizzle. i was skeptical too, but its true. some people have a CHEMICAL IMBALANCE which you cannot help. besides, you can start on a low dose and depending on side effects, increase your dose or change medication. you won't know til u try. if you and your doc think it could work, maybe you could give it a try. 
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Steph,
Congratulations on your new job!!! Sorry to hear things aren't going well - yet. I just wanted to say that I'm thinking of you and I hope you feel better soon.
I think in a post way back Linz had said that she used Immodium quite a bit to get stable - not sure. I'm a C so a trip to the bathroom would be a time for me to celebrate - quite the opposite for you....
Feel better soon!
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But you and many of the other wondeful people one here are what make these boards so great!
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Honey, its ok if you dont go tomorrow night. You need to take care of you, you have a new job that needs to be taken care of. Right now, you are not stable, take care of you and get better soon! You still have to get some new clothes, if I was there I would come by and pick you up and take you shopping. And we would have fun!!! So much fun that you would temorarily forget you have IBS. (just a few inutes, maybe).
The anti-anxiety meds may work for you, I totally understand your feelings. Dont wait too long to take care of yourself. I went through a phase, I did not take care of myslf, had a nervous breakdown,(8 years ago) lost peices of me (good peices, I used to be a painter, now I cant hold a brush correctly. I used to sing, now I cant find a pitch)that I will never see again. If I had had some anti anxiety meds, I dont think I would have been so deeply depressed.
Not to talk about me here, just want you to know I care,and am watching out for you!!
gayla
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For Jamie
#76113 - 06/04/04 01:52 AM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hi Jamie,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply, it really meant a lot to me. I think LauraSue is right, you really are a prince for offering such kind words and advice. I am sending you a big hug right now!
I think it is a good idea about travelling to work before I actually have to start. One reason is because I found out I can either walk 15 minutes, get a train for 15 minutes and then walk a bit more. Or walk 5 minutes, get on a bus for about 20 minutes and then walk further then from the train station. I'm not sure which would be better. I am leaning towards train because 1) they don't lurch and heave like the busses do here, which makes me want to be sick 2) they have bathrooms on them.
You are a brave guy to take a job where you can get paged at all hours to go to work, and hope your tummy will make it a pleasant journey - I know I couldn't do something like that. I am the type of person that just waiting to be paged would make me all anxious. 
About what you said about mornings... Do you take your fiber in the morning? I ask because I usually take mine before dinner (am only one 1 dose a day right now, body went bloody nuts when I tried to increase it) because I figured it's the biggest meal, most likely to cause upset... but maybe I should be taking it in the morning since that's my worst time. Hmm, dunno.
I think I will do the getting up real early thing, my boyfriend and I talked about that for when starting the new job. If I get up early enough, I should be able to get at least one or 2 attacks out of the way before I have to travel which would hopefully let me be safe until I at least get to work. Guess I'm gonna have to turn into a morning person!
I am still on the fence about anti-depressants.. I have read everyone's responses about that, and I know in one part of my brain that if there is a chemical imbalance, it makes sense to treat it. In fact, when I am arguing with people about them, I am always defending depression medication, etc.. going on about how it's a medical problem, and needs to be treated properly. I always said it's like having anemia and taking iron.. I guess I just never thought I'd be on 'em.
I am doing the hypno program, though I did stop for a while. I started up again yesterday so we'll see how that goes.
Thanks again for your reply. I am off sick again today.. after having 4 bad attacks yesterday, I couldn't face a busy lunch time in the pub. They didn't sound too impressed when I called in, so Thank God next week is my last anyway!
Talk to you soon, darlin',
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Re: For Jamie
#76246 - 06/04/04 11:02 AM
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JBI
Reged: 01/25/04
Posts: 579
Loc: BC, Canada
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Hey Steph.
Ya I'd take the walk then the train then the walk. There's just something psychologically better about trains. The fact that they've got bathrooms is even better. Plus a 20 minute walk to start is good, that way you know that if you've walked for 5 minutes you can turn back around quick and get home vs. being stuck on a bus.
I will usually take my fiber around lunchtime and then in the evening. That way it's had some time to settle in my stomach and its there for the morning. I generally can't eat anything in the mornings. But I will have Immodiumin the mornings if I need it, usually after a BM or two. One thing that my not so helpful GI said to me was to take one or half an Immodium before you go to bed to slow things down in the morning. I have done that on occasion, but you'll have to figure out what works for you.
The big thing for me psychologically is to have a plan set up in case I am feeling like crap. Getting to bed early, and waking up early even when you don't have to is crucial for me. That way I don't feel so crappy when I do wake up because my body is used to it. Then I've planned ahead with the fiber and with the extra time and if all else fails, start with one Immodium and then take more as required. After all that if I still feel like crap, then maybe call in sick. But so far since getting back to work in february I haven't had to (although I felt like crap on a couple flights).
Make sure you stick with it. It'll be tough cause friends will want to go out and you'll want to stay up or have a few bites of 'bad' food. but it WILL make things worse if you do that. I became a bit of a social hermit for a while and you may have seen some of my posts complaining about it, however, I am feeling way better. And that makes a HUGE difference with things.
Let me know how things go,
Jamie
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Yay Steph!!!!
#76713 - 06/07/04 12:50 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Finally! This is so cool - be HAPPY about this honey.
Okay... a couple of things that work for me (I've been doing a 75+ minute commute into London for over a year).
Immodium. At a low dose. It REALLY, REALLY helped me, and it seems you're just having loads of D attacks atm. I did one tablet every morning and that swung me JUST to the C side, but I was happy with that. But my GI said that you can get Immodium in liquid form, which means you can take even tiny-er amounts. Give it a go...you need to stabilise.
Also, carry a bottle of water with you and some IBS-safe snacks, even if it's just a plain roll. And take whatever meds/painkillers you find helpful. And if life is bad, Andrex fluhable wet wipes are a godsend - just stick a pack in your bag.
Obviously, a SFS and the diet - be GOOD! But you know all that!
Re. anti-depressants, I am definitely pro-them. I definitely have a serotonin deficit in my brain - without my meds I get do-lally. My MIL-to-be was on meds for ages and she came off them. She said she had hell for a while, but then it settled down. The thing is, if you do have a chemical imbalance and it's STILL THERE when you come off the meds, then of course you'd be a bit screwed! I'm definitely not ready to come off mine. When I missed a week last summer cos of prescription problems, I was a wreck - agitated, crying, depressed.... I needed my serotonin!
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Linz!!
#76717 - 06/07/04 02:06 AM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hey you!
I thought you'd disappeared! I made a post specially for you on this Eating board and you weren't around, so I bumped it and you STILL weren't around! Oy! Good to see you back, though!
Thanks for the post, I am really excited about my new job. I need to stop this liquid D, but if I can do that, I should be okay. I can even deal with being sick once I get to work a bit, but need to make that journey!
I went one day (yesterday) without an attack, but the liquid D is back today so I just dunno. I gave in and took an immodium today because I want to make another attempt at shopping. Doesn't seem to have started working yet, but we'll see.
As for the anti-depressants, I talked to my mom on the phone from Canada yesterday and she gave me a big lecture about anti-depressants, how I NEED to ask my doctor for them.. she is convinced my stomach won't get better without them so when I go see my GI tomorrow, I am going to ask for a prescription. What ones are you on over here? They're all different names on the other side of the pond, I think... My mom said to go on a really mild one (she's a therapist), but I dunno what that would be. Boyfriend won't like it, but.. he doesn't like the crying 'I hate my life' me either, so.. 
Bah, tummy hurts a bunch so I am gonna go take a bath and see if I can actually get myself to Bromley today and get some new clothes. If not, at least it's sunny today and I can lie in the garden and read a good book!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Re: Linz!!
#76719 - 06/07/04 04:02 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Hey Steph! Sorry I missed your post - I'll hunt around for it. I had a couple of days off sick (Fibro) last week and otherwise I was at my new huose where we haven't got a computer yet! So that's why I was AWOL.
Try taking Immodium every day as a preventative. This really works and it helped me stabilise so much. Just take one tablet and if that's making you C, ask for the liquid stuff.
I reckon your Mum's right. Btw, my fiance HATES it when I forget to take my little pill and go all crazy on him, so he's always checking I'm taking it, etc. It can help just so much, it's unbelievable. I'm on Citalopram, which has been good for me - it's an SSRI. I was on a very low dose of a different drug before that for the IBS, but apparently this is better for the IBS AND depression. Really honey, I couldn't live without mine now - and that's in a GOOD way.
You go enjoy the sunshine. But I wouldn't go shopping tomorrow - it's going to be a SCORCHER! 29C in London if not 30. That's 84/86F. Whew!
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