Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Traditional Chinese Medicine and IBS

This is just an FYI "if you're thinking of trying alternative medicine" sort of post.

Three weeks ago, I started once-weekly acupuncture for my IBS-C. He's encouraged meditation, working on my stress (I already go to therapy so that's being taken care of, and I recently quit a job I hate), and of course healthy eating (a huge part of chinese medicine (TCM)).

The eating healthy part is actually a tricky wicket for me since I have a binge-eating disorder/body image problem. So eating in general is just this enormous burden/issue for me. I don't think he quite gets how difficult it is. Plus, I don't think he quite gets how limited an IBS diet can be sometimes.

Last week, he said that he knew enough about my problems to put an herbal remedy together for me. I started 3 days ago, and it's been a total disaster. It's caused horrible constipation, bloating, and pain. I've been taking them still...just to be a trooper, you know? Isn't that what we all are? But after tonight, I think I'm tossing in the towel. I see him in 2 days. I already want to give up this whole TCM thing. I feel like this was a mistake. Perhaps no one can help ... but maybe I just have to hang in there a few more sessions?

I do think he's a good doctor. He teaches at the college for TCM in Santa Barbara, and he's never made outrageous promises, and the acupuncture itself always feels really good.

But I wanted to post this so anyone who is thinking of doing the alternative/TCM route can see how this is going.

To be continued...

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