Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Hi there

Sorry you're feeling so bad. Interested to hear if you've been to teh doctors yet and what they've said.

Have you tried Heather's diet? You should know that the kind of changes you're trying can take a long time - some of the stable people on here took 1 or 2 years following Heather's diet carefully to get stable. And they all say the dedication was worth it in the end!

Also have you been officially diagnosed with IBS through tests such as an endoscopy and colonoscopy, etc? If not you really do need to do that asap, to rule out more 'serious' problems.

Re all your symptoms, other than the haemohrroids/possible prolapse rectum your symptoms are all typical IBS symptoms, probably IBS-A since your bowel movements alternate between one extreme or the other. As an IBS-D I can fully appreciate how horrible the urgency and the bathroom anxiety is, as well as the constantly rumbling tummy.

Also, are you any any medication at the moment? If you have been officially diagnosed with IBS you should have tried variations of medicines, such as anti-spasmodics or tricyclic anti-depressants. Also, do you use Immodium when you go out? It's a lifesaver for many dozens of us on here, and tens of thousands of people around the world I should imagine! It can be used as both a preventative and be taken once an attack/diarrhoea has started.

The whole thing can be very scary, particularly if you haven't had all the right tests to rule out other potential causes, and that just adds to the stress - a vicious cycyle making you feel worse and worse. I too have had my life taken over completely by my IBS, and have not worked or hardly socialised for around 16 months now.

That leads me on to - have you tried the Hypnotherapy Audio Tapes by Michael Mahoney? I think I'm right in saying he's the world number one IBS-focussed hypnotherapist, and the tapes/cd's (sold from this site or his own) have helped many many people for whom medication and diet had no effect either completely 'cure' their IBS, or significantly lessen it's symptoms - both in frequency and severity. It is particularly helpful in dealing with the anxiety side of things. (I am lucky enough to be in the UK, and within a 90 minute drive of Michael's surgery - I started seeing him in person a couple of weeks ago, and have my second session on Monday).

Hope that's not too much for you to think about! And really hope your doctor helps you out with this. I can't give any advice on the haemorrhoids or prolapsed rectum as I have experienced neither, but I'm sure lots of the others can.

You can beat this!

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http://ibsblondie13.blogspot.com/

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