After over two years of sleeping in (except for one rare instance last summer when I took classes for two weeks) I've decided that, as I'm (hopefully) going to be entering the workforce in a few months, I should get used to waking up at a "normal" hour (i.e. not noon).

The last time I consistenly got up early was when I was still in college; and of course that was when my IBS was still so severe that it, well, essentially was ruining my life.

I thought that this type of IBS had passed; that finally I was moving on to just "minor" discomforts (which, as anyone with IBS can tell you, aren't so minor). However, now that I'm getting up early again, I'm finding out that maybe I'm not doing any better; maybe I'm just as bad as I was before.

I've been getting up early (say, about 7:45-8:45AM) for the past three weeks. In that time, I've established no regular period of going to the bathroom; in fact I'm down to about one BM per day, and even then I don't feel... right after doing it. So, yes, now I've got severe C. Yay

In fact, now I've gotten severe "stinging" pains "down there" when I'm standing, similar to what I had the last time before I developed some fairly annoying hemorrhoids. So, guess that means that my severe C is going to give me them again.

Granted, maybe I just "haven't gotten into a rhythm" yet. However, the things I am feeling are pretty much the same things I was feeling two years ago, when my IBS was more or less uncontrolled. I'm thinking, then, that maybe it's not the case that my IBS was controlled through medication. It was just the case that, for whatever reason, I actually felt good when I was getting up later. Maybe it's just that I wasn't eating breakfast (which evidently causes me problems). Who knows? Too bad I can't go see a GI doctor, because right now my local hospital doesn't even have one; and not only that I'm off my parent's insurance plan in about three months anyway; so I would only get about one appointment in anyway...

I know it's still too early to say... I'd understand if the lymph nodes won't get smaller or if the pain is still the same... But I'm utterly completely totally lost now b/c there's more appearing after taking the meds! I mean, what the...???

Frankly I'm not sure what to think at the moment. I guess I'll stick with the meds for the full course and see what happens. Just wish the side effects aren't so yucky. Sigh. I hate the feeling when my stomach turns

Deep breath......

Ill tell you a bit about my story with ibs..

This has been going for about 6 years now so depressing when you think of it suffering from this for all this time.

I have had ibs d on a daily basis for the past two years. I think i make it worse by worrying about it but its still seems to be bad even when i don’t feel like i am worrying about it. I work full time and have been at my job for two and half years, this ibs doesn’t really help my work as i feel that its holding me back. I November i started taking an anti depressants that they use a lot with ibs d at first i thought i noticed a difference but not sure if it was working too well. So I’ve decided to come of the medication i took my last tablet on Monday night and haven’t had one since so that’s good luckily I was only on 20mg at night as i didn’t really want to get into the habit on taking anti depressants and being addicted to them.

I decided to start writing my blog tbh i have never written a blog in my life so ill see how this one goes.. Today has been a good ibs day . I take codeine phosphate to control my diarrhoea without this i feel i wouldn’t be able to hold down my full time job and try and get on with life. I find that I worry about my ibs a lot!! whenever i go somewhere different i always worry about the ibs d and probs like most poeple suffering from this you have a look where you go somewhere new to see where the nearest toilet is i like to have an end seat when i go out ne where so if needed i can go to the toilet quickly this stupid ibs is controlling my life.

Ill get to the point, I’ve started listening to mikes ibs audio program I have found that this has improved my ibs a little i am really hoping that this is going to work and it’s no good living the way I am at the moment, constantly thinking about the toilet all the time. Its no way too live your life.
Do other people find it hard building relationship with friends / partners?

OK, i saw my family dr. and he thought that on top of the rest of the problems, I have a persistant infection of... well, he doesn't know where or what! All we know is that my lymph nodes on both sides of my neck and my shoulders are swollen (and has been for the past year) and have just had an accute flare-up... So, now we're treating it as a primary symptom, which hopefully is -- and it's actually good if it is. So now I'm on a course of antibiotics... and yuck! SOOO not good for my gut... lucky, though, that I haven't had the other more serious, i.e. life-threatening, side effects listed on the label... I'm so so tired -- woke up in the middle of the night with cramps and slept so poorly, and now in the morning I got the runs... (and also, it's making me feel pretty light-headed... hopefully no dizzy spells... and I should also avoid the sun - what a pity on such a beautiful sunny day!)... hope it's not going to get too bad as the meds accumulate in my body like some of the meds i took in the past...

We'll see what happens after the treatment...

I should say, though, that my family dr. is so cool -- he listens to me, answers all my questions and addresses all my concerns, and never makes me feel rushed. He's always straight forward but reassuring at the same time. He's also so considerate and unassuming. I wish all my dr.s are like him.

--------------------------------------------

Sigh, don't want to make another entry about this anymore. So just using this old entry for an update. Suddenly feeling extremely neaseated after taking the meds. and it just won't go away whatever i try. ... I was really hoping that the antibiotics won't have the cummulative effect like some other meds I took before, but i guess i really don't have that luck. Yuck... feeling totally yucky... it's Easter sunday and it's so nice outside... but i'm stuck inside and now the nausea! whatelse?! ugh!!

I am having a lot of trouble with the joint pain. Especially knees and hip. My docs say they can't give me any meds to help control the pain because it will adversely effect my IBD. I was finally diagnosed with IBD in February 2009. It took two years to for the docs to finally figure out what was wrong with me. I wound up in the hospital intensive care unit for 4 days. My intestines were so inflammed I thought I was going to die. The bad part, I was fired in January 2008 for missing too much work. So by the time diagnosis came in I had no insurance. It has been a very trying time for my family. My mother was diagnosed with Lung cancer and just completed her last round of chemotherapy. My son was also laid off. Many other incidents going on as well, we are trying to hold it together, but....I am not doing so well.

So far, since no insurance, I have to start all over again with a new specialist and primary care doc. This is most frustrating. I left the hospital with an RX of 120mg of prednisone, doesed down to 60mg after explaining that I couldn't handle that much. I am now on 30mg and dosing down to 20mg a day but as soon as I got below 60mg, the D started back again. Doc wants to put me on Humira. I heard it's very very expensive. The side effects of the prednisone are intolerable sometimes. Raises blood sugar levels, and my face is all puffy--severly puffy. My avatar should've been a frog because under my chin is looks like a frogs. I joke about it to keep from taking myself too seriously--espcially to my grandchildren, 4 & 8.

Has anyone else been on this much prednisone for more than 2 months? Or have I just slipped through the cracks because of starting over with new docs? And pain meds, what is the norm? My joint pain is so bad.

To any one who wants to read this,

I need to address a situation that I feel is paralyzing to me. I have recently been taking some fiber supplements (Citrucel) and I have been taking three scoops at the end of the day. I usually wake up and have a bowel movement which is great, but then soon afterwards when I go to school I feel like I need to have another.

I guess the problem or the situation is that whenever I am in class I feel like I need to have a bowel movement. Usually what will happen is that I will start to get hotter and I will start to sweat and I feel like I really need to go have a bowel movement. I usually will go to the bathroom but when I get there I usually do not have to go at all. However there have been a few times when I will have a bowel movement, but these are generally very small. When I say very small I mean that it is usually as big as a hand eraser or less. If I do or do not have a bowel movement it usually does not matter because generally once I return to the class in about 10 minutes I feel like I have to go to the bathroom again. Most of the time I will usually drink some water to help with the digestion process but usually I will end feeling like I have to pee on myself and the feeling of going to the bathroom goes away. However once I have gone to the restroom to pee it soon returns. Sometimes I actually know I need to have a bowel movement but when I do go to the bathroom I can't go. So that leaves me with only two choices go to the bathroom or go to class and hold it. Usually I end up going to the class and holding it, but it leaves me and everyone else around me in an uncomfortable position. Most of the time what happens when I go back to the class is that I generally end up stinking the classroom I don't smell it but I feel like something is wrong and I also see the look on other people's faces. By this time I can't concentrate on what I am doing.
I just don' t know what to do.

What I want to do is the right thing, but I just don't know what is the right thing to do. I can't stop being smelly when I am around people, can't stop eating, and I also can't leave school. I am at a place of indecision. I have choices, but I do not know which one is right.

Sincerely,
J

This will be a short blog (hopefully) as i'm just getting started. I've always had weird stomach problems that i've always known were affected by my obsessive love for soft drinks. This has led me to be very irregular and often feel pretty bad. However I have GERD and soft drinks are the only relief I have as I cannot burp on my own. I have finally gotten my GERD under control but now my IBS-D is acting up more and more.

It started on a long car trip where I stopped and ate at a fast food restaurant and then was struck by bad D after an hour or so. I then suffered through the rest of the 2 hrs in an area with little to no rest rooms along the road. This struck in a severe fear that is very hard to shake. Since then other stressful events has made this a much bigger deal than it was before. If I am on my own during the week and at my own pace I don't have the D at all but still have the irregularity. If i'm with my fiance or family and have set plans my D is much more persistent. I have noticed that if I feel stressed about an event and then have a normal BM then my stress is gone. It's as if I know my bowels are working normally and my body calms knowing its ok. However if I haven't gone in a while I immediately begin to count the days and then think of all the food I have eaten since my last BM. This almost always causes me to feel bad and then always results in D. I am starting a new routine of Benefiber or possibly a calcium fiber supplement to become more regular. I'm hoping that if I can get regular and more scheduled BM's then my anxiety about when and where I go will go away along with the D. I definitely have sensitivity to some foods and have throughout my entire life, however the anxiety about this brings it about when I eat harmless meals. One week I could eat mexican, fried foods, chinese and have no problems. Then the next I can eat salads, baked potatoes and turkey sandwiches and have constant D. It is all related to my stress level and daily plans. I also have an appointment with a hypnotherapist to help relieve a lot of my anxiety. I miss the days where a stressful day only gave me a dry throat or a knot in my stomach. Now my stress goes immediately to my bowels and I feel hopeless and alone.

If anyone else has had this issue with stress going away after normal BM or the anxiety with knowing you haven't gone in days and all of that food would be released if a stressful event occured please comment. I'm truly hoping this is the answer to my problem and if I can get more scheduled and regular a lot of this mess will go away.

Dear Friend,

As you may or may not know, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 5th grade, over 17 years ago. Having this disease has made my life very difficult, visiting doctors every so often, and going into the hospital every now and then. I am at the point where I have received IV infusions every eight weeks.

Approximately 1.4 million Americans have Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis, and struggle every day of their lives. It would mean a lot to me and others if you can take this opportunity to help cure these diseases once and for all.

I will be participating in the “New York Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis Walk” on June 4th and have made a personal commitment to raise these much needed funds to find a cure for digestive diseases.

I am asking you to help by supporting my fundraising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift will make a difference in the lives of the 1.4 million patients suffering with digestive disease! You can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message.

Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight. I greatly appreciate your support and will ke ep you posted on my progress.

Thank you in advance for your donation,
Jessica

Donation URL: http://online.ccfa.org/goto/jessicamusicus

P.S. If you wish to support my efforts by joining my team, you can do so by registering for the walk here:
http://online.ccfa.org/goto/jwalkers

***************************************

Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis is CCFA’s national evening walk and celebration and the nation’s largest event dedicated to finding cures for digestive diseases. Participants will enjoy a casual 2-3 mile stroll and raise money for crucial research that wouldn’t even have been possible a few short years ago, bringing us closer to a future free from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Throughout the year, Take Steps enables patient families to join together with their local community to build visibility and awareness about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis while raising critical funds for research. Over 1.4 million American adults and children are affected by these digestive diseases. While many suffer in silence, Take Steps brings together this community in a fun and energetic atmosphere, encouraging them to make noise and be heard.

One i n every 200 people suffer daily with digestive diseases. For those who live with these chronic diseases, life is a roller coaster of active and remitting disease. However, the opportunity to make life more manageable for patients who live day to day with intense pain, the threa t of long term hospital stays and multiple surgeries has never been greater. With the support of communities nationwide, CCFA has raised much needed funds that, through research, have brought us closer to a cure. For those living with these chronic diseases, life is a roller coaster of active and remitting disease. However, the opportunity to make life more manageable for patients who live day to day with intense pain, the threat of long term hospital stays and multiple surgeries has never been greater.

Please join me or donate to my efforts to support CCFA in finding a cure!

Donation URL: http://online.ccfa.org/goto/jessicamusicus

I finally went to the family doctor and once again confront with severe pain issues. She is always so hard to book, I always need to book her at least a month in advance, my mom gave up on her totally and found someone else. The problem is that all the appointments are being handled by the receptionist, who is also a nurse in the clinic, so she dictates a lot of her appointment by determine if my condition is severe enough to see the doctor. Anyhow, this time I sort of blasted at the nurse, and told her I need to come back to see my ultrasound report, so I supposed she thought it was just a "report" so she scheduled me for like a 2 mins appointment.

This time I walked in with my schedule and diary, so I can tell her exactly which day what happened. I guess that caught her attention. She started taking her time to review all my previous file, wrote down exactly what I told her, she started asking a lot of questions, and she asked me twice to discribe the pain I experience during period, an episode, and bladder infection. She seems to take me much more seriously this time. And she did a pap test on me, schedule another ultrasound for my pelvis, and urine test, and she said most likely it is due to IBS, but she still wants to rule out the possibility of endometriosis. She told me to go back and see her in three weeks. Despite the fact that she was only suppose to see me for freaking 2 mins, she spend I think also half an hour with me.

Again... which is actually not new, i guess... it's just that with the rest of the stuff that's going on in my life I really don't want to handle this IBS stuff anymore... Anyways, at the moment i just wish this pain and D would go away!

And oh, I also wish that the dr.s would be upfront and straight forward about whatever they think is going on with me. I don't care what ethnics (I meant "ethics" LOL, thanks MOS for letting me know!) they're trained in or what their personal ethics are. To me, I think they also should take into account what the patient wishes. I am the kind of person what wishes to hear the truth and nothing but the truth. A lil bit of softening is appreciated, but too much delay and sugar-coating is soooo annoying and sanity-consuming!!

And i also wish that the further testing this coming Wednesday could go well, hopefully... Or if not, I wish to be told the truth asap! And BTW, I am so so tired of speaking to the dr.s's secretaries or nurses anymore! I WANT TO TALK TO THE DR./A DR., NOT THE REST OF THEIR CLUELESS CREW who all seem to have a secret code of honor of not saying anything informative!

Today I got some other blood tests results. My doctor told me last week that I either had gluten allergy or Chron's. So, the results are that I am not allergic to gluten. Which means that the only remaining disease that fits my symptoms is Chron's. As you may know, Chron's is not very pleasant but medication can help unlike IBS. However, I've lost a lot of weight recently, which seems to please my boyfriend. People don't think that I look sick at all. But I am sick. I don't know how it works for you but people around me do not seems to realize that I don't feel like partying at all. But like I always said, I should not complain, it could be worse.

Everday is a challang.. everything I eat makes me so blowted.. I have become afraid to eat anything. The meds the doctor have given to me dont work and give me bad headachs.. what to do to make the blowting stop!!

Well, Since I finnally found where to start, I guess I will write something. I am not the most computer literate person, if you know what I mean, but I give it a try, LOL.
I sit here and try to remember when this monster of a ailment attacked me. The first time I really remember it was when I was first pregnant, at about 18 years old. I can remember the agony, wondering what in the world could be wrong with me. At that time, the doctor told me it was probably ulcerative colitis. That was the beginning of many years of depression, illness, and not knowing what in the world could be wrong with me. I am 55 today and although the symptoms may vary, I still feel the monster that took over my life all those years ago. The depression is still a dark cloud hanging over my head every day of my life. They have been times when the diarrhea was so bad I could not leave the house. I can remember sitting down at a restuarant and not even getting to finish my salad before I had to run to the bathroom. Sometimes I made and sometimes I did not. More often then not now the biggest problem is constipation. For weeks at a time, the bloating and pain will leave me with no energy and unable to eat. And then, without reason, there will be two days of horrible cramping, painful diarrhea. Add to this I have a rectocele and a cystocele, and some mornings I just don't want to get out of bed. My husband has no understanding of the problem at all. He has a BM every morning and every evening. Just like clockwork he is in the bathroom, after breakfast and after dinner. Sometimes I want to smack him. I sit in the recliner and want to cry. Sometimes that is all I do anymore. Sit and Cry. Sit and Cry.
BlueBaby

hello people.

Well my symptoms are starting to calm down alot now but i just thought id put this blogg up because i need my question answering and hopefully most of us go through similar symptoms.

So i cant actually remember how long this has been going on for but i know its been there for a while. Every month about 1week or 2 before my menstrual cycle i get extreme pelvic and lower back pain. Normally the day before my cycle starts i get really sharp and aching pains in the very lower part of my abdomen. I know wot period pains are, and believe me this is alot more painfull. Alot!! With the pelvic pains i dont know how much more i can take.

So im asking for your help.
If you suffer from ibs and have these problems or similar ones and know that it is part of ibs please let me know so i can put my mind at rest.
Also do any women know if people with ibs have more pain during ovulation and during their menstrual cycle??

I'd also like to thank everyone that has helped me by commenting on my other bloggs.
Thank you soo much everyone for all your help any support.

hopefully i'll get the information i want.
Thanks everyone xxxx

I feel like Doogie Houser everytime that I post here. Last week I went to the clinic for a bunch of blood tests. It's a private clinic so they didn't have my doctor's fax number to send her my results. So I went back to get the results. I was expecting a sheet of paper with text on it like "here's the diagnostic" but it's only numbers and code and I don't understand what it means. I have an appointment with my doctor on wednesday. I'm getting anxious because I'm afraid that I'll have Chron disease or something that requires surgery. I'm also scared that they just confirm that it's IBS and that I'll be stuck with it for the rest of my life. I have chronic abdonimal pain..on a daily basis. It's soooo frustrating and annoying. Nothing makes the pain go away. Exept sex but I'm not really into that when I feel sick. So I don't know what to expect. I can't wait. I wanna know what will happen to me next.

Woke up about 5:30 this a.m. and just couldn't get back to sleep again because of this constant pain, mostly dull but sometimes sharp and both are equally bad. Multiple BM's since getting up and still feeling not done... Sigh, why does it have to act up like this esp. every time I have to get out of the house in the morning?? Well, yeah yeah yeah, I know why, cos it's called IBS... But it's so so frustrating...

............................

Never mind me, I know I'm just whining... So here's more whining...
Any rate... it was a stressful morning and the routine checks are over and if all test results come back normal, then according to the dr.(s) I have "good health" -- only that I don't!! My gut feels painful most mornings and on a bad day like today, it's painful all day long! And I've visited the you-know-where so many times today that I don't care to keep count anymore. I know, if defined medically, my IBS still isn't severe and I do have good days (I try to manage as well as I possibly can), but it's just so disruptive of my life that it sometimes can just get me down so much... I can't even begin to imagine how it's like for those whose IBS is severe... I feel their pain and I totally sympathize...

Funny thing is, the dr.s kept saying that I looked good, and everything was fine and good... And not only that, my friends, whenever they see me they all say, "Wow, you look good!" Once I even asked them (in a truly sincere and nice way) if that was just a pleasant compliment, or if they really thought I looked well. And they said yes they truly thought so... So I don't know. I'm so confused. How come I physically feel so bad and so tired all the time??? Now although I know better and I know IBS is a real and chronic illness, after so many people telling me I "look good" so many times, I've even begun to doubt whether it is all in my head!

I don't know. My gut's still sore even now... and don't I dare to move, cos if I do, the pain will escalate instantly... Is this also all in my head? Then how could my head also make me go for so many times?? LOL, then my imagination must have super power to be able to move my bowels! And I'm in "good health"? Well, I don't know. I'd so much love to have good health!!

................................

OK, that's it! The spasms are still going on ... I thought I could have a break after dinner as it usually calms down at least towards the evenings, but no, not this time! And it's literally like the muscles of my colon is contracting and the pain is bad each time it does this. Uuuuuuuuuuggggghhhhhh! Stop and gimme a break!

I hope I can find out more about the brain-gut relationship with my symptoms, but unfortunately I haven't find anything particular useful or magical other than "stress management". I was watching a program talking about neuro plasticity, it is very insteresting and I would love to learn more about that. It also reminds me of the brain-gut axis related to IBS and other digestive issues. That's may also explain the "workability" of the hyponsis therapy CDs. My IBS seems to be under control for 2 to 3 months after I finished those CDs. I did have bout, but the pain was not as severe, unfortunately that only last for a few months. I should do the CDs again, if I cannot convince my brain to do something about it, then let the hyponsis messages convince my brain to do so.

As I dug around the internet, and found some medical journals relating to brain-gut and IBS, the mention of abuse become obvious. As an abused child, I am now thinking maybe it has something to do with my symptoms now, as well as my anger, or how I cannot get a grip on my emotions despite effort with meditation, prayers and all.

The reduction in nutrient absorption brings about a decrease in blood sugar. The gastric emptying of liquids is easier and faster than solids and can be caused by exercise (rocking on sides). The gastric emptying of coffee was associated with ca. a 20 ml/dL reduction in blood sugar, (after testing with a blood glucose meter). The gastric emptying of coffee (caffeine) causes Insulin (INS) exocytosis. Caffeine is a ryanodine receptor agonist and has recently been shown to increase luminal Ca(2+), causing INS release. Insulin induced hypoglycemia (IIH) is associated with patterns of DMV (Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the vagus) activation. IIH causes a brain glucose deficit equivalent to increased lactate (the product of anaerobic glycolysation). DMV signaling of relative lactate abundance within the caudal hindbrain is amplified by hypoglycemia.

The activation of DMV causes decreased cecal contractions. The cecocolonic junction (CCJ) has been suggested to by a sphincter since cecal distention effected a significant CCJ pressure reduction. Therefore a reduction of cecal distension (as described above) would contract the CCJ.#(15) The CCJ and ascending colon (AC) showed similar frequency and conduction velocity. The similarity in frequency and conduction velocity of electric waves of the CCJ and AC, denotes that the AC waves are a continuation of those of the CCJ, and that both are evoked by the same motor activity, probably located in the CCJ.#(16) The motor pattern of the colon was dominated by rhythmic high-amplitude, low-frequency contractions that were primarily myogenic in origin. These rhythmic contractions were induced by stretch associated with increased tension; the amplitude of the superimposed rhythmic contraction increased with increasing applied tension.# (17) The above logic is supported by the fact that the gastric emptying of caffeine is followed by proximal colon contractions. This would cause a movement of bolus through the proximal colon, reducing proximal distension that inhibits gastric emptying.

Traction Device-- An assessment of human cerebral venous blood drainage by duplex ultrasound was performed. In relation to this study, a constant circular neck compression, (with an elastic band), caused a deep cervical vein obstruction, leading to a further rise in vertebral vein (VV) volume flow 186+/- 70 ml/min.#(18) The VV begins in the vertebral venous system (VVS) plexus of the sub-occipital triangle, where it communicates with the internal VVS plexus.#(19) The authors of the study concluded that the drainage pathway to the VV, that might explain the flow changes associated with neck compressions, would be via a direct projection of the O/M (occipital marginal) sinus system to the internal VVS, (the epidural veins) where communication to the VVs would result in increased flow volume there. The dorsal column is a coating of neurons surrounding the central canal of the spinal cord. The increased flow and pressure there would cause dorsal column compression and activation, via decreased internal diameter of the spinal cord dura and increased vascular resistance. This is assuming the Navier-Stokes laws apply--the fluid flow analogue of Ohm's law. Cervical spinal cord stimulation (cSCS) was applied on the left C1-C2 dorsal column of rats. Laser Doppler flowery probes were placed in the brain and arterial pressure was monitored. The results indicated that cSCS-increases in CBF (cerebral blood flow) and decreases in CVR (cerebro-vascular resistance) occurred via rostral dorsal column fibers (at the same pressure--E=IR--Ohm’s Law). (cSCS) increased brain glucose utilization, (increasing activation of DMV).

In order to prove gastric emptying, blood glucose was tested after coffee and after the TD step in the procedure: a 50 ml/dL rise in blood sugar occurred (S.D.=15, n=9).

the following strains have teh most research behind them in IBS studies with good positive outcomes in studies.

L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. THERE ARE MANY MANY OTHERS though!

here is some general info on taking them, if you dont already know it!

They are best taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before food. ideally they should be taken for at least 3 weeks as it may take that long to see any results. although some people have a very good reaction in days. after 2 to 3 months they should be stopped for a while. if after a few days you start to notice that you can feel a physical difference or a worsening of your symptoms, start taking them again. other wise, there is no need to continue taking them untill you feel that you do need them. there isnt any harm in taking them as a permanant suppliment if they are taken is small numbers like in actimel or activia yoghurt, but if you are taking 10 billion cultures a day, it is good to give the body a break every now and then.

also If at all possible, replace the FOS prebiotic with natural fruit and veg if you can tollerate it. FOS can play hell with the tummy in some people while it dosent bother others.

After you start to take the probiotics, you may feel initially worse for a day to a week or so. this is called the herx reaction and unfortunately is perfectly normal. (Google it to get more detailed info). some people are not affected by herx and some are.
if it gets too much though, just stopp teh probiotics for a few days and re start them at a half dose for a two weeks, then a three quarter dose for two weeks and then the full dose, and see how you get on with that.

CHeers


Ian

1.. A prokinetic. Motilium or metoclopramide. motilium (Domperidone) isnt available in the U.S but is available in canada by mail order. it speeds up the transit of food through the stomach and digestive system and kills nausea for about 4 hours at a time. it dosent cause an upset stomach either.

2.. Pepto bismol (OTC)

3.. Gaviscon (OTC)

4.. Ginger tea is realy really good.

5.. deep abdominal breathing slowly

6.. avoiding triger foods that upset your stomach, and avoiding high acidity foods.

7.. sipping coca cola helps. i dont know what ingreedient it is but there is something in coke that deals with nausea. (Honestly, google it!!)

8.. vitamin B12 suppliments help intrinsic factor in the stomach, which can help all sorts of stomach problems.

9.. a good but mild probiotic either in yoghurt or capsual form. you may feel initially worse but after a few days to a few weeks you may see some stunning differences. stay away from pre biotics though, alot of people dont get on with them. trial and error i guess.

10.. Mint tea can help, but on the other hand it can also make things worse, so again it is trial and error.

11. eating smaller meals, or as i have taken to doing, grazing on food through out the day. this dosent suit everybody, but it works for my stomach. try it and see.

12.. making sure that you are adequately hydrated. dehydratiion to any extent can cause nausea and it wont go away untill you have rehydrated. took me a long time to work this out.

13.. anxiety and worry/panic can also cause nausia. i know its a viscious circle but try and stay calm, think about something else, do a cross word, plan a round the world trip, anything that diverts your mind from focusing on how you are feeling. this can be easier said than done!

14.. SEA BANDS. use teh P6 Pressure points on teh inner wrists. cheap and available in most pharmacys and on ebay. they work extremely well for 80% of people.

15.. eating something dry like toast or a cracker. dosent always work, but worth a try.

16.. DO NOT SMOKE. if you somek, stay off em untill teh nausea passes. having a smoke will create more stomach acid and loosen teh sphinctor at the top of the stomach which wont help things.

17.. ANTI HYSTEMINES. taking some pyriton or benadryl may help.