[18255]

Hi guys, haven't posted for a while. I have IBS D and have gone through the whole anti-spasmodics etc from my GP. After a year and a half he said there was nothing more he could do and sent me off with a prescription for loperamide and a promise of a referral to a clinical psychologist. Eight months later I have my first appontment through.

In one way I'm looking forward to try and get myself 'sorted' once and for all. on the other side I'm embaressed to admit I might need psychological help.

Has anyone else gone down this route , I would be grateful for any advice. Thanks

 

[Kathleen M.]

I was in a clinical trial for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a treatment for IBS. It helped me a great deal. For me I see it more as a changing the way you cope/interact with the IBS that isn't always about need psychological help. More like psychological training to break bad habits and start new ones that help you cope better. So it isn't always so much that something is broken that needs to be fixed, but that there is a better way of doing things than the one you came up with on your own. Kinda like taking a class on how to repair a car engine after you spent a couple of years with the parts all over the backyard. You might get that engine rebuilt by trial and error, eventually, but taking a class will get it done a lot faster.K.

 

[17176]

welcome back mrs nookie

dont be embarrased that you are seeing a councellor.. youll be fine..I see 2 councellors but its for other reasons i.e not my ibs..let us know how you get on

 

[kazzy3]

Hi there nookie, no need to be embarrassed. I went into therapy last year and one of the reasons was my ibs. There are many coping skills that can help, and I learned a few things along the way. Give yourself time and I think you'll find therapy can be very helpful. Hang in there.

 

[18548]

hello again8 months?!? lucky thing. longer wait than that round here i can tell you! my dr has put me on the waiting list mainly cus it's so long and she's stuck for ideas and decided to get me on it just to see if it helps. i'm unconvinced. i don't seem to get into these um patterns? where i think i will get ill under a certain set of circumstances or whatever. but i'm willing to give it a go if it might help me get a bit of a life back! let us know how it goes i'm curious! lol and yes i know about the whole psy problems thing. i struggled with that too but i know this isn't in my mind and so do others around me and keep telling me so. it helps keep me on the straight and narrow!

 

[kitkat17 Lady of the Loo]

HI, I Know how you feel. I went to my Dr last summer and told him I hurt all over and my IBS was at its worse. He took blood and gave me a card of a phsyciatrist (spelling). It ticked me off. I was like I don;t need her, I need a Dr to understand, listen and help out. But at this point my IBS and anxiety is so bad I will try anyhting.Good luck keep us posted as to how it goes.Kat

 

[Kathleen M.]

Really, there is evidence that CBT and Hypnotherapy work for a large percentage of IBSers.It is not just a stab in the dark, doctor has no idea what to do with you kind of manuver.I was in one of the clinical trials, it made a huge, on-going difference for me, and while I was skeptical I did the therapy as if it could work. It helped about 70% of IBSers in the pretty large clinical trial I was in.I have had experience with other mind-body therapies (biofeedback for migraines) that worked well. I just couldn't translate that to the IBS by myself.K.

 

[18255]

Thanks everyone for all the encouragement.I know that my IBS comes on when I have been bad and given into eating things which I know will give ny stomach a hard time like cream or bacon etc. But also on the other hand if I'm nervous about going somewhere or doing something which isn't in my comfort zone then I can conjure up an attack no problem.

that's what I hope to change, but I suppose we'll need to wait and see what the experts say.

 

[18255]

Wish me luck, mu appointment is tomorrow afternoon and my stomach has been doing somersaults since Thursday

 

[18548]

good luck! i'm sure it'll be fine, can't do any harm anyway can it?

 

[17176]

good luck mrs nookie, btw nice to see you posting again

 

[eric]

Psychology works for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)http://www.apns.ca/prob_IBS.html

 

[18255]

Thanks for the link Eric, very encouraging

I'm so nervous but at the same time looking forward to it. I suppose it's the fear of the unknown and not knowing where the toilets are located!

 

[17176]

youll be fine mrs n .. good luck

 

[18255]

cheers joolieI'll let you know how I get on

 

[17176]

okely dokely

 

[overitnow]

I am about to start a short course (I hope) in CBT to address a driving anxiety problem that has developed. I wouldn't have taken this direction without reading of Kathleen's success with it and IBS. My wife had great success eliminating most of her travel related anxiety problems with biofeedback techniques.I would approach the psychologist as an opportunity to get this under control, rather than with negative emotions.Best of luck with this.Mark

 

[miranda]

hi i've been going to cbt sessions on and off for about 6 months now. quite regularly for the first 3 months, then took a 2 month break, then back for maintenance.its been great, i highly recommend it. it has reduced my anxiety and ibs d. in addition we were able to cover some other topics such as assertiveness and anger management which really help me be a more positive and happier person.good luck !

 

[18255]

Thank goodness first appointment is over. My whole body was rigid and my stomach was churning for most of the time there. When the Dr said our initial meeting would be approx 45 minutes i thought I would Poo on the spot

Good job I took enough loperamide to help an elephant!!It was really good to get a lot of things off my chest and admit things that made me anxious and in turn bring on the IBS, although I did keep a couple of things back.My husband went with me and I suppose I haven't really involved him in a lot of my feelings, I think I don't want to burden him, but he was really encouraging so maybe we'll have a 'truth' session later on in the week and hopefully that'll help me take another step in the right direction and involve him as well.I'm back in 2 weeks to go into things in more depth. Of course I'm scared of having to sit for 45 minutes in strange surroundings but at the same time this must be the way forward.Sorry if I rambled, it's good to get things written down and unburden myself.Hope I'm posting this in the right area.

 

[17176]

no you have'nt rambled mrs n.It is like that at your 1st appointment, i was terrified of going, and having to open up to a complete stranger..good luck for the next session, youll do just fine.. take care