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At wit's end

685 views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  Vikki-Lou 
#1 ·
I am at my wit's end. I was finally diagnosed with IBS 5 years ago after a series of dianostic tests showed no physical abnomalities (except in the words of my MD a "twisted colon"). No matter what I do-eat right, eat wrong, don't eat I have to get up three hours earlier every morning so I can go to the bathroom 4 to 8 times in order to leave the house and start my 1 hour commute to work. My problem seems to manifest itself in the need for "immediate evacuation". I very often have to come back to the house to go even though I went right before I left. My 10 year old son will provide me with his opinion that I should just "hold it in". My husband just shakes his head and gets out of the way. I have probably wreaked havoc with my intestines as I live on Immodium, but that doesn't work all the time. Mornings are the worst. I sometimes take the generic drug dycyclomine. Going out on family outings or long drives in the country are terrifying. I just found this bulletin board and wanted to jump right in and talk to people who might actually understand. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Oh i do feel for you! the same happens to me.May i ask how long this severe D has been going on for?Mine happened every single morning for months and months. I got up 2 hours before work and visited the loo like you!The thing is, I had these attacks every morning between October and February and I was at my its end. However, the last few weeks things have started to settle.I wondered if yours may do the same soon? It took 5 months before my tummy seems to just 'settle'. I have no idea why. Im not ot tablets, or meds, havent really changed my diet - apart from cutting out spicey food, indian and chinese and cut down on the fat a bit.How long have you been suffering?Did this D come on 'all of a sudden'? as if you had eaten someting bad?
 
#3 ·
Oh i do feel for you! the same happens to me.May i ask how long this severe D has been going on for?Mine happened every single morning for months and months. I got up 2 hours before work and visited the loo like you!The thing is, I had these attacks every morning between October and February and I was at my its end. However, the last few weeks things have started to settle.I wondered if yours may do the same soon? It took 5 months before my tummy seems to just 'settle'. I have no idea why. Im not ot tablets, or meds, havent really changed my diet - apart from cutting out spicey food, indian and chinese and cut down on the fat a bit.How long have you been suffering?Did this D come on 'all of a sudden'? as if you had eaten someting bad?
 
#7 ·
Rita...sorry to hear about this.
Are you able to arrange your job so it is later in the day? Do you think it is "mornings" per se that are the problem, or when you get up and about? I ask that b/c mine used to be associated with when I got up to do things. I have D as well btw.I found that reducing my stress helped a lot, along with the trigger foods. I actually found that some foods I can eat if I am "okay" but the moment I am internally stressed no way to that food. My antidepressant helped me a lot too.I wish I could give more advice...my IBS seems to have got better, but even last week I defecated on myself when I tried to drive the 3 hours to my grandparents. That hasn't happened in a LONG time.
Good luck to you..I hope you find what works for you.
 
#6 ·
Rita...sorry to hear about this.
Are you able to arrange your job so it is later in the day? Do you think it is "mornings" per se that are the problem, or when you get up and about? I ask that b/c mine used to be associated with when I got up to do things. I have D as well btw.I found that reducing my stress helped a lot, along with the trigger foods. I actually found that some foods I can eat if I am "okay" but the moment I am internally stressed no way to that food. My antidepressant helped me a lot too.I wish I could give more advice...my IBS seems to have got better, but even last week I defecated on myself when I tried to drive the 3 hours to my grandparents. That hasn't happened in a LONG time.
Good luck to you..I hope you find what works for you.
 
#8 ·
Hi, mine was like yours, but whatever time I needed to leave the house I felt as thought I needed to go. If I was going to a place where there were not toilets, ie the childrens school playground I felt terrible. Probably I was having panick attacks the way I was feeling inside.Try getting yourself tested for a food intolerance. I live in the uk so what is available here is different. Leap is always mentioned on this board and if you look back to the past pages of posting I know it has been there recently and I am sure someone will tell you what else is available. I started with IBS after my second child. I tried to pretend it would go away, but it just got worse until now; that I seem to know what to eat and what to avoid.
 
#9 ·
Hi, mine was like yours, but whatever time I needed to leave the house I felt as thought I needed to go. If I was going to a place where there were not toilets, ie the childrens school playground I felt terrible. Probably I was having panick attacks the way I was feeling inside.Try getting yourself tested for a food intolerance. I live in the uk so what is available here is different. Leap is always mentioned on this board and if you look back to the past pages of posting I know it has been there recently and I am sure someone will tell you what else is available. I started with IBS after my second child. I tried to pretend it would go away, but it just got worse until now; that I seem to know what to eat and what to avoid.
 
#10 ·
Hi Auroraheart- Thanks hearing that other adults have accidents is comforting. I thought only I had things like that happen to me.Hi Redrose- Thanks, my husband says it's all in my head because of my fear of leaving the house if I still have to go. It's nice to know others have similar experiences. I'll check into leap. Thanks again.
 
#11 ·
Hi Auroraheart- Thanks hearing that other adults have accidents is comforting. I thought only I had things like that happen to me.Hi Redrose- Thanks, my husband says it's all in my head because of my fear of leaving the house if I still have to go. It's nice to know others have similar experiences. I'll check into leap. Thanks again.
 
#13 ·
Hi Rita,Lots of us have had the same problems that you describe, so you've come to the right place. There are lots of things that you can do to help yourself - so you might want to familiarize yourself with various areas of this site before picking the first thing to try.A few that have helped other people - LEAP, as mentioned before, "Mike's Tapes" (look in the cognitive behavioral therapy & hypnotherapy section), which a lot of people swear by, Ibsacol (which has ads all over this site), Calcium (see the over-the-counter section). Each of these has it's die-hard fans, so it's worth spending a few days reading threads & success stories before trying something. You can use the search feature to find threads of discussion for each, & for other ideas.
 
#12 ·
Hi Rita,Lots of us have had the same problems that you describe, so you've come to the right place. There are lots of things that you can do to help yourself - so you might want to familiarize yourself with various areas of this site before picking the first thing to try.A few that have helped other people - LEAP, as mentioned before, "Mike's Tapes" (look in the cognitive behavioral therapy & hypnotherapy section), which a lot of people swear by, Ibsacol (which has ads all over this site), Calcium (see the over-the-counter section). Each of these has it's die-hard fans, so it's worth spending a few days reading threads & success stories before trying something. You can use the search feature to find threads of discussion for each, & for other ideas.
 
#14 ·
Hi RitaWelcome to the board - sorry of course that you need to be here though. One thing that helps is to know that you are not alone, it's not just you who goes through these things, and best of all, you might just find something through this board that will help.I agree with LTL that you should do a lot of reading through this board to figure out what approach might work for you. One thing you'll find is that IBS is different for different people. Myself, I have IBS C/D which means I alternate (best of both worlds??) although in the past it was the D that made me anxious and feel sick, etc. But striking the balance is probably to big key for me. Personally, I use hypno (Mike's tapes) because stress is a huge trigger for me and I'd like to get rid of that anxious to go anywhere I can't control the bathroom situation mode. Plus I take calcium/magnesium supplements to help along that balance (calcium constipates, magnesium loosens things up - so the trick was to find the right ratio for me).Mostly though, know that you're not alone in this and this board is a great place for getting help or just plain old sympathy.nancy
 
#15 ·
Hi RitaWelcome to the board - sorry of course that you need to be here though. One thing that helps is to know that you are not alone, it's not just you who goes through these things, and best of all, you might just find something through this board that will help.I agree with LTL that you should do a lot of reading through this board to figure out what approach might work for you. One thing you'll find is that IBS is different for different people. Myself, I have IBS C/D which means I alternate (best of both worlds??) although in the past it was the D that made me anxious and feel sick, etc. But striking the balance is probably to big key for me. Personally, I use hypno (Mike's tapes) because stress is a huge trigger for me and I'd like to get rid of that anxious to go anywhere I can't control the bathroom situation mode. Plus I take calcium/magnesium supplements to help along that balance (calcium constipates, magnesium loosens things up - so the trick was to find the right ratio for me).Mostly though, know that you're not alone in this and this board is a great place for getting help or just plain old sympathy.nancy
 
#17 ·
Rita, Sorry to hear that your husband thinks it is all in your head. I am a 33 yr old man and I can tell you that your head can get in the way with panic attacks but the panic attacks are based on a real fear. I would suggest having your husband read these post and even your son. Feel free to email me with any question I am a 10+ year IBS-D suffer.
 
#16 ·
Rita, Sorry to hear that your husband thinks it is all in your head. I am a 33 yr old man and I can tell you that your head can get in the way with panic attacks but the panic attacks are based on a real fear. I would suggest having your husband read these post and even your son. Feel free to email me with any question I am a 10+ year IBS-D suffer.
 
#20 ·
Rita, you say:"Going out on family outings or long drives in the country are terrifying...."I think this is a fear for lots of us, DEFINALTELY ME!!!All i can think of at present is 'how will i manage the travelling when I go on hols in August' and 'how will i stop the D? what can i take? where can i eat once in spain??' etc etc. ALSO my wedding is in 14 months and im SO SCARED that I cant hold the D long enough to stand at the ailse!!! I think we just had to try our best to plan everything and try and eat really bland food leading up to our trips and days out.Isnt is terrifying!?................SURE!!!scares me so much!
 
#21 ·
Rita, you say:"Going out on family outings or long drives in the country are terrifying...."I think this is a fear for lots of us, DEFINALTELY ME!!!All i can think of at present is 'how will i manage the travelling when I go on hols in August' and 'how will i stop the D? what can i take? where can i eat once in spain??' etc etc. ALSO my wedding is in 14 months and im SO SCARED that I cant hold the D long enough to stand at the ailse!!! I think we just had to try our best to plan everything and try and eat really bland food leading up to our trips and days out.Isnt is terrifying!?................SURE!!!scares me so much!
 
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