Hi,I was reading your story and found it similar to mine. I am also new to the site, though I have visited it numerous times throughout the years in dealing with IBS. I have alternating IBS, C dominant. I will be writing about my experience over the past five years, but wanted to reply to your post. First, yoga, AWESOME. I'm glad to hear that you take yoga. Dealing with IBS is the reason that I started practicing... and it had helped tremendously... for awhile. Like with all the other "treatments" the IBS seems to have a way of crawling back in. Also, with IBS C, sometimes the last thing you want to be doing is folding over with your abdomen feeling so full and heavy. I would say definitely stick with yoga even if it does not seem to help. BUT, don't feel bad or discouraged or guilty if you miss some days. If nothing else, it will help keep you feeling grounded and centered and focused when you are dealing with the worst of the IBS. I have had a strong practice for over two years, but have gone through periods where I was not able to practice at all. Do as much as you can. Yoga, unlike some other physical activities will help trigger "energetic points" in the body that help promote relaxation, stimulate circulation/metabolism, and cultivate mind/body connection that gets lost in the frustration of dealing with IBS. Ever say stuff like "I don't feel connected to my body" or "It's like my body isn't listening to me". I know I do. I found that even with the most painful IBS, it's key to recognize that the mind/emotions are directly connected with what is going on in the gut. Yoga helps keep that dialogue going... Even if what your gut is saying is NOT what you want to hear at the time.Also, you mentioned that you are, kind of like I was "at wits end. Ready to try something crazy, like hypnosis"... Well, I did. Let me say that I had never really considered hypno as an option. I was determined to find a "reason" for the abdominal pain, bloating, constipation...I tried every single route I could think of, natropathically and medically...Every diet, every laxative, every oscopy, I saw Gi specialists, I saw cardiologists, obgyn, I tried anti-depressants, all liquid diets, anti candida diets...As I am sure you have tried as well...So when nothing helped and I hit rock bottom, i tried....hypnotherapy. I started out with IBS Audio Program 100 (there is a forum topic on this sight called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Hypnosis for IBS that you can check out) And at the same time, I was referred to a clinical hypnotherapist by a friend that I started to see at the same time. I will say that I was a skeptic. I was not what you would consider a spiritual person and I saw hypno as "new age" self help oddity that had nothing to do with me. I was a firm believer that I could "fix" what ever was "wrong" inside me that was causing the IBS, through tests, medicine, treatments and Dr.s visits. I was determined that they would find something that I could treat. But when no one comes up with anything and you are at the end of your rope.... well, I said, I don't have anything to lose.I started with the hypno tapes, you can buy them online from healthyaudio.com for about 80 bucks and download them immediately. Considering the thousands of dollars I had spent on medical tests, prescriptions, not to mention the other thousands of dollars on supplements, food, vitamins, I thought, another 80 bucks at this point won't make a difference. You listen for 5 different sessions of self-hypno for 100 days. The website has complete information and is very helpful. So far, this is the only thing, along with clinical therapy that has helped. Unfortunately since I was feeling so much better during the course of the program, I stopped midway. I started in June and have been more or less symptom free until a couple months ago... Couldn't figure out why the IBS came back... So I decided to start the program again and this time will see it ALL THE WAY THOUGH
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Anyway, long story short... Never despair, even if IBS comes back, you can always make it through...Even if you literally feel like ######.What helps me aside from the
hypno
iet: I try just normal/healthy. Avoid most processed foods. Anything fresh and whole, veggies, protein, nuts. If my belly gives me a lot of trouble, I will go elimination/liquid for a couple days, rice protein shakes, etc. Try not to get too caught up on diet as it can drive you crazy and cause more stress on what food is "good" or "bad"Supplements: After going through cupboards of supplements, the ones that I go back to
are:Omega 3Magnesium Glycinate (helps keep bowels moving)Probiotics Digestive enzymes with meals.Anyway, just some comments on your post. Yes, do yoga. Wits end? Try hypno. You have nothing to lose
Good luck! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I would also love to talk yoga with you and how you started to practice.Love,Sarah
