[peaches41]

Been feeling great for about 4-6 days, then all went pear-shaped this morning, 4 visits to the loo, cramps etc. The reason? I had an appointment at the hairdresser.

 

[clareuk]

Sorry peaches. I know it makes you feel really down when you have a day like that. I had to go to the doctors 2 days ago and I had to get up at 6.30 for a 9am appointment and I only just barely made it in time. I was on the loo all morning and had back ache, tummy ache all day and I must admit felt like such a waste of space that I even had a cry in my lunch hour at work. When you start off the day like that it ruins the whole week. I'm exactly the same except I haven't been to the hairdresser in years now and cut my own. (I did train as a hairdresser) If I know I have an appointment for anything I get exactly the same. Going to the vets, garage, doctors, dentist etc.. My doctor was hardly sympathetic to me this week either and basically told me to just take more immodiums. If only other people knew what we have to go through. Nice to speak to another cornishwoman. Take care

 

[peaches41]

@ Claire x Oh well, it's a lovely haircut, so probably worth all the aggro lol!!

 

[clareuk]

Yes just think you could have had a bad haircut after all that. At least you get up the courage to actually go to the hairdressers and all I do is manage to avoid everything possible. Good for you.

 

[FrenchMarigold]

hello Peaches. I live on Anglesey and I have just had a reasonable week too. We went skiing last week (14 to 21March ) and I took Tormentil with me as usual - supposed to guard against e-coli -plus a huge number of immodiums and immodium instants (which I find work better but don't know why and I can't find out what's in them that is different.) Anyway I took the Tormentil three times a day and once I had been to the loo for at least three times and taken 2-4 immodiums was ready to hit the slopes. On the last night a bit of a panic as we had to leave really early the next day for a three-hour drive to the airport to get a plane at 11. So I took two immodiums the night before. Got back to the UK and went to the loo like "normal" people do. My husband confessed to a dicky tummy but I was fine! I then decided I would take the Tormentil twice a day and two immodium at night and for a week it has been great. Yesterday I went a couple of times (was going to an exhibition) but I didn't feel my visits were as urgent as usual (I could stroll to the bathroom rather than dashing there.) Last night didn't take the immodium and could feel and hear my stomach gurgling so got up and took two. Pain went and I went back to sleep. Feel fine today. I don't know yet whether it's the Tormentil or taking the immodium at night that's the answer but this is the longest time since goodness knows when that I haven't had the troubling symptoms every day.

 

[Stephanie.Griffiths]

Hello Peaches. I know exactly how you feel. I have just signed upto this sight, and can not belive that so many people feel and think the same as me. I honestly thought that I was the only person who thought the things I did and leave my Ibs get me down to a point where I genuinley can not cope anymore. I very rarley go to the hairdressers, because whenever I have an appointment anywhere I work myself upto it , and am In the loo fo over and hour going back and fourth all the time, stomach cramps where I can not walk, it is too much to think what the time is for the appointment when I get into a bad state with the IBS. I suffer from it daily and my worst pain is when I get up in the morning after taking my medication and knowing I have to be ready for college. Having IBS has played on my nerves and I get nervous and worried over the littlest of things. Wow, I have typed alot, hope your ok anyway...

x

 

[peaches41]

French Marigold - Wow, seems like you have got it taped! Well done for finding the right dosage and medication to help you cope. I sincerely hope that it all goes well for you. How wonderful if at last you have found the answer. It's so lovely when you have "normal" bm's, and can, as you say, leisurely stroll to the loo instead of knocking members of the family out of the way to get there lol!!Hi Stephanie - Yes, I know just how you feel. And it's not just the hairdresser, is it, with me it's the doctor's surgery, hospital appointments (x-rays and scans are awful, you can't just jump off the table and run for it!) eating out, oh, when I think of all the excuses I've made to friends as to why I can't meet them, go out for a meal, spend the day at the beach, whatever, and all because of this blasted disease. It really can ruin your life, can't it, but we mustn't let it. I usually ask myself, all the times I've dreaded going out in case "something" happens, and it never has, yet! ok, I know there's always a first time, but if you can take some Immodium before the appointment, it's usually all right. Hopefully. All the best x

 

[Sal]

actually i confess to cutting even bleaching (yikes)! my own hair as well to avoid the hairdressers. I have really long hair and i have it blonde so it would probably take over and hour in the hairdressers and you cant exactly run to the toilet with bleach on your hair can you

Luckily after a few errr hair mistakes i have worked out how to get it just right and luckily my mum used to be a hairdresser so she cuts the back of my hair. Anyway i errrm think my hair looks ok!

 

[peaches41]

Well done, Sal, it's amazing what we can do if we have to, isn't it? My hair is really cropped short, I had cancer and after my hair grew back I quite liked the short hair look. BUT...it means going to the hairdresser every few weeks, what a nightmare... Maybe I should shave it all off lol!!

 

[SunNsnow]

Peaches, I did not understand what you meant....are you saying youwent to the loo 4 times because of the anxiety of going to the hairdresser?

 

[peaches41]

Peaches, I did not understand what you meant....are you saying youwent to the loo 4 times because of the anxiety of going to the hairdresser?

Yes, that is correct.

 

[marc]

Peaches, I think most of us ibs-d people can empathize. You pretty much discribed me when I have a dentist, hair dresser, anywhere that I'll be away from a bathroom for more than a few minutes. I had several dental visits this past summer. I took so Xanax I don't even remember getting home some days. Visits to the dentest were so difficult in the past and the neglect had finally caught up to me. 11k, lots of drugs and several hours in the chair fixed what I could have taken care of for a lot less, a long time ago.

 

[peaches41]

marc - I know, we take what we have to to get through something that most people take for granted and don't even think twice about. I have been known to lie awake all night worrying about the next day's looming appointment. How people can go on holidays, especially abroad, it makes me so jealous.The dentist - particularly hair-raising - can't jump out of the chair and run!!

 

[SunNsnow]

The more and more stories I read (have read hundreds now) the more I beginto question whether or not I have IBS, let alone Crohn's. It is surprising and shocking to me to hear all these stories of people not being ableto control their bowel movements, so bad they fear going out in public.I have excessive diarrhea for sure, sometimes for 2 weeks on end but its usuallytwo bowel movements a day with loose stools, sometimes watery but usually not.And its controllable. This morning and yesterday morning I had to go right away within 3 or 4 minutes ofwaking up. I suspect if I were out walking and had to hold it, I may get some cramping.About a year ago, it was bad enough where tons of water was pouring out and I wasafraid of farting for fearing water would squirt out but it has only been this bad oncein 5 years.Question..is the problem that it is too embarrassing to say to the hairdresser in themiddle of her cutting your hair, "excuse me, do you mind if I go to the bathroom fora sec., I'll be right back

" And forgive my ignorance on this but don't the powerful anti diarrheal medicines workto prevent this? If it did work, couldn't you pop this before you go out?For me, when I do get diarrhea, pepto bismol seems to work although not all the time.And if it persists past a few days, I stop taking it and just accept my fate for the nextfew days as I do not think it is good to take pepto bismol for 10 days in a row.

 

[Thai]

SunNsnow,You have to understand the severity of some of these issues that some people are dealing with.We are talking multiple bouts of watery D, some 6-8 times a day....with no control.Urgent beyond words...not making it across the room to the toilet.No time to ask if the hairdresser minds that you go to the bathroom. By then it is too late.And this is not just something that passes in a couple of weeks, this is a daily occurrence for many many years for some people. Your world is your bowel movements and trying to live around them. I think we could all just accept our fate if we thought it was only going to last a few days.As for the meds....for many, they simply don't work!!!!

 

[SunNsnow]

Thai,It's disgusting that the medical community does not take this issue seriouslymerely because it is connected to the mind (or its suspected that it is.) This is such a huge issue that is debilitating for millions of people yet hardlyany research is being done. We are the best country in the world with the most advanced medicine, yet the medical system overlooks a problem affecting 20 million people merely because they don't understand the cause and there is no surgery.

 

[Aussie Ann]

I've just joined this group, and I had to smile when I saw this thread. I had my hair done a couple of days ago and ended up having to rush off to the toilet mid-cut. Thankfully this was my only visit to the toilet. I wish the same could be said of when I went and saw my parents the same afternoon, when I ended up rushing to the toilet four times in 15 minutes. I've been stuck inside the house ever since. Tomorrow I'm cooking lunch for my parents and am really hoping that my bowels will have settled down.I have to say that I haven't been impressed by the 'help' I've received from the medics. I was diagnosed last year and sent away with no medication, no advice, NOTHING! That's why I've joined this group, in the hope that I can get some advice and support from others who are coping with IBS.

 

[peaches41]

Hi Aussie Ann - welcome to the forum that no-one wants to belong to lol!!Sorry to hear you had an "incident" at the hairdresser's, still, at least you lasted until you got your hair finished. So bad that you haven't received any help from your doctor, although having said that, I've received S** all from my doctors. I owe the way I am now to Linda's calcium thread, have you tried it? Well worth a go, and it's not going to do you any harm to try.All the best x

 

[Aussie Ann]

I've just looked at Linda's thread and it looks interesting. I've got to the point where I'm happy to try anything, and to be honest, because I don't like milk, I probably don't get enough calcium anyway. Hopefully by next week my bowels will have settled down enough for me to pop into town and go to Holland and Barrett's.I'm assuming from your post about the trip to the hairdresser's that calcium hasn't cured you completely, but how much of a difference has it made? I'd be interested to hear.Many thanks xx

 

[peaches41]

Hi AnnIt's about 3 months since I started the calcium regime. It hasn't cured me, but I take three a day and since I started I haven't had watery diarrhoea once. The stools are more formed, still soft, but not watery. The cramping is heaps better, and the urgency is definitely less. The only thing that can make matters worse is 1)overeating and 2)and "stressful" situation, like an appointment, or going out with friends for a meal or to the cinema. At those times I take a quarter or half an immodium which helps a lot. As for the overeating, it's easy to get carried away, but I then get terrible gassy pains and indigestion so I try to eat smaller portions.If you read through Linda's thread she will tell you which calcium to take and how much. I live miles from anywhere, and get my calcium from the local chemist's. You don't need Holland and Barretts. Hope this helps.Good wishes x