[greg2101]

Hello to all on this forum,I have read the posts and I can so very much relate to the majority of people here and let me say that my heart goes out to all of you. IBS can really shake up ones life. Personally, I have seen it all suffering from IBS for over nineteen years. First experiencing it when I went through a very emotional break-up with my girlfriend. Super stress no sleep anxiety, etc. Others have different triggers this was mine. Since then I have never been the same.There is good news for most of you and that is IBS can be controlled possibly eliminated, nausea, C�s & D�s included. But it takes time and certain sacrifices. But what have you got to lose. When I first got ill I literally spent weeks upon weeks in the biomedical library looking for answers. I went to hospitals, clinics gastroenterologists and radiologists across the U.S. This also included the superpowers Scrips and Mayo. After endless tests, analyzing probings and stickings nothing serious was found. Quite embarrassing when doctors said it was psychosomatic and everyone wondered if I was a mental case.I decided after years of traditional medical attention to try alternative health. This was even more widespread trying everything, including distilled water, juice fasts (I got down to 130 lbs at 6'0), vegetarianism, high protein diet, low protein diet, every supplement imaginable, every treatment available. I worked in different medical practices to be close to treatments and physicians. I even found a group of young people that suffered from all type of un-diagnosable ailments, quite a group of exciting misfits we were. Things got so horrible that I was on suicide watch twice and anyone who knows me would say it�s not me. I could literally write pages upon pages of unusual, at times horribly painful experiences. Some that would not be believed. But after all these years please let me tell you what I have concluded and I hope that it helps you cope with this nasty 'lil thing called IBS.#1 PLEASE REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT IN YOUR HEAD! NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY TO YOU, YOU ARE NOT IMAGINING IT! You may even look well, but inside you are hurting. Something is wrong.#2 You must accept your body not hate it for what it�s doing. A house divided will fall, even further and at least for now, know and accept that it is different from others#3 Stop trying to keep up with Susy or Bob who sleep 3 hours after downing 6 schooners of beer 6 nights a week. You will self-destruct.#4 It helps if you start believing that you can be well and healthy again. Even if you fell like ughhh. I hold dearly the fact that our minds very much control our health. Careful what you think.#4 I have chosen to use alternative health means today and I am convinced it's the best way. Yet, I carefully watch for proven medical treatments to be discovered. As of today, I still believe that drugs actually weaken the body in the long run. (I used to own a drug company)#5 Connecting with others on the internet is a great tool. One that I did not have. But be careful not everything works the same for everyone else. When someone says they have the answer by taking cod liver oil enemas, be careful, you may be sensitive and break out with blisters from head to toe (I did).Let me close by saying that, last month I was accepted to medical school. Recently I sold a successful pharmaceutical company I started. I am stable at 178 lbs use the restroom once a day I still have symptoms but I can work, hold a relationship and go to school. I even smile and laugh as life now seems fairly normal most of the time. I still have not understood why we are so special to suffer like this. Yet so many suffer in this world today. I saw a disturbing statistic today. It stated that 25% of the population of Canada suffer (mostly silently) with IBS. So many people today need to be educated and supported adding to that our hope for an effective cure for this syndrome.I hope that this info helps. If I can be of any further help please email me. in health, greg

 

[Kim T.]

Hi, I was moved by your words and am now almost speechless but I felt a need to respond to your post none the less. I was touched by your trials and feel that you have alot to offer as far as experiences with IBS is concerned. Hopefully you will continue to offer your words of experience surrounding this difficult condition that (what I consider it) 'has a mind of it's own'.Best regards...

 

[greg2101]

Thanks so much KimNothing smarten's you up like a good 'ole dose of pain and suffering. I am very happy to help anyone that I can. I'm trying to do the STO vs STS thing.Would like to talk with you on some astro questions sometime.in health, greg the taurus

 

[anonymoose]

hey, im just wondering what your diet consists of now. also, do you take any supplements?

 

[Kunterbunt1234]

Thank you for your positive post, and for sharing what you have been going through with IBS. It's true, too many of us give up on ever getting free from this disorder, myself included. Congratulations also for getting accepted into medical school! You certainly will show more understanding and caring towards IBS patients than most physicians.

 

[greg2101]

In answer to anonymose's questions

quote: what does my diet consist of

and

quote: "do I take any supplements"

Let me first say that, as I mentioned in my original post, I have tried many diets I even worked with an MD evaluating the big health diets promoted. We wrote a book, actually I wrote it and he took the credit, on what we felt to be the better approach.Let me also say that I believe that food allergies may affect many IBS sufferers and I did the various food allergy tests at one time showing allergies to almost everything. Eating rice, kumquats and fillet of salamander is what they feed POW's and I could not maintain that for long.So I ventured out trying and testing various foods and have settled into a basic, nutritional diet. For the most part it is difficult to tell if a certain food really bothers me or not. With exception to the following: popcorn (the hulls are rough on the intestinal lining, a lot of raw vegetables (same reason), a lot of beans (even hard to digest for normals),foods containing alot of additives (chem's. preservatives such as nitrites, BHT, MSG, etc.)I also make a point not to drink liquids when I eat (1 hour before, 2 after) I am certain for various reasons it causes gas. I watch alcohol, caffeine, no recreational drugs, rarely medicines.Since IBS is a long standing "syndrome" I feel diet is important in keeping yourself strong. What works best for me is the "zone type diet" also promoted by this new doc, Perricone where eating a balance of good meat proteins with acceptable carbs (acceptable vegies, fruits light on the grains) each meal to keep your blood sugar levels correct. It really helps my energy levels which is important fueling all systems of the body including the immune. Typically Japanese diet (excluding the Sapporo) or Mediterranean diets are close to these ideas. I think the typical American diet is a tragedy.I also like organic when possible. I do not like to eat the same foods continually. Studies show that you can build up sensitivities.All-in-all I try to keep it not to complicated.When I lived in San Francisco I loved to eat out. But I had to be a little careful here. IBS sufferers have immunity issues in the gut and some restaurants are not careful with there food and can provide us with wonderful 'lil bacteria that sets up home in our intestines, complicating matters. Along with this is the Candida issue which I won't discuss now.As far as supplements go this is a bit more complicated. I take a sound basic multiple and add onto that. I have recently been trying fish oils and aloe vera. Studies are showing good results for IBS using these two items. The jury is still out. I also take acidophilus orally and admittedly via enema. Occasionally I still get gut burning and discomfort. An enema with 1/2-1 tspn of acidophilus. powder to about 1/4 c water helps. Caution for some, it may initially cause gas so if you try this use very little powder at first. Maybe an 1/8 tspn as for me the gas eventually stopped. There are quite a few brands of probiotics. I like Metagenics Ultradophilus (google search) but I just ordered a new brand I saw on a forum called VSL #3. I'll have it next week.I also take antioxidants, some phytonutrients and a few other items. There was a time when I was taking about 40-50 bottles of pills a day. Not anymore I try and keep it more simple at most 5-6 items at a time. I have found a great little supplement supplier that will ship to you anywhere. Good prices great service and information. If anyone is interested let me know. Also, if people have the budget or the time for more sophisticated supplement plans email me I can point to some good info. In closing, what may sound strange is that after awhile you really start to listen to your body (or I believe you should) and it has its own internal guidance system which kind of tells you what is good for it. I hope this is helpful.in health...greg_____________________________________________I am not a medical doctor nor health care practitioner. I am just relating my personal experiences.whatever does not kill me outright, makes me stronger....Nietzche_____________________________________________

 

[greg2101]

I think it is important that I add something on medicines. I feel that there are times when prescriptions are necessary and helpful. Especially at the beginning of IBS when symptoms are out of control. For example, Lomotil has been helpful in slowing down D. But I also feel that most IBS medicines out there are to help with the symptoms and long run does zero for the cause. Since the cause is debatable, strengthening the body is not and long run I feel prescriptions weaken us. This is why I worked hard to wean off the drugs. Just my $.02.in Health...greg

 

[valtaya]

Wow your messages have moved me so much. I have just spent yet another weekend in pain and unable to leave the house. I was also ment to be babysitting but had 2 let them down at the last minute - so im not very popular at the minute. Id love to have my life back.. be able to go out - get a job - do normal things again but at the minute i dont see any end in site. Im ment to be going into hospital for a eye op but have cancled it for the past 2 yyrs cuz they will give me antibiotics and it was them that started all this off in the first place!! Sumtimes i feel it mite be food allergy but then i have a attack for no reason and im at a complete loss. I take probiotics which have helped alot but not stopped it. Even the thought of going out scares me to death and sure enuff i'll have a attack. I'm getting so fed up of this and im sure my boyfriend is too... im a completly different person to when we first met, I know he says its ok but sumtimes i wonder... Anyway i think i have ranted enuff take care xx