[Kathleen M.]

Awhile ago I finished the 100 days and tried ending the Buspar.Symptoms were better than usual when I stop the drug altogether, but started being a bit annoying so I've decided to go back on the Buspar. Even though it was bothersome I was much better able to get it back under control than usual, so I do see it as a success.My IBS prior to doing the CBT was very, very severe in the pain dept, so I dunno if I'll ever get full remission and be drug free (but a girl can dream).Part of that is because I am doing some pretty intensive abdominal training right now for my T'ai Chi Ch'uan and it is so much nicer to do all that in full remission rather than in pretty good remission as even though I could calm the symptoms down it did seem that the abdominal wall was reacting to the pain and not behaving the way I want. see http://www.magictortoise.com/dantian.htm for an idea of what I'm up to.I train with coins and I also train with weights (I use a 15 lb dumbell and sometimes hold another 6 lb dumbell on top of it) on the abdomen and expand and contract the abdomen with the weights and also lean into a stick braced against the wall and it's pretty demanding and it seemed that any amount of colon pain was mucking with the abdominal wall (I think uncontiously preventing me from pulling in all the way to try and avoid annoying the intestines)If I wasn't doing this it might be OK without drugs, and I'm going to A Taste of China in early July where they are doing the dantien challange as a part of the event and it would be really sweet to be able to make 1 foot (I'm at about 8 inches now so it's close....I can taste it).I also think that in the long run the abdominal stuff I'm doing with the T'ai Chi will also help me get to that eventual full remission, drug free state, but I can't do as much of that work as I'd like when I try to do that right now. One of the guys in the area has been having pretty good luck controlling some of what I think is mild IBS (although I don't think he ever got diagnosed) based on some of the symptoms he described using some of the stuff I've been learning.As long as I keep making progress someday I'll get there. (which is part of the T'ai Chi philosophy taught by my school and one of the things on the back of the medal...make a little progress every day).K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html

 

[AZmom1]

K,I think you have had great success, and you have an interesting perspective coming from CBT first. There are times when I take a Xanax for getting through a stressful time. But I take far, far fewer than I used to, and that is a big step in the right direction.I'm very interested in your T'ai Chi Ch'uan.I study Kempo, and find that martial arts is a very important part of my life and recovery. Only through a sort of relaxed concentration can you complete the moves correctly. You have to totally clear your mind and allow your body to move as you have trained; basically moving by subconscious thought. I call it "physical hypnosis" because if you do it with conscious thought you will make a mistake. It provides me complete freedom from stress and problems of daily life. I think you're right about the physical training you're doing, I can see the connection. Very interesting. I'm going to look up the link. AZ[This message has been edited by AZmom1 (edited 06-07-2001).]

 

[eric]

"Grasshoppers", reach into the inner place for strength and will.

LOLI think I watched to much Kung Fu when I was a kid.

Way to go K, keep at it.

------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com

 

[Kathleen M.]

We recently had someone come from Taiwan that taught some of the QiGong set "Shiba Luohan gong" "Eighteen Buddha Palm" that is traditionally the basis for alot of the Chinese Martial Arts. One of the Warmups he taught for me is very much like what your talking about with the "physical hypnosis" We call it heliocoptor arms (I don't know what the chinese term for it is) and I've gotten pretty good at it but it took doing it very slowly for awhile and then working up to speed. Once I get going at a decent clip I have to let the body do it's thing without thinking about it. Concious thought tends to make me move one of the arms in a way that can be acutely painful so the trick is to let the movement happen without thinking too much about what I'm doing.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html

 

[Guest]

HI Kthanks for the update. Like your style

Best RegardsMike