September 2005 Archives

Sorry for the delay in entries, been dealing with teeth issues just to give me a change from the stomach issues. Think it would be useful if I could opt to be a Hooloovoo, a Douglas Adams character who was a superintelligent shade of the colour blue. He didn't have a body but was refracted into a prism for special occasions. Would then not have to deal with intestines and teeth.

Stomach has been pretty good over the last two weeks, slightly dodgy today but nothing major. Despite this improvement I have decided that I am going to go see an IBS specialist to try to get some more help, as although I am surviving I am still having some bad pain. The doctor I have chosen is someone who specialises in both food problems and bacteria and bug problems, ie: parasites and an imbalance of friendly to unfriendly bacteria.

As ever there are different views as to how important these bugs are in the causes of IBS, but there is some pretty convincing evidence that these bugs can cause some cases of IBS, especially if you were a food poisoning victim as I was. What is in no doubt is the fact that parasites such as giardia can cause serious GI symptoms and can live in the body quite happily for months and even years.

I'll let you know how I get on when I go for a consultation (just have to get my teeth sorted our first. And go to Hooloovoo training school).

I like to think that I do my bit for the IBS community - I run several websites with IBS info, case studies etc, I write this blog, I am a moderator on an IBS self-help forum, and I write articles on IBS for other websites and newsletters.

And, of course, while doing these things I suffer myself - at the moment I am suffering pretty badly, as my recent blog entries will show...

And because I do all these things I receive quite a lot of emails from fellow IBS sufferers, many saying thanks for the websites, which is wonderful - I always like getting those! Some ask questions about IBS research or symptoms etc, and that's fine too - happy to help.

But quite a few people ask me for specific advice for their own symptoms, and I'm writing this entry to try to explain why I just can't help them.

Firstly, because I can't even help myself...my IBS is far from under control, and therefore I obviously don't have all the answers.

Secondly, because I am not a doctor and have no medical training at all, not even a tiny bit, and therefore if I told someone to take a particular supplement or avoid a particular drug I might just kill them.

And thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, because I need help too. I had an email the other day from someone whose mother had a very bad case of IBS, and the email asked me to "please save my mom". The writer was obviously in a great deal of distress and I really sympathise with her, but I just can't take on the responsibility for anyone else's health when I am in so much pain myself - please don't ask me to.

Like I say, I hope I do my bit for the IBS community, and I still love to receive emails - all I'm asking is that you when you email any webmaster you think about who they are in 'real life', especially if you're asking for help. Cause I need help too!