Apologies for the lack of blog posts recently – my recent good health and contained intestines are good for me, but bad for this blog…for obvious reasons I can’t write about my own IBS when I feel pretty darn healthy (not including one week of extreme nastiness and an hour at 2.00am the other night when I felt like someone was inflating my duodenum).
So – I’m looking for suggestions from you guys as to what you would like to see me write about on this blog. I’m also wondering if anyone would like to write a guest post – a chance to rant and rave about your own symptoms, or raise a topic related to the IBS community, or basically just waffle for a little while and have a chance to get some replies from fellow sufferers.
I’ve asked my lovely newsletter subscribers for some blog ideas too and I’ve had some excellent ones, including the influence of menstrual cycles on IBS, coping with IBS at work, a piece about fiber supplements and probiotics/antibiotics, and more, all of which are worth some blog time.
So is there anything else you would like to hear about – or you would like to write about? If you have a topic suggestion just let me know in the comments section at the end of this entry, and do the same if you would like to write a guest post on a particular topic. Guest posts should probably be an absolute maximum of about 800 words long, but much shorter is fine too. I do of course reserve the right to edit/reject posts if they’re libellous or bonkers or concentrate on how to cure your IBS by positive thinking.
Looking forward to reading your thoughts!
IBS -PMS/menstral cycle – this is exactly how I found out I had IBS
It started out with me thinking it was due to my periods, my ob/gyn performed Novasure assuring me this would aleviate the diarrhea, did not work. Only to be told by her there was nothing I could do -
Found an internal specialist who worked with me and diagnosised me with IBS -
monthly PMS symptoms does set off my IBS
I have suffered for years with this.
Hi,
I am a wwoman senior, 6o, who has suffered from IBS for over thirty years.
It began in my early twenties.
I also suffered from panic attacs, after the IBS began.I went in to therapy and Panic attacs gone. Years ago,I had the old enema test, and the doctor said it was colites.
For the past 20 years I have had another primary physicion. Years ago, she diognosed me with IBS.
Never any blood, nor occult blood.All typical IBS symptoms.
In the earlier years it would alternate between D, and C.
Now it is mostly D.My doctor has me on imodien=AD and it does help. She has me take it, just when I have a bout, or explosion. lol
I also have Spinal arthritis, and my doctor sent me to an orthopedic doctor. He took Xrays, and imagery as well.
The back is osteo arthritis. was said to be severe.I have good days, and bad.
What would I like to see here.?
Oh, I would like very much for a live chat to be included.
There was one about seven years ago, and was wonderful for so many of us. Then one day, I found out the chat was off.
I understand that others may just like the blogs. I do too. But for me, a set day and time would work.
IBS is, as someone said a living hell, at times. I agree.
Thank you so much for this chance to find out some information from you.
blessings
Abby.
Hi,
I have IBS and the ONLY thing that worked for me was Zelnorm. I’m a 67 year old white woman. My inestionl probllems are the result of 30 cobalt radiation treatments 40 years ago.
My colen has been re-sected 3 times.
I’ve had a urostomy for 3 years. It’s a blessing as I finally got to sleep at nite. That is, until I couldn’t get Zelnorm any more.
I now have either constipation or diarrhea.
Amiteza was prescribed for me. It causes constant diarrhea. As bad as taking XLax.
I’m currently searching the world to try to get Zelnorm. If I can’t find it, I think my only option is an iliostomy.
Hi…I am a doctor (chiropractor) who works with patients with nutrition, My partner, also a chiropractor (who holds a masters in nutrition) and I are holding a free webinar at the end of the month on IBS. We are not selling anything.Our approach to treating IBS is very balanced.I would like to announce the webinar on your blog provided you feel it may benefit your subscribers….Thanks
Dr. Jon
Dr Jon – if you send me a link to your website with more info (you can use the contact form here: http://www.ibstales.com/blog/about ) I will take a look.
My daughter was diagnosed with IBS after a colonoscopy and a later gastroscopy (without a biopsy). At the time the gastroenterolgist remarked “well, it’s not coeliac disease anyway”. She continued to suffer until on the advice of a dietitian she kept a food diary – writing down everything she ate in one column and the reaction in a parallel column. She realised that wheat products were definitely involved in her crises and started an exclusion diet. Her health improved dramatically. A second gastroscope with biopsies (different gastroenterologist) showed that she was indeed gluten-intolerant and suffering from coeliac disease. After 5 years of misery she is enjoying full health again. This illness is widespread but doctors don’t seem to think of testing for it. Anyone suspecting they have coeliac disease should read up about it and get tested before they start an exclusion diet, as the condition rights itself when gluten is excluded. This can give a false negative blood test result. I would really like to thank Sophie for the support this site gave us in the past and to wish all the other readers & sufferers a similarly happy resolution to their condition.
I’m at the completely fed up-and-then-some stage of a lifetime of chronic constipation and IBS. Like so many others I keep hoping for a nice simple dietary solution, even if it means altering my diet drastically. I confess I am awaiting my first appointment with a dietician with baited breath. I cannot have faith that it will lead to any real cure but I am hoping for something to give even a few days of relief here and there. However I would like to explore the mind body relationship now, if nothing else because I’m sick and tired of buying useless supplements and reading about how every food item could be my problem (I cannot afford to lose any more weight thank you). At least this won’t cost me any money, unless I shell out for a hypnosis CD or something.
I feel like I’ve come to see all my digestive organs as the enemy and I won’t give them the time of day – all I can do is curse at them and scowl. So perhaps a new approach is needed. I suppose my anger, frustration, and despair can’t be helping. It could perhaps accommodate these elements:
1. Allowing a certain amount of time to sit quietly and calmly on the toilet each morning (won’t be easy with a toddler banging on the door) – worked for my mum she said; my grandma forced her to sit in their freezing smelly loo every day until she went and she did her homework in there!)
2. Remembering a great book I read a while ago – ‘Intuitive Healing’ by Judith Orloff – she talked about asking your body to tell you what it needs to heal, respecting the symptoms, and visualizing that part of the body doing its job properly.
3. Self-hypnosis – learning to relax my spasming guts and not be so tense about this whole problem; perhaps I could write about that here. Has anyone else tried this and did it work – I would love to know more.
4. Writing about the topic to get out my frustrations – perhaps this blog would be a good outlet?
Actually I feel a bit better already just having written this. I just had the teeniest bowel movement (which is really something considering how it’s been lately) and my tummy feels a bit less angry.
Thanks for listening. Gotta keep hoping.
Hi Jenny – I feel for you and totally understand what long-term IBS can do to you, and the great big bucket of negative emotions that you can accumulate after so many years of struggling with this horrible condition.
You are very welcome to vent any feelings you might be having on this blog! I’ve accepted a guest post recently and it seemed to go down well so if you’d be interested in writing something for an original blog post then just let me know.
I do think that it helps to vent these things in writing, I know it’s helped me over the years to just write everything down and express exactly how I feel about the pain of IBS and the way that it has affected my life.