women conquering constipation - page five
The tale of...Jill
This is a happy tale, since I have finally licked IBS. Am I cured? No...but I am having normal bowel movements for the first time as an adult, and I am virtually symptom-free in every other way. I'm taking the time to write this because I am so grateful to the many anonymous people whose stories I read on the web - stories which gave me a piece here, a piece there, and contributed to me finding a happy ending to this miserable episode of my life. I only hope my story will help others in the same way.
I have had this condition for my whole adult life, and I am now over 50 years old. My symptoms were classic ones. Diarrhea-prone, I got along for many years with daily minor discomfort, thinking that's just the way it was. I never had a normal bowel movement, but as far as I knew mine were "normal ", and the fact that I had to rush to the bathroom three times in a row every morning, I just accepted. Once every month or so - probably after eating a particularly rich meal - I would have blistering abdominal pain in the middle of the night for several hours. But this would go away, and again I just accepted that this was normal.
Things were basically tolerable - that is until I suddenly went "C". It began in the late fall of 2004 and went on for an entire year non-stop. I had always thought diarrhea was terrible, but boy, did I ever start to really wish for it all back after I began to experience a life of constant constipation.
It was not just not being able to go that was so awful, it was all of the other symptoms that came along for the ride, such as that particularly miserable unfinished feeling, frequent intestinal spasms and, of course, the terrific, very anti-social gas that went on, day and night. Occasionally, I gave myself an enema and that was the only thing which gave me some relief.
I had been to doctors many times over the years and knew that, for the most part, Western medicine could not help me. I had tried homeopathy and acupuncture, to no avail. Now in desperation I spent lots of time on the internet reading pages like these and going onto blogs and chat rooms for hours.
After a full seven months of chronic constipation you start to wonder, ghoulishly, what the inside of you must look like. Soon I began to know "in my gut" that what I needed, desperately, was colon cleansing, but I was unable to find anyone to do this, professionally, whom I felt I could trust. So, one summer's day I went into the bathroom and, with the aid of an old-fashioned water bottle equipped with enema attachment, proceeded to administer colonic irrigation to myself.
Within a 48-hour period I did 15 enemas, using plain warm water or water mixed with a weak mixture of lemon juice, probiotics and alfalfa. I amazed myself that it took 15 times to get myself clean. I did about seven enemas at the first session. Each took about 15 minutes. By rolling onto my back and getting my pelvis up in the air many times (think bicycle exercise) I was able to also clean the small intestine (in my body that is the area that traps the material the most). The next day, I took a deep breath, went right back in there and repeated this process. I kept it up until the liquid coming out of me was running almost clear.
Now, I realize that this all may sound quite horrifying, or at the very best, gross and disgusting. Yes it was disgusting to have to go through this, and I can surely say that it was not a pleasant experience...but it was wonderfully empowering to know that I could do this and get myself truly cleaned out. The light, healthy feeling I had, after getting all that toxic material out of me, was phenomenal...and the emotional relief was fantastic.
After the self-administered colon cleansing , I was able to start from scratch with a new diet and, in a few months time, begin to make myself really well. With the help of a good nutritionist, I learned about eating a diet according to "the new pyramid". Yes, 11 servings of grain a day (one serving is five grams).
I eat high fiber, so generally eschew white bread and white rice altogether. Basically, I eat mostly whole wheat flour breads, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, barley and cornmeal dishes (corn bread and polenta).
I try to stay with seven to nine servings of fat a day. I have mostly given up cheese and never eat ice cream. I try to stay with five meals a day that are smaller, rather than the three big meals a day Americans are so used to. I eat less meat and lots of fruit and vegetables. I eat low dairy. Also, contrary to the standard advice, in my case I have found that I can indeed drink a moderate amount of caffeine and alcohol each day with no problem.
I studied up on soluble versus insoluble fiber, using insoluble fiber for C and soluble fiber for D. Resistant starch is another crucial piece to the diet. Cold pasta, cold rice, cold potatoes and beans (of any temperature) all classify as resistant starch. I include one or more of these food groups in my diet every day.
I take a heaping tablespoon of golden flaxseed meal per day, since it helps the movement of material out of you. Basically I am having fat, healthy stools every day...if I do run into a problem over a three to five-day period, then I help myself along by taking two stool softeners. That usually gets me going right away, and there are no side effects. Taking magnesium daily is also helpful.
Over the last year I have completely changed the way I eat and I have learned to love the food that loves me. Do I have to pay attention to this every day? You're darn right. But it is managed now, and I am running it, it is not running me. It feels so glorious to have a healthy intestinal system.