I.B.S at it worst!

[DebraC]

Hi,
I,ve suffered from stress and anxiety symptoms all my adult life(I,m 41 now) and over the years have been on many medications. From about 2001 until January 2007 I was drinking alcoholically and to the greater extent my symptoms were masked. Thanks to finding AA I am now sober and havent drank for 21 months. Over the last 6 months or so all my anxiety symptoms are back, along with my OCD. I recently had a pelvis scan due to severe pain and was told I had fibroids, however I,ve just seen a gynaecologist who told me they are too small to be causing any problems and that all my symptoms are the IBS. I was diagnosed with this in 1996, but along with everything else this hasnt bothered me so much due to been drunk!
I,m in a scary place at the minute. Picking up a drink is not an option for me so I know I have to go back to basics, relaxation, changing my thoughts, positive thinking etc.
The Dr has put me on mebeverine but they arent much good. The pain is debilitating at times, I,m so tired and lethargic.
Does anybody know of any effective ways of controlling the symptoms of IBS?
Also is there anybody out there who has beaten the booze(or drugs) and found a way to cope with life and keep their anxiety under control?
For me life is great sober but I know it can be better if I can keep the rest under control.
Thanks for reading,
Debs

[samc100]

Hi Debs - well done you on your sober status.

My sister-in-law suffers with IBS and she found seeing an Osteopath who specialises in such things helped her. She saw them regular then just goes twice a year now for her 'MOT' and she only has a few attacks a year. She says that is when her diet is awful so she knows to expect it !

I know there are lots of IBS suffers on here and they'll no doubt pop in to add their recommendations xxx

[Robbs]

I was on the verge of being an alcohilic 9 years ago till i woke up on morning hyperventalating, I drank a couple of times after that but it made me worse the next day (ended up in hospital after my last session with uncontrollable breathing) it scared me so much i gave up drinking and havent touched it since, life was hell for a couple of years, serious boredom all my mates and gf were still drinking and always going down the pub and i had nothing to do except go with them (i still wanted to get drunk all the time), but gradually over time it bothered me less and the more i would watch drunk people when i was sober the more they'd get on my tits which in its self was hard as they were my mates and gf but they were seriously annoying me lol, then i really got into cars and i have met loads of people through that who dont drink excessively and now i really couldn't care less if i could have another drink ever again.

took about 5 years for me to completely not care about it anymore but stick with it debs i know its a hard thing to do but stick with it and you'll feel better eventually, find a hobby or something which has nothing to do with drinking and really throw yourself into that.

i too also get IBS thought it was appendicitus for years, it would hurt really badly often for over a week, the moment i got it into my head that it wasn't appendicitus it stoped hurting, now it comes and goes for maybe a couple of hours at a time and doesnt scare me anymore, it was fear that was amplifiying the pain, try to accept that its just IBS and nothing more and i bet it wont hurt as much.

[cazzamagui1]

hey debs welcome to nmp , i too myself suffer with ibs its terrible i no sometimes mine can be so bad i cnt leave the house,

have u tried keeping a food diary? write down everythin u eat and how ur stomach feels afterwards u may find certain foods make it worse ........also stress makes it worse hard to avoid stress in this day and age trust me i no .........congrats on stayin sober by the way thts xcellent feel free to pm me anytime for anymore advice take care caz xxxxx

[pooh]

Hi there and welcome along to NMP

Pooh x

[weeble40]

Hi and a big welcome to NMP its great to have you here, hope to see you in chat sometime,

Take care

Emma xxx

[DebraC]

Thanks for all the advice. I think the IBS is triggered by stress. When I,m worked up I dont breath properly and when I,m palpitating I can actually feel my stomach bloat up. The pain is severe enough for me to have to take dihydrocodeine, like a knife through my stomach to my spine.
I know I have to go back to basics, practice my breathing techniques and clear my head of intrusive thoughts. I did a stress management course a few years ago.
Somehow I thought when I stopped drinking all my problems would stop, all that has happened is all the symptoms I drank to hide are back again, they never went away I just drowned them out.
I,m ever so glad I found this site! Its good to find people who share your problems to talk to!
Debs x

[samc100]

If it is stress related perhaps Acupuncture might be worth looking into - that can really help with stress and IBS...

xxxx

[Cherbear]

Welcome hun, you'll find a lot of people on here to help you. You're not alone I have suffered from bad IBS for years. Unfortunately medication doesn't work for me but after keeping a food diary for a while I slowly managed to discover what foods trigger my pains and I have taken them out.

If you need a shoulder, I'm here!

xx

[sandramick]

well done on getting off the drink
i also 40 an suffered anx for a long time . bin too docs many times with different symptoms !! ibs being one of them the main thing i found was onions they make me really bad , so as many people have said u should watch what u r eating .
stay strong
sandra xxxxx