IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
Phill_Most
4,594 Posts
This has been discussed on here before hasn't it? What is it? It sounds really, really bad. Hope I never get it! 
Share your experiences, plaese.
Share your experiences, plaese.
Comments
No way its boring. Enlighten us.
Doubt I have it but I have to be within 20 feet of the john if I have at least 1/2 cup of coffee, otherwise
but they do have the funky dope "moog indigo" medicine commercial with the ladies and their stomachs and all that which they got working for them.
i.b.s. sufferers of the world
i salute you
I.B.S. varies from person to person, so my case isn't true for all sufferers. I have met people who have it way worse than I do. I learned early on what foods to avoid, how to moderate, what other triggers I may have (in my case stress is a biggie) and how to "read" my stomach/g.i. tract when problems arise. Basically, I have to eat on a regular schedule/routine and usually eat the same breakfast and lunch every day. If I stay handle those things properly, I usually don't have a problem. However, there are some foods that tear me up (e.g. pizza, sushi, ice cream), but I'll still eat them as long as I know that I'll be able to spend the remainder of the night in the bathroom. All in all, pretty boring, eh?
The really bad times are the unexpected attacks that seem to happen for no reason at all -- these are the nasty parts I mentioned earlier...if you still want detail/stories, let me know (I've got plenty to go around).
sorry for the length, and I hope I'm not now known as the i.b.s. guy around here
The Dark Side of my personality is just fuckin screaming at me to buy a custom "I.B.S. Guy" Title for dude.
On the real though, IBS sounds like no joke. Sorry.
Yes, we want all the gory details, i.b.s. guy!
Here are a few of the worst places I've had attacks:
1. Driving from Phoenix to Palm Springs and the feeling hits at a point where it's about 60 miles to the next rest area (this one was a couple of weeks ago).
2. On a cab ride in Sydney, going to the airport, stuck in traffic (I seriously considered hopping on a garbage can on the sidewalk).
3. Rafting in the Grand Canyon -- 'nuff said.
And the worst experience, and the one that caused the diagnosis was a period of 3 weeks during my freshman year in college when I couldn't go more than 30 minutes without making a trip to the toilet. Needless to say, I got no sleep and any food I ate came right out. So you can imagine what happens after a couple of weeks of this. I ended up in the hospital for a couple of days and was then diagnosed with i.b.s.
A positive result of ibs that at 18 I was forced to learn good eating habits and stress management which have benefited me far more than this has been a problem for me.
Feel free to make any titles, locations or overall jokes. I have no problem laughing at this...
a lot of current research is targeting the use of bacteria (probiotics) to treat certain symptoms. different strains of the bifidus bacteria have had positive results. so good, in fact that proctor and gamble have manufactured their own strain of this bacteria and are marketing it under the name bifantis???. however, you can get any generic form at your local health food store.
These days as long as I watch my fat intake I don't have too many problems, but damn if having IBS is at all like the 3 months I had to endure until they took my gall bladder out I'm glad I don't have it.
Cosign.
I've been very lucky and I've only had one trip to the hospital in the last 8 years or so. Well, actually 2 for one thing. But they were in and out type deals... but good fucking god, i hope i never ever ever ever ever ever have to go to the ER. If there is one place I do NOT want to be, it's the ER. Not just because there is something wrong if you're there, but I think you have to be bleeding all over the waiting room furniture to get someone's attention, otherwise you're doing a three hour stint.
And damn if you didn't eat or something before you got there, you're fucked. Last time I went I didn't eat anything at all that day, by the time I got looked at I was about to pass out from not eating and loss of blood. And I asked the admin people about the wait and they're like we'll get to you when we get to you.
I know everybody thinks they're a priority but man... it's just freaky. Fuck that. Hospitals are scary.
Major Co-Sign. Unless you're in a maternity ward everybody is sick or dying. Not exactly an uplifting place. Somone was talking about working in an ER in another thread a few days ago, and it got me thinking about how much I would NOT be able to handle working in a hospital. It would just make me sad, I think. Major props to people in that field though. Gotta give respect.
As far as IBS, I'm not diagnosed with it, but I experience the symptoms fairly often. Mostly rumbling/gassy stomach, light cramps that come on quickly then pass, and just general upset gastric system. It's rare that I have to make a run for a washroom, so I'm obviously not THAT effected by it, but I certainly feel for people that have it real bad. Stress is a HUGE trigger for me. I used to suffer from anxiety attacks, and still experience a bit of general anxiety most days. My stomach and bowel are definitely affected by it. Of course coffee gets me, as does a lot of milk, especially if it's steamed. I switched to drinking soy in lattes/cappucinos because of it. I think for people with food-triggered IBS, there's a high chance that lactose intolerance is playing a part as well.
Health problems scare the shit out of me. I don't want to get old... and fall apart... And I'm only 24. This can only get worse.
I worked in a hospital one summer back when I was in high school, in the physical therapy department. I saw some of the worse schitt there that I have ever seen in my life. You get attached to one of the patients, then one day you go in to their room and they're not there anymore (and I don't mean that they went home). One woman I had to transport back to her room was obviously very sick, screaming in pain and all skeletal looking. One time I unfortunately got a glimpse of why she was screaming so bad- looked like her whole ass had been ripped out with a chainsaw. Bad schitt to have to witness, man. That kind of work is definitely not for everybody. Stay healthy, y'all.
This is right on -- it's kind of depressing/strange to know that you have been diagnosed with something that only exists to give a name to your problems.
I should also note that ibs is nothing compared to more serious g.i. problems like ulcerative colotis or Crohns disease, both are very, very serious and make ibs look like a walk in the park...
I was gonna mention Crohns too - that's bad times. An old girlfriend/still good friend has Crohns. When she wasn't feelin well it was real tough times finding a restaurant to eat at. We ate a sushi restaurant once and she only ate the straight salmon and salad. Then we went and saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which, by the way, is a great date movie.
when i was 17 i stopped eating meat, dairy etc and its pretty much gone now.
i still get major heartburn / cramping / dumps from pizza (cheapo cheese is the worst) and if i eat ice cream its all over.. like i literally have ot get on a bowl within 3 minutes after finishing a cone.
unfortunatly the meat and dairy industry are two of the most shiesty (its part of the four food groups kids) out there and make everyone believe you need that shit for a healthy diet.. i've known sooooo many peeps with numerous medical issues from undiagnosable IBS, severe cramping / food alergies, chronic acne etc etc that all dissapeared after they stopepd drinking milk...
what i find amazing is that in all of these cases no doctor EVER mentioned to try cutting out dairy.. i can remember as a kid goign in for endless allergy tests, from the scratch kind to xrays etc etc and they never diagnosed me with shit... but it was pretty fucking obvious Im lactose intolerant.