IBS ... do you have it?

Some of my buddies and I are wondering if a large percentage of people here suffer from IBS. There is no poll function on the site yet, so I thought I'd ask here.

1. Do you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Crohn's Disease?

2. If you don't have a diagnosis, do you frequently suffer from intestinal difficulties, diarrhea or constipation?

3. If you said Yes to one of the above questions, do you also consider yourself to be a sensitive person?

Wish there was a more formal way to investigate this...

Yep-IBS

No, no and no. Lucky me, I guess.

No, no, and no. Also, if you're looking for statistics about IBS they are available. Granted, it won't cover this site's user base.

http://www.justibs.com/

1)Yes unfortunatly i do IBS
2) yes but it is getting better as i become less stressed and more active
3)sensitive as in emotionally then yes very and my IBS is very stress related.


x

Selina, I relate. I have the same issues. Reducing stress seems to be the key. I've started meditating. This is helping quite a bit. How about you? How do you reduce stress?

brittiful i have to admit i am not so good at lowering stress, i've found that exercise helps me a lot because i get to relieve tension, also i tend to go into hermit mode every so often where i just spend a few days just with me thinking and relaxing not worrying about what anyone else is doing or thinking, i never have been able to meditate as such but i do spend a lot of time in thought. also i avoid tomatos, an excess of dairy and also anything too citrusy because they KILL me!

Yes yes and yes to all the questions! I was "diagnosed" with Crohns by a quack doctor. She got let go from the practice and now my new doctor said I just have IBS. Ha "just have". It changes your life. If I ever get married, we have to have two bathrooms. I need my privacy. It's an embarrassing thing. I know where every single bathroom is in the state of Minnesota. And believe me, I've had to beg my boyfriend/family to pull over when we are in the car because I just had to go and I had to RIGHT THEN! Stress is DEFINITELY is a key factor. When I fell sick, I have to say outloud "I do not feel sick. I am just stressed. I will be okay" and sometimes that calms by stomach. I also recently went on an anti-anxiety pill, celexa (low dose-20mg), and my doctor said that the source of my IBS may be my anxiety, so if we cure the anxiety with celexa for a year, and the counseling as a follow up, I may take control of my IBS without having to do anything invasive medical-wise. Another thing that I've done to help sooth my IBS is go on a lactose-free diet. I drink soy milk, skip ice cream, etc. It helps to know your trigger foods-- so yes, a food diary is a GREAT thing to have! Everyone can have different trigger foods. For me, fried food is the biggest no no. Pizza sometimes makes me sick, too. I've been dealing with this since I was in high school, and now I am two years out of a 4-year college. Let me know if you have any questions that I could help answer!

A quick but not too fun cure for IBS: BLAND & LOW FAT.

When I eat low fat bland foods I have no IBS or heartburn. If I do eat fried or fast foods I have bad heartburn and IBS.

I have heard docs tell ppl that it does not matter what you eat, but I know from experience that low fat, bland (not too much spice, think of old folks homes menu) fixes me right up. I think docs tell ppl what they want to hear.

i dont completely agree i have IBS and have done for many years and there are certain trigger foods but i am able to eat very tasty food that i make myself. i just have to avoid the triggers.

I had IBS very bad a vew years ago. I did not know it at the time but I also had sleep apnea and my doctors linked the IBS to the sleep apnea because of the stress it was putting on my heart and the rest of my body. There is some strong medication for it when it gets really bad. I would advise anyone that has it to check other areas affecting your health as it may be the cause of IBS. I no longer experience IBS because I lost enough weight to solve the stress and the IBS.

Yes, I think losing weight and reducing stress will help me, too. My brother has Crohn's -- a "cousin" of IBS -- and he put his disease in remission by eliminating milk products and corn. Poor guy, he had three feet of his small intestines removed several years ago. These intestinal afflictions are dangerous! Following my brother's lead, I eliminated wheat. It helps but stress is my #1 reason for flare-ups. Maybe I should go live on a deserted island and make pottery?

Its not confirmed I have IBS but for over 10 years had pain in lower left side of my stomach off and on pain, not had the pain now for 6 months it comes and goes, could be ovarian or IBS it has been investigated with no conclusions. Still no answers.

My IBS seems to be triggered by stress. I avoid fried foods and I rarely eat protein sources other than beans, some fish, and the once-a-month bit of chicken breast. Yeah, usually my diet is fairly bland and vegetable/whole grains/fruit centered. Those of you whom are triggered by certain foods are lucky, in a way, as all you have to do is avoid them. I am sensitive to wheat, so I avoid it, but other things are OK. No, I think my problem is that my heart and mind are directly connected to my bowels, ha-ha. That is why meditation and yoga have become my remedies of choice, but they have not eliminated it. I hate the spastic nature of IBS. Usually, it is the "I have to find a potty NOW" variety, but sometimes it is NO ACTIVITY at all. I hate it. Ah, well. Everyone's got something, right?

I have CD and had emergency surgery about 12 years ago to remove part of my colon and small bowel. I now suffer from IBS as a result of the surgery. What I eat makes a HUGE difference in how my stomach acts. Stress will certainly aggravate IBS but I don't have much stress in my life since my kids are grown and I retired! BTW, I've been in remission for 12 years. Biopsy confirmed my diagnosis of CD but I don't suffer from it now. Hope it stays away!

Yes...I have been diagnosed with IBS. The main triggers for me seem to be too much raw vegetables like salad (Can't eat more than once a day)and fried or high fat foods.
Yes. I am a sensitive person but I am learning that I cannot control other people and to not sweat the small stuff because in the grand scope of things it's all small stuff!

Yes I have IBS too. My mom and my uncle have chrones and my aunt on the same side has colitis. I was also tested for chrones when I was about 15 but I never finished the tests becuase they were horrible. Since then I have been diagnosed with IBS. Its something that I find really frustrating to live with. On top of my emotional eating and fluxuating weight sometimes when my symptoms are bad I get really depressed. Its compounded by the fact that my boyfriend has none of these issues. Traveling is hard for me because once I start eating new foods it takes me a few days of being uncomfortable, bloated and constipated before I can digest the food properly and enjoy my vacation. But I try and stay positive about it and really try to stay away from foods that are triggers for me such as deep fried food (which I probably shouldnt be eating anyways but I succumb to every once and a while). I also find that stress makes my IBS symptoms worse. Trying to reduce the stress in my life is pretty hard to get a handle on sometimes since I have a stressful job at times. But I just try and do the best I can to reduce the stress in my life. I am trying to get in the habit of having metemusil everyday and not just when I am really constipated. Its a daily battle but hope that losing weight, being more active, reducing stress and eating more healthy will also help lessen my IBS symptoms.

Wow, you all have so much insight and so many challenging stories.

@AmandaG I am sorry you are suffering so much. It is really frustrating. Everyone with IBS understands your pain. Crohn's is in my family, too. Seems to be a link with it to IBS.

@Purple Iris You're right: Learning you can't control others really helps.

@KellyBo You're story is amazing. Please, would you tell us what works for you?

What works for me is staying away from foods high in fat and sugar. It is important for me to have enough fiber in my diet as it helps control the diarrhea AND constipation. As for Crohn's Disease, I guess I have been very lucky. It's one of those things that can be very severe or very mild. Although I had a severe episode and thought I was doomed for life, I've been very blessed with a long remission. It's important not to dwell on the illness and keep a positive attitude. Having IBS makes it hard to know when it's CD or IBS affecting my tummy. My GI keeps a good check on me though so I rest easy knowing it's all ok. When my IBS was at its worst, I took Colestid and it did the trick. Colestid is a medicine which absorbs bile acids from the intestines. In most people bile acids are absorbed after digestion, but if you have had your gallbladder removed you may produce too much bile and need extra help from medications. In my case, having intestinal surgery caused too much bile.

Wow, I've never seen so many IBS sufferers in one place discussing the challenges of IBS. I have been a sufferer since high school, and am now 40. My family don't understand my illness, and when we travel it's embarrasing because I'm always uptight about where's the nearest bathroom. As a teenager I can recall knowing the location of every bathroom in the mall! STRESS is my trigger, and do believe that a healthy lifestyle and weight management are the key to maintaining this disease. Keep up the good work you guys, because you're not letting it get to you! Thanks for the encouragement!