# Is hypnotherapy the answer?



## Tallgirl

Hi everyone.I'm new to this forum, but thought that my question was more relevant here than IBS-D forum.I have had IBS-D for as long as I remember. I seem to have it fairly controlled at the moment with acupuncture and diet.My main problem now is the sheer panic and anxiety I get when I have to travel or go anywhere out of my comfort zone. I went to a car showroom yesterday which was about 30 mins drive ( this is the furthest I have travelled in months.)I felt fine in the morning but as soon as the trip was mentioned and I'd decided to go. I started feeling really anxious. By the time we got there I was really panicking and had all the usual symptoms - churning stomach, heart racing, nausea etc.I managed to calm down slightly in the toilet by doing some deep breathing exercises but I didn't feel 'normal' again until I had been back at home for a couple of hours. ( I had to have BO when got home although it wasn't D.)I know that this was all caused by the brain-gut reaction and it drives me insane that I can't deal with it.Sorry to ramble on - I'll get to the point now!! I have been considering getting Mikes CD's, but money is tight at the moment. Obviously if they work then it will be money well spent, but I'm a bit skeptical as I recently spent £400 on seeing a psychotherapist and was in more of a state afterwards than I was before!!Do you think the CD's would help me?Any advice will be gratefully received.Tallgirl.


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## cookies4marilyn

Hi Tallgirl,Your symptoms sound very like how I used to be - I say go for it - Mike's program sessions work exactly how you need them to for all the symptoms you mention and especially the brain-gut connection - It takes time, but for most folks it has been very helpful.Read my journey story below for some encouragement, as well as the success stories.Also, take a peek at www.healthyaudio.co.uk - this is the new British/Europe site and has the IBS Audio Program available there and with download as well as hard copy. (US is coming soon.)Mike's program has been helping folks feel better since 1998 all over the world - it is not a cure, but the majority of people find it does help better than other things they have tired! All the best to you! Take care.


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## Tallgirl

Hi Marilyn.Thanks for replying.I think I will give the CD's a go - I've tried just about everything else so they are my last hope.Glad to hear they have helped you - hopefully I'll have the same success.Tallgirl.


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## eric

Tallgirl, I wouldn't look at it as your last hope, but a new method to try. There will also be things in the future.However if you look at this statistically.Why Consider Hypnosis Treatment for IBS?Hypnosis is only one of several approaches to treating irritable bowel syndrome and may not be the most suitable option for all patients (click here for discussion of treatment options for IBS). However, hypnosis treatment has some advantages which makes it an attractive option for many IBS sufferers with chronic and severe symptoms:- It is one of the most successful treatment approaches for chronic IBS. The response rate to treatment is 80% and better in most published studies to date. - The treatment often helps individuals who have failed to get improvements with other methods (see for example: Whorwell et al., 1984, 1987; Palsson et al., 1997, 2000).- It is a uniquely comfortable form of treatment; relaxing, easy and generally enjoyable.- It utilizes the healing power of the person's own mind, and is generally completely without negative side effects. - The treatment sometimes results in improvement in other symptoms or problems such as migraine or tension headaches, along with the improvement in IBS symptoms.- The beneficial effects of the treatment last long after the end of the course of treatment. According to research, individuals who improve from hypnosis treatment for IBS can generally look forward to years of reduced bowel symptoms. http://www.ibshypnosis.com/whyhypnosis.htmlMany here have been helped by Mike's tapes of course and you can do this at home and it can be very cost effective both in money and in helping IBS long term.


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## cookies4marilyn

Most people do feel that the hypnotherapy program or hypnosis in general is their last resort - I did. Eric was the one who encouraged me to try them after his success and his being encouraged by others too. Mike has said that the vast majority of his patients came to him as a "last resort" because nothing else had helped... so that being the case, it is even more encouraging to know that the hypnotherapy WAS the method that finally did the trick - or at least had some improvement level.Mike did a comparison study of those IBS patients who came to him early on from their initial IBS diagnosis, verses the majority of patients who came to him after doing all the conventional treatment first. He found that progress was faster in the group that came to him early on because they had less time to imbed the IBS condition, and had less expectation of failure. Even with an expectaion of failure from past treatments, hypnotherapy still got through eventually.How encouraging is that!!!! Remember, too, it is a process, and for some folks, it can take some time, but stick with it - some folks feel more relaxed with the first session, others within a few weeks, and still others, they need to go through the program entirely - it all depends upon your personality, your experiences, the severity and duration of the IBS - so many factors - but even with all this, the vast majority of folks have found help...All the best to ya!


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## Tallgirl

I've ordered the CD's today so will let you know how I get on with them.I'm quite excited and looking forward to relaxing if nothing else!!Tallgirl.


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## anne71

Tallgirl,I'm so happy you are giving them a try. I was uncertain at first too, they seemed expensive. But it was a great investment. They really do help the anxiety. I finished the course, and have seen some improvement. I still listen to them occaisionally when I'm stressed out, and plan on redoing the course in the coming new year. Congrats on having the courage to try something new!!


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## Former Sufferer

I am now happily an ex-IBS sufferer. I live in Ireland and went to this guy for eight weeks www.kieranfitzpatrick.comHe did what is called Hypno-Analysis and it turns out that my IBS was a symptom of what he called "general anxiety". Most of the work was kind of like psychotherapy but he told me it would be like this and to bear with it for a few weeks. I uncovered lots of anxieties that I either didn't know I had or I would never have connected to my IBS. But now it is completely gone, after 12 years. It was this brain-body connection you were talking about, I kind of felt that but still couldn't use that idea to help myself.He did say that he has worked with other Hypnotherapists on IBS in the UK and so might be worth talking to.- Patrick.


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## eric

Patrick, glad you are better. Perhaps he's worked with or knows Mike who trains them in the UK.


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