# Day 84 and still not so sure...



## 13922 (Jul 12, 2005)

Hi all! I have been away from the BB for a few weeks to try NOT thinking about IBS ( remember when we DIDN'T have to deal with this???) but I've had a stressful week which has made the pain come back. I am on day 84 of the IBS CD's and have had some success but the pain is excruciating sometimes and I have a difficult time believeing that it will ever NOT be a part of my life. Any suggestions Marilyn? I love the CD's and I am thankful that Michael produced them, but the pain can be debilitating. Any thoughts???


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## Screamer (Aug 16, 2005)

Not Marilyn and can't give any advice but I'm looking forward to the response on this. Admittedly I'm only on day 19 and I've had quite a lot of success with not panicking about where the loo is all the time and my D has eased up somewhat but the pain is unbearable!


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

HI Piper -(((HUGS))) to you - I am so sorry you are in such bad pain.







Pain can be a hard nut to crack - and sometimes it will be the last thing addressed because it has been a part of your IBS for so long. The fact that you have seen some success so far is a good thing, so let that be encouraging to you.You are still adjusting, and remember too, you have had IBS longer than the 100 days it takes to complete the program. Stress certainly can exacerbate IBS symptoms, and pain can be more intense when you are under stress.You might try listening to your scheduled session twice a day - allowing at least a 6 hour interval between listenings if you are able to do this. If not, then when you are in the pain you can try either of these two things - they are what I used when in intense pain in addition to the sessions.The first thing I did was to listen to music and focus on the instruments - separating them as I listened, and concentrating on each one, tben another, etc. This seemed to help me. Another method that Mike suggests, that has helped me as well, is to focus on the pain, and imagine light, and dim the light as you try to dim the pain - or assign a number or color to it, then change (lower) the number or the intensity or hue of the color.Also, make sure that the pain is indeed the same familiar IBS pain, and not indicative of something else going on, or new pain. I say this because in my case I had pain, and tho the doc tried to blame it on IBS, it turned out to be gallstones! You of course, will know.I too had a difficult time believing I would feel better. It was a long journey for me - so that is why I stay here, because I was one of the longest persons to respond. It may be too, that the pain is something that won't be addressed as well for you, but it is way too soon to say that - after all, you are not all the way through the program.So hopefully, that will help a bit - also, you can email Mike directly if it gets really tough, and he may have some inspiration for you as well.And you can call the 877 number listed on the website and leave your number and a good time to get back to you to discuss any concerns you have.Hope this helps a bit... take care of yourself, don't be discouraged, I was debilitated too, and so there is hope...All the best to you, hon...







xx


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## 13922 (Jul 12, 2005)

Thank you Marilyn, Although I am crying right now from frustration, I appreciate your words of encouragement. I was doing really well for several weeks and feeling so much better emotionally and then that pain hits and I forget about every bit of progress I've made and I am reduced to tears like a little baby and I just beg God to make it stop. For me the pain is usually short lived followed by the need to get to the bathroom and then I'm ok but this alone keeps me from going out much. And I know that being positive and getting out helps to reinforce that I am getting better. So today I am driving into the city to have lunch with my sister ( city driving AND food )!!! So wish me luck. I know I need to do it and so I will. I just hate not enjoying these things but rather trying them as a test or an experiment. You are right, I've had IBS for almost two years so it will take time. And they ARE working for me. My doctor prescribed Celexa but I have not started it b/c I've read that it can make IBS -D alot worse and it confuses me why she would prescribe that (albeit a low dose). Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. You are the best!Piper


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## 18204 (Oct 10, 2005)

Piperhow did your lunch date go with your sister?


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Piper, how are you doing?I will post some info on pain here for you which will help you out and will help out your progress with the tapes.Hopefully as soon as possible.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYIThis is actually for kids but applies to everyone.with permission"Recent studies point to an increased sensitivity of the sensory nerves in the intestines. Normal movements of your intestines may be perceived as cramps or other discomfort. The intestines share nerve pathways with the brain. In many situations, when the brain reacts to something -- like the sound of a dentist's drill -- the intestines, or gut, pick up the same signals and react. The majority of people will ultimately have some kind of gastrointestinal (GI) symptom when exposed to stressful situations. If your GI system is a bit too reactive, you will experience symptoms in more types of stressful situations than someone else will whose gut is not quite as reactive. What is stressful for one person may not be stressful to another, and lots of people don't even realize it when they get stressed -- they just feel sick. Finally, there is the "gate theory" of how pain is experienced. When pain originates at some point, nerve messages pass through something like a gate on their way to the brain. The wider open the gate is, the more pain that is experienced. By thinking about and focusing on the pain site, we open the gate. Plus, feelings of anger or worry or sadness can open the gate. However, we can also help close the gate. Turning attention away from the site or feeling of pain, through relaxation or focusing on some other activity, can help close the gate and lessen or even eliminate pain. A well-known phenomenon that demonstrates this is that of the athlete who plays a game while injured, oblivious to the pain. The athlete is completely focused on the game and does not feel pain. Then, after the game is over, the athlete turns attention to the injury and feels pain. Whatever the cause, you can do something about it! It takes some effort but there a number of ways that you can help yourself. First, think about this example. Have you ever experienced a muscle cramp or a side-ache during strenuous running or exercise? You feel real pain in muscles that are not diseased. But they have been stressed beyond some point that in you causes discomfort. What do you do to avoid it in the future? You might think about what you were doing that resulted in the muscle pain. Maybe next time you do more warm-up exercises, or start out slower, or don't run as far. The first time you felt a side-ache, you might have felt concerned and stopped running. After you learned that it was nothing to be concerned about, you may have barely taken notice the next time it happened, perhaps slowed down a bit, but then kept right on going. This is the same type of thing that happens with functional recurrent abdominal pain. Your intestinal muscles may be causing you to feel pain. To get it under control, try this: 1) While the pain you feel is very real, do not worry that you are sick. You are not. Your body is reacting to events in a way that is causing you discomfort but is not cause for alarm. 2) Try to figure out if your symptoms are connected with anything else that may be triggering them. Do symptoms flare at certain times, before certain events, on weekdays, on weekends, etc? If you can identify triggering factors (like certain foods or activities) you can try to avoid them, or if that is not possible, try to deal with them in different ways. 3) Are you missing school because of this? Worry over missing school can make symptoms worse. Try to keep going. 4) Are you doing too much-school plus lots of outside activities? If so, take some time off to relax. Too much of anything can be stressful. 5) The next time you feel the pain, don't let it stop you. Keep on going. Practice focusing your thoughts on what it is you want to do next and then go ahead and do it. Don't let pain take your awareness hostage. "http://www.aboutkidsgi.org/questionsandanswers.html


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## 13922 (Jul 12, 2005)

Hi - thanks for asking - lunch with my sister was great! We had a good time and my "stomach" was fine. When I got home, though, I did experience some pain, but decided I would not let it ruin my day. This is my new attitude and so far so good! THanks again.Piper


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Good to hear this Piper - just keep at it! It will get better and better!


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