# My Updates, Day 50 and Beyond



## 18204

Well, today is day 50, I am officially half way through Mike's IBS Audio Program 100. The results I am seeing already are simply AMAZING. If my house were to catch fire Mike's Cds would be the first thing I would grab, after I was sure my wife was safe, of course.Each day just keeps getting better and better. Depression is still gone and I am so pumped up about how I feel I can't imagine being able to get depressed. As far as anxiety goes it has not shown its ugly face in over 2 weeks, no flare ups or panic attacks at all. My BM's are down to 1 every morning and there is no more urgency to it, I will have to go in the morning at some point but I now have full control as far as when. The stools are no longer loose and watery, every day they continue to firm up more and more.This past Sunday I was feeling so good that I came up with a test to try Monday morning. I got out of bed at about 7:15am, went to my office opened a Coke and had a couple of cigarettes, about 7:45 "I DECIDED" to go to the bathroom, had a good BM, took a shower, shaved, and got dressed and at 8:15 I walked out my front door got in my truck and drove away. I finished my errands and was home around 10:00 and I felt like a million bucks. Now this may not sound like much, but, I don't remember being able to leave the house before 11am in almost 4 years. Whenever I need to make an appt to see the doc or someone else my auto-response has always been "afternoons work better for me".Because of the success of my test I think I am going to start desensitizing myself to leaving the house and driving, and if I don't have anywhere particular to go I will just pick a direction drive out for a while, turn around and come home. Then the next thing to work on will be being able to be a passenger.I reported in another post that it was around day 32 or 33 when I noticed that I was starting to feel better, well, last night my wife told me that she had already been seeing subtle changes in me before that day.Now, like everything else we have tried, this program may not work for you or it may take longer for you to see results, some people have had to go through the program more than once to see results. But, with more than an 80% success rate in clinical trials your odds are better than anything else available as long as you go into it with an open mind, have a positive attitude and keep telling yourself it "WILL" work for you.Hope this helpsRobby


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## 18204

I forgot to mention that the only meds I am taking are Atenolol and Diovan for my high blood pressure. I have read that IBS can raise your blood pressure, so who knows; I may be able to get off these meds in the near future. I am not taking any OTC meds or supplements and I have not altered my diet at all, I can eat what I want whenever I want.Robby


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## Screamer

Yay Robby! That's AWESOME!!! I can totally understand your elation at leaving the house in the mornings! For me the only suitable time was after 10am and before 1pm cause mornings were terrible and after lunch I was always in too much pain! I've actually noticed that while I've had some D days they're certainly not D days like before! I've also not been stressing about getting my daughter to school as much. Still in loads of pain but we're not 100% sure that all of the pain I am in is connected to my IBS yet. I have to wait until January to know that for sure and while my D has been bad I've always had a lot more pain than anything else (or the pain has affected me more than anything else I should say, going to the loo 5 times before breakfast isn't fun either but it was the pain that I hate the most!).I'm so glad you are having so much success. It's really fantastic! Keep us updated and good luck for your continued feeling greatness (sorry, getting late here and I'm ceasing to make coherent sentences).


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## Screamer

Oh I also forgot to mention that I'm off all meds/supplements. Mostly for me it's that I'm sick of pill popping a billion pills and potions every day but to be honest I feel no worse off them than I did on them


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## 18204

Hi Amy and thanks,That is WONDERFUL that your D and anxiety levels are improving. I'll bet that felt so great, taking your daughter to school with less stress about it. Did you give yourself a "THAT A GIRL!" (or whatever phrase you might use down under to give yourself some praise) when you got back to the house? Things like this may sound like baby steps to others but for us IBSers they are giant leaps and you need to give yourself credit for it. I feal that by praising myself and getting excited about the program and the improvements in myself that I am enforcing everything to continue to improve.Before I had found this web site and the information on Mike's Cd's, I had just gotten off another antidepressent that, like all the others gave me little to no help, and it was interfering with my sex life. So, it was just by chance that I was not taking anything when I started Mike's Cd's. I decided while doing the Cd's that I would not try anything new until I saw what, if anything, the program would do for me. Well, as you know it has just amazed me in what it has done for my quality of life and I can't imagine ever having to take anything else, ever. I took an awfully long way to get here and Marilyn correct me if I am wrong, but I think if you were to find something that could help take the edge off from problem areas go ahead and do it and as you continue to improve with Mike's Cd's you will be able to back off from it in the near future. No need to suffer anymore than you have to.Robby


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## Screamer

Robby, thanks, I do cheer myself on (mostly cause no one else in my household does). Getting my daugther to school without the panic is SOOO nice! I thouroughly enjoy it! I still have some days where I'm a bit nervous about taking her but I figure those too will diminish with time







I just got off Paxil right before starting the cd's. Like you it was interfering with my ahem, love life, and doing other crazy things to my body. So much so that I can honestly say that I will NEVER consider another antidepressant again! Hope things keep improving for you! (I just had my 2 nights off so am back to listening tonight, I got a bit lost on what day I was on there so no idea if I was due for those days off, I suspect I was a little late for them.)


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## 18204

It sure does feel "SOOO Nice" to be able to walk out the front door without freaking out. I also get the nervous feeling when away from the house sometimes but it's a heck of a lot better than a panic attack and I don't worry about where the next bathroom is, and every day they come less often and each one is weaker than the last.I know just how you feel about antidepressants. But it sounds like we won't have to think about them anymore.I think we have a future in our future.Robby


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## eric

Robby and Screamer how are you holding up?


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## cookies4marilyn

Robby may be taking a few breaks from the BB as the holiday gets nearer.We were discussing how being on the BB is sort of a catch-22. As you move away from the IBS thoughts - which is what the program is supposed to do - you also tend to want to move away from the BB because it re-stimulates the IBS thoughts into the foreground.That is why so many who have had success with the program move on - IBS no longer fills their thoughts.So Robby, I know you said you may pop in now and then, to provide support, but we all know too, that you need some space to continue healing. Taking a bit of a break from the BB while on the program actually can be helpful, rather than constantly thinking about it. The program's results sort of sneak up on you gradually for most folks anyways, but it is nice to have encouragement along the way.Also, remember that no one can compare themselves to others, as we are all unique and have our own healing timetables, our own length of time we have had IBS, and various degrees of severity, and other stressors or health factors, that may make comparisons vary.Take care, and Amy,I love your new signature! xx


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## Screamer

Thanks for asking Eric. Having a bad D day today but I'm trying just to be glad that it's the first one in months! Not a good day to have an attack today but that's always the way with IBS isn't it







Not sure if it was maybe last nights dinner (had a salad but I've had that salad a million times before and never had a prob, or it may have been the tomato based pasta sauce, DH was a little ill this morning too but maybe that's a coincidence!). Otherwise all was going wonderfully (well pretty good







). Guess I'll know for sure what's going on come January when I have to have an MRI and a CAT scan done. But thank you for asking.Marilyn, glad you like my new sig







Thought I should start telling people that something is finally helping me a bit


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## cookies4marilyn

Amy, I missed something - what's the CAT scan and MRI being done for? Had both of those done when they found mass - ended up with hyst. Geez, I hope you are OK - one thing, the hypno will help you to relax a bit more than if you didn't have them - I used the sessions before any med procedure to calm me down..Keep us posted hon. xx


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## Screamer

Marilyn, last time I saw my GP he said that he thinks something in me is wired up wrong and has been since birth. He's sending me back to my GI doc to have those done just to check. He also said that there's a tiny possibility it's not IBS but the dodgy wiring but most likely I do have IBS, just that it's maybe not as severe as it appears to be, that maybe it's acting up so much because of what might be wrong. After a whole lifetime of seeing doctors apparantly none of them had put all my symptoms together at one time or pressed my belly in the exact spot that he pressed (which caused me to want to throw up, a huge cramp under the ribs, instant tummy pains and a weird sharp needly feeling that ran through my bladder). He did mention what he thought it was but I was in such shock at the time that I can't remember.


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## 18204

Hi All,This is so wonderful that we are all getting better.Since I now have a future to look forward to I have actually began looking into becoming a Hypnotherapist I am so impressed with what it is doing for all of us that I would like to specialize in IBS and try to help as many fellow IBSer's in my area as I can.Happy HolidaysRobby


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## Screamer

That's a great idea Robby! Perhaps I should do the same. Maybe if we all did it in our area's then we could pretty much cover the world and help everyone who has this horrible thing going on with them







And we can do it from the "yep, I suffered through it too" point of view and be most understanding of the people who come to see us


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## cookies4marilyn

That's what it's all about - people helping people. I look back on my life - pre IBS, during and now, more or less post-IBS, and wonder about my journey here. I do think that many people go into various occupations because they were once helped, and they want to carry it on - it seems that we look more favorably to a doctor who has had the ailment he is treating in us, or the specialist who is treating the disorder they had, etc. It's hard to watch people suffer when you know what the pain feels like yourself.But the catch - 22 is that one can be torn with wanting to move beyond IBS and not think about it anymore, once you feel better, vs. helping people who are where you once were with the pain, urgency, etc. Blessings to you both for keepin on... (oh, no, another old phrase from my youth! ackk)


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## Screamer

Yes, that's true. Although after having suffered with this for my entire life I can't imagine ever completely moving away from it. I think I'll always remember. Who knows though, maybe I will be lucky enough to get better enough to move on from it







I've been pretty lucky really though. My GP is WONDERFUL! and has been for the entire time I've been seeing him. I wish I could take him anywhere I go! As far as I know he's never suffered from IBS but he just seems to get it anyway


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## 18204

Hi All,What a crazy time of the year. With all of the partying I've been doing my stools have loosened up a little and my BM's are a little more urgent than a couple of weeks ago but NOT EVEN CLOSE to what I was like before I started the tapes. With what I have been doing and will be doing I am not surprised at all.I still have 2 more diner parties to go to, the in-laws on xmas eve, one of my sisters houses on xmas, finish packing the motor home on the 26th and start driving 1800 miles to Florida on the 27th (2 1/2 days on the road), we will be staying in Orlando for 3 nights (Sea World, etc.) before heading to Fort Myers where we will be staying until the middle of April. I'm a little nervous and very excited at the same time. While we are traveling I may not have internet access until we arive in Fort Myers, so I may not be posting next week. But, once we get there I will update you on how it all went.Happy Holidays to everyoneRobby


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## eric

Robby, just wanted to say great news and really glad to hear your getting better.There was another poster here in the past AZMom who became an IBS HT theripist after doing Mike's tapes. I too hope others after they have been helped take some time to help others.


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## cookies4marilyn

Taken from Robby's post: I survived the holidays:http://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/72210261/m/680105212Hi All,This was the best holiday season I have had in years. Went to several parties and diner parties without a single panic attack or worrying about bathrooms while traveling. With all of the eating , drinking and thinking about driving our motor home 1600 miles right after xmas, I was not suprised or concerned at all about it when my stools began to loosen up a little and I went up to 3 BM's each morning. This didn't slow me down at all, by being able to start driving earlier in the morning and not having to stop for bathroom breaks I was able to go from Vermont to Florida a half a day quicker than last year. Now that we are settled into the campground where we will be staying for the next 3 months life is getting back to normal and this morning I only had 1 BM and my stool is beginning to take shape again.I read through all of the post I missed over the last couple of weeks while I was offline and it is just simply amazing how well everyone is doing.It looks like 2006 is going to be the beginning of a new way of life for so many of us.Robby


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## 18204

WOWIt's great to see so many of you using Mike's program with success!It's also great to see several people quitting smoking, since I am a chicken to try it without help I am waiting for Mike's new program to be released (Marilyn, can we pre-order it so it can be mailed the day it is released).Jan 31 was day 100 for me which also happened to be my 46th birthday. Although I am doing so much better than I was before I began the program I am not quite as good as I was before christmas. I do not believe this is do to any kind of setback, (Kat, you may want to take note of this) I think it is more like being sabotaged by my high blood pressure meds. I was taking Atenolol and Diovan, and it was around christmas that my doc started upping my doseges and shortly after my D started to return. A couple of weeks ago I stopped taking these meds and my D has improved but I have not made it back to where I was before christmas, YET. Since I have stopped my BP meds my BP has gone through the roof and I have been playing phone tag with my Doc since last Thursday to see which meds to try next. I just hope we can find something that works without messing me up.I will be around more, putting in my 2 cents when needed and asking for change back when I need it.Talk to ya all soonRobby


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## kitkat17 Lady of the Loo

Hey there Robby, SO GLAD to hear from you. Wow.Well lets see. I am also 46. Quit smoking after 25 years. NO cigs for 15 months now. Hardest thing to do.I just started high BP meds a few months ago.I don't relate any of my IBS to high BP. I have had IBS-D long before my BP got high.I feel for you having high BP and having to change meds, It is an aweful feeling when your BP is messed up. I had no idea people felt that bad when it is high. I don't feel my meds Diovan and Toprol are working as they should be. Seems the top number is down but bottom # is still high allot. So I might end up changing too.Watch it though. SCARY!!I am enjoying the tapes. Maybe Brett and I jinxed you cause he was showing me your sucesss story. I was like jealous and saying hopefully that will be me and Brett someday.Well I sure hope you get to feeling better. Are you giong back on the tapes? Hope you start to feel allot better soon.Take care and yeah for keeping in touch.Kat


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## 18204

Thanks Kat,I also started BP drugs a few months ago. The first 2 that we tried (Lisinapril and Hydroclorathiazid (SP?)) made me so weak and tired that I had trouble just getting out of bed. I ended up lossing 25 pounds over 1 month, this would have been ok if it was the 25 lbs that I would like to lose but it was mostly muscle which took some time to build back up once I got my Doc to take me off these drugs.Please don't feel bad about where I am currently at with my IBS because I feel I am still a big success. I am sssssoooooooooo much better than where I started that I feel great and am going to so many more places than I was able to last year. It's just that I was feeling even better at one point and am looking forward to reaching that level again and going beyond it. I do plan on doing the program again (I miss listening to Mike), but I think I am going to wait until after I do Mike's new smoking program.My wife gets "Prevention" magazine and the March issue has an article on hypnotherapy. It talks about all of the different things hypno is being used for with great success including IBS. Here is a link to the article: http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s...-6610-1,00.htmlHeres to a new future for us all







Robby


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## kitkat17 Lady of the Loo

If I drank I would have a drink to a new future.Glad yu not really bad and down about it and you are diond better than before. I would like to give you 25 pounds. I have gained 30 pounds since I quit smoking and am going through the menapausal thing. Man are you guys lucky you don't have to go through it.I think Brett is going to go on the hypno tapes to try to quit. You guys need to cheer each other on with that.Take care Robby.I will talk to you latterKat


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## Screamer

Aha, hi Robby (again). Just found you on this thread







It's great to hear from you! I'm sorry you are having a little setback at the moment but I'm sure you will improve again







I'm on day 98 as of tonight. I said to Marilyn, I don't know how I'm going to go to sleep once the sessions are finished, I've kinda gotten used to going to sleep with Mike nattering in my ear and on my nights off I always lie there for hours (although I suspect hubby will be glad to see the end of them-lol). Anyway, good luck with the quitting smoking. I hit 2 months 2 days ago







I'm proud of myself (lol, just an case nobody else is). It's been hard but definately worth it. I've also put some weight on since I quit, but I'm not sure if it was the quitting, or the being well again. Mostly I'm up to my healthy weight for my height, trouble is I only own my skinny clothes as I got rid of everything I owned about a month ago (after holding onto them all for 3 years, sigh!).Glad you're back, I was just wondering how you were doing the other day and figured all was well seeing as we hadn't seen you for a while







Glad I was right!


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## cookies4marilyn

Robby!! Thanks a million for the link to the Prevention article! Wonderful!







I will post it in the articles thread and make a separate thread for it as well, so other folks can see it more easily! And though I am sad about your setback (temporary!) I am so happy that you are pesevering - you know you felt better before so you CAN feel better again, that's what it's all about - and that AIN'T the hokey pokey! (I just crack myself up with my corny humor - hey, better corny than none at all I say! )







Amy, you can listen to your favorite sessions whenever you like if you feel the need to, or just want to do so now and then - lots of folks do just for the calming and comfort they bring! xx Oh and thank you for your kind and sweet email. ((HUGS))Hang in there Kat - know all about the menopause thing - bleh! We are all rooting for you to feel much better very very soon, hon. xxTake care everyone - xxx


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## Screamer

I know I can Marilyn, I think I'll just miss hearing him on a nightly basis. Mike has become my sleeping pills







Kat, sorry missed your post somehow. Hope you start feeling better soon. Half of me can't wait for menopause and the other half is dreading it! But then my hormones have been out of control for so long now I don't know that I'd notice menopause. For the men though, I've heard they do go through a "sort" of a menopause, just not as horrible as ours!


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## overitnow

I had missed this thread and was wondering how you were doing. This is great to hear. It is a shame that weightloss and exercise are not able to control your bp. The sure have worked for mine; but, you may also get some improvement when you quit smoking. You will be absolutely amazed at how differently you will view the habit and yourself once you are free of it.I did get a kick out of this:"Since I now have a future to look forward to I have actually began looking into becoming a Hypnotherapist I am so impressed with what it is doing for all of us that I would like to specialize in IBS and try to help as many fellow IBSer's in my area as I can."That's great, and goes a long way in explaining why a number of us stick around this site, in spite of being done with this. Glad to count you among us.Cheers to you.Mark


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## 18204

Hi Mark, and thank you,I think am ready to become a non-smoker and have heard that it will help with the BP. I also need to get into a good exercise program, the only exercise I am getting right now is walking around the campground for 3 or 4 miles, but the problem with that is that it is hard to get very far without stopping and shooting the breeze with other campers or worst yet getting offered a beer which is almost impossible to turn down when the sun is shining and the temp is in the low 80's and the beer is on ice. I have come to the conclusion that I will do the best I can here but once we get home in mid April I will have to buckle down and start getting into shape. I need to go right now (DH(Dear Honey) wants to go for a walk), but I will be back soon.Robby


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## 23392

Yo Mark, I'm curious about your flavonoid thing too. That around anywhere, or would you be willing to private email me?And for Marilyn as well [or whoever, in *this* forum ], in case it doesn't show up when you click on it: efannin###columbus.rr.com


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## 20250

Damn, Why didn't I think of that. Of Course...Dear Honey (DH)


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## 23392

LOL I call mine my 'significant oTTer,' 'cause he's a swimmer/canoeist and frequently wet...


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## 18204

I need to share this with people who understand.I just got back to my camper after taking my DH to the airport. I did got to the bathroom a few times and was nervous (not anxious) about being able to leave on time, we left the camper around 7:30am and within a few minutes of being on the road my nervousness settled down and then I was just fine. And when I got back to the camper an hour later and stepped out of the car it felt like a natural event. Not like BM(Before Mike's CD's), when I would arrive home in the past I would have this excited feeling of being back to my safe haven, in my comfort zone, and hoping to never having to leave it again, EVER.I can now see just how much Mike's CD's have done for me. Even thought I had several days to think and worry about my IBS and how bad it was going to effect me this morning, once I climbed into the car, I relaxed and didn't have a single thought or problem with IBS, my stomach was calm, no anxiety at all, and, in fact, I could not tell you where or if there were any gas stations anywhere on the route that we took which I had never been on before.Thanks for listeningRobby


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## kitkat17 Lady of the Loo

Yeah for you. I cannot wait for that day. I want to GO GO GO and NOT worry all the way.


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## Screamer

Robby, I posted something similar just yesterday about being at an appointment. I'm SOO glad you made it (and yes, I totally get the I was nervous but not anxious thing!) and are feeling this way now. Yay to a different life


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## 20250

ME TOO, Yesterday afternoon at work I had a felt my gut trying to mess with me a couple times and I shut'er down with my new powerful mind,LOL.I kept telling myself it wasn't a real D attack and that I had to finish my work, and it went away in a few. KEWL







. Too much work to get done to sit in the port a potty.I can't wait for a story like this from Kat!


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## Screamer

I had another one of those today! Woke up this morning rumbling away (which I expected due to hormones going haywire, oh the joys of being a woman







) and had a bit of D. Yet I still dropped my eldest at school, went and layby'd some tracksuits for the girls with my last $10 (lol, went to use hubby's account and it was EMPTY!! So had to scrounge up all the change in the bottom of my handbag, HOW embarrassing! Gotta love being poor!). I've had a few twinges and thought "uh oh" but then (and I quote Brett here cause I love what he said) "my new powerful mind" kicked in and sent those pains running! It's great! Still feeling a bit iffy but it's my own fault. As I said, was knowing things were going to be a little on the bad side this week so not only overstuffed my face last night but overstuffed it with.....Sultana BRAN!!!







Why is it the moment we feel a bit dodge we feel compelled to shovel in all manner of rubbish?!?!? And ALWAYS the things that make us feel worse even on a good day? (sigh).Glad things are going so well for you Brett and Kat, yep, looking forward to some good posts from you in the near future!!!


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## 20745

I am on Day 70 now. I am so much better. At first I was starting to have better BM's and then it turned into diarhea. I blamed the meds But could the tapes make me go from IBS C to D?KAren


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## cookies4marilyn

Hi Karen,Glad you are feeling better. No one can say for absolutely sure that the "tapes made you go from IBS- C to D" - It could be any number of things, however, some people do report swinging back and forth between C and D for a bit while your body seeks the proper balance between the two - so it could be that. It also could be medication, depending on what you are taking, and it could be the D everyone gets from time to time for various reasons be it an extra greasy meal, or some extra stress in your life - there are so many factors to consider, but yes, there is a possibility that it is a result of the sessions and your body adjusting properly. If this is the case, you should find some balance as you continue on your journey!All the best to you - take care!


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## 23392

First I think I slowed things down a bit much [so far I have a day to day correspondence, the force must have the power to influence weak minds, haha!] and was heading for C. [btw if anyone is C-type, what are your symptoms? I was starting to get some nausea...which I don't usually have, except with stomach-flu-type-D. I posted on the constipation board, but no answer yet...]So last night I kicked it up, and WHAT a relief! Still solid, but almost certainly considerably lighter,  and I had an appetite! Now, if I can just fix the anxiety...there are still other problems, but I am hopeful about the too-close-to-C, which seemed to be making me feel worse all around...Everyone send me up a big booga-booga prayer that I start sleeping through the night! That would be loverly...But definitely happy with the bowel stuff. [yeah, just me and my schizo happy/stressed reactions again... 8-}]


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## Screamer

Wishing you luck! I got C on and off for a while at first too. It was so weird to have C after D for so long but at worst it only lasted a day or so before I would go again (and coming from a kid who was a C yes, it can make you awfully nauseaus if you're backed up enough). Yay that the D has taken a hike though


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## 20250

AO, Here's a big Booga Booga Prayer for you.


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## 23392

Well, guys, THANKS [and I MEAN that!] because it musta worked! [I never discount these things...] I would have had 3 awakenings in the first part of the night, but I was able to calmly say, "OK, I know what this is" and go right back to sleep without ever waking up proper. Now THAT is an accomplishment!! I did fully wake up in the early am, and have to 'settle' myself again, but it wasn't so bad, and i would have had 3 more wakeups, but was able to pre-empt fully waking again in that case also. When the alarm finally went off I could have slept *more!* THAT is unusual, too! [Usually once I'm awake I'm roused too much to go back to sleep.]So...SUCCESS! Some might quibble that it's still broken sleep, but this is SO much better than what I was having! So much less frightening, so much less disturbing, so much less truly broken.Now, one more prayer to break the 'every other day' cycle, please!  Thanks, y'all!And Brett...you find the BEST icons!


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