# day six



## 23448

hi ya ive had ibs-d for about five years-first time on the post, i actually had about 5 sessions of hypnotherapy, my last being about 2 weeks, i definitely noticed some improvements but thing is i went to my doctor about heartburn i was getting and he gave me some tablets that have d as a side effect (even though i specifically asked him if my ibs would worsen- another doc told me they do cause it) Ive come off them 2 weeks ago but still gettin bad d, can it take that long for my gut to get better? My hypnotherapist doesnt really know what other sessions to give me for ibs so I bought mikes tapes and am now on day 6. Do they work just as well if ive already had hypnotherapy? Also ive started taking a new probiotic, lp299v, for a bout a week now, its suposed to be proven to help ibs, but can probiotics sometimes make ibs worse? ive used other strains in the past with only a bit of success.Anyway if any one has some guidance, pls help!!! im stuck at work and just ate loads of biscuits to cheer me up and feel full now! i know its wrong, but you know sometimes you feel like why try and b and good when you feel bad whatever!!!


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## Kathleen M.

Well no thing helps everyone, a few probiotics do show some benefit for some IBSers.If it has any prebiotics in it that may make you worse at first as the gas-producting bacteria can use them as a food source. FOS, inulin, any of the celluloses can be a problem in probiotics for some people.I couldn't find a full ingredient list for the product on line.K.


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## cookies4marilyn

Hi keepsmiling,Well, firstly let me say that a BB in cyber space cannot give you all the answers, but I do empathize with your situation.Since you have done different things, and are trying new things, it is sometimes hard to know what treatment is helping or not helping!Mike's program will not help with any other gastro conditions that are not IBS, that is to say if you have other things going on, but food isnt always the real issue. I was down to water and crackers and still had IBS before doing Mike's program. Probiotics can be a good thing, but there are so many different kinds, you need to do a bit of research to make sure you are taking one that will be helpful - it also takes time for your body to adjust to them.As far as Mike's program goes, this too will take some time. It is not an overnight process, but you should try to go through the entire schedule - you can take any meds or probiotics alongside the hypno if you feel that will help too. Since you had a bit of success before, there is a good chance this can be helpful to you as well - but as with any treatment method, thre are no guarantees.One thing, though - I am assuming you are no longer seeing your in-person hypnotherapist? If you are still seeing them, then you need to ask if Mike's program would be OK to do at the same time - generally it is better not to do two protocols at the same time.All the best to you, and I wish you well.Take care and welcome to the BB.


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## 23448

re- marilyn. hiya, now i dont have any other probs, my heartburns gone now. it is ibs, but its never been too severe- i tend to eat a high soluble fibre, dairy free diet and would say i have 1 or 2 loose bms a day, or sometimes normal with the bad d its never been so bad to just eat dry foods all the time in the past 2 weeks, i tried a dry diet or just plain foods for a few days, but it wasnt making a difference. i know that sounds insulting to people that have it v bad, but it just upsets me so muchno ive stopped my hynotherapy heard about mikes cds and wanted to give it a go- liked the idea that its a longer programme and heard many good things about it!!!i know im trying 2 things at once, u know when you just want to try all u can! ingredients of probiotics are non-gm potatoe starch, capsule shell (hydroxypropylmethylcelloulose, water)LACTOBACILLUS PLANTARUM LP299V, MAGNESIUM STEARATE)do you think give them a miss and stick at the cdsi know my ibs isnt too bad, but it just makes me so







and anxious


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## 23448

marilyn- just read what u meant about food isnt always an issue- for me it is insofar as anything greasy/dairy/large meal sets of my d, but also stress related when anything sets it off, my hypnotherapy sessions were great because i could actually eat out n not feel too bad the next day, but i still felt better when sticking to my diet so obviously its not all about the food for me to but definitely plays a part!!!


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## cookies4marilyn

hi keepsmiling - well, insofar as you feel the probiotics may be helping, I would say keep at it, they aren't going to hurt you, and you can still do the CDs at the same time - whatever it takes to make you feel better. The CDs are aimed more at the motility issues and the mind-gut connection. I know the foods issue is sort of a tricky one - there are some foods that cause "anyone" to have some bad reactions - and there are also food allergies and intolerances, which are not IBS, then there are foods that trigger IBS responses - not the food itself, just the fact that the food is associated with IBS, and it becomes reinforced everytime you eat it.I now can eat pretty much anything - and once forbidden trigger foods as well, but of course there are certain foods that if you eat too much of, anyone would have problems - like too much corn, or a ton of butter or grease - even non IBSers can have symptoms from those foods.So yes, foods can play a part, but after being on tons of diets, eliminations, and supplements myself, for me, I found it was more than just food - but I hear ya!Just give it time and be patient - and we are here to support. Are you in the UK or the US? Also never feel that you are insulting anyone - we all have different degrees of IBS, but pain is pain, symptoms at any time are not fun, and my heart goes out to anyone who is suffering, no matter to what degree or frequency - that's why I am still here - to help folks beat that darn IBS!!!


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## 20250

Hi Smiling and welcome. I just wanted to add to what marilyn has said. I wrote this in the friendly support thread but I'll repeat it here to you. At some point when you feel comfortable, you may want to try to change up what you take med or supplement wise. I say this because when I did the Tapes last year, I felt the anxiety issues easing up pretty quick(thanks Mike, Thanks Marilyn) but still had problems after eating. I was taking a fiber supplement everyday,doctor's orders, thinking it was helping, but since I stopped taking it a few weeks ago my after dinner problems have disappeared (sp). Now I'm kicking myself for taking the fiber last year.Just a thought for you to consider. Once again, Welcome and Good luck on your journey!!!


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## 23448

thanks y'all- im in the uk, there doesnt seem to b the products and awareness of ibs that there is for you guys in the us-although guess your a lot bigger! i agree with you marilyn its so hard and i do the worst thing- make myself feel guilty if i had an ep as i must have eaten the wrong thing! anyone of to manchester with my fella determined to be







going to concentrate on cds but keep taking my sup for now. ive been doing a few relaxing exercises just literally for a minute or two day that my hypnotherapist taught me,ie imagining switching the ibs off, and now im thinking that im doing two things at once, so going to step back an just do the cds! should i email mike and see if i need to do anything differently e.g. start again or somethin because ive done the other exercises as well? anyway, will keep you updated on my progress- cross everything for me


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## cookies4marilyn

Hi keepsmiling - If you are near Manchester, you are so close to where Mike is - in Cheshire too. It wouldn't hurt to email Mike as to what is best for you to do. Although I don't think you are doing anything that will hurt you in anyway if you got some good results from the exercises, then I don't think it would hurt to do those as you need or want to do them. But as for active IBS hypnotherapy - I think it is best to do either the CDs or the live person, not both - but that is just my take on it - Mike would know best, especially if he is aware of the protocol the other therapist is using. If you are no longer seeing the in-person therapist, then I dont think it would really be a problem to just do the exercises.All the best to you.


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## 23448

hi marilyn, well sadly only went to manchester for the weekend







as a minibreak but not too far away- about 1 hour and a half- would like to email mike!- do you know his ad?


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## cookies4marilyn

You can reach Mike at timelineservices (at) aol.com. Keep in mind he has patients all day and also speaks/emails with many patients, but he does answer all his emails - just may take a bit of time to do so. Hope you get it sorted ok.Cheers!


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## 23448

having a bit of a panic if any can soothe!!! just emailed mike and realised how silly I sounds! i feel i have messed myself up by stopping the hypnotherapy and trying another way, its just that i could not afford a weekly session at fifty pound a time and my hypnotherapist seemed to think i would cure myself in 4 or 5 sessions so there was not much more she could do with me, she kept saying 'you'll be fine now' so when i wasnt i kept thinking it was my fault for not responding etc! it put the pressure on a bit In a way as well, one of the things that came out during my last session is that im actually bit scared of not having ibs, does that sound familiar to any1? i obviously dont want it, but cant imagine not having it and in my first week of hypnotherapy, sort of freaked out tht i went out for a meal, had a desert and was ok! i had a more positive attitude from the sessions too, but having this bad flare up ( i still think its some heartburn tablets that caused it) it threw me about, as my symptons were way worse and i think i undid my previous work and my last session with her did nothing really. anyway i have had no change with cds yet (but know its only early days and like i say i know symptons arent normal ones for me anyway)so far only on day 7 so no improvement yet, i just really hope they help


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## cookies4marilyn

be gentle with yourself - it all takes time- I had to do the program all the way through 3 times because I had such severe IBS - some folks see some improvement right away, most at around the 3 week mark when you re-rate your symptoms, and still others after or a few months after the program. You have had IBS and all that goes with it for awhile, and you need awhile to rechange thought and motililty patterns - there is real hope now, and the improvement sort of sneaks up on you and is gradual - but it does happen - one day you will say to yourself, gee, I havent had IBS in awhile!!! or you will be ablt to stave off an impending attack within seconds! I do hope you have improvement - again - this is not a cure, and there are a few folks who don't respond, but the vast majority do - so you should too!!!! Keep positive and know that we are all here to support you!!!! xx


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## 23448

ive just had a call from the doctors and after tests they have found its a bug! (not my ibs for six years, just my worse symptons the past few weeks! i have to take antibiotics, im worried because ive heard this can make your stomach worse etc! i dont know how to play it with cds either? just keep progressing? grr, bless my poor stomach- it doesnt know if its coming or going!!


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## cookies4marilyn

Since you have a bug on top of the IBS, then give the CDs a rest for now until you have the bug totally sorted - this is the best way forward - because if you do the CDs now there will be a delay in that the sessions become linked to "illness" and also, the sessions will sort out the newest threat. That is what Mike suggests when you have a gastrointestinal bug. Some of the antibiotics can play havoc with your system - you can mention this to your doctor, as there are some antibiotics which are a bit kinder to the GI tract - also, consider probiotics as well as a possible balance.You poor thing - if it's not one thing it's another - hope you get mended soon, and at least you know that it is not all IBS and you can feel better from this aspect of it...But, for the time being, I would hold off on the CDs for now, and just restart the program once you are mended from this current bug.Get well soon!


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## 23448

thanks marilyn! been a rough couple of weeks on my tum!i emailed mike yesterday and just got a reply saying carry on cds as normal! im so confused, ive actually been havin normal bms since monday so whether its healing itself or mikes cds are v good i dont know!!! ive emailed again anyway, think he is probably getting fed up of me now, but want to get it rifght!this board is such a fab idea, its so rubbish in the uk, there just isnt the awareness about ibs or any support out there, where i bet just as many people have it!


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## 23448

hi again, well emailed mike and your both right! apparently he thought i would be ok cos my subconscious recognises it as just a blip, but he says to leave in to the sat now. so when i restart do i just return to my schedule as per? say today is day 10 i think, so just take the break and go back to day 10s session?was excited about moving onto cd2! oh well!!!!


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## cookies4marilyn

Hi - Do as Mike says on p.11 of your booklet - count back from where you left off the number of days you have missed, and relisten to that many scheduled sessions. If you left off at day 7, and you have skipped 3 days, go back to day 4 and listen from there - but since you are so early in the game, and I thought you were going to take off a bit longer due to your tummy, so that's why I suggested just starting over from the beginning, as I thought you would have been off a week anyway.In the past, Mike has suggested to take a break, but glad you checked with him for your specific situation - since you are now feeling better anyway, the worry of linking the sessions to anything is past.Hang in there, I know it is kind of a bummer to have to back-track a bit, but overall in the big picture it isn't too bad.As far as the UK, I do know there are some good support systems - the IBS network is UK based, as is our own moderator Sophie, who is from the UK and hosts IBStales.com and other sites too. So there is a bit of help over there too! But I do know there is a lot of frustration as well.Glad you found us and you will be onto CD 2 in no time!


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## 23448

you were right! i am now on cd2!!!! i have had a few really good dasys, but then an attack this morning thou, i feel ok thou now, took 2 immodium ( know i shouldnt but didnt want to dwell on it) and though ill just get on with , this isnt forever. i'm not sure if its the right attitude to have but im thinking now i am going to do the cds and im also following heathers diet ( not so much as a cure, but as a way to eat better and find dairy free recipes- found this quite easy as not having dairy anyway and it means ive been encouperating fruit/veg so thats good) ill just see how i go, i probably wont b better for ever but i think ill find a way to deal with it, whether i get better or just find a way to fit into my life etc. is this like defeatest or realistic??? the cds mess with my mind!!! lol


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## cookies4marilyn

Hi keepsmiling - Remember you are still early in the program - things will start to gradually change - it sort of sneaks up on ya - an attitude change of not caring as much about the IBS attacks and how IBS affects your life can be a big part of the beginnings of change - as you move away from worry and concern of it, you also begin to move away from the symptoms - and if the symptoms come, they are less often and less severe as time goes on - sort of a cycle that works together for overall improvement. You can change your thinking from I wont be better forever, to I wont have attacks forever - I wont have IBS forever - I felt better before and I can feel better again. Because if one is true, so too is the other.As far as diets, etc. do whatever you feel is best for your own situation - and also, if you need Imodium, then take it - and move on, no biggee. Do whatever you feel is best for the given moment and needs of the day. It all works together for your comfort level; and gradually you will most likely see yourself moving away from having as many IBS thoughts.Just be patient with yourself - that is the best thing to remember!


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