# Introductions and Questions



## 17781 (Dec 4, 2006)

I'm new here, but not new to IBS-D. I've had it since my parents split when I was 7 (depression does weird things to children). Recently, my grandfather died of cancer and the stress of watching him suffer for his last 2 months threw me into a bad cycle of IBS. I've had those urgent times just about every morning (I don't ever eat breakfast), and lately I have a weird occurrence: I'll feel an urgent need to "go," but when I sit on the pot nothing happens. This will happen like 3 times in a 30 minute period and then I finally do go and it's -D. And this morning I woke up at 3am and haven't stopped going since. I took an Immodium and 3 Rolaids softchews (the nausea's new too), and so far it's been 30 minutes since I last went. I had to forego my classes today, which sucks because finals are coming up. Now that I'm done kvetching, here are my questions:1) Do any of you find that cheese blocks you up/alleviates -D symptoms?2) Are there any teas that help calm your bowels?3) What foods help you? Fiber doesn't help me, it makes it worse for some reason.4) Meditation- has it worked for any of you?5) Anyone taking Paxil have worse flare-ups since taking it?Ok, that's all the q's for now. Thanks in advance, and you all have a good day







-Laura


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## 14448 (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi Laura,Interesting your IBS started during a time of family upheaval. My IBS has been present since childhood. I had v.strict parents and a domineering father who I was (and am!) terrified of- my IBS always gets worse when I'm stressed or psychologically upset. When I go to visit my parents i'm on the loo half the time.Cheese? It contains lactose so might make your D worse. I'm lactose-intolerant so I avoid it. When my IBS is really bad, I stick to small high-protein meals like scrambled eggs, tuna or chicken, with a slice of toast or steamed vegetables (not brassicas like broccoli). Fat, sugar and caffeine make it worse, as do fibre and grains (though some people find soluable fibre helps ie white toast/rice). I find bananas seem to help. Curry also helps me, even hot curry, probably cos it contains lots of aromatic gut-calming herbs and antispasmodic spices like turmeric, coriander, cumin. Chamomile tea is great! It relaxes spasms. Peppermint tea also helps, though I dislike the taste. Fennel tea helps to relieve bloating and gas.Hope you feel better soon!


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

1) Do any of you find that cheese blocks you up/alleviates -D symptoms?No, not really. If i eat a lot of soft cheese. I might get D. But No. I don't have a problem with it either way.2) Are there any teas that help calm your bowels?Peppermint tea and chamomile help me lots. I drink them with honey. Peppermint soothes bowel contractions. Chamomile is just soothing.3) What foods help you? Fiber doesn't help me, it makes it worse for some reason.Try eating soluable fibre. Things like green veg, sweetcorn etc won't help really. Check out www.eatingforibs.com4) Meditation- has it worked for any of you?Haven't tried that, I have tried hypnosis though. Check out www.ibsaudioprogram100.com5) Anyone taking Paxil have worse flare-ups since taking it?Im not taking paxil (sorry).


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## 17781 (Dec 4, 2006)

Just thought I'd update yall on what's happened-I went to my gastroenterologist and he put me on Librax 2x a day. He also told me to stay away from beef, and to stick with veggies, fruits, and fish. Since I've started the Librax, all I've noticed is it knocks me OUT. I wake up exhausted, and I can't fathom taking it in the morning when I'm supposed to, so I only take it once a day. I still wake up with stomach aches and still have D every morning when I wake up even if I don't eat breakfast. I thought I should give my body some time to adjust to the Librax and maybe it'll start working, but as of right now I don't have much faith. I've already tried Elavil (amytriptaline) and Bentyl, neither of which worked. Since the New Year is around the corner, maybe some resolutions are in order?-1: exercise (eventually running)-2: meditate-3: learn to make sushi (one thing that rarely upsets my tummy)-4: rid myself of IBS-D so I don't feel the need to use meds to regulate it. I just don't feel that they work all that well.Anyways, everyone have a good safe holiday, and anyone taking finals (and using this forum to procrastinate lol) GOOD LUCK!~Laura


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