# Ibs & stress



## 17846 (Aug 8, 2005)

HiI am currently listening to the CD's & was wondering if anyone could help with a question?If your IBS is stress related & you have had IBS for a long time, would the system need time to heal? Does the IBS in this instance actually cause physical changes that need to heal as you improve?I hope this makes sense - I know what I mean but it is difficult to express it.Many thanksJulia


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Julia H Stress itself does not actually cause IBS. There are underlying impairments and specific problems.Almost every IBSers is effected by stress, anxiety and emotions themselves, which in turn make pain worse and the condition worse."psychophysiological arousal is the core of treating functional gi disorders. There is so much distress, anxiety, antisipatory anxiety, and negative reaction to symptoms, that calming the mind and body often makes a significant difference to symptoms."One thing about having this for a long time is that once nerve fibers in the gut fire to the brain pain signals on a constant basis its like as an anology a small stream that becomes a river, and the nerves will fire with less of a trigger.Stress does this also, if your chronically stressed then it will take less to trigger stress.Hypnotherapy works in part on the condition itself, via gut function and pain. You might be interested in this on it, however there is also a lot of newer reaserch.Click on this link. Its in pdf format, so let me know if it doesn't work for you for some reason.http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/effe...gi_problems.pdf


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

also you might want to read this on stress and IBS.The Neurobiology of Stress and EmotionsBy: Emeran A. Mayer, M.D., UCLA Mind Body Collaborative Research Center, UCLA School of Medicine, California http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/stress.html


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## 17846 (Aug 8, 2005)

Eric - many thanks for the replies.I find that when I start a new "treatment" I feel the pressure even more - I feel a failure each time something else doesn't work. Also the IBS is on my mind even more than usual - if that is possible.I have tried so many supp;ements that I think I have made my system even worse. Did you try many treatments before you find hellp with the tapes?ThanksJulia


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Hi Julia,the majority of folks here usually have tried everything before they do the hypno program - If you look on this forum or the link below, you can take a peek at my story - I was on every antispasmodic, SSRI, pain med, etc. and even a trip to Mayo Clinic before I found relief with Mike's program.The longer you have IBS and think and dwell upon it every day as I did - believe me, it was on my mind all the time, and even more when stressed - the more stressed you will be because it is indeed a viscious cycle. Mike explains in the introduction how the IBS thoughts are continually reinforced day in and day out - and when some treatment does not work (or only works minimally or short-term), that scenario is also imbedded in the mind - as "nothing helps." What clinical hypnotherapy does is to break all those IBS thoughts that have been a part of your life. The longer you have had IBS, the deeper those thoughts can be.So yes, you can certainly have IBS on your mind more than usual, especially when you are taking measures to treat it - that is natural. the thought of what you are doing to treat the IBS, can actually become "more" IBS thoughts that add to the negative cycle.Hope you understand what I mean - Just listen to your sessions as scheduled and don't worry one way or the other about if the stress is or is not a part of things - I know it is hard, but Mike was telling me that so many of his patients (he has had thousands) say the same thing- that the failed treatments then make the IBS even a bigger problem - most folks wish they would have tried the hypno first, before the meds, the disappointments, and the long haul with IBS - I know I did! I had IBS since 1983, and didn't find the program until 2000 - and my IBS was very severe.Feel free to ask any questions - also, you can ask on the contact page of the website you bought the program from if you are in need of specific support.All the best to you...


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## 17846 (Aug 8, 2005)

Thanks for your help. It is much appreciated.Julia


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Julia H some info on me here and my IBShttp://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/51510173/m/67910046"I feel a failure each time something else doesn't work."That's in part because a lot of thinks don't work. However in this case there is a high probablity it will work for you. Try not to be too hard on yourself, just relax and go with it and you will do fine. This might help.Am J Clin Hypn. 2005 Jan;47(3):161-78. Related Articles, Links Hypnosis and irritable bowel syndrome: a review of efficacy and mechanism of action.Tan G, Hammond DC, Joseph G.Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. tan.gabriel###med.va.govIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain, distension, and an altered bowel habit for which no cause can be found. Despite its prevalence, there remains a significant lack of efficacious medical treatments for IBS to date. In this paper we reviewed a total of 14 published studies (N=644) on the efficacy of hypnosis in treating IBS (8 with no control group and 6 with a control group). We concluded that hypnosis consistently produces significant results and improves the cardinal symptoms of IBS in the majority of patients, as well as positively affecting non-colonic symptoms. When evaluated according to the efficacy guidelines of the Clinical Psychology Division of American Psychological Association, the use of hypnosis with IBS qualifies for the highest level of acceptance as being both efficacious and specific. In reviewing the research on the mechanism of action as to how hypnosis works to reduce symptoms of IBS, some evidence was found to support both physiological and psychological mechanisms of action.Publication Types: Review Review, Tutorial PMID: 15754863


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Julia,Hi and Welcome!







I have done the program as well and had the exact same concern you have... Someone wise (Eric) once told me... "Positive breeds positive."And I know that to be true. Have experienced it. I can't add much more than what has been posted to you already, other than to say... keep going with the program and keep thinking positively. Relax about the program itself and just enjoy it. Think good thoughts and how much better you will be for doing the program. The program itself will do the rest. Yes, absolutely... physically, things are happening while you do it.Wish you all the very best and keep us posted.Glad you are here with us.







BQ


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Hi BQ!!! Thanks muchly for your encouraging words! xx


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## 13326 (Jul 27, 2005)

Hi Julia,I am now on day 48 of IBS 100 and like you whenever I got stressed about my IBS the symptoms were worse... thought I would let you know a little about how I have got on so far...I have had some of the best nights out (in terms of little thoughts of IBS and just relaxing whilst away and eating out)... IBS was always on my mind before - I could never fully relax - the more I focused on it the worse my symptoms were. I have been out and focused on my fiance and friends as opposed to on my stomach (!) and they have commented that I seem happier and more relaxed (and they don't know that I am doing this programme)...Last week I had a couple of days of IBS symptoms (it was the time of the month and my hormones always seemed to make it worse any-way!). I was away from the house and normally I would start panicking, feel hot, feel sweaty, feel my heart pounding, my breathing increase - these two days I managed not to rush to the loo immediatly - I carried on talking to my collegues (even though my stomach cramps were present) then went to the loo - did what I needed to do and only had 1 loose bowel movement (normally I would be on and off the loo for the rest of the day!) - I then got into the car and drove home without any panic thoughts!!! Totally unheard off - I have also cut down on my loperamide (from 6 some days to maybe 2 - 4 a week - I ended up taking some last week as I knew my hormones were making things worse!)...I know for sure that I am not "cured" but I can definatly see some positive changes and I still have another 50 days plus of the programme to go!Sorry this is a long post (and probably does not even address your concerns) but I hope that it encourages you to persevere...Thanks again to every-one on the board for their support (particularly Marilyn)...


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Oh Cacti - I am SO happy for you! I will let Mike know as well, he will love to hear this.Thank you for your kind words - and for your encouragement to others here - I will post your comments on the other thread to help others.Thank you again so much for sharing! YAY!!!!


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## 17846 (Aug 8, 2005)

Sorry I haven't replied but we have on holiday for a week.Thank you all for your replies they really are appreciated.Julia


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