# An Introduction?



## shyra22f (May 9, 2000)

I was just sitting here looking at this forum and thought maybe we could start a thread with a short introduction of the people who are in the forum. People could specify if they're using Mike's tapes, in CBT (and progress for both), what kind of IBS, or degree of anxiety they experience and maybe list what has worked for them.I just figure everyone in this particular forum is taking advantage of it because they're either in CBT, using Mike's tapes, experience anxiety, or all of the above. This might be helpful for the new people as well







What does everyone think of that?------------------"I'm not a failure if I don't make it - I'm a success because I tried"-unknown


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

shyra22f, I think its a great idea.I am posting my story from the living with IBS forum I wrote a while back on night on the dicusssion forum. Hope thats okay.I was just thinking of expressing some of my thoughts on IBS and having it for thirty years. I have pain predominate IBS and alternating C and D. Although I can say had and really mean it,as I am doing so much better at about(85%) and I believe still improving thanks to this BB and Mike's tapes. I believe my IBS started from a trip to Mexico where I swallowed a small amount of cloroinated water out of a swimming pool and a half hour later, I was very sick with ameobic dysentary and spent the next month seriouly close to death. No Joke. They also pumped tons of penicillin into me at this time. However, ameobic dyentary is known to cause inflammation in the digestive tract. I recovered from that and I don't remember when or how soon I came back from Mexico, I was suffering from severe abdominal pain and alternating c and d. It wasn't to long before they started the first tests on me and that that testing would continue on and off for a big part of my life and cost thousands of dollars. The first tests were stool samples and upper gi tests all negative. The next test was a lower gi, also negative. Blood tests and all the regular tests from a normal MD. I was ten. In those days no one had a clue about IBS and they called it spastic colon or nervous stomach. I missed a lot of school and was always trying to catch up in my school work. Since the good doctors couldn't figure it out,I was sent for therapy and put on librium and told it was phycosomatic. I struggled for years through school,some working and trying to explain to friends why I was in pain alot and could not do things. Dating was a problem. They thought I had a stomach ache and it would go away and I should just quite being a big baby. Funny because my boss said that to me also, ten years later as well as a lot of coworkers. More testing. Basically the same kinds of tests over again. When your in your teens and your seeing some upstate NY md in a small town in those days testing didn't amount to much. Still no advise from anyone on what to do. My parents were very supportive and my mom is a nurse, which was very helpful and supportive. However,sometimes my moms own concern bothered me as she could not help and I could see that in her eyes while I layed there in complete agony from the knife jabbing sharp pains coming from my gut. When I got these pains I would hyperventilate and all kinds of thoughts raced through my head. For me this was already establishing itself into my thought patterns on a day to day basis's and I didn't really know much about living any other way as I hit my late teens. I was having episodes at least two to four times a week and that continued until I join this bb two years ago, although I would have some remissions they always came back and for a while my IBS went cyclic and bothered me most in the winter months, but in the summer improved somewhat. But it came back. Meanwhile, I continued to try to figure some of it out for myself, in ways I could manage it or do things to reduce it. Late teens to late twenties. More tests. "Maybe an ulcer,but we don't see it." New drugs, and from there librax, donnatol,prescription tagament,and a few others I don't even remember, but prozac was one as well. No noticable long term improvement. Mid thirties. I got serious and went to the best GI doc in town and told him to test away on everything we could think of that might be applicable. Also worried it could be something else still, although nothing showed up before he tested me and after he tested me. More drugs. Bentyl and valium. Sent to therapy told to relieve stress. I knew this wasn't the cause and thought because the pain was so severe that something had to be wrong in there, it just couldn't be possible to have this much pain and not have something physically that they could see wrong. I just didn't get it. I did know stress agravated it but not to the extent I do now or the kinds of stress either environmental, physical,or phychological and at the time I did not know how to reduce it enough with the management tecniques I was using and I used a lot of them. I tried all the food aspects and nothing other then some common sense on most things. Although it made sense what was going in had something to do with it, but in reality looking back now, it was common sense issues of eating to much to fast,fat,spices ect. etc.. There were some weird signals before an attack. My skin would turn whiter, my eyes would twitch and my hands would sweat. Sometimes I woould get dizzy. My therapist had migranes and knew nothing about IBS, other then realizing some of the symptoms sounded somewhat like some symptoms she would get with her migranes and that it was not in my head (phycosomatic or crazy) and I should go back to the doctor. It wasn't helping me to see her so I agreed. Although she didn't explain serotonin to me, nor did my doctor take the time to either. I feel if someone would have explained some of the mind-gut connections earlier I could have save a lot of time and effort. I know some are realitively new, but I think they had some idea and either it was to complicated to explain to me or they just didn't have the time. I think at this point one of the best things a doctor can do is explain some of this to new patients. I didn't have any other issues I was healthly otherwise and was playing soccer for twenty years and going professional until I blew my kneecap out. I believe I personally have a classic case of IBS. For me I believe it is faulty neurotransmitters that are not talking right between my brain and my gut. Just some thoughts and thank god for hypnotherapy, which I want to add some of my thoughts on as a side note. Of course most people know I work with Mike now, but some probably do not. After meeting him on the bb here and the success I had I decided to work with him as I feel he has one of the most effective treatment tools for IBS. I am drug free and very happy with the results. I want to say something about hypnotherpay in general and what I believe and have seen for myself and these are my own personal comments from my experiences with it. Although, many others feel the same way now. It is the deepest from of relaxation I personally have ever found. It has tremendously reduced the pain for me from severe to very mild. I think this has worked two ways. It has steered my thoughts and attension away from the pain when I want and I also believe the relaxation aspect of it is releasing endorphines to my gut. This has been a big achievement and will save me trips to the ER. When I wake up in the morning I no longer have IBS on my mind first thing. I no longer dwell on it. I don't worry to much about going out or bathrooms any more. I know longer turn white or have my hands sweat. I can relax my gut at will. My whole body is more relaxed in general and I didn't realize how tense it was before. I breath better and more deeply. Which I have found useful if I feel any twinges of a potential problem. I sleep better and more deeply. Day to day problems don't bother me like they use to. I can eat things I couldn't before. I feel like I have beeen rewired so to speak. My BM's have improved substantially. There are symptoms I don't even remember and that is unbelievable. Anyway just some thoughts of an IBSer pondering. I don't know if this helps anyone and I also don't want to say hypnosis is a cure or the only thing people should be doing to manage IBS, but it is one majorally effective tool that isn't understood by a lot of people or used enough by doctors in the IBS world and why I sound like a broken record sometimes. However, I hope no one gets tired of hearing about something that really works for the majority of people with IBS as there are just to few of the things that do.------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Having had IBS for over 15 years, I have been on just about everyantispasmodic, IBS medication, antidepressant for IBS symptoms, SSRI,and even a calcium channel blocker, as well as the usual OTC meds for"D." My symptoms have been so severe at times to leave meincapacitated, curled up in pain for hours with a heating pad, or in thebathroom literally for hours. Travel has become less and less and justgoing to routine appointments brought on severe attacks of pain and D.In desperation, I am using Mike Mahoney's IBS Audio Program which usesgut specific clinical hypnotherapy techniques. These sessions have takenme from almost daily D attacks lasting several hours with intense pain,to a few attacks a week with much shorter duration. I am still on theroad to improvement and hope to continue. I must add here that I anstill recovering from surgery, due for another surgery and have recentlybeen divorced. All these things have made IBS go into overdrive. IBS hasruined my life in just about every way. Once I was very outgoing, spokeeffortlessly in front of large audiences as part of my profession priorto IBS...I have missed out on many wonderful parenting,travel, volunteeror professional opportunities solely because of IBS. But for me,hypnotherapy has shown to be an effective complementary treatment for myIBS...also, a dietician who has Crohns suggested this to me for mynausea...a type of tea called Twig Tea from Japan. I really had to huntfor it, but found it in a health food store..it tastes awful, but afterabout 5 sips, it usually stops my nausea.This is the short version, but I also wanted to mention that I have had(4) yes, four colonoscopies, one endoscopy, numerous abdominalultrasounds, an IVP, bladder scope, barium X-rays, and CAT scans...aswell as a partial hysterectomy...all in the effort to find out what thispain was, or to put an end to it...surely something this severe couldnot be just "functional".....and yes, I was at the Mayo Clinicalso....Some days, I still feel it is more than IBS...the pain can bethat bad. But I feel that for the first time in my life, I am finallyseeing the light at the end of the tunnel (no pun intended) through theuse of hypnotherapy......Be well, everyone... Marilyn ) *************************Well, I wrote that back in January, and since then I have had my gall bladder removed, and my ovaries which were joined together, along with adhesions to the bowel and bladder. So, I am dealing with more than IBS. But I must say, that even in dealing with these extra sources of pain, the hyponotherapy has helped me through all of this. I know am able to perceive an attack of D, and literally push it out of my mind...in effect subconcsiously saying in the back of my mind: "I don't want this now..." and usually it does subside. I am still improving day by day, even after completing the program. One other thing, I have listened to the IBS Companion recording, which helps explain to the non-IBS sufferer (family and friends,etc. who do NOT have IBS, but are in the IBS sufferer's life) what it is to have IBS. I listened to it several times in a row, and cried my eyes out each time. It explains all the pain and embarassment we deal with, the awful embarrassing tests, the need for compassion and understanding...well it's all there. Even though this is not a therapeutic recording, it was for me to listen to it, because it validated what I have gone thru as being real, and worthy of being addressed. I believe so many of us have guilt feelings because we know of those with life threatening conditions, and IBS is put off as you "can live with it." But what a life!!! So for me, this was extremely therapeutic, and my son commented after he listened to it, that he wished others in my life could have listened to it, things might have been different in the way I was treated. (Not believed, feeling sorry for myself, etc.) We all know these things.So now, I am here to care and support others, and to receive support as well. We are all here for each other, and I am always happy to share anything. Be well everyone! And thanks Shyra for the thread....(((HUGS))) to you....sending prayers and thoughts your way...Take care! ~ Marilyn


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## shyra22f (May 9, 2000)

Thank you for sharing your story Eric







That's one that can definately give people hope.Marilyn, thank you for your kind words and hug to you too. You've had more than your share.I was going to write my "story" when I posted this but I was at work and didn't have time







Not quite sure where to start here. I was always a healthy child. Apart from the common cold or flu I never had any problems related to my stomach. I started working for my Dad at his store on weekends when I was young. When I was 16 years old I was robbed at knife point. Wheather or not IBS is brought on by a traumatic experience, I'm still not sure but the IBS symptoms showed up about a year after this happened to me. I never went for any counsling after that event, but looking back I wish I would've. I just wanted things to be "normal" again. I switched jobs and went on with my life. Then the last semester of Grade 12 was when the symptoms came about. I would eat at the cafeteria there, cheeseburgers & fries and would always have to rush to the bathroom immediately after. About 6 months after I graduated I decided to get it checked out. It was about this time that I started experiencing the anxiety and avoiding going out due to fear of D. I was avoiding food all together and as a result have lost 55lbs to date (I was quite obese to begin with) I had an ultra sound which showed nothing so the doctor figured I had acid build up and prescribed me a drug called Ranitidine. Well, I had a terrible allergic reaction to this drug and ended up in the hospital. A few months later I had allergy tests which ruled out everything else and now I have to wear a medic alert bracelet (if I was ever involved in some kind of accident that required surgery on my stomach this drug is injected through an IV).After all that I was referred to a GI. I had the Barium swallow and Barium enema and was finally diagnosed with IBS. I was nearly 19 before I had a formal diagnosis. The anxiety eventually got worse, pretty much to the point where I barely went out with my friends. I'd just go to work and come home. Kind of a depressing life for someone who's supposed to be having fun!I went to College part time for a couple of years and dropped out. It seemed like so much work to control the IBS, study, and work almost full time. I was experiencing tremendous anxiety in school but it wasn't related to my bowels. I would get nervous just stepping on the campus and any kind of speaking I had to do with my peers wheather in a small group or in the front of the class became a nightmare. I quit wanting to go and I withdrew. In December of '99, I met my boyfriend. I began to change my thought process about IBS and received a lot of help from this board. Things finally seemed "normal" for a change. He was (and still is!) very supportive. I even went on my first trip last summer for the first time in over 4 years to meet his Mom. Last summer was the BEST summer I've ever had and I was planning on giving College another shot in the fall. Sadly, we received some bad news though. My next door neighbor was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. And that's when everything fell apart again.I had been working for the last two years at a really nice flower shop and loved it there. I was very close to my neighbor, he was like a Grandfather to me, and the stress of knowing he was going to die overwhelemed me. I decided to put off registration for fall semester at that point. I went to work my 5-9 shift on a Friday night just like usual. At about 8pm two girls came in. I was just chatting with them when all of a sudden I had a severe panic attack. I was all by myself, and nearly done the transaction, but I honestly thought I was going to die. I couldn't breathe, I was hot/cold and sweaty. I immediately locked the door and closed up early. I thought I had lost my mind. My neighbor passed on about a week after I had this experience and I didn't know if I would even be able to make it to his funeral, but I did.How to make a long story short..







I stuggled through the rest of the fall and winter with terrible anxiety, it all came out of fear of having another panic attack. I saw a psychiatrist and a social worker, niether of which helped me get any better. I put off therapy for a couple of months thinking I could just do it on my own. Meanwhile, I obtained a short term government disability leave from my job (seems they didn't want to accomadate me any longer)So, feeling fed up I opened the yellow pages and looked under psychologists. I found one that specifically does CBT and started seeing her a few months ago. She has been absolutely wonderful and things have changed immensly for me. All three of the therapists I had seen believed that the robbery had something to do with this particular panic attack. I was avoiding stores, doctors, you name it. The psychologist diagnosed me with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia.I ended up finding a new job over a month ago, however business is slow there and I may be layed off, but I'm happy to be working again.I'm now 23 and hoping to get on with my life. I still have my low days of trying to cope with IBS and Anxiety, but I have lots of good days too.. those are what keeps me going. So, I don't have a huge success story here. I guess you could just say I'm "going with the flow" and doing my best to get better. I've come a long way since that Friday night in October and that gives me hope to go all the way. I've had so much support from my friends, family, and dear boyfriend and that's what keeps me going.------------------"I'm not a failure if I don't make it - I'm a success because I tried"-unknown[This message has been edited by shyra22f (edited 07-30-2001).]


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2001)

Hi All,Marilyn - I'm pleased to hear the IBS companion touched you







Shyra,sound like you have been through the mill too







However sound like you ar eback on the mend. I too would strongly suspect the early traumatic event was partly responsible.When I see people in my practice I find out in deatil what happened in their life 2-3 years before the IBS started. Trauma, Bad Accidents, Near Bad Accident, Bereavment, operation etc. I beleive can all have a role to play in the early days.Its a pity you didn't get counselling though.People often say there is no cure to IBS, I have my own thoughts on that, but what I do know through experience is that if caught early enough, the story can be so much better.One of my secretary's daughters did not go to school for 2 years, work was sent home, all the clincal psychiatrists had tried.She came to me as a referral form the senior clincal pediatrician. The same girl is now in college, she went back to school, in her last year she got lots of A's. She is studying for a profession and no going back.A young girl of 11 had IBS for 2 years, for the last 5 years totally clear. Through exams, physical development, no reoccurance.I believe that IBS and (other conditions) imprint a behavioural pattern and expectation / anticipation of events into the nerves and neural pathways. Since these are learned processes, we can learn to do something different. Therefore if we encourage new learnings, the residue of expectation in the old neural pathways can be circumvented, creating new patterns of learning , leading to changes in expectation and behavioural patterns.This is perhaps not the right thread for this posting, and I will perhaps one day elaborate, but I believe that the expectation that IBS is not curable is flawed.The problem lies as much in the individuals expectation. If we do not expect to totally get well, we are denying ourselves.After all, the 4 minute mile was at one stage " An impossible feat - beyond human capacity" Then Bannister came along and broke that belief!! But much more importantly, within a short time afterwards many others beat his time!! The self limiting belief and limited expectations were shattered. The mentalilty " If he can do it so can I" shattered the 4 minutes mile limit for ever.But - How did Bannister get over his limits? Everyone said it could not be done. He believed in himself, and the capability of his body. Therefore what /who is to say that we can't all get through the finishing tape







Its just a thought, but thats all Bannister had to start with too







Best RegardsMike


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## linda2001 (Apr 14, 2001)

Hi All







Well here's my story! Great idea Shyra! It's so interesting and encouraging to read everyones story.I believe my IBS started shortly after my brother was killed in a car accident. He was driving to work with two workmates who survived the crash. My brother, father and myself worked for the same company. Work was so supportive and offered counselling, but i declined.......Eight years later I'm now in therapy, have been for over two months now. I also have a problem with anxiety, insomnia, stress, trusting people and self esteem which I am working thru in therapy.As I also constantly worry, my current task is to set aside 20 minutes after I arrive home from work each evening to worry about anything and everything. After the 20 minutes I'm not allowed to worry anymore for the evening. It's actually quite hard to shut my mind off at the 20 minute mark - but i'm working on it!I have IBS D and G, I've eliminated some foods from my diet - but the biggest trigger for me is stress. As soon as I go into a meeting or get on train or a bus - my biggest fear is needing the toilet and not being able to get to a toilet in time. I use deep breathing and coping statements when I'm in these situations.I know I am improving as I no longer wake up everyday and the first thought of the day is IBS - will i have a D attack today - will i make it to work ok. Also I had my performance appraisal last week which was really positive, my director said that I'm handling stress much better and I don't panic as much when things go wrong. I'm slowly coming to realise that i don't have control over everything and when something does go wrong - hey it's not the end of the world! When I do have bad days I just remember how well i've done up until that point and as i'm only human i'm bound to have some set backs.I have recently started to pass blood and as I have a family history of bowel cancer and my mother and quite a few aunts have had polyps removed the doctor wants to investigate further and I have a colonscopy scheduled for this Thursday, but he is not too concerned as I haven't lost weight, i've actually put weight on.I haven't told my family about any of this as I don't want to worry them, my mother recently lost her sister and mother to cancer and an uncle has recently been diagnosed with cancer and has just suffered another nervous breakdown. A few of my close friends know i'm in therapy and they have been supportive but I don't feel comfortable discussing it with them as it is so personal.Mike, my therapist has also discussed something similar to what you mentioned in your post. He described it as a canal in my brain which is well worn with old behavioural patterns. We have created a new canal which is where we encourage new behavioural patterns - this is where my coping statements and challenges come from.Take care everyoneLinda


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## BR (Apr 12, 2001)

Thanks for thinking of this Shyra!Mike - Your comments are always so encouraging and I really like that you think IBS can be cured. I agree that if you have something in your head as a given you will never work past it. Go Bannister! By the way, I've been wondering how you came about specializing in IBS?I've had IBS for over 15 years. I remember in high school thinking about my bowels when I felt trapped, but it was never a big deal. In my early 20's I got my own apartment and I noticed I felt so secure and quit doing something that would probably be described as obsessive compulsive and thought how cool, I just needed to be independent and out on my own to gain confidence. Then the IBS hit!I didn't do anything about it after the diagnosis other than take Lomotil or Imodium (a lot in the beginning and then I weaned myself onto an as needed basis which was maybe once or so a month) and then I discovered this bb spring of this year. I started to take calcium and I'm on day 90 of the tapes. I'm doing a lot better in many different ways. I feel much calmer and less irritated (although I still have some work to do!). I also am reading the book "Feeling Good" by David Burns as recommended by Dr. Bolen in one of her posts and I'm finding it very interesting. Even though I wasn't depressed I see that I have a lot of thought patterns of poor me and the world should revolve around me even though logically I know better. So now I'm determined, especially after reading Mike's post to get rid of IBS and refuse to believe I can't be cured. Hugs to all!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Mike, I need to expect to get well. Currently I'm not. I want that expectation, really, more than you know, but it appears I'm not there yet. I struggle between: accepting that I have IBS; that it is real, currently has "no cure", is not my fault & causes me to have some limitations; AND, that I can get well. You see if I have a flare I'm blaming me still. "I didn't hypno well enough, I didn't handle the stress well" I don't know what to think. I'm done with the tapes for those of you that don't know. Well I say done, ha ha !!! I'm still listening. Yeah I got your old thought patterns & I'm trying to change those, as I have done so in the past with loads of other issues. But the ultimate paradox: I have an illness that there is currently no cure for, but if I continue to think that way I may never get well. I dunno guys I'm stumped. I wanted the hypno to work desperately, and it has significantly reduced my symptoms with out question. I wanna do NO meds (as you may have guessed if you have read any of my posts







)I want the hypno to do it all. I am expecting that of myself. I want to be able to hypno myself completely out of symptoms. I'm an eternal optimist....... I think it can be done, but I'm not sure it can be done by me.......yet. The farther away I get from finishing the program the more I realize how much practice & work this is going to take for me. I gotta "hypno" practice, I gotta watch my thinking_closely_, I gotta watch my diet closely, I gotta keep myself on an even keel & watch how I "spend" my emotions, etc. Now throw in that I'm a wife, ok do-able. Now throw in that I'm a Mom and I gotta watch my kids thinking, their diets (LOL!), their emotions individually, and their relationship with each other & us, uhhhhh I'm a bit overwhelmed here. Now throw in the kids schedules & frankly......I'm fried. I simply can't attend to all of this at the same time. I don't have the attention span LOL!







. Since I started the hypno I'm sooo distracted: my kids are looking at me funny. They ask a simple question, like "Mom what is the President's name?" and there I sit staring at them saying to myself "I *know* I know this". LOL! I'm hoping this "hypno" will get easier, well, either that or the kid's will, but I doubt that. So I'm shooting for the hypno getting easier. I must need to stay after "hypno school" for extra help or something.Shyra, I'm sorry I'm plopping this in here on a very good Topic which I have thus far ignored







Please forgive me?I'm at a "place" where I don't want to think of it all..the history, the years of dissapointments in trying to cope with this IBS. I don't want to think of the past right now. I'm having enuf trouble dealing with today. So perhaps when I "get it" I'll come back to this post, or the hypno success stories post & tell everyone the sad saga that will hopefully end well. So once again Sorry Shyra, but I'm not there yet.BQ


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## shyra22f (May 9, 2000)

Hi BQ,No worries!! I didn't start this thread so people could run off their success stories necessarily. I don't have a huge success story myself. There's many of us who are where you are. I still have plenty of days that are filled with anxiety and doubt and I'm sure that's pretty normal when you're suffering from a chronic illness. And to have anxiety problems on top an illness makes it that much more difficult. I haven't done the hypno tapes myself so it's hard for me to know exactly where you're coming from. However, when I started CBT I couldn't wait to start seeing results. It's like I just wanted to wake up and go through a day without worrying about experiencing anxiety/panic. It wasn't until I started feeling a little better that I realized just how much time and practice is involved in getting "better". And just like Mike said, you need to believe that you can do it. And I mean REALLY believe (which is one of those things which is much easier said than done as you know). Being in CBT I've learned that I need to change A LOT of my thought patterns, and that includes dealing with the past. Not like repressed childhood memories or anything like that, but behaviors that become so engrained in my mind that I didn't know anything else. When I discuss my negative thoughts with my therapist she'll ask me, "Do you have evidence of this happening?" Or "Has this ever happened" Nine out of ten times the answer is no. I'm sorry for rammbling here and I hope what I've said has made sense but basically, I think you need to deal with that part of your past that has got you to where you are now. CBT has worked wonders for me, and I'm wondering if CBT together with Mike's tapes would work more effectively for you? Although I'm sure Mike can give you some wise words of advice regarding your situation. The reason why I posted this topic is because sometimes I get a little confused and lose track of who's doing hypno, who's in CBT and I thought that if I could start a thread where everyone could get a better feel for where people have been and what they're going through now, perhaps it could help us help eachother.Mike- Your words are VERY encouraging and I think that's a very important attitude to have (even for life in general). Looking back I regret not going for therapy after the robbery. The city police contacted me just a couple of days after the incident offering victim assistance, but at that time I was still in so much shock about the whole thing I declined not having any idea how it would affect me in the future. But hind sight is always 20/20. And I think it's very interesting to hear that the people you have helped have had some prior history of trauma before developing IBS. In a way that makes me feel better because I've always been suspicious that it played some role but after hearing what you had to say and reading other replies here I would definitly say there's some connection.Anyways, I appreciate hearing everyone's stories. And BQ, no need for an apology







------------------"I'm not a failure if I don't make it - I'm a success because I tried"-unknown


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## Clair (Sep 16, 2000)

Hi Shyra - Good Idea







I've had mild gastrointestinal problems on and off for 13 years after contracting gastroenteritis in the wilds of Africa.However, these problems were just mild so I never took notice of them a great deal apart from avoiding rich and spicy food which always set me off.One day 14 months ago I was hit out of the blue with alternating constipation and diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps and insomnia - none of which would go away.It was completely dibilitating and depressing and I contemplated giving up my job at one point - despite it meaning I would have no money coming in.It has been a long haul year of elimination diets, tests and more tests, pills and potions but finally in April this year I got my diagnosis : IBS.Even after eliminating my main food triggers of dairy products, wheat, caffeine, alcohol, etc I still found I was having problems.Despite being a skeptic, all of the postings on hypnotherapy not to mention a nudge in the right direction from Eric







prompted me to give hypnotherapy a chance as I have just about tried everything else and was beginning to give up hope.Well I'm 90 days into the 100 day course and pleased to say that hypnotherapy has really helped me. Although my GI specialist has said its likely I may always have problems - I've finally got back to some sort of normality of life and my IBS has become a minor annoyance instead of the debilitating life changing problem it once was.So to anyone out here that is feeling lost and hopeless, there is light the other side - it may not feel like it now - but if I could manage to pull back my life from the grips of IBS you can too.Clair


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Shyra, The "part of my past that has got you to where you are now." Uh I'm not sure what you mean. Like I doubt there is one particular part or "reason" I have IBS. I have dealt with childhood emotional abuse, an alcoholic father, parenting children when I felt very ill equipped to do a good job. I have been to 11 years of consistent self help group meetings, and intensive one on one therapy. I can't change any of the past. _That_ much I learned. All I can do is change my thinking about it, which I have busted my butt doing. As I parent a few more smaller issues have come up & I have dealt with them. I am very familiar with the effects of "sweeping things under the rug", those dust bunnies have teeth that come back & bite you if you don't sweep 'em out. Today is day one of my second chance and tomorrow will be day one of my second chance, that is the beauty of this life I get a clean slate everyday! I get to "try again" & again & again. Will I ever "deal" with everything???? No I won't. Some things are just part of me & my personality. I will never be perfect, I have come to acceptance of that & yes that took lots of work.No I won't deal with everything....I won't live that long LOL! But I'm doing the best I can and that HAS to be good enough and so it is. SO I'll live this day the best I can & feel it, smell it, taste it & be grateful for it & look to tomorrow. Looking at where I've been, to me, is a time waster. I'll miss today if I do that. And I don't want to miss it. I have kids who are living their "good old days" RIGHT NOW! I don't want to miss a minute of it. The luxury of dwelling in the past & looking at where I've been is one I can't afford. BQ


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