# Success Story



## Venom (Jul 8, 2006)

Hi everyone!

I remember looking at this forum when I was 20 and always said to myself that once I figured out how to control my IBS I'd post. Working in the healthcare industry, I've come to realize that when people start to get better, they don't really follow up with the resources that helped them get that far. So this is me giving back.

I began experiencing difficulties with IBS when I was 20 years old. I recall going out with my girlfriend at that time and being super upset after eating certain foods. I also recognized that I would develop an anxiety about certain things that I never used to be anxious about. I never figured out that there may be a link to the food I was eating until later on. Long story short, I went through hell trying to keep it at bay. I would run to the washroom when anxious and my stomach would hurt only at that time and when I eat certain foods (wheat and dairy). The gastroenterologist diagnosed me with IBS and so did other specialist I had seen. Because there was little support at the time for people with IBS and I wasn't getting anywhere with my gastroentologist, IBS specialists and natruopath, I believed it wasn't IBS and it was something else.

I then switched doctors and was diagnosed with anxiety and was referred to a physician who practiced mindfulness. While all this was going on, I decided to change my career path and began studying to become a psychologist, because I was determined to rid myself of these issues. After much training and studying, I came to the conclusion that this was not anxiety and something was biologically wrong with me. I went back to dedicating my life to studying IBS under the realm of psychology. I also took a food sensitivity test (immunoglobin blood test) with a naturopath in Toronto. He and I agreed that it would be interesting to see If i could stay with all the foods that caused a reaction (even mild (this is the most important point to note)). I did so and worked on the anxiety. If you know anything about anxiety, much of it is from learned conditioning. Just like pavlov's dogs, I conditioned myself to get anxious whenever there wasn't a bathroom around. This needed to be done through cognitive behavioural therapy. I created hierarchies, used tranqualizers at times to get me to go and reduce the anticipatory anxiety and carried around some safety items like (calming sprays and adivans). I was able to defeat most of my anxiety.

All in all:

- Consider taking the food sensitivity test (I believe it was Immunoglobin E or G - it doesn't say on the paperwork that I received from them)

- Work on the anxiety. Consider seeing a psychologist or psychotherapist trained in CBT. Use tranquilizers or anxiety remedies to challenge yourself to go to new places when doing the hierarchies (you'll know when reading about CBT what that is). You may want to read the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Bourne and Mind Over Mood by Padesky and Greenberger (both were very helpful).

- Recognize that the IBS may have led to the anxiety (the conditioned response) (google conditioning if need be).

- Recognize that it takes time for the food that you've eaten to leave your system, likely one month. If I had wheat which is what I reacted to the most (not gluten), my stomach and anxiety would be high for three months.

- Read a Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Blach - Follow their diet recommendations.

- Thank me later.

IBS isn't something I worry about too much anymore. I'm now a few months away from being a psychologist who specializes in health related issues.


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## jaumeb (Sep 1, 2014)

Thanks Venom.


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## cazbomb (Mar 27, 2017)

Thank you!!


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