# everyday is a crises!-killer stress



## Guest (Sep 12, 2000)

I know everyone has stress, and I know that many people deal with it well. Is it that sick people get stressed because they are sick, or does stress make otherwise healthy people sick? Sound confusing? Probably. I have had some extreem lows and bad days since the doc started messing with my doses of elivil etc. I'm under a terrible amount of stress, so is it the stress, the meds or both, and how do I figure it out? I'm starting to think we will never find a combination that will let me feel good again.I was wondering if those of us who suffer from IBS have found that after extended periods of relief, when they do have an attack is it worse each time? I started out with terrible IBS, it took several years to get it under control, now I have flare ups, each flare up is worse than ever, and today is one of those days. I know I will survive, I always have, but I can't help wondering if, after 8 years, how much longer I will be willing to do this everyday. I always said that I would rather have 5 good years than 20 bad ones, but I had my 5 good years and now the 20 bad ones are stretching ahead of me. Sometimes I not sure I want to do this again tommorrow, so I can't even imagine being willing to do this 10 years from now. I'm not really depressed, I have had worse days to be sure, I think I'm trying to be realistic. Kevin said that when he startes his new job he will hire a house keeper so I can look after myself for a change, its sweet of him but.......I'm 35, it somehow doesn't seem to be something to look forward to. Most of us here,live one day at a time, and on bad days its a minute at a time, but how many of us think we can keep it together 20 years from now? I wonder if the stress were removed from my daily life if I would get better, with or without the meds, any thoughts on the subject?Lori Ann


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

Hi Lori.Methods of stress reduction and anxiety reduction are part of most effective, integrated programs for managing IBS. A combination of effective dietary therapy (identification and removal of foods and additives which can aggravate the condition and/or precipitate episodic events like you describe); cognitive therapy (or even hypnotherapy) for those patients whose symptom set includes substantial stress/anxiety component to their syndrome; and supportive pharmacotherapy while Steps 1 and 2 progress. each of these complementary elements can work together to helpr esolve the situation you describe. I know where you are as I was there and got the bumper sticker (38 years of IBS now...started when I was ten as I recall). I have been stable for about four years now (asymptomatic except if I ingest something I know I should not or if someone poisons me). Like you I was cyclic, and myc cycles became progressively worse in intensity, longer in duration, and shorter in between until I was a virtual gastrointestinal cripple.Recovery is easier for some than others, but it can be done and done effectively. There are (3) basic suggestions I make to anyone who is searching for an answer. To get started make sure that you really do have IBS by being under the care of a competent, Board certified gastroenterologist whom you can TALK TO. This will rule-out other "fixable" things that can look like IBS but are more reversible and even curable.Second, star by following the 3P Rule regarding foods: Packaged, processed, poison.Third, get a copy (on Amazon) of Professor Jonathan brostoffs Book FOOD ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCE: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THEIR IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT. Dr. B is one of the top immunologists on the planet...and this book is worth every dollar of the $18 in education and pleasant reading for the victim of any condition wwhich can be precipitated by food and additive sensitivity (IBS among them). besides the education he will provide, are some very structured methods of identifiying and removing things which aggravate the condition. In addition, many people benefit from cognitive therapy. Discuss this with your doctor and see about getting a referral to a therapist. Many have also had success ith with relaxation methods, meditation methods, and hypnotherapy in reducing or refocusing the stress assocxiated with the disease which contributes as well.Supportive pharmacotherapy (well thought out based upon the patient needs) at times may call for low dose antianxiety medications along with medictaions for managing bowel dysfunction itself. Its not an end-point or a solution, but part of a progressive and effective recovery program. Do not fear talking about that with your doc either.I hope this does not sound preachy...its not meant to be. Only to confirm that while it is not easy and may require some work, you can get a handle on the disease and its effects and overcome them with the right plan. At least probably more easily than I can overcome my keyboarding deficiencies.Have a DFD.MNL


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## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

hi lori ann, its bad huh?sorry.living one day at a time,means not thinking about the next 20 years.i cant imagine science not coming up with something by then. feel better,be happy.denny.


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2000)

Dear Lori Ann,What a pretty name you have!!Have you talked to your dr. about the BRAT diet for IBS ? It is a pretty plain diet and bland but it can help your system to calm down in time. I know the B stands for bananas but I can't recall the rest. My mother was on it over the summer and she is finally getting her life back. I saw something on the ibs board that said taking caltrate can help. Caltrate is calcium and other ingredients. The body absorps a small amount of the calicum and passes the rest out of the body. As it passes it creates a binding agent that causes the colon to settle down and more normal bowel movements result. But, you have to buy the right colored box of Caltrate. It comes in 2 or 3 different boxes. I have dug all through my information and I have not found the paper about Caltrate. I got if off the ibs bulletin board. I will keep looking and let you know what I find out. Hang in there, the good days will come again. Take care! JM


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2000)

Hi everyone,Mike, thanks for the info. We don't have a good gastroenterologist, only one (not so good) for 50,000 patients and the waiting list is very long.Many of the medications I tried caused flu like symptoms that did not go away over time. I did the diet thing about 7 years ago, I started out with one food item at a time, adding others and learning what I couldn't tolerate, it was a long process. But, just when I thought I had it figured out, I would suddenly have another attack, sometimes it only took water in the morning. Every time I think I have the pattern figured out it takes a new road. The elivil was just about the only drug that helped, and didn't make me feel worse, so I'm feeling very lost without it. My doctor doesn't feel antianxiety medications would be very productive and would prefer I learn to manage the stress in my life before trying drugs. I tired aromatherapy, meditation even desperately tried crystals, none of it helped much. But I must say this has been the most stressful year I have had in a long time. This summer alone our family faced a critically injured relative, a tragic death, a wedding, 2 difficult births and a major career change, among other things.My doctor said, that under the circumstances I'm holding up fairly well and that these were stresses which were unavoidable (meaning stress reducing methods wouldn't have worked very well)I have learned not to sweat the little things, but the big things are harder. I keep thinking "when things settle down". Part of my problem is that we are so short of doctors, good and bad, my doctor can't devote as much time to my care as he would like, he has 3000 other patients. Specialists are even more rare, if you can get appointments they are about a year apart. So self-help is my only real option at the moment. I appreciate the info on the book, and I will pick it up. I have been thinking that I need to forget every preconceived notion I have developed and start over from scratch and my diet is the best place to start. You gave me a couple of chuckles and that cheered me up to start my day. Thank youLori Ann


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2000)

Thanks for your post squrts, I hope you are right about them comming up with answers in the next twenty years. We would have a better chance if more research dollars were spent on it.And thanks for the info (and the compliment) JM. I have trouble digesting calcium but I'm willing to try it when you find the information.Lori Ann


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

Hi Lori.1. Good decision on the diet...to start again but with a structured and guided program from exp. doctors like Dr. B (since you unfortunately have no access...wow...a 50,000:1 patient:doc ratio? If some other GI guy finds about about this...well, I would think they would flock to wherever you are as long as it is not Nome...sorry Alaskans just a gag...Alaska is cool...literally...).Dr. B has several structured eating plans you can pick from based upon your situation. The book also expalins foods which cn cause pseudoallergy even in normal people, that IBS folks should avoid anyway.If you cannot get the book quickly for whatever reason (I check around here once a day on thsi Board) post me and I will post an expalanation and how to find and start at least on that right away.2. It is not unusual for people to get frustrated when trying to do elimination-challenge methods. The base diet, even a stoneage diet, might include something the person is reactive to mildly, so that a cyclic reaction like you describe emerges (a delayed reaction of several days added to needing a high dose of the allergen equals a cyclic reaction). Might be an additive not a food too. Or some really reactive people actaully develop new reactions within a short period of time ater removing and sustituting. So this is why even allergists use rotation in the diets...avoid overconsumption and new reactions. Another weak spot is that people sometimes forget to wait long enough between challenges. Sometimes they wait only a day...seem clear..go the next food...the day after get a reaction..attribute it to the food they just ate when it is the one from the day before and eliminate the wrong food...or it is both and they start to overlap with the third challenge then you have an incomprehensible mess. Very common frustration.So one really has to wait 3-4 days between challenges to be 100% sure of avoiding that, to allow all the possible allergen to clear the system through and circulatory cleansing.And the underlying diet must be confirmed to be allergen free before challenges begin.This is why shortcuts like specific blood tests were invented...just to get past this for those who want to and have the resources to.But get Dr. B's book and give it a good look...if you have any questions please feel free to post or e-mail me. Also be sure to look at his eating plans and see if there is one you think you can do.3. Since your doctor is not inclined to use supportive pharmacotherapy for your anxiety-stress component I recommend you go over to the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Board and either click on the button on top for MIKES TAPES or go to Erics website (I think it is www.ibshealth.com)where he also has info on the program and look into these audio tapes. Many people have insisted they enjoy substantial benefit from this program. personally I have no reason to doubt them. Or if you are not into it for any reason your other alternative is to consider cognitive behavioral therapy...discuss that with your doctor and if he gives you a referral I would suspect your insurance might pay for cognitive therapy. This can also be very helpful. But do not shy away from looking into and adopting a stress/anxiety managment method in your overall "plan". It sounds essential for you...and that is also a good investment (cost:benefit).Have a DFDMike


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## Guest (Sep 15, 2000)

Hi Lori Ann,I can relate to your feelings of not wanting to deal with all this over the next 20 years..I too am 35 and wonder what things will be like over the rest of my lifespan.I luckly don't have a depressed bone in my body..I do have feel sorry for myself days!But I can see why so many people with chronic pain question whether life is worth living. People can't understand that feeling and will say you must be depressed. Well if you had flu-like symptoms everyday I am sure you might also share some of our feelings.I guess this is why places like this are beneficial to all of us with FM & IBS. Here we can share our true feelings and can truely be understood.Hope things settle down soon for you..you could use a break.Sea


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## Guest (Sep 17, 2000)

Hi Mike,We really do have a terrible doctor shortage. We can't buy a doctor, (and we have tried) I'm in Nova Scotia, our health care system is crashing, we can't pay doctors what the deserve,(and our Government taxes them at 70%)we work them 20 hours a day, 7 days a week, each GP averages 3000 patients each, and another 10,000 are without any GP and must rely on the hospital emergency dept.Specialists are very rare. We get the occasional new doc fresh out of school and they stay long enough to improve their resume and then they are gone. As a result, our Province has one of the highest cancer death rates in the country. There isn't a single cancer specialist in our province, they left for the US. Our insurance pays for only the most basic services, for example, if I broke my arm, I would have to pay $90 cash for the cast. If I need a needle, I have to pay for the alcohol swab and the sirenge. Its a disgrace but its all we have.I really appreciate the advice, in many ways it confirmed what I suspected about the cycles and diet. My doctor changed my medication to doses I recommended and it seems to be working, I have been much better since Thursday. I know its only a temporary solution, but it will buy me more time to re-evaluate my situation.Thanks for your understanding Sea, this is a great place to vent and to learn. I have learned so much since I started comming here. Thanks everyone.Lori Ann


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

LORI.Now I understand the situation.In short terms, I suggest you try creating your own Program. People do it every day with success.1. get Professor Brostoffs Book and select whichever of the well-developed dietary plans he has that suits you as a stsrting place. Track your progress and modify exacly how he escribes. He is very thorough.2. Go to Dr. Weinstocks webiste www.ibstherapy.com and get a copy of his cd's ot tapes for "affective" therapy self-administration he developed and use it.Your total investment will be about $50 US and you should get symtpomatic relief within 1 to 2 months I am convinced.I know Brostoff personally and his work in this area of dietary manipulation "on the patientys own..without special tests", while needed patience and self-discipline from the patient, is unparalleled. Dr. Weinstock is also highly respected in this country, and if he developed this affective/cognitive therapy program I am sure it is effective for your fear and anxiety.And best of all luck to you and your contrymen!Have a DFDMNL


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