# How gradual are the improvements from the tapes?



## Lorraine (Jan 21, 2002)

For those of you who achieved a lot of relief from Mike's tapes, would you please tell us how long it took to see effects and what kind of changes you noticed? I have heard people say the changes are gradual, but have no idea whether the reference to "gradual" is a reference to time or whether the changes were hard to notice because they were subtle. Or perhaps both??? Thanks.


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

In my case, the first thing I noticed was an attitude change (3-4 weeks).


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## Spoon (Jul 19, 2002)

Hi,I am on day 48 of Mike's tapes. I have noticed a massive change, this may not be totally attibuted to the tapes as I started taking Elavil around the same time as starting the tapes, however I feel that the tapes have helped me a great deal. They have helped alot with Anxiety which I suffered with alot. I would say that I am about 95% better, I can go out anywhere now and not have to worry about a toilet or anything, where as before I had trouble going to work even.I live in NZ so the cost of the tapes was considerable, however I wish that I had bought them along time ago as I believe that they have helped me no end, I totally suggest you try them.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Lorraine, basically both as you mentioned. Each person is individual in how fast they respond and what symptoms respond first ect.. The best way is just to finnish them and see where your are at and then try not to think to much about it in the mean time really. Some people respond fast and a few may evengo two times through them, but a lot of people respond roughly somewhere at the half way point with changes they start to notice. Usally better sleep first it seems, then anxiety reduction then actually changes in the symptoms themselves, but everyone is different and this is a therapy so people respond differently while listening. Hope that helps and if you have more questions let me know.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I think most people notice change on a week to week/month to month type of thing, but sometimes changes can be puncutated with a rapid change.Or at least for me with CBT which seems to effect changes much like hypnotherpy does.With me about 1/2 way though the CBT (3 months) I saw a fairly major change (I went from 7 Levsin a day to ~1-2 in the space of a week). After that I continued to improve, but gradually. I started not needing the Levsin every day, I remember when I noticed that I wasn't sure the Levsin bottle was IN my purse. When the IBS was bad I knew preciesly where the bottle was at all time







.By the end of the year follow up I did I was probably down to 2-3 Levsin a month. Now it is even less than that. I did do Hypnotherapy a while ago and it wasn't enoug to get me off of Buspar (which I still take at a low dose to keep the last of the abominal discomfort at bay) but since then I maybe take 4 Levsin a year. I keep a script open because I am now a wimp and don't want to deal with even a couple of hours of mild pain







.K.


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## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

eric's order of sleep, anxiety and symptoms is exactly my order. I noticedc pretty quickly that nights of waking up with a racing mind were a thing of the past. After finsihing the tapes, I thought hmm, doing OK but not great - I went through a bad bout of C (I alternate usually). then one day a few months later, I thought about how much better I've been. Not perfect - I still get the episode of D occassionally. Most important, I don't feel like I'm on that constant seesaw. and when I do have a bad day or two, I chalk it up to an anomoly rather than a return.I still have a way to go. My idea of really being over this will be the time I can travel on a plane without getting hyper about getting sick. I;m better about bad traffic or other situations without access to a restroom, but flying still does me in. But then again, I only finished the tapes a few months ago and plan to go through them again soon.nancy


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## Lorraine (Jan 21, 2002)

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question. I genuinely appreciate all the information and knowledge I have received from visiting this BB.Here's my story: I am on day 93 of the tapes, and I'm unsure what's going on. At the 30-day mark, I noticed some improvement for about a week, and then nothing again until this week (after I posted the note to this BB, ironically). The 30-day improvement as well as this week's could just be another blip in my IBS "story" for all I know. The only thing I changed this week is that I increased my dosage of the probiotic I take to see what that would do. There are only a few things that have helped me since I have had IBS--probiotics and Metamucil (Fibercon and Citracel brought changes, but none of them good!) Anyway, after a very disappointing visit with the doctor this week, I realized I definitely couldn't depend on the medical profession to help me. (I think they hate working with IBS patients. You can almost see it in their eyes. They are fine as long as they have hope they can find an organic cause for the symptoms, but they clearly don't like the unknown world of IBS.) To make a long story shorter, I expressed significant symptom reduction after I started taking probiotics (much less pain and gas) in January. The symptom that is lessening for me now (and did so at the 30-day mark) is the frequency of BMs. Could probiotics affect the frequency of BMs?As you all know, IBS symptoms can be so volatile that it can be extremely hard to know what causes what--good or bad. I think I am now coming to the realization that I may never know what works or irritates the condition, but I can never stop trying to rid or significantly lessen the effects of this condition on my life. I have suffered with this condition for about 2 years now. I promised my daughter that the family would go on a family cruise next May as soon as she graduates from college. I will do everything in my power to make that happen for her and me. I have to find a way to keep on living in spite of this. I know you all know how hard it can be to keep your head above water, so to speak, with this thing. My husband and I started walking together this past spring, and when the weather grew hot, many times I had to run home to go to the bathroom, but I refused to stop walking (perhaps cut some walks shorter, however







). After all, I have already given up fruits and salads, and gained 10 pounds in the process! I do believe this condition likes to keep us fat, unhealthy and psychologically miserable!







At this point, my question to you all is: I will most likely redo the program in a couple of months. Can or should I listen to selective sides of the tapes in the interim, or hold off altogether to give my subconscious time to absorb Program # 1? Thanks again!


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Lorraine, your almost done and that is a good thing. And I think everyone would agree with your post and how hard IBS is on a person physically and Mentally for sure. I hope and believe you will make that trip with your daughter.







I don't think probiotics would really lessen the bm's, the tapes would do that more really. They may help lessen gas and pain however I would think.On doing the tapes again wait for a month or so and then restart, you can listen to your favorite sides or start them from the begining again, there is also another audio continuation that may help, but just depends where you are symptom wise and mentally in a month.When you do this it just keeps knocking at the door of the subconcious until it lets the info in and begins to use it and except it. Each time you do it your reinforcing that process.I want to think some more on this and your situation and get back to you.Lorraine, tell me what your most trouble some symptoms are at the moment and if you have any concurrent health issues if you could. Thanks


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## Lorraine (Jan 21, 2002)

With the exception of the IBS, my health is otherwise fine. My IBS symptoms are very typical (D/C, P & G). Most annoying to me personally are the frequency of the BMs and urgency ("c" is very infrequent with me). This past week, (including this morning) the BMs are still more normal appearing and less frequent (but not "C").Only twice while listening to the tapes did I enter a deep trance state (kind of knocked out)as most people on the BB seem to report. Typically, I experienced what I think is referred to as "drifting." There were some days that I was too preoccuppied with stuff to relax fully and I was concerned that I wasn't probably absorbing much then. But I had maybe 5-7 days of that throughout the three month period. In time, I will obviously know whether this a real change I am experiencing. Right now, I really just wanted to know what I could do to help while I wait. Should I listen to sides three and four after I finish the program this week to reinforce the tapes occasionally or hold off and redo the whole thing later.


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Hi Lorraine,Mike says you can listen to your favorite sessions as you wish, once a day, or just on the days you feel a need, after you are done with the program. If you do opt to repeat the entire program, he says to allow at least 8 to 10 weeks before repeating the entire program again. But this is all down to personal preference. You can also just be totally done with the program as well. But I think most people enjoy it so they listen from time to time to the sessions they like best.As far as symptom improvement... everyone's time frame is different. Some improve immediately, some 6 months after completion of the program. It all depends upon severity of your IBS, how long you have had it, and also if there are other areas in your life needing attention. Sometimes folks are dealing with issues that the subconscious mind sees as more pressing than the IBS, and it may help you cope with that first.Also, don't worry about the "drifting" state, etc. I sometimes have had my mind all over the place, but it still gets in, you really can not do anything wrong as long as you just lay quietly and relax.So there you have it, just listen to your favs for now. Take care!


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## Lorraine (Jan 21, 2002)

Thanks Marilyn!


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