# New Here



## vix666 (Jun 29, 2007)

Im new here so just thought i'd introduce myself and ask a couple of questions...Well im 24 and have recently been diagnosed with IBS (well about 2 months ago) and i've been trying to eliminate certain trigger foods and have been taking aloe vera juice and the dr put me on mebeverine which has taken the edge of the pain. However the thing thats getting to me the most is the constantly feeling really tired and lethargic and grotty, and also my friends/family dont seem to understand how i feel and just say 'oh its only a tummy ache'. Its just all getting to me a bit.So i was just wondering if any of you have found anything thats really helped with your IBS be it exercise, supplements etc?


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## Patient (Jul 5, 2007)

Welcome Vix, I'm sure you'll love it here! As for things that have helped, you should take a look on the boards about your class of IBS. Diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, etc. As for me, the thing that helps out most is probably regulating my diet. I've got some medicine from my doctor that helps with the overall yukky feeling, but it makes me groggy so I can't always take it if I'm at work or something similar. For the nausea, usually I just take some Pepto if I'm out and about, which usually gets rid of the sick feeling fairly quickly. Talk to your doctor and see what he/she thinks about medicines you can get started on, if you're not already on them. Also, take a trip up to your local drugstore and browse through the medicines they have available. Trial and error is usually best, since everyone's body is different.As for making your family understand, however, that's easier said then done. My mother didn't understand my condition while I was in highschool, and simply wrote it off as me trying to ditch school. It was only after I graduated that I still complained about my stomach problems that she finally decided to accompany me to the doctor, in which case, I had him explain to her what IBS is really. For some people, it is more understandable to hear it from a professional, rather then yourself. You could also direct them to this board and let them read some of the posts people have made about it, to give them a better understanding of how serious it can be; and how it effects the lives of people living with it.Hope this helps!


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## sucky (May 18, 2007)

Hey there!Well firstly, welcome...Patient is right, these boards are a great especially when trying to sort through the many treatment options etc. I've had IBS for about 2 years and it is very much trial and error in terms of what will aggrevate your IBS and what will help relieve it. I am more than happy to share my experiences with you.My IBS (alternating C and D with D brought on by any sign of stress or anxiety) has gone from fairly regular in terms of severity to really bad as of April and now much much better. I can't really pinpoint what made it get so bad so fast but I feel that it was mostly just a lot of physical (in terms of diet, lifestyle, etc), mental and emotional stress over time just causing a complete breakdown. I am an anxious worrier by nature and this definately came to a head recently. What has helped me turn that around is to first manage my anxiety by taking an anti-anxiety medication, lorazepam, when I was in high stress situations. For example, my IVS flairs up really bad when I'm in the car especially with other people so I would take it when in the car. Anti-anxiety meds have been really useful for a lot of people with IBS, even those that wouldn't be considered as having anxiety or depression problems, and there is a lot of info about that treatment option on these boards. The other major thing I've done is a complete overhail of my attitude about IBS. This means no longer focusing on it, and even forcing myself not to let the thought enter my mind. This is a work in process but it has helped more than anything else. I have forced myself to consider myself healthy and able and this has helped to eliminate some symptoms and really helped to put me in a frame of mind to tackle different treatments, triggers, etc. Sounds simple, but I really encourage you to think positive to an exaggerated level....it makes soooo much difference! Another HUGE find has been probiotics. I cannot overstate how simple and effective this has been for me. Luckily the first formula I've tried has been extremely regulating and easy to adjust to (I use Florastor). As far as trigger foods, I'm not very good at this. Junk food/fast food is my biggest weakness. Generally I try to eat sort of simple meals that aren't too fatty or heavy and that seems to work. Dairy seems to be a big problem for a lot of people, also leafy green veggies.As far as getting people to understand, I just laid it out and those that got it, great, and those that didn't, most did once they saw how it affected my life. The way I see it, why would I over play a condition that limited me so much? Obviously its a legitimate and frustrating problem. My immediate family took a while to understand that, but they just needed to see my actively suffering and then actively trying to fix the problem to understand that it is real. This has probably been the hardest part about having IBS, but over time the important people have come around. Anyone who isn't supportive is just compromising my treatment and recovery so they are ignored or left out of my IBS loop.Hope all that babbling helps


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## MyOwnSavior (Dec 21, 2006)

vix666 said:


> Im new here so just thought i'd introduce myself and ask a couple of questions...Well im 24 and have recently been diagnosed with IBS (well about 2 months ago) and i've been trying to eliminate certain trigger foods and have been taking aloe vera juice and the dr put me on mebeverine which has taken the edge of the pain. However the thing thats getting to me the most is the constantly feeling really tired and lethargic and grotty, and also my friends/family dont seem to understand how i feel and just say 'oh its only a tummy ache'. Its just all getting to me a bit.So i was just wondering if any of you have found anything thats really helped with your IBS be it exercise, supplements etc?


Hi, and welcome I've noticed, in my own life that is, that there is no such thing as "trigger foods". (I'm not saying there aren't for some people, I'm just saying what's true for me). I mean, one day I can eat a value meal at, say, McDonald's (fries, soda, the whole deal) and I will feel great afterwards. Other days, I'll eat something "healthy" and will feel horrible for the entire rest of the afternoon (like having fruit and a sandwich). Of course, sometimes I'll eat the same exact meal that the day before produced horrible symptoms, and I'll end up being fine. For me, it's totally random....The only constant for me, in terms of food, is that I get the worst pain when I am hungry. I know most doctors tell you that you should break up your meals and eat several small meals a day, more frequently, but for me that is a recipe for disaster. Doing so only gives me SEVERE pain, and so I'm stuck eating large (and for the most part, fattening) meals for lunch, just because eating smaller, healthy meals throws me for a loop. So, as others have said, you just need to experiment and see what works for you. If I had advice for you at all, it would be to take everything your doctors (or others) tell you about IBS treatments with a grain of salt. My experience with doctors is that they're guessing about what works just as much as you are; they'll put you on whatever medications they want without the slightest clue whether or not they'll do anything _for you_. So just be wary of that, especially if they try to put you on addicting medications like (for example) Effexor (a medication that I've heard many horror stories about).


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