# Frustrated!



## Shangirl85 (Oct 12, 2002)

hi im pretty new here. i came by this site in my attempts to understand this problem my doctor diagnosed me with which is IBS. i am so glad to kno that i am not the only one out there with this problem. i also learned about mikes tapes on this website. currently on day 30, no big changes but im really hoping this will help me get control back in my life. for awhile the anxiety was brutal. it crippled my social life, almost made me quit the sports i love to play, and i even had trouble going to school because of it. the funny thing was, it wasnt so much as the ibs that prevented me from going out places, it was the anxiety, the "what ifs". anyway, i guess im writing rite now cuz i had a bad day today with ibs, dont kno what really caused me to be doubled over in pain, plus the wonderful d that came with it, since ive been fairly good for the last few months. maybe its because i just thot if i got mikes tapes, they would make the ibs go away even tho i kno its a long term thing. its frustrating but i am still thankful that i dont have anything more serious, even tho at times i wish i had anything but ibs.


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2002)

Dear S & T........ IBS and anxiety go hand in hand..... probably because of the unpredictability of the disorder and also because IBS is very often related to chemical imbalances in the brain. Is there anything particularly stressful going on in your life (other than the IBS)? Have you ever been evaluated for anxiety by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist? As Eric (moderator) often puts it... there is a brain-gut connection when it comes to IBS. You need to get a handle on your "whole diagnosis". IBS may merely be one symptom of something more complex that is going on. The tapes are good, however if your brain chemicals are dysfunctional, you may need medication .... at least for a while. Seek an evaluation by a license physician... preferrably one with experience with IBS and its related behavioral health components.Warm Regards, Evie


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Sick and tired welcome to the forum and sorry you had a bad patch, the IBS can wax and wane. I am glad your doing the tapes and be positive about that and stick to the schedule, and it sounds like you are.I just want to point this out to you in regards to anxiety and IBS itself, although many things can cause anxiety. http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/clinicalIssues.html "What would be an example of new understanding? Well one example is that we're starting to understand how the brain is responding to the pain in IBS. There have been some studies done where they've artificially created a kind of an irritable bowel by placing a balloon to stretch the bowel, and that produces pain. Then they've compared people with IBS to non-IBS, or "normal" individuals. And what they've found is that when you stretch the bowel-and use PET scans to monitor the response-in normal individuals, certain areas of the brain that register pain respond and release chemicals called neurotransmitters that suppress and lower the pain. But it seems that doesn't happen as well in people with IBS. In fact, in people with IBS another area of the brain responds that is associated with anxiety. So what we find is that people with IBS, aside from having a bowel problem, may have some difficulty in terms of the way their brain is regulating the pain."An important thing here is the " But it seems that doesn't happen as well in people with IBS. In fact, in people with IBS another area of the brain responds that is associated with anxiety."So the anxiety is "turned up" from signals to the brain from the gut. They can see this with specialize brain scans in IBS.The tapes are working in a lot of ways, but one of the things it works on is to calm the same part of the brain that is effected in IBS in regards to anxiety and emotions and pain and "turn the volume down" that is turned up from the IBS. These chnages happen physically and mentally with time, but are gradual. They are working on many more issues then this, but something for you to know.It may have been you were doing good , because of the thoughts of doing Mike's tapes and that is a clue about IBS and can happen. IBS responds well generally to placebo in a lot of IBS patients, or you were just in a good space to begin with, but positive thinking has a major impact on IBS sympotms including anxiety.As Essence also pointed out elvaluating situations or triggers that can set it in motion whatever they are, meds, stress, foods, feeling, some situation in your life right now or even your job, ect.. are important to discern and figure out how they maybe contributing to you as a whole person.The tapes can make chemical changes with time and right away even, but in the long run they are helping to help your brain gut and your brain on a subconcious and even concious level to talk to each other with less if any dysregulating or dysfunction.If you have any questions ask away also, if you want to learn more about the HT and what it does or any questions in general, let us know.This may also be something for youu to read that applies very much so to IBS and anxiety. An important player in IBS and the way the body works. http://www.mindbodymed.com/EducationCenter/fight.html


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

I hope you feel better tomorrow. I really can relate to what you wrote.


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## Shangirl85 (Oct 12, 2002)

thanks to everyone who replied. ive been thinking about any stress that ive been under but i cant think of any major issues that would affect me that much. the only things i really do these days is go to school, play volleyball, and soccer, but ive been doing these things for about 2 months now and ive been okay so far.Eric, in the post u sent it said anxiety and emotions and pain are turned up by ibs. does this mean that after i go through mikes tapes, these things will be back to normal for good? and if someone can get these things to be tuned down, their ibs could become non existent?


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Sickandtired, its not so much overt stress, but day to day stress and emotions. Also the last link and the fight or flight responce is like I siad big in that regards to day to day threats.The IBS can set off those "what if's" and the "what if's can set off the IBS", that is in part the IBS vicious cycle. So breaking that cycle as much as possible can help turn down those responces and your symptoms can improve.Mike's tapes are working in a lot of different ways and systems on the IBS and the many triggers. However many things can trigger IBS and its considered for most a chronic condition. I would not place my expectations for a cure on yourself for good which can have a negative impact on you, but view it as a management tool and the possibiltity that you go into remission and have no symptoms.I hope this make sense as what you said is actually a very complex question in regards to IBS in general, not just HT.All I can say for the moment is to stay positive stick to the schedule and complete the program and see where you are at. And remember were here to help in anyway we can with the process.


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