I.B.S.

I was diagnosed with I.B.S. at 11:30 am today (october 29/98), it is now 1:28 pm. So I've had a name for my chronic pain for about two hours. I have to say, there was some initial relief that finally there was proof that it wasn't all in my head, "Yes, I am hurting, this is what I have." That relief didn't last too long.
I figured that whatever was wrong with me, could be fixed. This can't. I won't bore you with the long process that finally led the many doctors I've talked with to the conclusion that I have this disease, I don't have that much patience, or that much free time. I never would have imagined that I would EVER be diagnosed with an incurable disease.
I.B.S. has many symptoms. Some of these include;
Constipation
Chest pain
Heartburn or Indigestion
Nausea
Vomiting
Gas
Abdominal Pain
Bloating and Swelling
Pain in the Pelvis, Rectum, or Anus
Lump in the throat or Trouble swallowing
Diarrhea
Bowel incontinence
Mucus in the stool.
Needless to say, it's not very pleasant.
As I said, there is no cure, however there are things that can be done to help relieve some symptoms. Today I am to begin a special diet. No milk, no pasta, metamucil (or other fiber supplement), lots of bran, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Along with this I am to keep a journal as to how my condition is. [ie. If I eat ___, how does that effect me. or The worst part of my day today was ___, my ___ was really hurting.]
Some other things that are associated with I.B.S. are;
Painful, Tender Muscles
Fatigue and Low Energy
Insomnia
Headaches
Dizziness
Feeling Faint
Difficulty Concentrating
Shortness of Breath
Chest, Back, and Pelvic Pain
Painful Menstrual Periods
Decreased Sex Drive
Bladder Problems
That's all I really know about it. I'm still learning myself. As I know more, so will you. I will continue to let you know how the disease is progressing in my case, and will keep you informed on any new information I find on the illness.
Blessings, and Rainbows,
Tobi~Dawne.

Jan 30/99
An interesting piece of news...
**laughing** Well actually there are a couple pieces of news.
I started a webring for IBS sufferers today, the url is http://ibsring.webjump.com. I'm really quite proud of it, I think it will be very healing. After all I'm not just a person with IBS, I'm a person, and I know that's the same of every other person with this disease.
My diet is going well. I've figured out a lot of things that make me ill, so now I can avoid those things. I'm posting the things I avoid here, in the hopes that maybe it will help someone else. I know all of our systems operate slightly differently, but perhaps there's someone else out there who has the same problem. Okay, these are the main things I avoid...
milk
milk products
pasta
potatoes
grains (cereal & multigrain breads)
an abundance of fruits or veggies
fibre
Due to the huge amount of things I can't eat, I end up having a lot of rice. Rice is nice and easy on my system. I also eat a lot of meats. Not the healthiest diet, but then again, I'm not the healthiest person. **smile**
Calcium is something that seems to help too. And I'm not the only person it's helped. I swallow some calcium with just about every meal (about 250mg each time). I take a generic brand made with oyster shell, and containing vitamin D. Others have had success using Caltrate.
Blessings

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