Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Today, I think we should begin talking about my chronic condition, so that any who suffer from it can learn some tips for pain management, anxiety management, and just to know you are not alone. I was a healthy child until I was immunized, then began a weird cycle of sickness that worsened as I got older. The last shot I received was the measles II monster one must take before attending college and that along with who knows what other environmental causes including becoming an adult and doing things on my own (anxiety!) have over the course of many years worsened to the point where I am now. I am in chronic pain from my IBS (C/D - I get it all), suffering from undernourishment due to my inflamed insides, and losing weight on a regular basis. Unlike Crohn's there is no roving infection to treat or find, just chronic pain and discomfort with a possibility of embarrassing effects at any time, which is not the best for an anxiety fueled illness!

In order to continue, I must explain that the last 2 years were harder then most, with multiple family and personal crisis that most people take one at a time. I pretty much had a mental breakdown, so my boyfriend scooped me up and sped me away to the country, where I am seeking all natural ways to manage or beat this affliction. Since my breakdown I now have more panic attacks then ever before, sometimes for no reason at all. So far, I have yet to find the answer to my advanced case, but I have tips for those who may not be as far along!

The first thing that every person with any gastrointestinal related illness needs to know is the power of PEPPERMINT! A few years back I was admitted to the ER with the worst IBS attack I have ever experienced. It began right before bed and then I was unable to sleep all night, running to the bathroom sick or sitting up and dozing. When I awoke, my now ex-husband made me go to the hospital since I was crying my eyes out and my intestines were running empty, just running and painful. Needless to say, doctors have no idea what to do in a hospital when something like this happens and they will steal your appendix if you let them. I left the hospital with no appendix, thinking it must have really been inflamed until my gastro actually told me they took it because they had no idea what was wrong with me. I had informed them that I was awaiting diagnosis for IBD or IBS - made no difference. After the surgery, the gas and air pockets were terrible in my intestines, but the pain medication made me unaware of it until they were gone. The doctors promised me more pain meds if I needed them and then denied them to me when I explained I was still in pain. I tried to go to work and was literally green and throwing up from the pain. That is when I found peppermint tea thanks to google. Peppermint is the only natural thing in this world that has been proven to reduce the spasms and pain associated with IBS. Over time, the amount of tea I would need in a day increased and started to hurt my stomach, so I switched to peppermint oil. Heather's Tummy Tamer's are now my preferred brand, as they are gentle in case I require multiple a day and they have ginger and fennel oil added for even more relief!

Next up, supplements! When I was on my full regimen of pills I would take the following every morning:

• Heather's Tummy Tamers Peppermint Oil Pills - for obvious cramping, though I take this on a as needed basis throughout the day, if you wake up in pain and need it, you can start the day with these pills or their special tea or any peppermint tea!
• 5-HTP - a precursor to serotonin, this is a very important part of lifting your mood. No matter how physical IBS feels, a lot of it comes from the inside and it is important to try and keep your internal chemicals as balanced as possible. Pain sucks the life from me, making me exhausted in every way, so this can help keep your head above water. I prefer Swanson's brand as linked, due to both cheap prices and quality!
• Passion Flower - I don't take this as regularly anymore, but when I had a full time job, it was a necessity to have with me at all times. IBS is an anxiety based disease, worsened by stress and triggers. Think of it this way - someone without IBS can get upset and mad and then calm down. With IBS, we get upset and calm down, but that anxiety is still invisibly working itself through our insides. Of course, controlling stress and triggers is a key to controlling and living with IBS, but let's be honest - if you have a job, a life, responsibilities, this is really hard to do. Passion Flower will chill you out, just take care to try a low dose to start, because enough will make you sleep.
• Vitamin B-12 - Every day I took a B-12 to help support my mood and give me energy.
• Melatonin - I do not take melatonin now, because my chronic pain qualifies me as a medical marijuana patient in my state. Too much melatonin will make you feel wrong, and due to my consumption of mmj, my natural melatonin is usually at 400%. However, if you need help sleeping or relaxing, melatonin can help if you do NOT have 400% in your body naturally :)
• Herbal Teas - depending on your associations, choose which you prefer. Remember that chamomile also helps with spasms and will calm anyone down, but any herbal tea without harsh stomach affecting herbs will work to help calm an attack, mostly because you will find it soothing!
• Soluble Fiber - I no longer take supplemental fiber, as my insides are too sensitive, but once upon a time I took it 3 times a day. I would suggest working up to 3 times a day, because it can be harsh on the system. I would not suggest metamucil due to the harshness of psyllium on the intestines, but I did have some success with benefiber for many years, until my doctor told me to relax with it. It really hurt at the end, so just do whatever feels right!
• Apple Cider Vinegar - taken internally daily, this helps keep your body in balance, and increases your immune function. It is a somewhat magical elixir - for the recipe see the first blog in this series!
• Aloe Vera gel or juice - taken internally daily, it can help soothe and some say heal the lining of the digestive tract. I have not taken any for awhile, but I felt good when I did!
• Exercise - this one I am terrible at. For years, I was a gym rat, just trying to beat down the pain, but I can no longer afford to join a gym as I am disabled, but not on disability. Now I do as much farm work as I can before collapsing, but with the undernourishment, I get tired easy and must take multiple naps a day just to function. Do yourself a favor and do some exercise before you get to the point I am at! Exercise is a great mood regulator and it will help work off stress. If I do have time for exercise I will usually opt for yoga, dancing, or hiking! Yoga especially, can help clear the mind and incorporates meditation. Yoga literally saved me when I was at a very dark point in my life, so if you need some light, just pull up a free video online and give it a shot! 

Other then these supplements, most people with IBS suffer from food intolerance or allergies. I am an intolerance type, having spent years researching and restricting my diet. In the past few years, I have regained many of the foods I stopped eating for 10 years, but only in small doses. It is hard to trick the system into digesting something it barely remembers, but I find it worth it after years of reading every label and not being able to eat out without modifying dishes at restaurants... If you are unsure of what is triggering you, I would suggest restricting a specific food a week until you figure it out. Currently, I still cannot ingest peppers or anything cooked in the oil of peppers, whole corn and some corn products, and anything that is greasy like sausage or pepperoni. Any of those foods still trigger me immediately, sadly! If you think you may be allergic to a food, you can get tested. When I got tested they gave me a scratch test and a patch test - worst week and a half of my life. These days a simple blood test can tell what may trigger you in some cases. I have found that if I consume too much of any food, it can become an intolerance, so be careful! All things in moderation.

For years I avoided refined sugars and it was wonderful - if you can do it, I highly recommend it to anyone!

Love and light from the litebrite - Psynn <3