Irritable Bowel Has Me Irritable!

FEELING BLOATED?

I have been suffering from terrible, writhing stomach aches, for as long as I can remember. After midnight visits to the Emergency Room doubled over in pain, visits to specialists hundreds of miles away and a very uncomfortable endoscopy as a teen - I was finally diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

One would think that a diagnosis finally leads to a cure. But, not with this stupid syndrome. The issue was, once we named the problem it seemed that no doctor had any clue how to rid yourself from the suffering.

True IBS sufferers can have a such a wide range of different issues - form bouts of severe gas and cramping, to constipation for days on end, to diarrhea that just won't quit,  to stomach distention that makes me look 6 months pregnant - it is difficult to make one simple change or take one pill to make it all better. It can often take years of trial and error to come up with the right combination of techniques involving diet, exercise, stress relief and even timing of the day for bathroom visits - to find what works for your own body.

I am creating this blog as a forum for IBS Sufferers to glean information, share their stories and hopefully find what works for you. I will write about some of the things I have found that work for me as well as some of my failed attempts and often silly attempts to self-medicate my tummy. I will share some research I have come across that has helped me function and even lose much of the daily bloat I have dealt with for years.

Unfortunately, I have given the gift of IBS to my daughter and have already learned what works for me doesn't necessarily work for her -- so, my disclaimer : I am not, I repeat, not a medical professional and by no means am I pontificating to you what you must do to rid yourself of IBS. I am just sharing my experience and hoping you can add to the collection of options to try and improve the quality and quantity of our functioning bowels :)