Hyonotherapy for IBS?

[Laurat859]

Hello. I am 27 years old and been suffering with bowel issues on and off since I was about 18. The last year though, my problems have been constant. I have had blood tests and a colonoscopy, all which showed nothing, so doctors have diagnosed me with IBS. I am on 20mg of Citalopram daily to try to quieten the symptoms. I also take Buscopan when I have an attack, and also co-codamol to ease the horrendous pain. To be honest, these medications provide very little relief. I have also tried Mebeverine, Colpermin, Wind Settlers etc etc...everything suggested for IBS and I have so far not found a solution. This is really starting to affect my life. I no longer accept social invitations as I prefer to be at home where I feel safe near a bathroom and away from any potential embarrassment of being around people. My boyfriend wants to go abroad next year, and I used to love going on holiday but with how I have been feeling for the past year, I can't think of anything worse right now.
I know IBS is often worsened by anxiety, and I do believe this is partly my problem, but I don't think it is completely as it can strike even in the middle of a relaxing weekend at home. I get extremely panicked when I feel an episode coming on though!
I am at the end of my tether and willing to try anything to regain control of my body and life! I have started to look into hyonotherapy. I understand it can be pricey but I really don't care anymore. Does anybody have any advice or experiences on whether this could work?
Thank you.

Title should say Hypnotherapy

I recently listened to the audiobook of Cure by Jo Marchant and she discussed hypnotherapy for IBS. It was fascinating. I think it’s definitely worth considering given how much your condition is restricting your life at the moment

If you can get a copy of the book you could read about it first. The treatment was in an NHS clinic, so you might even be able to get a referral. Sorry I don’t remember all the details.

It’s not something I’ve tried but I have it in the back of my mind to consider. There is meant to be some evidence of it working, but not very robust. Have you tried the low FODMAP diet? My situation, tests, lack of link to stress is very similar to yours. I started the diet April this year and it has made a massive difference to me. There is a FB group. You are meant to see a dietitian for it (I did, but learnt more from the FB group).

I agree with Buntingsmum - first thing to do is to pay attention to your diet. I've never tried the FODMAP diet, but going low carb made a huge difference to me.

Thank you all. I will definately look up that book @WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo
My doctor has suggested the FODMAP diet. I looked up the food list and it seems very restrictive. I lose weight extremely easily which is why I think I have beem putting it off. Am I wrong to think that?do you cut out different foods at different times to see what difference it makes? Or cut out all high FODMAP foods at once?

Yes at first you cut all high FODMAP foods then reintroduce foods later to find triggers.
The NHS advice is to do it under dietician guidance. Given your history and weight loss fears could you ask for a referral from your GP ?
You can certainly eat high calorie foods- hard cheese, butter, oil, gluten free carbs are all fine but again a dietician might help you with this.

Thank you @Gymntonic, that's really helpful. I will ask my GP for a referral. As I said, I am at the stage where I will try anything!

Hope you get a referral. About weight - I was losing weight that i didn't want to, but I 've stabilised at a fine weight now with the lowFODMAP. I feel like my body is able to digest and properly use food again if that makes sense.

Yes it does @Buntingsmum, that's good to know. I suppose if I continue as I am then I'm going to end up losing weight anyway (I feel as though I am becoming too scared to eat at times worrying how my body will pay for it later) so may as well give the FODMAPS a go I'm glad it's making a difference to you and I hope you get to find your triggers.

Have you been tested for coeliac disease?
I suffered badly with ibs from 22 to mid 30s. When I came off the pill to try for a baby my symptoms changed and then almost disappeared. I’ve never gone back on the pill (10 years) and while I have flare ups now and then, it is nothing compared to before.

Yes I have been tested and I'm not a coeliac @indyandlara Thats is interesting what you say about the pill. I'm glad that your symptoms have calmed down. My boyfriend's Mum said that her IBS disappeared after having him! I thought maybe she was just rooting for a grandchild lol but perhaps hormones play a part in it too...

I was diagnosed with IBS last year. Out of the blue I had diahorrea, thought it was just a bug, then 2 weeks later same thing again. This went on for a couple of months, just out of the blue having horrendous stomach cramps that wouldn’t go away until it had been to the toilet. I went to the GP who prescribed me Fibogel, said it was a bulking laxitive. I’ve found that works, and have hardly had any diahorrea since then. I do watch what I’m eating but don’t necessarily follow the FODMAP diet although I should as I do still suffer from stomach cramps (although nothing as bad as they were), and terrible wind (sorry TMI).

I think my IBS is related to being peri-menopausal and being on HRT as I never had anything like this before.

I hope you find a solution to help you, it will be interesting to hear how you get on with the hypnotherapy x

Something similar happened to me. My symptoms were very much like yours for about 15 years, but when I got pregnant it stopped, suddenly and completely. It didn't come back until DD was nearly 3, and was much milder. It's only this year (DD is now 6) that it's become troublesome again. It's almost enough to make me consider another pregnancy...almost.

Never tried hypnotherapy, but anything that has a calming effect and reduces stress is worth trying.

Have you tried aloe Vera? I use a colon cleanse tablet from Holland and Barrett from time to time which helps
You can also get hypnosis apps for your phone. I have used the happy apps company ones before and they do one for IBS which may be worth a try?

@laura have you tried colonics? Sounds grim but it really isn't bad. I had a few and my ibs has never returned. Make sure you go to a good provider with a proper setup if you do it and take a lot of probiotics after. The first person i went to was awful. Woman afterwards was a lifesaver.

I've had IBS symptoms for years and without sounding melodramatic, it's ruined my life, my GP doesn't take me seriously. I have a flare up at the mo and was awake through the night with uncomfortable rumblings and grumblings etc and I don't feel great this morning. I try lots of things, some work, some don't. I listen to a hypnotherapy clip on YouTube, it's called 'Gut directed hypnotherapy' by azaharmony. It's by a fellow sufferer so isn't that professional but I've got used to it and find it helps and us a comfort when I need it. Hope you get some relief, IBS is horrible and imo not taken seriously enough by doctors!

I have also suffered from extremely bad IBS, which at the moment touchwood is under control with my diet - the doctors have always refused to give me medication so with the advice their nutritionist gave me I cut everything containing high fibre out of my diet and basically spent months trialling things and doing food diaries until I found what worked and what I need to avoid. It has been under control now for 5 years or so.

The main things I avoid now are milk (a lot of dairy products are fine, it is the whey in milk apparently which causes problems with IBS and this is removed in a lot of processing methods), wholewheat/wholegrain things, a lot of darker green leafy veg (i.e. Spinach, Savoy cabbage etc) and prunes/dates. I've never even been shown FODMAP before (yay doctors!) so I am going to look at that now and see if I can spot any similarities.

The one thing I would really suggest you try is peppermint tea. It sounds a bit mad but my IBS calmed down a lot when I started drinking it, and now when my IBS flares up to it's worst if I drink 3 cups or so a day it calms down soon enough. I always have at least 1 cup a day and I really think it has helped me a lot.

Good luck finding a solution - keep us posted to how the hypnotherapy goes as well!! x

I am coming to the conclusion that nothing really works for IBS.
I have tried doing various things/cuttings things out/I can be fine doing these things and equally fine not doing them.
Then all of a sudden out of nowhere I have a flare up.
Stress for me I think is my worst trigger.
I did go for a consultation with a GI Doctor who said the same thing really that no medication works and the only things we can do is reduce stress and try FODMAP
He did also mention Hypnotherapy-seems to work for some.

Thank you for all your suggestions- you have been so helpful