How do you cope with your IBS?

[JustlookingNotbuying]

Although I’ve had it on and off for 24 years, I have been really struggling with almost daily symptoms the last few years. I am IBS mixed but more on the IBS-d side of things. I seem to have a super sensitive digestive system which gets thrown out of whack at the drop of a hat and I have never really got to the bottom (!!) of what causes my symptoms.

I have put myself through a barrage of uncomfortable tests (colonoscopy, gastroscope, pill camera endoscopies, scans etc). They keep saying it’s ‘just’ IBS.

I keep a food dairy but can’t see a big link with food, I am low fodmap, drink only water or mint tea, keep sugar and fat to a minimum, no alcohol or sweeteners. I exercise, listen to gut directed hypnotherapy. I live a really plain, boring life in order to try and keep my symptoms down but they still haunt my regularly.

I have tried all the recommendations for this condition such as probiotics, all the IBS meds available, antidepressants, kefir etc. I have had lots of complementary therapies such as reflexology etc. I have had CBT, hypnotherapy and counselling to try and help, nothing sticks even though I’ve thrown so much time and money into it.

I was lucky enough to be referred to a neuro-gastroenterologist and excitedly waited for nearly a year thinking they would be able to suggest something only for her to tell me that I’ve just got to learn to live with the condition. Her only suggestion for me was Imodium on the bad days! If I take Imodium for more than two days I end up constipated.

Do you also suffer with regular symptoms? How do you get through your day to day life? How do you live as regular life as possible with your guts constantly battling with you?

I have been diganosed for over 30 years, and to be honest, since food has little effect on my IBS there are very few ways to ease it for me sadly. None of the prescription drugs such as mebeverine helped me at all. I do take one single codeine tablet per day though, which my Dr agreed kept things balanced, so that I don't get the running to the toilet issues I used to have.
Codeine is addictive though so not generally a great way to manage IBS.
The down side, if taken regularly can be constipation, so it is more helpful for those with IBS-D.

I found no links with food for mine, although spent many years excluding stuff as I'd read about it online. I blamed bread, then alcohol, then garlic, then spices, etc, etc. Eventually learned that food doesn't make a scrap of difference to my flares, nor does eliminating any food groups help. I am NOT one of those who find ease through giving up carbs or dairy, quite the opposite to be honest. We are all so different.

I do find keeping active helps, and some yoga poses, gentle ones, can relieve wind pain and cramps. For me it is mostly stress related but i can never, ever predict when a flare will come. It's like a switch is suddenly flicked and instant.

Good luck:)