Paws, Ollie, Captain V and all the rest

[Papergirl1968]

New thread!
I’ve found two so much more hard work (and expensive) than one, Queen

He keeps wanting ollies joint supplements. Ollie didn't even wake up as paws strolled past him

Walter brought me a gift this morning. He even made sure it was well displayed, with feathers strewn all over the bathroom. I think it was a starling (photo attached). Made me late for work. Cheers Walty

Now, I need some insight from you wise ladies please. I've been reading all your posts about autoimmune things. I have horrendous IBS which is uncontrollable (I have to take 5 immodium at once to stop a flare up, roughly every other day), awful anxiety which tips over into depression sometimes. I'm on fluoxetine for all that. And I'm constantly exhausted. Admittedly I also drink too much wine and go to bed too late, but I nap a lot and I'm still exhausted. Any thoughts? GP checked my thyroid because of the anxiety and ibs combination but that was about 8/9 years ago. I'm sick of feeling rubbish.

No news on Bertie I'm afraid.

Right, I've been on the IBS journey with one of my most beloved, and no expense was spared - the upshot is you can improve things.

Step 1= Dietician. You'll get NHS referral because that sounds hard to live with, and they're brilliant. 2 = There's some enzymes you can take before meals that calm things down. Ask GP. 3 = Take Boots probiotics (wait till 3 for 2 offer).

Wait a month for steps 1-3 to work.

4 = Exercise. No one knows why, but it helps IBS like mad. This is annoying because the last thing you feel like when you are ill and exhausted is doing gym, but at least it works.

You know this, but alcohol is a right bastard for making it worse. Why is life so unfair? Well, at least you can eat and drink everything else within reason. Don't get to the stage where you have to go teetotal because you've not cut down enough, which is what happened to one of my closest relations. She loathed it.

5 = Don't pay any attention to the internet shit about leaky gut - no one reckons it's true. 6 = Read the book Gut by Giulia Enders.

7 = Last but not least, make absolutely sure you haven't got some lingering infection in there. Ask GP for blood tests etc.

@coastergirl - fellow IBS/anxiety/panic sufferer here.

Have you gone down the food elimination route? Dairy really sets me off and it's not a lactose intolerance 'cause I've tried lactose free milk. I love cheese though so sometimes I just have to accept the consequences 🤷🏼‍♀️

Vitamin D really helps my exhaustion though, as does stopping the napping. Which I'm not very good at 🤷🏼‍♀️(again).

I've just ordered this so Ollie can get in the window easier
What's the betting I find paws stood on it peering in at me?

Half the neighbourhood cats will be on it.

I’m so sorry Coaster I keep hoping Bertie will come home to you.

Looks good Queen.

Just admit you've bought it for both of them really Queen 😂

We used to put the bench under our kitchen window to help Asbo get in and out (more fun than the cat flap). Every so often dh would move it to where he liked it.

Then move it back again when we got whinging for using our own bench.

What's the betting I find paws stood on it peering in at me?

I am just living for that photo ClientQ . I wonder if you will find paw marks from where Ollie always steps in the same spot to get in. Don’t forget to put on a note saying ‘Go away Limpy. These steps are not for you’. Ollie and Paws are very lucky boys to have you, even if Paws’ status is not official.

Paws has a little routine now of jumping as high as he can, body slamming the window and sliding down so his paws squeak on the glass

Paws is so gangsta. Does he make machine-gun noises and clutch his throat? While you open the door and fumble for the Dreamies?

Capn V is bouncing round the ice-white new hall like a big neon orange pompom - he's already admired himself in the new Batman mirror. (sartorial choices a touch limited in lockdown).

No noise at all just sits silently outside waiting
He's very quiet, makes the odd squeak, growls when you pick him up but never purrs

One day Paws will purr for you.

Thank you so much for the advice re my IBS. I think I was very vague with my request. I was more asking about whether you think my combination of ibs symptoms, depression, anxiety and exhaustion could indicate some other syndrome? I've been tested multiple times in the past 18 years for infections, coeliac etc. All negative.

I did cut out dairy a few years ago and it really helped. I need to do it now.

Anyway, back to cats. I'm missing Bertie so much. Walter is being very sweet. He's always liked to interrupt bedtime, but now every single night when I'm putting my five year old to bed, he sits between us and listens to the bedtime story 💙 He's lying on my knee now, stopping me going to bed.

I find anxiety and exhaustion often go together coastergirl. It’s harder to sleep, and it is never as refreshing when I am anxious and then I feel tired throughout the day. I don’t know about IBS but a colleague who has it has given up caffeine and has herbal tea instead. She still drinks wine. As Supersimkin2 says, an NHS dietician might have some useful advice. Sorry about Bertie (missing him must be making things worse) but I love the image of Walter listening to the bedtime story.

@coastergirl no worries - post on the health threads, they know more. I don't think there is a syndrome that covers all your woes, but they can certainly feed each other, as we all know. TBH pretty much everyone over 40 has something wrong with them.

Nothing is sacred in this house nowadays

Someone's enjoying Sunday.

My order for the plant stand got cancelled so I've ended up buying a bench. For the cat

Put some plants on it anyway! Cat grass and catnip grow easily. The cats will push them off anyway.

If your lucky they’ll let you sit on it sometimes.

I am NOT putting catnip in my garden

I have a fine clump of catnip in the garden. It has survived the winter unmolested. The current cats are intermittently interested in it. My parents clump is usually flattened to the ground by the neighbourhood cats!

My friend put 3 tiny pots of catnip on my doorstep yesterday for me to nurture 💕 the idiot cats were quite excited by it 😭😭😭