Hello.
This is a series of postings about my adventures, and trials, with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is not a well defined disease. In fact most MDs don't define it as a disease at all; it is defined as a syndrome composed of varied and multiple symptoms. Traditional doctors either refuse to address it (it's all in your head) or call it what it is - a dysfunction of the digestive system, particularly the intestinal tract, that has no cure.
I refuse to define it as a syndrome. Too much stigma for my brain. I need to work with a definition that allows for positive future energy. I haven't come up with one yet. In the meantime I consider IBS to be this large intestinal gnat.... sometimes, when the weather is just right, it doesn't bother me at all. The rest of the time I keep swatting at it. One of these days I will make it disappear altogether. Hence this blog.
Thus the blog is a way to publicly record my tribulations and experiments in IBS management.
For example, my life is comprised of a series of horrific bouts with constipation, aka 'being blocked'. I used to try natural laxatives like senna, but decided that this was not a long term solution. I am experimenting with enemas - nothing fancy, just your average warm water variety. I feel oh so much better after cleaning out!
Food is important. Knowing what will/not block the intestines, and what triggers reaction (besides stress and hormonal fluctuation), seems pretty important. I believe I have discovered my major triggers, but I admit I am still clueless as to how to deal with bouts that seem to come from nowhere. No undue stress. Diet has been stable. No travel. Hormone flux? Ovulation?
In order to find some answers I am delving into the varied literature on IBS. And I am spending waaaay too much time online searching out any and every IBS site in the web universe.
As this blog unfolds so will the story of the demise of my intestinal gnat.
TTYL.