Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is an embarrassing and often debilitating medical condition. It can be a true nightmare. Irritable bowel is caused my stress and anxiety, which upsets the stomach, intestines, and colon. A person with IBS may be affected by a number of things such as daily stress, work, a feeling of being overwhelmed, fear, and more. IBS can not be cured but it can be treated and eventually subdued.

I had been living with irritable bowel syndrome all of my life but I only found out when I turned 19. I should've seen it clear as day, even without knowing about the condition. But I thought that what I was going through just couldn't be helped and I was some sort of freak, like it was almost my fault and my own doing. As a child I would often get intestinal aches, especially in big places like video stores or department stores with huge selections. It overwhelmed me and cramped me right up. The worst days with my pains were during any Final Exam or standardized test in school. I would cramp up like my intestines were in knots. It was excruciating and I would sweat buckets and have to keep putting my head on my desk and wait for it to pass. The pain wouldn't pass for good until the test was over or I went to the bathroom. Later on my symptoms lessoned for the most part but I would still say that I frequently had problems. Even a good form of excitement like going to an amusement park or going swimming while on vacation would become a trigger. I could be happy and excited and the next thing I knew I was cramping up. I never really told anybody because I didn't know anything could be done. The people that I did tell just thought that I was a hypochondriac. My cramps would be intensified because I hated going to the bathroom and only had bowel movements once a week. It hurt and probably damaged my body.

Just last year I moved from Los Angeles to Tempe, Arizona by myself to attend college. Each morning was a huge battle with my body to get to school. My cramps would come and then I would be constipated and miserable. I would take Immodium AD and Tums and chug Pepto Bismol every morning but it didn't work. I would try to psych myself out and calm down but my subconscious was far too strong. I could be perfectly calm on the outside but my subconscious would be stressed out to the max and my body would suffer the consequences. Finally, during Christmas break I went to see my doctor about the problem. He didn't want to prescribe medication to me because I was so young, so all he gave me was fiber powder and told me that it would help. Well, it didn't. So I went back to him and he finally prescribed Paxil for me. Paxil is an antidepressant, also used for people with anxiety. He gave me the lowest dose and instructed me to take it once a day. He explained that I would be loopy for a couple of weeks but it would help me. I started taking the Paxil and within days I noticed the difference. I was not worried about a single thing. I was zoned out. This was only because I had just started it, but it was a welcome change from the intense stress and anxiety. I had vivid dreams and kept spacing out during the day. I have been taking Paxil for about 9 months now and I can tell you that it has improved the quality of my life drastically. Now I can work without worrying about an attack coming on and I can have fun and enjoy myself while on vacation.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be eased with alternative medicines, but the affects wear off much faster. Drinking certain types of tea and taking herb capsules such as Kava Kava or St. John's Wort will relax your system. Acidopholus also helps your digestive system by adding extra enzymes to your system. You will have less aches and pains. Like I said though, this stuff only works for a little while. You need to take the medication as directed and add fiber to your diet.

Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome is horrific at times, and I almost felt like killing myself on many occasions because of this. Thankfully I am level headed and realized the pain would stop eventually. But now my life is much better with Paxil and I rarely have IBS attacks any more. If you are living with IBS don't let it run your life. Take control by working with your doctor to treat your condition properly. There is hope. Life doesn't have to be full of multiple trips to the toilet on a daily basis. IBS doesn't have to stop you from getting things done and having fun. Take the fight to IBS.