Depression, Etc. (#21): Working on Getting Well

So, I'm just getting through an IBS attack. Basically IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is kind of a garbage can definition since it includes a bunch of different symptoms, such as nausea and stomach cramping, and it can feel like I've been punched in the stomach or that I have a inflated balloon in my stomach.

Foods that irritate the stomach and stress can spark my IBS, I think a serious illness can cause it in people who have never had problems before. I don't know what caused this one but it's bad enough that I was in bed for a couple of days.

There are a few medications that can help. I got checked out about three years ago when I realized there was a problem. I even got checked for cancer because I kept having stomach problems and getting sick. Now I take Dicyclomine, an anti-spasmodic, only when I need it. I get this lighter than air feeling from the medication and then I get depressed for a while until the medication wears off. With my mood imbalance it can be a real monster. Unfortunately, the Dicyclomine is the only thing that works when things are very bad. Sometimes IBS is not taken seriously, but let me tell you, when I was working I missed days because of it. Those who deal with any type of gastrointestinal problems can vouch for that.

To give you an idea of how weird IBS is, I can get an upset stomach from drinking tea, from chewing gum, and from eating nuts. If I take in too much air when I eat something or drink something, as with tea, I can get a flare up. And I love tea. Soluable fiber (bread, white rice, squash -- no yellow squash, please) can help me avoid stomach problems if it's eaten before or while I'm having the upsetting foods. Sometimes, of all things, stomach crunches, help with the cramping.

When my emotions cause the IBS, the effects are the same as taking in irritating foods. So, I can't pinpoint the cause. In general it's good not to get overly stressed. That can help my IBS immensely because, once the IBS symptoms start they take on a life of their own. Kind of like depression.