Me, Myself and My Irritable Bowel

Learning How to Cope with the Effects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - who came up with that name? Irritable makes it sound like a mild fluttering in your sensitive bowels that lightly affect your day. No, I think it's more a pain in the - well, you know. And yes, every pun is intended.

I have lived with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also affectionately referred to as IBS, since I was in junior high. This is the earliest I can remember my symptoms beginning. So, we are talking about 20 years. For those of you who are unfamiliar with IBS, I will give you a quick overview. IBS is a collection of symptoms that include abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both. Doesn't it sound fun? IBS is usually diagnosed by ruling out everything else that could be wrong with your bowels, and then sticking it to you with this three letter label when medical science has no other answer. There is no cure, but treatment is provided in the form of medicine, dietary changes, and stress relief. Lucky us!

Okay, so I know I sound cynical, but for those of us who live with IBS on a daily basis you know how exasperating these assortment of symptoms can be. I call my IBS a migraine of the stomach. No, I do not know how a migraine feels. However, I have several friends who suffer from migraines and I know how they penetrate their daily lives, especially when there is a flair-up. They are always planning and avoiding certain things in order to prevent a mind-blowing headache. This is how my life is living with IBS, planning and avoiding.

If I want to prevent a flair-up, then I have to plan carefully what I eat and avoid the foods that cause my stomach to revolt. It took me many years of trial and error (and I lot of hours in the bathroom) to figure out that foods like iceberg lettuce, corn, vegetable oil, Italian dressing, and mandarin oranges cause my stomach to revolt. Usually, the foods that make me the sickest are the ones that do not digest well. If you live with IBS, you kind of know which ones do not digest well.