Brutal Week Of Pain

I get severe pain and have had this for 39 years, the best thing I have done for the pain seriously is gut directed hypnotherapy which is one of the most effetive treatments out there for IBS statistically.

about.com - Consistently Successful
Research has consistently shown hypnotherapy to be an effective form of treatment for many individuals who suffer from IBS. Treatment effects include:

Decrease in abdominal pain

Reduction in diarrhea episodes

Reduction of chronic constipation

Decrease in visceral hypersensitivity

Positive effect on motility

Improved quality of life

Reduced doctor visits

Reduced use of medication

Decrease in depression and anxiety

Results are maintained long after treatment ends


about.com, May 5th 2008


WebMD - All Central Symptoms Improve
"All central IBS symptoms improved substantially from treatment in both studies. In conclusion, hypnosis improves IBS symptoms through reductions in psychological distress and somatization. Improvements were unrelated to changes in the physiological parameters measured


In a British study of 204 patients in which more than two-thirds of them were initially helped by hypnotherapy, 81 percent of those maintained the improvement up to five years after the treatment. Learning to practice stress-reduction and relaxation techniques can be as helpful as learning which foods to avoid.

New York Times, Sep 2nd 2008

So, researchers have recently taken an entirely new approach, focusing more on the head than on the plumbing. Studies have shown that mind-body techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis are effective at reducing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, which causes pain and altered bowel movements

USnews.com

If you have any questions let me know.

Hi Jamie's mom

I hear you about the hot flashes. Do you get nauseaus too when you are in a flare like this?

I have found that if I were to eat, say a granola bar for instance on an empty stomach, within 20 minutes I would be in agony , with severe cramping, pain and hard stool.

I was so discouraged when my husband took me to emerg this time and the doctor told me the same thing, that is how IBS can be . I knew that, all I was wanting was for the pain to go away. Now I am going to be extra careful in watching what I eat and what triggers a flare and what is safe to eat.

One thing is you don't want to take narcotics for IBS, except occasionlly if its really bad under a doctors supervision, because long term it can make the pain much worse, by lowering the pain thresholds of nerves in the gut.

The Narcotic Bowel Syndrome: Clinical Features, Pathophysiology and Management

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2074872/

If your getting symptoms right after you eat, its from the act of eating and not the food itself. This is part of the gastro-colonic responce.

"Dr. Drossman: Shawn - eating causes stretching of the stomach when the stomach strecthes it releases hormones or peptides that stimulate the lower bowel. Because people with IBS overrespond to stimuli (like peptide release) you get an exaggerated motility response and pain, so smaller meals reduce this "

The the gastro colonic reflex?

It is altered in IBS, so just the act of eating can bring on symptoms in 15 minutes. This is not from a specific food in general, but like I said the act of eating.

In the middle of this page are two graphs of a normal person sigmoid colon 15 minutes after they eat and an IBSers sigmoid colon. You will see the IBSers is off the chart.

http://www.webpotential.com/falcon/uploadpic/

"Postprandial abdominal discomfort may be attributed to an exaggerated gastro-colonic reflex (the colonic contractile response to a meal), the presence of colonic high amplitude-propagated contractions, increased intestinal sensitivity (visceral hyperalgesia), or a combination of these. Fat ingestion may exaggerate hypersensitivity."

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec02/ch021666/ch021666a.html

Basically what this means is the act of eating itself can cause a problem. The stomach sends a signal to the large intestines food is on the way and the lower intestines can overreact, casuing d. Part of this reaction, a big part actually is the amount of calories in the meal and fat. Fat is a big trigger to the reflex.

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This is one reason why a lot of IBS sufferers sometimes think that a particular food is the culprit to symptoms.

"gastrocolic reflex

This is the reflex system that tells the colon to empty when food hits the stomach, or even in anticipation of a meal. This is why baby poops every time he nurses. It is also why kids with constipation complain of their belly aches right around mealtime. "

"Medical Dictionary

Definition: increase of muscle movement in the gastrointestinal tract when food enters an empty stomach; may cause the urge to have a bowel movement right after eating. "

In IBS this reflex is exaggerated. -------------------------------------------------------

"Why Symptoms Occur During normal digestion, foods are broken down in the stomach and small intestine so that their nutrients can be absorbed into the body. Undigested or partially digested portions -- mostly in liquid form -- then enter the large intestine colon where most of the water is reabsorbed. Movement through the intestines results from peristalsis, a wavelike contraction of muscles in the intestinal walls that propel their contents forward. When all is well, the end result is stool that is solid but soft enough to be excreted easily.

Diet, eating habits, stress, and various environmental factors can disrupt the normal function of the intestines. If the intestines squeeze too hard or not enough, the partially digested food can travel too rapidly or too slowly through the digestive system. Movement that is too fast will result in diarrhea, because not enough water is reabsorbed. Movement that is too slow can result in constipation, because too much water is absorbed. Overly hard squeezing (spasm) can result in cramps. However, the diarrhea of IBS can also occur without pain.

IBS symptoms occur after eating because of the gastrocolic reflex -- increased movement of the intestinal contents in response to food entering the stomach. The strength of this reflex can be influenced by the volume and temperature of the food and the number of calories. Large meals particularly high-fat meals and large amounts of cold beverages can trigger IBS attacks."



also it could help to limit carbohydrate intake.

IBS Diet

http://www.aboutibs.org/site/about-ibs/management/ibs-diet/

IBS and foods

http://www.ibshealth.com/ibsfoods2.htm

http://www.ibshealth.com/ibsfoods.htm

One thing about the hypnotherapy for IBS and pain is that its very safe, natural and a comfortable form of treatment, you don't have to do anything but get comfortable and listen and can be used in combination with meds.