Alcohol and IBS

[rmhendry]

Hi I'm a 25 year old bloke, had IBS since school I think due to being very bad at it and under a lot of pressure to get good grades that I never got. Their have been times when IBS has been very mild and hadn't effected me but now I'm getting older It seems to get worse and it must be all in my head because when I'm out drinking alcohol the symptoms are pretty much gone or tbh if I'm absolutely trashed I dnt care if I'm running to the toilet therefore it goes away and I dnt feel the painful cramps or anything else on a hang over I actually feel better than I would normally lol it's strange that what's an absolute hell for normal people is a complete breeze for me. It's asif I have to escape from my own brain because it makes me so bloody ill. Atm though I'm rushing to the toilet when ever I eat which is scary cos I'm terrified of losing my job over this literally the moment break times finishes I'm rushing to the toilet and everyone starts talking saying what the hell you'v just had break whats wrong with u? and that's where the guilt is. Theirs so many people that laugh and find it hilarious cos they dnt know that behind all the smiles I'm in a lot of pain. I'v tried dieting and Aloe Vera, seeing a Dr but yet again nothing works I'm willing to try Linseed. Very few of my friends no I have IBS but when people ask if I have it I just say well of course I do and their like really? I say yeah am not gna shout about though am I. It is embarrassing but u just gta go with it sometimes I'm lucky I'm a pretty laid back type of dude. I just thought I'd post this to tell everyone on here that ur not alone and IBS is nothing to be ashamed of.

[gracesgrandma]

Hi it does sound like that is your trigger point maybe with the thought of losing your job. I unfortunately can't drink. Maybe because you are just so relaxed when you are drinking that is the light bulb moment why it doesn't kick off. Might be a bit hippy dippy but the latest in therapy for IBS, through the NHS, is something called Minfulness. There are videos on YouTube and some very good books on it too. Good luck.

[Its_so_easy]

Maybe you should try to remove all possible physical causes of your symptoms and then you can assess how mentally driven your symptoms are.

Try the difficult to follow FODMAP diet:

med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/...

There is a lot of clinical effort and testing going on with FODMAP, unlike the dozens of other IBS-curing diets.

I recommend getting the phone app, as most non-Monash FODMAP sites have incorrect information. Also, you need to be clinical about your approach, and small errors in your eating can undermine the entire diet.

Once you're on the diet for 4-6 weeks, see if you have had any improvement in symptoms (keep a diary).

You can then try to work on your mental triggers without as many variables to consider.

PS: alcohol gets me the next day.

PPS: Own your symptoms! I tell epic stories about some of my IBS experiences and it (strangely) makes me feel more at ease around my friends

[bburzycki]

Heck Alcohol is a know trigger for IBS - and it seems like you are seeing the opposite... it is very possible it is one of the causes of the continued bouts.

Work is never easy - you will have to have the talk at some point with your supervisor, a good supervisors will work with you but I know those are not easy to find...

I suffer the same - heck I instruct in front of hundreds of people, and my symptoms can vary from semi ok to breaking into cold sweats and just wanting to bolt from the building for any room I can take a dump in...

The most important and hardest part of IBS is controlling symptoms and not cheating.