My story (very resumed!) and maybe you can help with something?

[Maplekind]

Hello!

I'm suffering from, even though I wasn't diagnosed, what I think is IBS-C.

It all begun when at the same time that my life changed: I started new job, I moved to a busy city (London) I started a new relationship, and all of this reflected in my diet and lifestyle.

My water intake decreased a lot (don't ask why but I don't like water here, even the bottled one), my stress levels when out of the roof due to the agitation of all the public transports and made me rush around to get to work on time (I used to walk to work before!) and overall my diet (that was based in a Mediterranean diet) changed almost completely.

The symptoms start silently. Occasional constipation, cramps, bloating but then they start to kick off more often and with them the stress levels increase as well (frustration/embarrassment etc etc) which makes all the others worse as you know.

I was worried all the time! It was ridiculous! What my bf would think of me locked in the toilet for hours, what my recent colleagues would think about asking to leave work early and going to the toilet so many times.

And with all of this my mood changed. Never happy, always concerned, sad, depressed.. and so on.

I know that my condition was mainly for not drinking enough water, diet changes and stress levels and I know that I can (and I am!) capable of turning this around...

So one day I said enough and changed a few things:

I give myself time in the morning when I wake up to do everything.

I don't rush like a maniac to work (if I don't get that train I will get the next one) and if I'm a little late and they stress with me I think it's better than starting a day with something that will trigger the rest of the day to be horrible.

I take my time in the toilet and don't worry about my bf being in the room because I simply tell him when I get back from work that I need to go to the toilet and he knows what I mean. (Which actually works because I don't have the aggravation of him next door and I relax more).

I walk after dinner.

I cutted completely red meat out of my diet, black coffee in the mornings and went back to my lovely Mediterranean cuisine. Lots of vegetables, fruit, fish, olive oil...

I eat breakfast at home calmly.

I drink loads of tea.

I started taking magnesium citrate and peppermint oil capsules and probiotics.

And my day starts with me drinking 2 cups of tepid water right after I'm awake. I think it's the first thing I do in the mornings.

And all of this has really improved my quality of life. I finally after months started to have regular movements. In the mornings and after work when I get home.

But it's not the way I wanted to be yet because if I have a change in one of those "rituals" my stress level increases and my lovely peace of mind it's gone.

I need to be able to cope with stress levels now so I'm trying (starting this week when the product arrives) one thing called Natural Calm that seems exactly the perfect combo: helps with anxiety and gives you the magnesium necessary for your gut balance. Obviously I'm stopping the other magnesium stuff.

So I wonder if anyone has ever tried and if you don't mind sharing your experience.

I will share mine.

Thank you for reading xx

Maple

[Hidden]

You seem a very sensible person and doing the right thing for you. I would suggest that maybe you download a mindfulness or calming stress reducing music (there are lots of them about and quite a few free ones). You can listen to them in times of stress or if you think you may get stressed.

[Maplekind in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Maplekind in reply to Hidden]

Can you send me a link? And I don't mind paying if you know any on iTunes. Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Maplekind]

I use two apps

Freedom from IBS

Anxiety

Try those or there are other apps similar

[Grannycake]

Check your fibre intake,should be 30 gram a day,you may be surprised how little you consume

[Maplekind in reply to Grannycake]

My breakfast is just all bran after the water but yes, maybe that's not enough. Any suggestions? Thank you

[Grannycake in reply to Grannycake]

Check the packet,it will tell you. Also check other things you eat. Google fibre,lots of help on line

[Hidden]

Keep in mind too much magnesium can also cause symptoms! Peppermint pills were hard on my stomach. I have heard good things about slippery elm and also L glutamine for supplants that heal and ease gut. I suspect the better you keep feeling, the better you will be able to manage your symptoms. Good for you for taking control!!! Best of luck!

[Maplekind in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Rarararara in reply to Hidden]

Omg yes I recently began taking magnesium and realised within a few days that it was causing my belly to go crazy within an hour or so of taking it. I was also taking slippery elm at the same time but haven't been taking it long enough to notice any changes