Stress and IBS

[BlackIsleGirl]

Stress is a major trigger for me. I do everything I can to avoid/reduce stress but sometimes it just can't be avoided. Suffering from whitecoat syndrome really doesn't help 😂

It's occurrs to me that maybe I need to prepare for a bad flare up when I know I need to deal with something that's going to stress me out but I'm not sure how. Does anyone else do this and if so how?

[MrAddy]

Hello, like you stress is a factor on the impact an episode may have. But unfortunately it's not the trigger. My trigger is from an unconscious feel which is SSD. So I have Episodes, or flare ups averaging 3 times a every 6 weeks.

So my prep to go out, or do something outside my confirm zone is this:

- Plan the journey with exit points.

- Voice my concern I may not be able to make it, if needs be.

- Do not eat any food from 48 hours before I have to leave.

- Take pain killers.

If I am just going the shops, I do not eat on the evening the day before, or on the day, and always go the same way, as I have planned exits already.

I do a lot of planning, but even with it in place it's still 50/50 if I make my destination as I could just not bother at any point. I still get the symptoms but I find with planning, empty gut/colon, I have a better chance of making it.

As soon as I arrive I have one thing in my mind, home, how to get there, fastest way to get out and to the car, what will do when I get home. Everything to get my mind occupied on anything other than where I actually am.

It sucks, but I do this for parents evening, dentist, doctors, shopping, going to my parents and anything my Daughter needs me for. So it happens a lot.

Hope this helps.

[JCsaver123 in reply to MrAddy]

Helpful hints, thank you. I cannot go without food for a day as I have acidity problem. But I guess if I an event planned for the next day, it will be good idea to skip dinner, since my main problem is lack of sleep the previous night.