Nerva app

[BaneOfRagnar]

ibs and food intolerance issues for years, tried many things with varied results. Has anybody tried the Nerva app or anything other than pills?

[DonnyInPain]

I've looked into it but the cost is quite a barrier to entry.The idea is wonderful but I'm not sure I'd trust it for major troublesome gut issues, although in the crazy world of stomach issues, you never know.

Have you tried taking Alflorex regularly? I found that it has helped calm my reactionary gut. The bloating is still apparent but I think I eat too fast.

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to DonnyInPain]

Aye the cost of it is a bit scary. I’ve been on alflorex for approx 9 months, I feel it has helped but not fully. How best to describe my issue; when I need to go, which is generally in the mornin or late at night, if it’s a flare up I constantly go back and forth until my bowels are completely evacuated, normally ending in mucus and blood. I’ve been trying my best to follow the fodmap diet but still having to odd flare up every other day. Definitely noticed some trigger foods but other days I just canny work out what has caused it. Had this for over 20 odd years, was always told it was ibs, all internal investigations clear, apart from once when they removed pollops. More recently I had an intolerance test which indicated wheat, but unsure if the test was true as nhs don’t rate these types of test. The dietician reckons I have food intolerance along with ibs.

[BabblingBrooks in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

For me the problem with the FODMAP diet is it becomes another obsession which as an IBS sufferer is kind of ironic.

I’m at the point now where I’ve pretty much abandoned it and now accept my IBS is now a problem because of Covid (x 3) vaccinations ( flu and Covid) and the illnesses I’ve suffered as a direct result of that along with a boss who’s a raving psychopath control freak.

I know deep down my gut has to heal from COVID /vaccinations and a cocktail of antibiotics.

My boss is the cherry on the cake.

[Starfush in reply to BabblingBrooks]

Try intermittent fasting. IBS comes down to electrolytes especially magnesium, why do think its never mentioned?

[Fergie53 in reply to BabblingBrooks]

Interesting, I’ve just had another Covid booster and feel very fatigued and achey..

[Starfush]

so certain foods have given you certain results. Meaning lessening of symptoms?

What is the nutritional content of them foods. You could be deficient certain things..

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Starfush]

Definitely think I’m missing something but at a loss to what

[Starfush in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Well have you had diarrhoea in the past. Magnesium and potassium are depleted and many of us are deficient in them.

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Starfush]

Yes, my poo starts off kinda normal then goes soft/ loose to a kind of mushy.

[Starfush in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

How long has this been happening.

Because thats defiantly a defiency. Not only that but its on the edge of diarrhoea means your loosing magnesium and potassium every time.

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Starfush]

For a long long time. I had a brief relief when I started the fodmap diet, I had 2 full weeks of normal motions then it reverted back. Everything I try I have a brief relief then it reverts.

[Starfush in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Every time you don't have a normal stool. Anything mushy you've lost magnesium/potassium. Its all muscle contraction and good nerve signals.

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Starfush]

Ok, so I need to try these kind of supplements. Why the hell don’t the doctors explain this could be a possible cause? Been tellin them for years about this but jus get told it’s ibs and not a great deal they can do

[Starfush in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Well yes you can also use diet as magnesium doesn't work solely by itself(boron etc). Not sure why, making drugs is a business after all. Yes and thats years of technically loosing magnesium etc every stool, your diet replaces it to a little extent but its cycle.

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Starfush]

Thank you. I’ll get a supplement and try it out

[Breathless1943 in reply to Starfush]

Just to add here in this thread,. A couple of months ago I had a short stay in hospital with my stomach,while in there they said I was low on magnesium and gave me a course,I’ve got to admit I felt so much better. After a couple of weeks I was back,they gave me another course. I have now tried to stay out of hospital,but I have to have blood test every 3 mths for a tablet I’m taking for Rheumatoid and this week I’ve been given a course of Potassium which I’m lacking. Just like a couple of folk here I have a lot of loose stools,so this thread for me,is very informative,I will definitely be questioning my GP. So I think this issue is definitely worth questioning. Thank you you’ve given me a little hope.

[Fergie53 in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Yep mine too!

[Letsfixit1]

Yes, I bought the Nervaapp, which I thought was very cheap at £99 per year - they offer a link too which gives you 33% off (email and ask them if you can't find it). So it cost about £67 for a year.

My IBS isn't stress related, I suspected it wasn't before buying the app, but I think it will be excellent for people with anxiety issues, and the stress of IBS. I used it every night before bed for 6 months, It is great relaxing the mind and body, I fell asleep much quicker and my sleep quality improved. It didn't cure my IBS, but it did teach me how to breathe correctly. Each day gives you a short informative reading about IBS, and a 15 - 20 min hypnosis session, and a 5 min breathing exercise. The breathing exercises are ideal to use at any time to relieve stress. (dentists etc!) I would definitely recommend the app before medication or probiotics

[Runtojon in reply to Letsfixit1]

I tried the Nerva app and as mentioned, I found it helpful to relax for sleep. It did nothing for my IBS-D. I think stress worsens my symptoms but is not the root cause. Treating my IBS requires a variety of treatment approaches. Nerva can be one tool in an armamentarium of options to control symptoms. I do not regret trying it.

[BabblingBrooks in reply to Runtojon]

I always remember reading that stress aggravates IBS but doesn’t cause it.

I go back to a few bad gut infections a few years before it started.

I think it’s the same now with Covid. It aggravates what’s already there, however I think along with gut infection Covid is also a trigger.

[Starfush in reply to Letsfixit1]

There stress of the mind and then stress on the body. Body is stressed it looses certain minerals and vitamins more than others

[Dave18]

I tried it and it really helped calm my travel anxiety and in general made things better. As per what’s written by others, I felt it was well worth it for a year’s subscription. Doesn’t cure IBS and I still have certain triggers of food etc that I am still trying to work out, but it did make things a lot less frequent.

Definitely recommend it

[RickyW]

Yes I tried it and am in my first year subscription still, currently use it when I feel stressed or anxious. A lot of my IBS is anxiety/stress related and I found it helpful.

It's worth saying, as reviews state, there are only a fixed set of hypnosis programmes and you quickly start repeating them. I found some great and others not so good. Once through the whole 6 weeks you can pick and choose the ones you liked.

I'd recommend it. What I found is sometimes in stressful situations my mind wanders back to one of the stories and I relax a little.

[BabblingBrooks]

It’s a lot of money tbf, I’ve just bought a hypnotherapy cd off Amazon for IBS suggested by my mum for a tenner.

She’s qualified in alternative medicine and is still practicing. So I often listen many of her suggestions and advice. (My mum not the hypnotherapist 😆 ).

I’m reading a good book at the minute called Beat your irritable bowel syndrome in 7 simple steps by Paul Jenner. It’s from ten years ago but some decent stuff in it.

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to BabblingBrooks]

What’s the cd?

[BabblingBrooks in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Sharon Shinwell IBS hypnotherapy.

[Mwn72]

I tried it after being so desperate and in such a bad place with my IBS d. I had read all the good reviews and had found hypnotherapy worked well for me in the past with sleep issues. Was super hopeful and followed the programme carefully but it did absolutely zero for me. Was a total waste of money. The combination of medication I'm on now has helped much more and a totally whole food diet. Sorry to not be more helpful but I wish I'd had more honest reviews before I signed up as like you say its not cheap! Especially given the extra costs we all often spend trying to get better. Best wishes

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Mwn72]

Can I ask what whole food diet you’re on?

[Mwn72 in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Yes of course, so its not a fixed diet I've just cut out all ultra processed food wherever possible and am prioritising a high fibre/wholefood diet with lots of variety/plant points/live cultures (kimchi & sauerkraut and soy yoghurt and soy kefir). Saying this I've got elements of the low fodmap diet I haven't been able to have still (for me thats pulses and dairy). I know its so different for all of us but I have found following some of Tim Spector's advice on diet for gut helpful. I also watched the netflix documentary gut which was quite interesting. I was so worried about increasing my fibre intake at first with having such regular loose stools but in the long run this (along with my medication: amitriptyline & propanalol) has significantly slowed down my stomach and significantly decreased my diarrhea. Saying that there is definitely lots more progress for me to make to feel like my old self again but better than things were. Hope this is somewhat helpful appreciate we are all so different!

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to Mwn72]

Thank you. I’ve found things like onion, garlic, eggs, gravies and some sauces just don’t agree with me, I’ve also cut out dairy. Other than that it’s a hit or miss. Been taking psyllium husk just recently and alflorex for about 9 months, jus canny get the balance right, so many different things I’ve tried over the years. Someone on here suggested trying potassium and magnesium supplements, so I’ll give that a try. I’ve found my doctors aren’t either interested in helping or just don know how to help so they give you either meds or nothing. I just canny work out my toilet habit, starts of normal, goes soft then kinda fluffy/ mush, and generally keeps going until I’m totally evacuated, ending in mucus or mucus and blood.

[Mwn72 in reply to BaneOfRagnar]

Sorry to hear that sounds really tricky like you say when it's mixed like that. Getting doctor's to take this seriously can be a total nightmare. Yes I agree on the onion and garlic!!

[PinkPenguin96]

I used Nerva for about a year and found it helpful. It's always hard with these things because symptoms can come and go on their own, but I believe it made me less anxious about my symptoms and gave me some feeling of control. When I bought my subscription it was not as expensive as it is now, but I think if my IBS were to get quite bad again I would re-subscribe. To be fair, I enjoy meditation and I think its effectiveness depends partly on your personality and your willingness to commit to the practice for a while.

[benmaise]

Have you been tested for Coeliac ?

[BaneOfRagnar in reply to benmaise]

Aye a good many months ago. I asked just recently if I could get tested again but the doctor wouldn’t refer me saying I’d already been tested for that.

[Radhak108]

I am very averse to take any medications for ibs. I started doing Nerva a couple of months ago, after suffering from ibs for about 6 years.

It is definitely helping me to reduce anxiety depression that come as a side effect of the ibs.

But it is also a proven hypnotherapy technique that targets the communication between the gut and the brain and helps to rewire it. Apparently nerve hypersensitivity in the gut is one of the main causes of ibs, and this can result in the wrong messages being passed back and forth between the gut and the brain, causing unpleasant symptoms.

Nerva has been proven to be one of the most effective treatments of ibs, and although results aren’t instantaneous, I have already felt improvements and am optimistic and hopeful that it will continue to help me. The sessions are also really enjoyable to listen to, don’t take up much time and are very relaxing.

There’s also readings you can do that give lots of information to help you develop a deeper understanding of your gut and ibs related topics.

I was hesitant for so long to try it due to the price, but now I am convinced it is well worth the cost and time involved. Would highly recommend it.