does anyone have a fear of not being near a bathroom?

staceyace · Post by **staceyace** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 5:22 am

Oh boy can I relate!!! I am always obsessing about the bathroom, and I am always making sure I have an "escape" plan if IBS strikes and I need to run. I've just started the program and have only listed to session 1 and session 2. I'm not sure what help I will be, but at least we know we are not alone. It will get better, I am confident of that.

Debbie Gal · Post by **Debbie Gal** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:39 am

Originally posted by staceyace:
Oh boy can I relate!!! I am always obsessing about the bathroom, and I am always making sure I have an "escape" plan if IBS strikes and I need to run. I've just started the program and have only listed to session 1 and session 2. I'm not sure what help I will be, but at least we know we are not alone. It will get better, I am confident of that.

Hi Stacey,
How's it going? I'm on session 2 as well! How are you doing with it? Are you feeling better and better every day? I sure am! Since we're both new here I hope we can get to know eachother more!
Take Care,
~Debbie

Mary Ruth · Post by **Mary Ruth** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:31 pm

I am sure your post has been validated by lots and lots of people but I have that fear and hope to overcome it through this program. When I have those terrible stomach cramps, thoughts go through my mind that I will never go anywhere ever again because I might not be able to make it to a bathroom next time..... I have fibromyalgia (at least that is the label) and I have chronic pain and IBS. I just hate it. I really hope the relaxation techniques will help with it.
Mary Ruth

Laura V · Post by **Laura V** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:10 am

I thought once retired from my full time job my IBS would go away boy was I wrong! Now not only do I have the IBS I have many stomach aches accompied with headache and nausea with dry heaves. The immodium does help in the sense it stops the diahrea but my stomach will still hurt all day. I am so miserable and all alone right now. My husband is away on a 4 month "business" trip and I don't have any friends or family here to help or support me. I've been trying to go to a church but sometimes my stomach hurts and I don't go so I can't really meet people. My fear is the bathroom thing and being somewhere too long. I feel better when I know I can just leave at my leisure. Speaking of which, I guess I better get ready for church right now and then I hope to feel well enough to stop at the local food store since I'm running out of food to feed myself. I don't know why I bother anyway, I have no appetite. My doctor's say it's just stress. I've hadn't had a decent night sleep in months now and they prescribed me benedryl which actually made me feel anxious and gave me diahrea the next morning so I'm afraid to take it. I can't seem to find a doctor that really cares about my situation. They all think that because I'm young and look much younger than my age that it's all in my mind so they won't run any tests like the one for H.pylori. Some one told me they were told they had IBS but had the test done and had the H.pylori, the doctor gave her some antibotics and she's been IBS free ever since. Can you imagine if that's really the cause of many of our IBS?? Yes, my IBS is also aggrivated by stress and anxiety but if you think about it that's when your body's immune system goes down so maybe that's when the H.pylori kicks in more. I'm not giving up though, I'm going to continue to try and find a doctor that gives a crap!! (I'm military so that's not easy to get a decent doctor)

LadyMolly1967 · Post by **LadyMolly1967** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:05 pm

Hi AnnaMary,
I was researching my condition and came across your message in my search. I know you wrote this several months ago and I am not really sure you are still looking for answers but I will share what I know with you just in case it may help you. I too had to have a bowel resection and now have chronic diarrhea. I had a tumor that perforated my colon and small intestine and had to have much of both resected in Dec 1999. After my surgery my food was running through my body so fast and wasn't being digested or absorbed correctly. I had chronic diarrhea and nausea so bad I thought I was going to die! It was horriable! It took many years for them to find the right combo of drugs to help me live a semi natural life. I now take Lomotil (for diarrhea), Pheneagran (for nausea), Carafate (to replace bio salts), Immodium (as much as I want or need for diarrhea), and K-Dur (to replace potassium loss do to diarrhea and nausea). I take some other meds too for other health problems but that is what I take to help with my bowel problem. My diarrhea is still there everyday but now it is down to about twice a day, considering where I have been I consider this a blessing! I do have to watch what I eat still though.
If you would like to talk to me more about this feel free to email me anytime. I would be more that happy to talk with you anytime and to help you in anyway that I can!

Originally posted by Annamary:
Hi Guys!

It is simply amazing to see people being open and honest about this "bathroom problem." I'm sure, like me, we all thought we were the only ones on the planet who dealt with this. I had bowel problems for many years and then finally had to have a bowel resection about 3 years ago. No, I didn't need a "bag" but removing so much intestine left me with chronic diarrhea. I just don't have enough intestine left to process food normally. Like you folks, my whole life suddenly revolved around being near a bathroom - preferably one that wasn't near other people. How embarrassing!! And, yes, it affects travel plans, eating out, social life, work, energy levels, nutritional status, etc. I wonder who could really understand me or put up with me and my "problem"?!! It makes me want to hide even more. I've tried Questran, Immodium, and other meds without much success. Can anyone relate to this? Let me know. I feel it's almost hopeless since the problem was surgically induced...

AnnaMary

lovelyblue · Post by **lovelyblue** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:56 am

hi molly, im a 23 year mom of two..i started having anxiety 3 mons ago..and my bowel havent been the same..i also fear of not bein near a bathroon..i ws recently in the hospital due to my irritable bowel..now since the surgery do you still have the fear..because i would like to stop it before i get to that point?
desperate,lovelyblue

Luigi · Post by **Luigi** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:37 pm

Hi! I can relate to this. Recently, I was on the way over to my mom's house. All of sudden I began to feel sick to my stomach. I didn't thing I was going to make it to mom's house without stopping to get sick. Finally, I got to her house and she didn't respond to the doorbell right away. Obviously, you can imagine how anxious I was, etc. Fortunately, my mom came to door and I managed to make it to the bathroom just in time. When I am in a flare-up with Fibromyalgia & IBS, I know I need to stay away from caffeine, red meats, corn, and rich foods. Even still, sometimes I don't even eat or drink something and I still get sick. If I'm at home it is not an issue. However, when I'm out and about, I can get panic striken because I don't know if I am going to make it to the bathroom. I'm open to suggestions too. Luigi

roses26 · Post by **roses26** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:53 pm

Yes I do it has gotten so bad that I never go anywhere anymore except around my garden I can't go in a car or for a walk or even to my neighbours house to visit I am on pills for it but I only take one instead of three a day because I don't go anywhere but the bathroom is my best friend when I have to go out anywhere away from home and now I can't because of it I even bought depends to help but it hasn't and I am confined to stay near home.

Laura V · Post by **Laura V** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:19 am

roses26-
What meds are you on? I've been on a whole gammit of meds that didn't work and even tried the Natural supplements but I'm still looking. My IBS started almost 8 years ago with my anxiety attacks. I was taking a supplement called "Digestrol" that promised to help many people with IBS but after taking it for two months I saw no improvement and am getting my money refunded. There is another product called "Serovera" there was a lot of "research" done on this supplement, which, is made from the aloe vera plant but, before I spend any more money I have asked a registered dietitian to look up the product for me to see if the claims are true. If she has good things to say, I guess I'll have to suck up the extreme price and buy it because I am so tired of worrying about where's the nearest bathroom and where I'm living now there are long stretches of road that there's no bathroom. Also, it's not just the bathroom issue but the discomfort that goes along with it. How do you get your grocery shopping done and other errands taken care of if you can't leave the house at all? I have many "bad" days but the days that are good I take advantage and run all my errands. I am married and have three kids plus my husband's job is very demanding so he really depends on me to take care of things. I had to retire after 20yrs of military service because my IBS was really interfering with my work and I was so tired every day suffering in silence because my boss didn't want to hear it. Working 10plus hours a day, going grocery shopping after work, making dinner, cleaning the house, and taking care of the kids; I don't know how I did it but I would be soooo exhausted by 8:30pm! I am looking for a part time job that's close to my house and already applied at one place and just waiting for a call back. Chin up Roses, there's got to be something out there that can help us. I know my anxiety is part of the problem so to help me do my errands, I write a "To Do" list and list all the things I have to do that day then after each one is done I cross it off and concentrate on the next and tell myself that this isn't so bad, things are going good and I'll be home soon. Now I know that might sound like a "crutch" but until I can find something out there that will control my IBS, this seems to help. I'm like Luigi in that I can just eat bland things or nothing at all and my IBS will come on with severe force.
You're not alone, there are many people in our boat but we can't give up!
Good luck in what helps you!
Laura

Superchic · Post by **Superchic** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:01 am

THis was great information about IBS. i was wondering why in the morning I can not eat anything. I gag and cough and can not swallow a pill or juice. If i try to eat something i have reflux..... i thought it was called reflux,,,, i know its the anxiety! What can you do for gaging?