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AskADoctor
Junior Supporter

Posts: 1
Joined: Mar 2005
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3/8/05 3:46 AM
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I suffered with IBS for 8 years. Diets, 'natural pills', chiropractors, prescriptions wont do the trick for most patients but there is hope... scientifically backed hope... A [very basic] background:IBS is categorized as a "Functional Bowel Disorder". Often it is referred to as a "brain-gut" disease, meaning it's part "physical" and part "mental." (aka "psycho-somatic") ***Don't worry: IBS is not just in your head. You're not crazy...it is a real and physical discomfort... However, a major part of successful treatment is being able to manage and control your brain's reactions to symptoms and sensitivities. IBS works in a cycle: you have a real pain, your nerves (IBS patients’ nerves are more sensitive in the GI tract than non-IBS folks) react strongly, your brain translates the pain, reacts in a stress pattern, and your stomach reacts to the stress causing more pain! The cycle continues. Thus... It's important to treat the psychological aspects - and most GI doctors don't know to help you with this. They'll write you a prescription and send you on your way... but you're missing half the treatment! Studies have shown repeatedly that Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (6 weeks of treatment or less!) help you achieve control over your pain (right now I'm sure it feels IBS is controlling you!) and decrease your symptoms drastically. Why haven't you read or heard about this? Unfortunately, the research is fairly new & most people (including most Gastroenterologists) aren't up-to-date on their IBS info. Diets and routines you'll find through Google may work for individuals, but they have little scientific credibility. [Note of caution: Most 'ibs diets' are shams - someone trying to sell you an "e-book" online. There is *no* substantial data to suggest any diet will affect IBS. That being said: things that upset most people's stomachs can have a strong affect on your system. Avoiding highly processed foods, corn syrup, dairy if you're lactose intolerant (get tested!), spicy dishes, and oily foods, etc... will keep the frequency of pain down a great deal - and it's the healthy way to go even w/o IBS] Getting good fiber helps patients as well. Ask your doctor and make sure to use a fiber that doesn't promote gas, such as Citrucel tablets. So WHO can you turn to for help?Researches at the University of North Carolina's "Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders", led by Dr. Douglass Drossman, are repeatedly funded by the Government's National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their successful and promising research. Their site provides valuable patient information at: http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/public_education_materials.htmIn New York City, with Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Charles Gerson (a GI doc) and Dr. Mary-Joan Gerson (psych) work together to treat IBS. Read about the approach here: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/76/90102.htm (NYC phone#: 212-496-6161 ; their website, with helpful IBS info: http://www.mindbodydigestive.com/)*** It's important to get tested for all possible organic causes of abdominal pain. If you are over 40, or have a family history of colon/GI cancers you should be getting regular colonoscopies. There are non-invasive, 'virtual' options to do this sometimes! A day of discomfort, however, is better than a life of pain. Ask your doctor. *** NOTE: Don't use online remedies. Don't get help from someone without being examined and treated by an MD... and in the future, find a better source for medical help than 'frumsupport' - there is nothing uniquely 'frum' about IBS, so don't limit your research. Visit a site like: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ or WebMD for more info on MD's in your area and the latest research. Refuah Sh'lema - A
Edited: 3/8/05 at 3:52 AM by AskADoctor
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chanieF
Senior Supporter

Posts: 360
Joined: Feb 2005
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3/26/06 12:34 AM
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Endometriosis misdiagnosis 'lasts years' Source: National Endometriosis Society An extensive global survey of women with endometriosis reveals staggering delays in diagnosis.
Women with endometriosis often suffer years of pain before they are correctly diagnosed and treated, a global survey reveals. Seven thousand women from 12 countries completed questionnaires between July 2004 and June 2005. The results for the British women, which included almost half of the participants, show that, on average, it takes 8 years from the first visit to a general practitioner (GP) to the condition being correctly diagnosed. A mean of 3 years are suffered in silence before consultation with the GP. Before the correct diagnosis was reached, more than two thirds (68 percent) of sufferers were diagnosed with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (39 percent), and even depression and psychological pain (11 per cent). The cost to careers, relationships, and quality of life is enormous, says the National Endometriosis Society, which published the results. Almost 40 percent of respondents had been forced to give up work as a result of the condition, while 80 percent of those who stayed in work lost an average of 5.4 days' work a month. In addition, almost three quarters (73 percent) said the illness had interfered with personal relationships with their partner or friends, or in their ability to look after children.
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