This is My Life With IBS
Managing severe IBS has been a challenge, but I’ve discovered unexpected strategies that truly help me. Here’s my story and practical insights for anyone seeking relief.
Introduction
Hello there! I’m Kevin. I’m 42, and live in Alberta, Canada. I was diagnosed with chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in 2008, in my second year of college, and that was about as much fun as it sounds. At the time, no one seemed to understand it or how to manage it. It has profoundly affected every aspect of my life. I’m not here to be a downer, but I am a realist, and I’m going to use this FREE blog and newsletter to share my experiences with IBS, and solutions I have found to work. I can’t speak for anyone else, but this may help you, too.
In future posts, I’ll also cover how I coped during the hardest parts of my life so far that seriously triggered my IBS and anxiety, including my Dad’s terminal illness, and during the worst of the Pandemic.
I will also cover how it has forced me to work from home, for better or worse, though that wasn’t always an option.
If this blog and newsletter get enough interest, I will NEVER create a paid version. I feel everyone should have access to this information, and I refuse to financially support Substack. Instead, I ask that you support my home business KevinTheTechGuy.ca. Monthly or one-time contributions are greatly appreciated.
Finding a Doctor Who Truly Understands
I have seen a few doctors over the years, and ONE seems to truly understand what it’s like to live with chronic IBS, and that’s my current doctor. For most people, and I’ve heard numbers as high as 90%, have a “mild” case of IBS, and can live relatively normal lives most of the time.
Why Many Doctors Miss the Mark
Therefore, most doctors seem to assume or only understand that MOST cases, or that every case they’ve heard of is like that. Certainly, most doctors I’ve seen act that way.
So they’re not prepared for rare chronic cases like mine and don’t know what to suggest or prescribe, which is all most doctors are good for in recent years.
Heck, they won’t even do complete physicals anymore unless they have a specific reason to search for something. In and out in less than 15 minutes, despite a 45-minute wait, am I right? One good thing about COVID times are the phone calls appts that apparently are still a thing with my doctor.
They say things like “reduce stress in your life”, “eat better”, and other useless generic advice, despite clear suffering. If you’re suicidal (which I honestly never was), they’ll pass the buck to a hospital. If you’re lucky, they might prescribe something. In my experiences, it’s usually for anxiety and does NOTHING for my IBS symptoms.
Until my current doctor, ALL previous doctors flat out refused to refer me to a Gastroenterologist, insisting “it’s not necessary”, or “they won’t be able to help you any more than I can”.
My current doctor at least referred me, but the waiting lists in Alberta are so long I just told them to forget about it. Yes, really.
A Doctor Who Takes IBS Seriously
My current doctor actually takes it seriously, but there’s still only so much she can do. But at least she knew well enough to suggest an IBS-specific medication that apparently exists now called BUSCOPAN. I’ve been on it for 4 years. 2 tablets, 3 times per day. It’s an anti-spasmodic. It works fairly well on days - maybe 60% - with regular symptoms like gas, bloating, spasms, and pain. But it doesn’t make a dent on flare-up days.
What Has Worked: Campbell’s Chicken Broth
I’ll tell you what has worked very well for me. I literally stumbled upon it via a Social Media post as it randomly flew by when I just happened to be looking at my feed one day: Campbell’s Chicken Broth. It deserves its own blog post and even a video, and I’ll certainly do that. This has been utterly life-changing for me, and I discovered it that way. That will never not blow my mind.
The original kind and the 30% less salt version. I drink it like tea. Three “tetra packs” per day. Don’t buy the “no salt added” version. I don’t know what else they do to it, but it triggered a huge IBS flare-up for me on the first day. Except for increasingly rare flare-up days, the two kinds have drastically reduced my symptoms. It’s nearly a “miracle drug” for me, but nothing in life is guaranteed or perfect.
Here’s a fantastic blog post about how it helps those suffering with IBS. Here are couple of excerpts from that:
“It is also super nourishing and can help soothe gut issues. Bone broth has been said to help those with digestive tract issues like leaky gut (source), irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammation.”
“It has also been shown to help those with gut issues because of the gelatin, collagen, and glutamine preset. These can soothe and tighten the junctions in the intestines (source). Gelatin also helps food move more easily through the digestive track.
Collagen has also been shown to reduce joint pain and inflammation.”
While you can make your own chicken broth for less money, I’m not much of a cook, and I genuinely like the Campbell’s version. There are other kinds, but I don’t have the patience to try them when this one works for me. I usually buy it at Walmart and stock up when it’s on sale for $1.97 each. If you’re looking for an even better deal, No Frills sometimes offers it for $1.49 each, but they limit the amount you can buy. Just watch out for stores like Save-On-Foods that charge as much as $2.99 each—what a rip-off!
Ginger Ale is also wonderful for settling the stomach and digestive system, but it’s not nearly as effective as Chicken Broth.
Anyway, I’ll cover this more in future posts.
What’s Next? Exploring Medical Keto
The next thing I’m thinking of trying is the Medical Keto diet. And that’s different from the regular Keto diet you’ve heard of. I learned about Medical Keto on Lauren Kennedy West’s YouTube channel. It’s helped virtually eliminate her Schizophrenia symptoms, a major part of her life for many years and a process she beautifully documented. I don’t have that condition, but her research, including talking to experts, makes it clear that proper, specific, and deliberate changes in diet can help with many mental health issues.
I appreciate her, and I love her videos, her perspective, self-awareness, and thought process, so when she mentions something and is excited about it, it's worth paying attention to.
Stay Tuned
That’s where I’ll leave it for now. If you’d like to hear more about my journey and tips for managing IBS, please subscribe to my Substack. And if you want to support my work, check out my home business, KevinTheTechGuy.ca. Thanks for reading!
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