The Day I Didn't Make ItWe talk so much about the bathroom. Where are the bathrooms? Will they be there when I need them? I don’t know that town…WHERE ARE THEIR BATHROOMS? Sometimes there are...reactions2comments
CatastrophizingCatastrophizing is a word that is used a lot in the mental health field in which I work. This phenomenon can also be called a cognitive distortion. Mostly associated with...reactionscomments
What Does Your Mental Health Look Like?What does that mean, you might ask? What does my mental health look like? Does it look like anything? It is very rare for me to have a conversation with...reactions4comments
The New YouI fear change. Some folks embrace and some actually thrive on it. But, when it comes to changing what may seem like your entire way of life due to illness...reactionscomments
IBS EducationRecently, I have spent a lot of time going over the website that is IrritableBowelSyndrome.net. I have been a contributor here for more than two years and I am pretty...reactionscomments
Dealing with Resentment"Resentment is like drinking poison hoping the other person will die." I’ve heard this quote lots of times. Therapists have relayed these words, 12-step meetings, support groups of all types...reactionscomments
Please Get OutsideAs I sit writing this, it is 95 degrees outside. That kind of hot where you can’t breathe. Depending on your physical condition, perhaps you shouldn’t be outside right now...reactions2comments
Love and Hate: The Summer BarbecueI love being around my family, swimming in the pool, playing horseshoes, and sitting by a fire. I also love barbecued ribs. I also love macaroni salad, hot dogs, hamburgers...reactionscomments
PanicI don’t know if you’ve ever had a panic attack, but I have. I’m not going to go into the differences between a severe anxiety attack and a panic attack...reactions4comments
The BloatOK, so what the HELL? What’s with the bloat all of a sudden? I used to be able to say that I had most of the IBS symptoms, but I...reactions12comments
The Magic Bag of MedsI have run across somewhat of a trend among some of the doctors that I have seen for various issues. Before continuing, I would like to put out the disclaimer...reactionscomments
Cleaning and IBSI have been having a really bad month with my stomach. All of my various stomach issues seem to be ganging up on me and have really sucked the life...reactions9comments
Losing Weight with Low FODMAP DietI was wondering the other day if non-IBS people used the low FODMAP diet as a weight loss diet. I don’t generally pay much attention to formal ‘diets’ per se...reactions2comments
Emergency Room PainThe other day I was speaking with someone about the intense pain that coincides with some IBS symptoms, cramping in particular. They referred to this type of pain as ‘emergency...reactions6comments
How Long Do Flare Ups Last?Someone asked me the other day how long a flare-up can last. I gave her the standard answer of two to four days. This is what my doctor told me...reactions17comments
One Guy’s Guide to Managing Mental HealthI have Bi-Polar Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, ADHD (if that exists :-), gastritis, ulcers and IBS. Hmmm. I got relatively lucky with the Bi-Polar, in that I...reactions5comments
Struggling with IBS-ASo which is worse? Diarrhea or constipation? How about, which is worse, diarrhea, constipation or…diarrhea and constipation. I think we all know the answer to that question (depending on the...reactions23comments
Dealing with StigmaI’m sort of an expert on stigma. There is stigma associated with bi-polar disorder, stigma attached to anxiety and personality disorders, stigma attached to being overweight, and a whole ton...reactions1comment
The Importance of PatienceOk, so we know IBS doesn’t ‘go away’. It may stay dormant for long periods, very long sometimes if we are really taking care of ourselves, but dormant. IBS cannot...reactionscomments
When You are IncapacitatedI have mentioned in previous articles that I have three stomach issues that I deal with. Based on comments from members of this site, I know that I am by...reactions2comments
