IBS and Mood
This is more of a psychological thing I'm bothered with. My only means of coping with it is to be grateful for what I DO have, not what I've lost or can't find, and to just continue with everyday routines which help steady me out a bit at least, and eat what I can...whenever, though there is rarely any innocent enjoyment any more in eating food.
But (and I guess it does for all of us) IBS gets to my mood terribly. I can feel it even before I wake up, as if what's going on in my gut overnight is even affecting my dreams. On those times I wake up remembering a dream that just doesn't feel like "me" (hard to describe) Not a nightmare, only something that feels like I've gone somewhere I don't belong. (and the gut will be bad in the morning)
And during waking hours my mood tanks. I try my best to do anything I can to keep cheerful and find anything I enjoy but it just doesn't work sometimes. If my gut feels creepy, I feel creepy too and can't seem to change that even by putting on a smile and chatting on the phone with friends. It's like I can't relate to nice things that I love. I feel separated somehow from them. My home doesn't feel the same. It has started to feel like "the place where creepy uneasy guts happen" and flare ups, and unexpected nasty things come out of the blue yonder.
I can't trust even feeling okay because I can feel okay one hour and ill the next.
My little sitting place near my fire used to feel lovely and comforting. It doesn't any more. My bed used to feel like a safe haven where I was peaceful, and it doesn't any more. My bathroom used to always have the feeling of nice scented baths, smells I like and relaxation, and now reminds me of toilet troubles instead, and shocks in the middle of the night, and trembling from exhaustion. How do I change this?
Yes I know this is something I should rise above and I shouldn't feel that. I don't know how to get rid of those feelings. Why the heck would a loose belly put me in a fear mindset?
Let me know if anyone here also feels something like that in their own way. What do we do to fix it?
I relate to this so much. You aren't alone. I felt this way for years actually. Literally like I was out of my body and not myself. Always in a bad mood. Nothing brought me joy. Symptoms literally just overtook me.
I of course am not a doctor, but the mind-gut connection is a real thing. When our gut is not healthy, our mind isn't healthy. And that includes our thoughts, perceptions etc. I have experienced the same with dreams even. Strange dreams, which like you said, you know aren't you.
The only thing that took this away for me, was when I got my gut under control. And I won't lie, it took a while. I had to diligently change how I ate and be consistent which was hard for me. I also had to create a healthy routine, I began working from home which cut my stress astronomically and I did therapy once month. Diet was a huge factor for me though.
Are you currently under a lot of stress? And do you have support at home to help with a lifestyle change? It takes a village. -Elizabeth (team member)Elizabeth, thank you. I am really sorry you have felt these things too, and I'm glad to hear you are feeling much better generally now.
I do feel more like my old self when my gut is easier. Every time I get a normal phase. The memories of illness fade to a great extent.
I see a homeopath and she is very good, and part of her work with me is a kind of therapy too, as homeopathy does take into account all aspects of a person, inner and outer states, even dreams etc. So I am grateful for that. She is kind, thoughtful, qualified and intelligent.
I used to eat a super healthy diet all my life before my troubles. Because of IBS I had to stop eating many foods I love. Sometimes I try to carefully include them, build my diet back up, and can to a small extent sometimes, but then have to go on bland food again to manage a flare. So any really healthy diet plans aren't going to work unfortunately. Only what my gut can manage at the time. I can't do a major lifestyle/diet change because my gut won't bear it. Even slight attempts to return to anything I used to eat before are difficult. Juice diets, keto, no carbs....no histamine etc. all of them would just do me in. Low Fodmap is about all that I can stand. I do my best to be intelligent with nutrition.
I don't think I have any stress. I am retired now and live a quiet steady life. The recent problems in Europe have bothered me a bit though to be honest.
No, there is no one at home, just me now
I have friends who understand at least. And one who had IBS for a long time, and still occasionally gets flares now if she is under stress.
