Triggered and IBS flare
I was doing so well. Im a newbie to this IBS. My mom passed a week ago and my adult son and I had another huge disagreement after a 4 month estrangement. Almost immediately my son triggered me as I am shock loosing my mom, and got my stomach pain back. That took me out for the 4 months we were estranged , full on flare and lost 25 pounds. This morning I woke with cramps and diarrhea. Im terrified. I can't go back to where I was physically this past Summer. Ive got to go on plane and clean her out of her residence. Any suggestions to regain control of stomach pain/bowels? I can't flare when I have important things to take care of. An airplane? OMG.
Sorry for your loss. It's understandable that the stress of it all is hard on your body. There is a known connection between our brain and gut. If we're feeling stressed, anxious, etc, it can impact symptoms. Here are two great articles about anxiety and stress and how to manage them: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/clinical/do-stress-and-anxiety-cause-ibs and https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/mind-body-impact-ibs Wishing you some relief very soon and safe travels. Best, Kelly, (Irritablebowelsyndrome.net Team Member)
Hi dose any one suffer from ibsD nurser feeling sick guard accid cramp full carnt eat most day even tho want to diarah most days
hi started on omepazol by gp sometimes take peptobiol and lopramide rest sleep lots as i can in pain tummy accid food dont like me
Stopping the diarrhea is critical. You can see how so many soldiers died from dysentery during the Civil War- chronic diarrhea can kill you. Imodium works the best for stopping the diarrhea. Check with your doctor first. And then talk to your doctor about some mild anti-anxiety pills- like .5 mg Ativan. Pain is debilitating, causes depression, and causes exhaustion and more anxiety. I've been where you are, and that's what worked for me. Now when I reach a certain level of stress, I stop it with an Ativan (I use it very infrequently) to stop the flare up. You might also want to consider counseling- you have a lot on your plate right now. 
Thank you so much for sharing what has worked for you. I completely agree that stress and anxiety can hugely impact symptoms and that in turn creates more anxiety. I'm glad that you've found a way to stop the cycle!
Wishing you all the best, Karina (team member)
Hi
, I'm so sorry for your loss and what you're going through.
Unfortunately, anxiety and stress can trigger IBS flares for many of us (if you'd like proof that you're not alone, I recently wrote an article about how much it impacts me: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/stressful-situations).
I can only speak from personal experience, but I would focus on trying to calm down (easier said than done, I know!). Airports and airplanes have toilets, so even if it's extremely difficult to have a flare while traveling by plane, it's far better than a road trip.
Maybe you could focus on eating very bland food (like white rice) while your digestive system is acting up and only eat small portions. If it was me, I would simply fast the evening before to reduce the risk.
Medication for diarrhea can also help sometimes, I would just check with your doctor to make sure which type is best for you to take if you haven't already. I know Imodium works for lots of people, but it doesn't do much for me in these situations and my doctor gave me something else that works far better.
Hopefully, you'll start feeling better soon. Please keep us updated if you like.
Sending positive thoughts your way, Karina (team member)
