The Night Before and The Day of Bad Flare Ups
On Saturday night, I made dinner, chicken thighs in a pear-mustard sauce. It was delicious. But, then the flare-up came, rearing its ugly head. In my article titled "Inferno," I talked about the flare ups I get that cause body heat issues and nausea issues to the point I need an ice pack, a bowl, and a water bottle. It was one of those flare-ups on Saturday night. When those flare-ups peak, I get frightened that I must call 911 because they feel so unbearable.I even texted my roommate, who was out, to tell her that I wasn't feeling well because I was having a bad flare-up, just in case I needed her to come home to help.
Making plans after an IBS flare
Of course, OF COURSE, I had made brunch plans the next day with a friend I hadn't seen in a few months before the flare-up. As I was sweating it out, I thought about canceling my plans, knowing the "after-shock" would still come. I also knew I had to travel long distances on public transit to the brunch restaurant. I thought about asking my friend to come closer to me so I wouldn't have to go as far a distance. I even started drafting the text to my friend to cancel completely. But then my body temperature lowered to normal, and my bowel movements released enough pain, and I could think more clearly. I wasn't feeling 100 percent yet but definitely in better shape to prepare for the next day.
The day after my IBS flare-up
I woke up the next morning with enough time to eliminate the "after-shock." I boarded public transit for the 45-minute journey to the brunch restaurant equipped with my IBGard peppermint pills. I knew I couldn't handle any of the richer brunch dishes, like pancakes, French toast, or Eggs Benedict, but 2 eggs with potatoes, fruit, toast AND a bagel seemed the right choice. So, I swallowed down those pills with water, ordered peppermint tea, and ate my food without a hitch. I also returned to my house without a problem, which was a concern after digesting my food.
Reflecting on frustrating IBS
This is not the first time and certainly won't be the last. It is frustrating that I have to think about others catering to my IBS (considering asking my friend to come closer to me) or that I have to consider canceling plans because I'm too ill to leave my home. I recently had to cancel plans very last minute because a bad flare-up came out of nowhere—I'm sure my friend had already left the house to meet me. I still feel bad about it, but anything is better than risking an accident. It is even more frustrating when 1 day, certain ingredients cause no issue, and the next, they cause a bad flare-up.
Have you ever had to plan ahead for next-day "aftershock" IBS flare symptoms? Have you canceled plans because of it or gone through with it anyway? Share in the comments below.
Recommended
Community Poll
Life with IBS can be frustrating. Will you help others understand by taking our survey (US only)?
Join the conversation