my attempt to eliminate ibs (mostly constipation and bloating)

hello! so ive been cured by sarnos work and believing 100% in tms. heres the thing i started having constipation and bloating ever since i started the fitness journey (8years ago) i went to doctors and they told me i was fine and nothing wrong in my colon. but i didnt knew about tms back in these days. i do have a stressful, anxiety, depress life i dont neglect that and i will start the program here also since i haven’t. im also reading unlearn your pain. i have to admit, i have other issues (hormone issues) caused by a pituitary tumor (i dont know about this one) but doctors said its bening and its not interfering with anything (i have low testosterone at 26 im trying to relieve anxiety and stress but tbh low testosterone also causes this so its hard). finding the right treatment at my age with the right protocol also depresses me big time because either doctors are careless or to be honest they don’t know much about it and give bad protocols which i wont follow. already went to 4 endos and 2 urologist with no success. (i talked to someone here about it and im glad i did) they did offer injections to treat it but the protocols were bad so i deny it. i want to try sarnos and treat constipation with meditation and no elimination diet. i know i eat healthy (count calories and have a healthy fiber diet well my fiber intake is high tho) what do you guys think?

 

As someone with anxiety, I can relate. I have my moments with IBS a few times a year, and not related to Chinese fast food. It just kind of happens. The best thing you can do is don't dwell on it. Don't try to analyze what you ate or did prior to it happening. Overeating definitely can give me the stomach bloat as anyone, but I've found that even when I don't eat meals I will still get IBS for a day or two. Consider it may be an emotional trigger.

Now, I'm not suggesting you're crying or anything prior to, just consider emotions may be driving the issue. This thought has been most helpful in combating my own personal IBS over the years.

 

IBS is TMS, assuming other causes are of discomfort are ruled out. BUT I’m discovering that there are a few physical factors at play that can ease or exascerbate irritation in a sensitive gut, even when the underlying cause of that sensitivity is tension. I’m currently working to figure that all out in myself.

So this is not exactly a TMS answer - but it’s related because I think the TMS gut is quicker to fire off over small physical irritations. Obviously the bulk of the work should be addressing the underlying emotional tension, but in the meantime I think a little gentleness toward the physical side helps.

I saw that you mentioned fitness and a healthy fiber diet, which reminded me of one piece of my puzzle. So often for people with gut trouble and constipation, the offered solution is “more fiber.” But when I went vegan (not for digestive or health reasons) on top of an already high-fiber, whole food vegetarian diet, I think I increased the fiber in my diet too quickly for my gut microbiota to adjust. (I already had IBS long before that, and going vegan may have benefited other aspects of the condition, but the bloating got worse.) The bloating persisted for YEARS until a nutritionist pointed out that I was eating a super high-fiber diet. I decreased my fiber intake to a point where I started feeling less like a balloon at the end of the day, existed at that level for a while, and then sloooooowly, SLOOOWLY started increasing the fiber again (and started on a good probiotic - which also had to be done gradually) until I was eating the diet I wanted. I hadn’t appreciated just how gradually my gut needed to adapt to additional fiber, especially since I wasn’t taking fiber supplements or anything, just eating food. After gradually reintroducing more fiber, I’m much less bloated now at a similar level of fiber to what had been too much before.

I had read about the gut needing time to gradually adjust to additional fiber, but I figured a fast switch just meant enduring a few days of bloating until things recalibrated. But that’s not what happened. I was off-balance until I backed off on the fiber and started over years later.

ALSO an increase in gassiness can lead to constipation (an overgrowth of crucial-for-our-survival methane-producing bacteria can cause too much methane to be produced in the gut, which has a motility-slowing effect on the cells). That’s just one way that bloating and constipation are related, and one way that increasing your fiber too fast and throwing your microbiome off-balance can lead to these symptoms. I’m still working on all of this myself, but I think it’s worth a look. (I’m still working through the constipation part, but weirdly only in the evenings. It’s a mystery.)

This may not be relevant to your situation, but since you tied the onset to the beginning of your fitness journey (not assuming you’re vegan or anything, just assuming you probably started eating more whole foods), I thought I’d mention it. Hope it’s helpful for you or someone else! I hope your pants fit and your visits to the toilet are quick and easy soon! ;-)

 

wow haha thanks a bunch! well tbh i have been eating high fiber for 5 years, but i also heard and read that a high fiber diet might actually cause constipation issues? i haven't tried it because im so in love with veggies i need to try probiotics tho. but like i mentioned. my doctor told me i was fine and that not going to the bathroom 5 days was normal to me. obviously this is not normal. what im trying right now its believing this is tms and drinking more water tho. thanks for the help!

 

Hi stevow7. Just to welcome you (belatedly). I grapple with pain/spasm around bowel movements linked to IBS-C, and I concur with Fern that while there is very little doubt in my mind that the underlying cause of my problems is emotional, that there are things I can do on a physical level to ease the discomfort. Sticking with cooked (rather than raw) vegetables is one of them for me, also taking a probiotic and, yes, drinking more water. It's an individual thing though and I found out what works through trial and error.

But it's the underlying TMS, hypervigilant and anxious mindset that is the root of my problem, and that's something I'm working on - and I have to accept the fact that it will take time. I've found Alan Gordon's recovery program very helpful (link at the top of the page).

 

hello and thank! i will start the program shortly. im reading unlearn your pain first tho!

 

IBS has always (more than 20 years) my main TMS symptom. When I was diagnosed with IBS, the doctors couldn't find anything wrong and put me simply put me on medication and antidepressants (which I didn't stay on for long). I've tried everything out there as far as diet, lifestyle, and exercise are concerned and, although sometimes things worked for a short time while the brain adjusted, nothing stuck. I know my IBS is TMS because the symptoms have changed and morphed over the years. And in between IBS symptom changes my body would take on OTHER symptoms to throw me off track, but always return to the gut.

You mentioned having a healthy diet - that was a sign my bloating/constipation was TMS. I lost weight and kept it off by switching to a much healthier lifestyle. But in the past 2 years, although my eating hasn't changed, I've gained weight and gotten bloated, so I'd say being healthy and still having issues is a good sign it could be TMS. When I attempted an elimination diet, all it did was make me very depressed

 

I’m still working through the constipation part, but weirdly only in the evenings. It’s a mystery.)

 

How can youhave constipation only in the evenings.?

 

Hey all! I know this is an old thread...just found it helpful and wanted to hear where you guys up to?
Does ibs (mainly constipation and bloating)ever go away completely?
Did you find just tms therapy works or also physical changes to lifestyle?
Would love to hear feedback.

 

Once I accepted that my body is happy with pooping just once a week or so it stopped being an issue. I still only poop once a week or so but I stopped worrying about it and/or focusing on it and I really don't notice it anymore.
Physical changes and food didn't really alter anything. The normal "recommendations" just tended to make things worse.
Working on TMS/emotional issues instead of thinking about symptoms has been the best for it.