anti-spasmodic
and anti-depressant drugs can relieve the pain of cramping.
For Helen, symptoms started when she was in her
twenties and teaching in the West Indies. “At first I thought it must be due to
the change of diet , but the doctor must have suspected psychological reasons. He suddenly asked me if I was happy there and I had to
answer that I wasn’t. I found the climate and the teaching difficult to cope with.
However, even when I gave up the job, the symptoms persisted and I have lived with them
ever since. For years I was described as having a nervous stomach.”
IBS affects those with unusually sensitive colons.
It can be provoked by eating and stress, and in some cases can be triggered by gastro
enteritis. It is more common among women than men. Ultimately,
we know very little about the cause.
Helen had an exploratory operation some years ago
but nothing was discovered. She consulted
specialists and dieticians, had barium meals
and x rays, and thinks that she must have read every book published on IBS. But the only
time that she has been free of symptoms was when she was pregnant.
“That was quite a bonus, of course, but hardly a
cure,” she says.” I am sure that my state of mind has an effect, but I have
kept my own food diaries and know now that certain
foods are lethal for me.
 “I can’t eat raw onions or
peppers, curry or lemon juice. I once drank a
glass of lemon juice in the mistaken belief that it would cure my skin of spots and was
doubled up in pain almost immediately and lay in agony for the next 24 hours. Reheated
foods, many ready-made meals, very fresh bread, strong coffee and acid fruits are also
dynamite. Going out for dinner can prove a minefield.. These days I warn people, but when
I was much younger and we were entertained by my husband’s colleagues it was less
easy. There was one ocasion where I couldn’t eat a thing. We had grapefruit, followed
by chilli, then a rich chocolate pudding – it was a bit embarrassing.”
She gets depressed at times too. “When the pain really hurts badly I start to suspect
that there must be something seriously wrong with me and I get very miserable. I have been
prescribed antidepressants which make me feel foul,
though valium does help me sleep. Despite all my precautions, IBS can still take me unawares. In a good phase I can
enjoy the odd glass of wine with food but I can’t touch fizzy drinks of any
sort.”
Sadly, all of this has destroyed totally Helen’s
pleasure in food. Eating, she says, has become just a duty. At just under nine stone she is slim,
and apart from the IBS very healthy, although at
times her weight has dropped as low as seven stone.
Helen suffers from bloating during the attacks. “On these occasions, when I stand sideways I look
pregnant”. Clothing becomes a problem. Elastic tights are uncomfortable and so are skirts or trousers with
fitted waist bands. She now looks for drawstring waists
and tends to wear loose tops which cover her midriff.
“I recommend that anyone with IBS looks for an
understanding partner,” she says. “My husband is supportive when I have an
attack and he also warns me about things I should not eat. Within the limits of masculine
empathy he is really very good, but I do wish that he’d learn to cook. When
you’re lying in bed clutching a hot water bottle to your stomach and thinking that
death seems like a good option, the last thing you want is to find a half-cooked stew being held to your face and
someone asking if you think that it’s ready to eat.”
As an IBS sufferer,
Helen has learned a trick or two which she now passes on to fellow victims.
1. Timing of meals
“I must have my main meal at
lunchtime. It is asking for trouble if I eat and then lie down soon after. If we have to
eat at night I don’t have much and, if possible, I take some exercise. I guess if the
food has worked its way through a certain section in my gut it’s alright. “
2. Think before you travel abroad
Foreign travel and
especially foreign food can make life difficult. When her husband wanted to visit India Helen elected to stay in England.
“Whenever we travel, I approach the food with
great caution and always take oatmeal biscuits to keep myself from starvation if it turns
out not to suit me.”
3. Accept that an attack can last 24 hours
“Over the years
doctors have prescribed all sorts of things to relax the system and I have found them
absolutely useless. Once an attack starts it is going to take 24 hours to run its
course.”
4. Complimentary treatments help some people
Helen has
tried naturopathy, acupuncture and stomach massage –
and has found the latter of some help. For
more information, contact the IBS Network, see below. Hypnotherapy can improve symptoms in some cases. Taking a daily probiotic such as Yakult sees some results
according to research. There have been some recent
reports that turmeric reduces cramps and bloating (1 – 2g daily of turmeric powder in
food or water).
5. Join the IBS Network
Many people have
benefited from the IBS Network, which allows them to talk freely about their condition and
learn about the latest treatments. Some people find hypnotherapy helpful, others improve
by increasing their dietary fibre, reducing fat, avoiding dairy products, bread and
cereals and eating regular balanced meals. Regular
exercise and avoiding stress are also recommended.
The
IBS Network is a national charity which offers support, information and advice on IBS and can be contacted through its website: www.ibsnetwork.org.uk, telephone 0114 2611531 or
helpline 01543 492 192 (Monday to Friday 6pm to 8pm). The Digestive Disorders Foundation
funds medical research into the prevention, cure and treatments of all forms of digestive
disorders. DDF, PO Box 251, Edgware, Middlesex 6HG. Send SAE for leaflets and fact sheets.
`Nervous tension diarrhoea`
15 million people in Britain affected by diarrhoea as a result of nerves
 New research
indicates that nearly 15 million people in the UK suffer from bouts of diarrhoea when
faced with nerve-racking situations. Despite the prevalence of 'nervous tension diarrhoea'
(NTD), nearly half of sufferers choose not to treat their condition, which suggests that
on the whole it doesn’t bother them.
A new campaign from ImodiumTM aims to help people
understand how emotions affect our bodies, especially their effect on the bowel. The goal
of the campaign is to educate people on how to avoid getting nervous or stressed before a
big event and therefore, hopefully, avoid a bout of nervous tension diarrhoea. It also
aims to inform people of the best ways to treat this diarrhoea should they be affected.
This
latest survey from ImodiumTM confirms that experiencing diarrhoea as a result
of nerves is a common occurrence. 28% (and 40% of
women) have experienced diarrhoea because of a nerve-racking event. Most often tummy
troubles occurred when going to an interview, starting a new job or resigning (15%) or
before exams (11%). Three times as many women as men
suffered nervous tension diarrhoea, particularly when it came to an interview, starting a
new job or resigning (24% of women compared to only 7% of men).
Although
the survey clearly demonstrates that experiencing nervous tension diarrhoea can impinge on
enjoyment or performance at an important event, a significant proportion of those
sufferers interviewed were still reluctant to treat the diarrhoea. The majority (57%) felt it was not serious enough to
treat and/or preferred to let the diarrhoea ‘take its natural course’ (35%).
In June 2001 an independent panel of experts published its review of the
studies on the treatment of diarrhoea by self-medication and produced new guidelines on
its management. These state that for otherwise
healthy adults, self-medication for short-lived episodes of uncomplicated diarrhoea is
effective and relieves discomfort and social disruption.
Imodium, which has a vested interest in these things, has produced a free
booklet entitled “Your guide to treating and understanding diarrhoea”, which
provides useful information about avoiding and treating different types of diarrhoea,
including diarrhoea caused by nerves or stress. The booklet includes tips from Dr Rosemary
Anderson, stress consultant and chair of the International Stress Management Association
(ISMA) UK, on how to cope with nerve-racking events, control nerves and anxiety, and
hopefully avoid those untimely bouts of diarrhoea.
Dr Anderson’s advice includes:
1.
Adopt
a healthy lifestyle. If we eat a healthy diet,
exercise regularly and ensure we get adequate rest we can better cope with stress.
2.
Know
your limitations and do not take on too much. We
cause ourselves a great deal of stress because we do not like to say no to people.
3.
Avoid
unnecessary conflict. Don’t be too
argumentative. Is it really worth the stress?
4.
Take
time out to relax and recharge your batteries. You
will perform much better after a break and easily make up the time you used relaxing.
5.
Find
time to meet friends. Friends help us see things
in a different way. Laughter is a great stress
reducer. It boosts the immune system which is often depleted during stress.
6. If
you do become stressed, engage in some form of physical activity and relaxation technique. Physical activity will work off the biochemical and
physical changes that occur within your body due to stress.
Relaxation helps your body return to its normal healthy state. Good relaxation
techniques include breathing exercises, massage and a variety of complimentary therapies.
If
you have diarrhoea, taking an anti-diarrhoeal such as Imodium™ Plus Caplets means
that you can get on with your day and perform without having to worry about your tummy
troubles. Imodium™ Plus is a unique combination of loperamide, which works to stop
diarrhoea by helping restore your digestive system back to its normal rhythm, and
simethicone, an anti-flatulent to help relieve the associated diarrhoea symptoms of
cramps, wind and bloating. Imodium™ Plus
is available as chewable tablets or in new easy-to-swallow caplets*.
How is nervous tension diarrhoea caused?
Diarrhoea
occurs when something upsets the balance of your ‘highly tuned’ digestive
system.
The action of the muscles in the intestines (or
‘peristalsis’), which ensures smooth flow of food through the digestive system,
is controlled by the specialised enteric nervous system, which is also connected to the
central nervous system (brain)
When
you are nervous, your body produces adrenaline - a hormone that is referred to as the
‘fight, flight, fright’ hormone - as well as other powerful chemicals. These
affect your central nervous system, which then speeds everything up in your body,
including your intestines via the enteric nervous system.
When
the gut speeds up, the intestines absorb less fluid than normal back into your body so
your stools become loose and watery. Just a 1%
reduction in the amount of fluid absorbed by the intestines can lead to an attack of
diarrhoea.
 For more information, pack shots / lifestyle
photography or a case study, please contact:
Mel
Edrich / Andrew Knill
Harvard Health
020
7349 6388
medrich@harvardhealth.co.uk / aknill@harvardhealth.co.uk.
* Always
read the label. Ask your pharmacist for advice.
|
Olive Braman provides a vivid picture of one woman’s struggle
with Irritable Bowel Disease
