Hello, apologies in advance, this may be a bit long.

[friday]

IBS seems to be the fashionable thing at the moment! supposedly i have it too but luckily i only get the pain, none of the other icky bits. doctor gave me peppermint oil tablets and mentioned cutting out wheat may help. since cutting out/eating minimal amounts of wheat i have stopped convincing myself ive got appendicitus/liver failure/generally dying.

i read somewhere that ibs affects something like 60% of people with ptsd/people who have experienced trauma.

[Tibblesmum]

That doesn't surprise me, my Dr told me that IBS is related to depression, and often follows a bout of gastroenteritis, so I had it coming to me from both directions.

Took all the meds I'm supposed to yesterday, plus an immodium capsule before going to bed, only to have the most awful trots going this morning. It'll be two capsules tonight, see if they make a difference.

[RFLH]

on the up side - at least your getting plenty of exercise sprinting!

[Tibblesmum]

And can fall asleep at the drop of a hat when sat on the sofa! I'm shattered.

[RFLH]

'shattered' being the operative word !!

[Tibblesmum]

Hi hun, been a little while. Still shattered, and signed off short term again with the depression and IBS. Supposed to be going back to work on Monday, let's see what happens. I was due in last Tuesday and didn't think I'd got myself into a state about going in - tummy had other ideas and had me up at 4.30 in the morning for the loo, cue drinking lots and taking the capsules - again.

The bloods came back clear, so that's good, and he (hospital dr) said that when there's no other explanation then it is the depression and anxiety that causes it all. Apparently, the same hormones and chemicals found in the brain are also found in the gut and cause the upset. So there is something in what the counsellor said to me - that the body often reflects what's going on in the mind - as I'm "letting go" in my mind (and purging myself by cleaning the kitchen and bathroom till it's sparkling!!) my body's doing the same thing - literally. Oh yes, I have the same lady that I had last year, which I'm pleased about, she said that last year was all about facing up to it, and this year it's letting go, I wasn't ready for it before. I've got another couple of sessions to go, I think. Fortnightly this time - and spent the most of the last one in floods of tears, yet again. Still, I do feel better for it, so I think some good is coming from it. I really hope I can close the door on it properly this time, leave it in the past where it belongs.

I'll keep you posted hun as and when I get the chance, had some pc problems lately too and had to find the site again and stick it in favourites! Hope you're ok, take care - xxx

[RFLH]

I'm fine thanks - I wish you'd come and cleqan my place its dire!

IBS is such a pain in the butt! If I get stressed and its the same for me.

Im happy to see that the counselling is still going well, don't push yourself to gert back to work, that's just adding extra pressure on yourself and you can do without that.

Hope to hear from you soon, its always good to see you here.

[Saffron]

Hey Tibblesmum, good to see you back! I hope everything progresses smoothly for you xx

[Tibblesmum]

Hi there, back again. Am now on beta blockers for the anxiety, which seemed to be working. Went back to work, in a little side office on my own, as I couldn't handle the crowded open plan office - too busy for my liking - managed a week - then clever clogs here managed to catch a D&V bug Sods law or what?? That's when I learnt that those stomach bugs and IBS really don't go. Haven't been back yet. Had two letters from different areas of HR - one explaining why I was £400 down on my pay last month - the idiots haven't put me onto pensionable rates - they put me on nil pay instead. The other letter saying that I've been overpaid one month's salary for September, and can I pay it back please, as I should've been on nil pay for sick leave then too - again they didn't put me on pensionable rate. You can imagine how I felt when I got those. Someone please tell me why I'm bothering with that sh*thole of an office? If they can't get things right, why do I have to pay for their incompetencies?? Why should I even try to care or bother when they obviously don't??

I'm having the full 12 sessions of counselling, have three more to go. Went and had crystal therapy last Saturday, and very nice it was too, so relaxing, then all this goes and happens. I've had enough now.

Just had to blow to someone - see counsellor again at 10 on Tuesday, so will talk to her. Have spoken to our own welfare people, and they're getting in touch again shortly to help, hopefully, and may well get in touch with the union too - need to get as many people on side as I can. If my office collapsed into the river Medway, or got blown up, I'd be so happy. . . . .

[RFLH]

That's the trouble with work - full of dolts!!

Sorry to hear that you're suffering - I may be able to send a cork if that would help?!

I'm pleased that the counselling is helping, keep up the good work and keep coming back with bulletins, I do like to know how you're gettting on.

[Saffron]

Hey Tibblesmum
Sorry you are having a tough time. I often think I would like to curl up in a ball and forget about work completely!

I'm glad the counselling is helpful. If you need to vent, you can always come here! We are friendly ears.