Dr. Clarke Diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

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Question

Hello, I was first diagnosed with IBS in the mid-90's while in Graduate school.
It receded with minor treatment, and until recently has not bothered me. However, living as an expat in central america seems to have brought it back full force, as well as a stool panel suggesting my gut is leaky, and saliva tests indicating i exhausted my adrenals due to the stress of acculturation to life in the 3rd world.

Finally i have come back to the USA to deal with the debilitating gut issues and recalibrate my life so i can thrive instead of merely survive. My present physical regimen is meditation daily, swimming or walking several times a week, and some tai chi/chigong work. In addition, I am taking Evergreen brand GI Care powder, fermenting vegetables & kombucha & koji for amazake as recommended by a naturopath and nutritionist. I am not an alcohol drinker.

I am interested in any support groups that meet either online or offline.
kate bean
Oakland CA

 

Answer

Hello Ms Bean,
Sorry to read of your illness. There are many forms of disease that can cause symptoms resembling IBS and so it is important to have a qualified physician perform an evaluation. Your current symptoms (which you don't describe) may or may not be due to IBS. Other possibilities include infection, inflammatory bowel disease and celiac sprue, for example, and there are other potential causes as well. If a saliva test raised concern about your cortisol level, that should be confirmed with a blood test.

If IBS is the cause of your symptoms, flare-ups may be linked to various forms of stress. There is much information about various forms of stress linked to physical symptoms on this website and you can also find a self-interpreting screening questionnaire on my site here: http://www.stressillness.com/overview.php
My best wishes for a rapid and full recovery,

David Clarke, MD

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I had IBS before I found Dr. Sarno. It went away around the same time my back pain went away. I'm not sure if it was 100% Dr. Sarno, or the fact that I quit taking massive doses of Ibuprofen. Probably a little of both.

On rare occasions, it will come back. Always when I'm feeling stressed. But now I understand what it is and it goes away pretty quickly.