Living with IBS-D can be, well, unique to say the least. One thing I've learned is timing is everything. Know when your body is going to react. The sad part is, we have no control over it. I get asked often how I can lead a great life while dealing with this caca. Below are some suggestions that have worked for me.
1) Know your body. Get in tune with your entire body and it's functions. I'll be honest, I kept a journal on everything from what I ate to when I poo. I had too. This is for a couple reasons: first, because you need to figure out what could be causing your issues. For many IBS sufferers, there are many things which cause the "moments." The biggest thing that causes problems are simple foods which you never would realize: fruit, breads, corn. Why fruit? Fruit has lots of natural sugars; sugars feed the yeast which creates the IBS. Breads have what in it? Yeast! Yeast is candida. Corn is so overly produced the body rejects it and cannot process it.
With bread comes gluten. If you drink alcohol, there are grains in vodka, rum, bourbon, scotch, and whiskey. If you do like that occasional cosmo or martini, you can use a grape based or potato based vodka. Wine can be a good alternative but watch your sugar intake on this one. Go for dry wines.
2) Traveling - Traveling is tough for us who poo when we hit bumps or get nervous. You can make traveling easier if you follow these steps. A) again, know when you have your moments. B) create a travel kit that sits right beside you at all times. Adult diaper (sorry), wipes, extra underwear, extra pants, and Imodium. Know your route and make sure you scout out bathrooms.
3) Peppermint can cause more harm than good. Sorry Dr. Oz. When he remarked that peppermint helps, I ran out and bought some peppermint capsules. It did more harm than good with me. When I had an accident, my entire downside was burned from the peppermint. BUT you can try peppermint and ginger oil rubbed onto the tummy and feet. This does work well.
4) When you feel that bubble, go to the bathroom...don't run. Running makes it worse. Walk proud and realize it's coming and you can't stop it.
You don't have to suffer in silence. My family knows and I've been pretty open with them on this issue. You can control this with how you eat. Do the research and know what triggers the moments. Grant it, you can just live with it without changing your lifestyle but is it worth hiding out when you can have a fun life. Because of the changes I've made, I can lead a good life, travel, have fun. You just need to be mindful.
Folks, pooping your pants at this age really isn't fun. I'm not a fan of the warm and squishy moments. You feel defeated, humiliated, and angry all at once. Even changing my diet hasn't cleared it up but it has slowed it down so I can do the things I want.
Below is an excerpt from my book I'm writing called, "Warm and Squishy."
One afternoon I was in a local
department store with my then 10 year old daughter and it hit me; first it
starts out as a bubble in your belly. Then all hell breaks loose and down the
shorts into my beautiful clear jellies it went. Up my back, down my legs, in my
shoes, on the floor; you name it, there wasn’t an inch that wasn’t covered in
poo. Not just any type of poo. The kind that is watery, has some texture and a
great bouquet. My daughter starts crying saying she was “sorry for dawdling”
(great mom huh?). Trying to keep it all together and not fall apart, I just
looked at her with love and said, “Honey, you’re ok but mommy needs to go to
the car. How about if you be the big girl, take the keys, open the car for me,
and I’ll be right there.” She was very brave. I, on the other hand was thinking
to myself, “What the hell just happened here?” Then you hear the dreaded
intercom come across, “May I have your attention please? Associate needs clean
up in children’s clothing.” I needed to get out fast. I pulled myself together,
held my head high, and started walking out; squishing in my shoes and trying
not to slip as the beautiful stench of crap keeps coming out. My daughter and I
made it home okay. Got in the door and cleaned up. I chalked it up as a
fluke…but it wasn’t.
I can honestly say I have crapped
in the best of places: Cloudcroft, NM; Las Vegas, NV; The White House; the
grounds of a local college; and a parking garage. Oh, did I mention there are
even television shows involved? Yes, lucky me had an accident at the daytime
show of Anderson Cooper and The Chew. Leaving your ‘mark’ in places really
isn’t something I wanted to be known for.
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