Main » July 2005

July 28, 2005

MSG for IBS

It's a nasty thing to have an IBS attack at work. And an hour before the end of the work day. I live only a few minutes away, but the cramps are so painful that there is little chance to bee-line it as far as the parking lot. I run back and forth out of the office to the bathroom down the hall. Each time the door slams behind me, I wonder if my boss/coworkers suspect my little secret. On my fourth run to the bathroom, I stare at the ceiling and ponder the security system in the building, thinking that security tapes might catch my dashes to and fro. Do they think I'm trying to horde toilet paper? My system hasn't been normal for almost a week now and I now know of few new culprits to avoid.
MSG is my new evil. I know I'm already allergic to that salt substitute, but I now notice, with heavier reactions to the product, my stomach acts up immediately after a meal seasoned with MSG. It has the same effect as garlic - like I ate too much heavy food and oils, there's a fuzzy feeling on my tongue and my body feels like mush.

Posted by Christine at 12:11 AM | Comments (1416)

July 14, 2005

Aunt's Visiting & Converting Your Friends

How in the world did they come up with that term? "My aunt is visiting." Can't we just say "the unfair pain and suffering of being a woman in order to bear children has come"? As if IBS wasn't enough, cramps just kick you while you are down for the count. What in the world made god think that we could handle the feeling of being kicked in the stomach. (Which sorta justifies those few times in middle school I kicked Billy right where it hurt). Today is one of those days. I can barely move. My head feels dizzy. My stomach is both nauseous and cramping. To me, it feels like the beginning of the flu.

When you have IBS, it quickly becomes obvious to your friends that you have special needs. They always mean well and try to help, but it sometimes gets amusingly ridiculous. For example, I was just invited to a BBQ. "Come, come. There will be Boca Burgers! YUM Boca Burgers!" As a red meat man, he hates Boca Burgers, but I appreciate the effort. When we go to fairs and games, my other friends will order burgers or hotdogs, then rip me off pieces of bread. I start to feel like a little bird. Even though I'm not hungry, I really can't refuse their quirky gesture. Some will drink tea with me, others will save their veggies. I laugh but it touches my heart that my friends can attempt to understand my situation.

Posted by Christine at 8:55 AM | Comments (17)

July 9, 2005

Standard of Men for the IBS Woman

When you have IBS, men are judged by a whole new set of standards. A great first date means revealing your policy on red meat, fried things and cookies and he doesn't make a rude comment. A great second date is going somewhere outside of your 2mile safe zone of restaurants and he kisses you goodnight. A great third date is accepting a day trip to an amusement park without starving yourself for 24hours prior. Potential boyfriend material means considering that being with him intimately may be worth getting an IBS attack. A boy to keep is someone that can make you hot tea, get you a pillow and hold your hand WITHOUT speaking while you are having an attack.

Oh, and did I happen to mention the series of anti spasm medicine's I've been taking to control the pain in my intestines? Everytime I take one, I will for it to start working, but I just feel a little sleepy. And really, what's the good of anti spasm medicines when there is no difference in my digestion whether or not I take it. The real function is to manage the pain. As anyone with IBS will attest, pain is a welcome intrusion on our bodies.
Pain means that: 1. As soon as the pain is over, I will be able to function normally - without worry - for about 24hours. 2. Its expelling the bad "roadblock" of digestion in my intestines. 3. For that very moment, as I'm rocking back and forth on the floor of my bathroom, nothing else matters - not work, not school, not my infuriating exboyfriend.

Posted by Christine at 12:25 AM | Comments (8)