Whiny Wednesday

Today's whine is directly related to my health and my annoying IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). IBS gets in the way of my life regularly. Today I was so excited to leave work and go to Body Pump at the YMCA, but before I was leaving work to catch the bus, I started to feel really sick and found myself in the bathroom. There is no way to do much when my IBS is bothering me, especially working out. I think what makes IBS more annoying is that it starts to act up more when I'm eating healthy and lots of fiber. I get so motivated with a diet and workout plan then I'm sick for a few days - very discouraging!


Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS or spastic colon) is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements. Diarrhea or constipation may predominate, or they may alternate (classified as IBS-D, IBS-C or IBS-A, respectively). Although there is no cure for IBS, there are treatments that attempt to relieve symptoms, including dietary adjustments, medication and psychological interventions. Patient education and a good doctor-patient relationship are also important. Several conditions may present as IBS including coeliac disease, fructose malabsorption, mild infections, parasitic infections like giardiasis, several inflammatory bowel diseases, functional chronic constipation, and chronic functional abdominal pain. In IBS, routine clinical tests yield no abnormalities, although the bowels may be more sensitive to certain stimuli, such as balloon insufflation testing. The exact cause of IBS is unknown. The most common theory is that IBS is a disorder of the interaction between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract, although there may also be abnormalities in the gut flora or the immune system. IBS does not lead to more serious conditions in most patients. However, it is a source of chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms and contributes to work absenteeism. Researchers have reported that the high prevalence of IBS, in conjunction with increased costs, produces a disease with a high societal cost. It is also regarded as a chronic illness and can dramatically affect the quality of a sufferer's life.

Waaaaaaaaaa to you IBS