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10 years of IBS - healed in a month - Free

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 5/21/2009 5:45 AM (GMT -5)
I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) 10 years ago.

After consulting the doctor I had the usual investigations over the year that followed:

Colonoscopy (result: all clear)
Barium Enema (result: all clear)
and, because of symptoms of reflux esophagitis
Upper Endoscopy (result: inflamed)

The inflammation was treated with med's that lower the acidity of the stomach, and by putting my bed at an angle to help keep the acid fluids down.
This treatment lasted for a month, and was later repeated as I was still uncomfortable.

The ibs continued with a minor improve when I found out to avoid milk products, and no improve from various other products and diet changes.

A recent news article originating from the BMJ and broadcasted by the BBC mentioned a relation between oesophageal cancer and drinking very hot tea.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7965380.stm

I was not particularly worried about cancer, but realise that I drink my tea and coffee without milk and I like it hot.

This in combination with the earlier inflammation in the oesophagus motivated me to leave my tea and coffee a bit longer to cool.

By just leaving hot drinks to cool a bit, within a month (a week ago at the moment of writing this) my symptoms of ibs disapeared. A solution so simple that I feel stupid it took me 10 years.

Posted 5/22/2009 11:48 PM (GMT -5)
So, were you, in essence, burning your esophagus with too-hot liquids?

Personally, caffeine overstimulates my guts and I can't drink it, not at any temperature.
Posted 5/23/2009 3:52 AM (GMT -5)
I think so, yes. The whole trouble started with a dodgy take away bacon pizza, that must have caused the initial damage, then hot drinks must have stopped it from healing.
Posted 5/24/2009 2:40 PM (GMT -5)
May have happened that way. I got into some sugar alcohols by way of a piece of chewing gum (yes, just one piece), and I tore my guts up and couldn't get them straightened out for two months. Calcium supplements finally seem to have healed whatever irritation I got in my GI tract from the sugar alcohol. I guess it's sort of like coughing: you cough because your throat is irritated, and coughing makes your throat more irritated; it's a vicious cycle that can take ages to work out. I can see how hot drinks could contribute to upper GI tract irritation.
Posted 5/25/2009 4:57 AM (GMT -5)
It's amazing how little it can take to upset the system, and how long it can take to set it right. Once irritable bowels are diagnosed and the doctor is convinced it's not cancer you are sort of on your own, trying whatever to get rid of it, not knowing if there is a cause or a cure. (it might all be in the mind)

I've tried various variations on what i eat, used lactace, probiotic, taken up walking, and given up a really irregular job hoping it would help. A bit disappointing it was as simple as it turned out to be in the end, but happy to be better.

Main reason for sharing all this is hope that it might help someone else. I had never thought of the possibility that hot drinks would be stopping my bowels from getting better.

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