IBS Ain't For Wimps

I'm in the midst of an IBS flare. I think it was triggered by some food poisoning (green liquid shooting out of the arse) and some stress. It's probably been about a month since liquid green incident. Once triggered, an IBS flare can last for various amounts of time.

If you're wondering what IBS is consider yourself lucky. The rest of you that can relate (what- 1 in 4 Americans?) on some level will understand the anxiety near shats in a store can bring.

My therapist also has IBS, and so I spent some of my precious therapy hour discussing gas, constipation, diarrhea. She recommended I go to the local natural university dispensary. (I should mention my naturopath is on vacation, and did leave me a product for GI health...but I think I needed something specifically for the abdominal pain)

At said dispensary I went to the...uh...dispensorists? they're not pharmacists so I don't know what they're called. Two guys younger than me had a "you go...no you go" discussion about helping me. Makes you feel so good about yourself.

The young guy walked back with me and I explained that I was having an IBS flare. I wasn't embarassed at all. With all the poking and prodding this body has endure by the health care community, discussing this didn't seem like a big deal. I finally settled on a product and as I hand it to the person behind the register, realize it is called "gas and bloating". No nice herbal name for it. Sigh. This IBS stuff ain't for wimps.