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IBS-C and MS and the brutal cold

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Denjski
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2008
Posts : 105
Posted 1/17/2009 6:29 PM (GMT -8)
Hello everyone...its Dennis.

I'm sure most everyone has been subjected to the brutal cold going across the country. I can usually deal with winter, I live in upstate New York, but this deep cold.....I think it is affecting my MS, the cold weather really stressing the MS, and then in turn, the IBS..

I start to get symptoms of MS first that are different from IBS...This important because MS and IBS do share symptoms...depression, and anxiety to name two...but I first start to get walking problems and peeing. One of the symptoms of MS is pee urgency...I mean you REALLY have to pee

Then the C starts...I mean I could not move hardly anything for days..back pain...I finally drank that salt solution that really cleans you out. I took it, and nothing happened! The directions said if no movement within 6 hours, contact a doctor..I fell asleep and after about 11 hours total time, right when I was going to call my doc, the bathroom called. And everything came out, and I do mean everything...quite easily, no strain, was not sure if I could flush so much

Thanks for letting me rant about this..there are times I just want to rant to people who understand all the things we have to deal with...right now I kinda of feeling OK, until the next time I have to go outside
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Marsky
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 1956
Posted 1/18/2009 8:23 AM (GMT -8)
Even though I love winter, I have learned that if I'm dressed for cold weather, I just feel better overall. Since I struggle with IBS-like symptoms (D is more my case than yours), when I'm messed up and it's cold out, it does seem to make things worse. What I find that works well are:

Lightweight thermal underwear (I bought mine years ago at Target, a knock off brand similar to what you'd find at LL Bean or Lands' End).

Corduroy pants (over jeans). Much warmer.

I dress in layers and tuck my thermal pants into my boot type sox (purchased also with extra padding in mind years ago, my daughter prefers Smartwool sox but they are expensive, mine were bought at Kohl's), then put on my cords.

Wool sweaters are a must! But they're itchy, I wear long sleeved T's underneath.

Down mules from Sierra Designs - OMG, I want to wear these everywhere! Last year I bought a second pair at the end of the season (you have to buy them online), they were only $13, orig. $35. When I'm away from home, I can't wait to get home and wear my comfy clothes and my down slippers. I wish I could drive in them!

Our heated water bed. My daughters have electric blankets. You could try these. But we all fight over my husband's throw back to his post-college purchase 80's phase - the butt ugly but oh so warm waterbed. Our Golden Retriever loves our bed too.

And finally.....hot tea.

I do hope you can find the comfort you are searching for. Oh one more thing, the toilet to our master bath is in a small separate room with tiled floor, over our unheated garage. It's freezing sitting there. Until I bought bathroom carpet and cut it to fit this space. We use this carpet from November to March or April every year. I could never use that toilet without this padding! It's like sitting in an outhouse without it!
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Denjski
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2008
Posts : 105
Posted 1/18/2009 9:56 PM (GMT -8)
Hello Mary......I grew up in the frozen tundra of upstate New York where I still live...as a boy scout I would go winter camping... when I got older, downhill skier, its not the actual cold, more like the stress of a brutal winter... its dark, usually cloudy or snowing...with my MS it makes it even harder walking through the snow. I fell once already, needed xrays....just painful bruise, BUT that stress set off the IBS

and I always drink tea...I prefer Margurite's Hope Darjeeling, 2nd Flush
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Denjski
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2008
Posts : 105
Posted 1/20/2009 11:18 PM (GMT -8)
I just wanted to add that I am getting relief, thank you Lord! But it seems like it seems to take longer. I took these stool softener laxitives that performed as advertised, but, the directions said, if no movement in 6 to 12 hours, call your doctor...I did and she prescibes Miralax.. I buy some, decide to have a cup of tea before I take the Miralax.... I took the stool/lax and almost 18 hours later, it works. I am having an excasberbation of my MS right now and I think my colon has just slowed down for a while...I will try the Miralax and see if that speeds up my colon
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Marsky
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 1956
Posted 1/21/2009 4:22 AM (GMT -8)
Denjski - I hope you receive some relief soon. Very soon.

Let's hope the meds you've taken turn things around for you. I feel for you, how painful this must be right now. And brutal cold on top of it all makes things worse.
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Denjski
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2008
Posts : 105
Posted 1/21/2009 10:48 AM (GMT -8)
Like I said, the laxitives work, they just seem to take longer than usual, and they work very wellalso. Today I feel like a different person, I can even focus my eyes!

I have to say something. Sometimes I feel like a real poeser when I post my problems.. I have read the posts of others who are going through real agoney, and I am complaining that I can't take a dump when I expect to.

Right now my MS is also acting up, so that also affects my IBS-C, but still I think I am better off than a lot you, so I feel guilty when I post and whine
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