The silent, invisible threat of a virus is like no other. Or perhaps it’s actually a little like IBS – no visible signs to anyone else, and silent because this is a secretive affliction. So, maybe we should understand it better than others – that a threat can be silent and invisible and still be devastating.
Total lockdown at level 4 (the highest of four levels) happened in New Zealand at midnight on Wednesday 25th March. We could leave our homes only to go to the supermarket, for medical help or for exercise in the immediate vicinity of our properties.
A day later, as the enormity of what was happening in the world finally dawned on a confused psyche, I started to bleed. This has always been my reaction to extreme stress. At each tragic milestone in my life, this has happened. I have IBS-C and so my constipation worsens, haemorrhoids appear and I bleed every painful time I go to the toilet. I adjust my fibre intake, I pop pills for the throbbing, raw pain and I wait.
This is the unkindest thing of all about IBS. That when life goes dark, IBS symptoms ramp up and now, coping with whatever the Universe has thrown at us becomes even more unbearable. A double whammy of pain, both physical and emotional.
I am an empath. I take on the suffering of others and have never learned to shield myself from this. If I see a person crying on TV, even if I have just turned it on, tears will spill down my face unbidden. I have not actively watched or read the news in decades in an effort to spare myself pain, but right now I have been following what is happening with Covid-19 and it overwhelms me. Hence the bleeding.
Everyone is affected by this pandemic in different ways – for some, life will never be the same, while for others, especially for those who have always worked from home and can continue to do so, little has changed in real terms except a reduced social life. But for almost everyone, the reality of a world that has changed radically in a matter of days is traumatic. And those with IBS don’t deal well with trauma.
Now, our daily cases of the virus in New Zealand are down to single digits with every case being traced to its origin, so last night at midnight, we lowered to level 3, which has created more freedom for businesses to open up. We are not out of the woods yet, but today my bleeding has stopped – like magic. I no longer read the international news but instead focus on how brilliantly the NZ government, under the strong leadership of Jacinda Ardern, is guiding us through this crisis with decisive action and a strong directive.
For all of you out there whose IBS has ramped up, my heart goes out to you – I understand. Let me know in the comments how you are coping.
To help you, here are a couple of links with information for controlling your symptoms:
Stress-Releasing Technique to Ease Your IBS Symptoms
5 Tips for Reducing the stress in Your Life to Help Your IBS
Hi Suzanne,
I ‘m sorry to hear what you have gone thru but somehow it is reassuring to hear I am not the only one. I also have Ibs-c which has gotten progressively worse with each week since 3/16 or maybe a few days before. I am a RN and realized quickly that this could be problematic but not the full extent of The pandemic. I’ve found that multiple tweaks have been required AND that I have had to limit significantly my viewing time of tv/ social media.
Stay safe and well
Peg
The brain to gut connection is truly a powerful one and can never be underestimated. As an RN, are you out there at the front edge of the pandemic or are you retired?
Suzanne,
These are such hard times. The world has turned upside down and I can understand how your stress has affected you. I am glad you are feeling somewhat better. I wake up every morning feeling depressed and tell myself this is a bad dream and force myself, with tummyache and all, to get out of bed. Then I am ok. Thank you for being so open about your IBS-C since I have it too. Wishing you the Best of Everything and know, “This Too Shall Pass,” and also “The Best Is Yet To Be.” You have always been a strength for me. Love you. I live in San Diego, and we are still indoors all day, and nothing much open. I am waiting for better times. Hope to hear from you very soon. Take care and stay well and healthy. Love, Phyllis Spital xoxoxo
Thank you for your kind words, Phyllis. It will indeed pass like all things, and we will have learned a lot from it about what our priorities are.
Keep well and keep getting out of bed.
Hi Suzanne,
You have been a blessing in my life. I took your course and learned so much. My symptoms have been under control for quite some time now, as long as I don’t cheat with foods I know will do me in. I am so sorry to hear of how the stress of the present situation has been affecting you. I imagine it must be increased by the fact that your husband is from Italy. I’m glad to hear things are improving in NZ and your bleeding has stopped. Things seem to be being handled here in BC, Canada fairly well. All the best to you and your family. Maureen
Lovely to hear from you, Maureen. I am glad that BC, Canada is handling the situation so well. It gives us such comfort to be able to believe in our leaders.
All the Italian family are safe but it has been worrisome for sure.
I’m happy to hear the good news about the family, Suzanne. Best wishes for the coming days. Maureen
Thank You Suzanne. I am beginning to gain some strength back. When you get knocked down with IBS plus the universal stress, it can seem like an impossible mountain to climb. One foot in front of the other is what it takes for me on those days.
Indeed, it is one foot in front of the other until it feels natural to keep moving. The mountain is not that high once you start climbing.
Oh Susanne, I’m sorry about the reaction but so glad you are getting better.
Indiana is maintaining the social distancing pretty well. We also have a strong Governor who is letting science decide on the next step. I watch him and Governor Cuomo in New York. Knowing that there are strong sane leaders has helped my stress. You take care of yourself
That’s great that you are in one of the states where the leaders are making good science-based decisions. It certainly helps one’s stress levels.
Hi Suzanne, I was so sorry to read about your IBS flare up and the bleeding it has caused. I too have IBS-C and have been so good for so long taking for granted that I could go to the toilet everyday until our world spun out of control, now for the last month I am struggling to go to the toilet at all even though I am eating the same foods, taking magnesium Citrate and Chia seeds everyday, now to my disappointment I have taken to using Miralax laxative, and that it in itself is so depressing and stressful to think I have gone back to the days before I started this journey on the low fodmap diet. Until I read your blog I really didn’t associate it with what has been going on in the world, I to limit my news intake to just reading the little snippets that we get on our phones, I don’t as a rule read papers or watch the news so I thought that this was not affecting me, obviously I was wrong. I know we haven’t been in touch sinch I finished my 2 courses with you but I do read everything you email me and it keeps me positive and you have changed my life so much. I know (hopefully) that I will get back on track, but at this point not sure what else I can do. Sorry for the long winded comment but I would like to say a huge thank you for everything you do for all of us IBS sufferers, you are a god send. xx
It’s lovely to hear from you, Chrissy. It was a pleasure helping you during the workshop a few years back. I am so sorry to hear how this has affected you too, but I am not surprised. All we can do is ride it out. Hopefully, in a week we will be down to level 2 and things will feel more normal again, and our IBS will calm down.
Hi Suzanne,
I hope that you are now well and that symptoms calm down. It seems that many of us with IBS and/or SIBO get through rough time during lock down. Your advices about low FODMAP diet helped me a lot during hard times of SIBO flares. I also want to encourage those who cached COVID that proper nutrition, particular vitamins and minerals intake is crucial, not just for maintenance of GI health, but also for good immunity, so if someone prepared got the virus, symptoms will be mild. It is especially important for us with IBS/SIBO, since first symptoms are very similar to SIBO flare, and they continue to persist few weeks. And even more important is recovery of GI tract and whole organism, which is harder part and is also connected to autoimmunity and gut imbalance. We all with gut issues learn how to follow own organism and this is part of it. I hope that we will learn how to quickly recover as a part of our healing process and that we will accept all these new things, good or bad, as a part of healing journey.
I wish to everyone and to you Suzanne good health and strength to go on!
I am feeling much more hopeful now as we all adapt to a new world which includes Covid. Thank you for your wise advice. Stay well.
After months of discomfort, sometimes severe enough to leave me curled in the fetal position, I have been diagnosed with IBS. I’ve been eating low Fodmap for about 3 days now and already feel a difference in my body. I always knew there was a mind-body connection, but it is still a bit strange to me that this developed during the ongoing pandemic.
Many of my recent clients have had their symptoms either start or get worse since the pandemic. With the mind-body connection, it is not that strange actually. As far as stressors go, an ongoing world-wide pandemic is right up there. I am pleased to hear you are doing well on the diet. Stick to it accurately and it will change your life.
I just read about your Ibs flair. I am so sorry, it had to be awful. I for the most part have been ok, have times with Ibsd, but some times I have done it to myself. Sometime with vegetables I still can’t eat 2 days in a row.
Our Country is in a terrible condition and it really scares me, and I keep saying I live in my own bubble but that’s not reality.
I know you post things but I don’t get them. I must not be putting the correct site or something. I would appreciate your help.
Keep the faith and stay well,
Fondly,
Meredith
I am happy to hear you are getting through Covid relatively unscathed. You are probably not subscribed to my blog. You can do that here under the main photo: https://www.strandsofmylife.com/ However, I am not blogging at the moment, just running the coaching business.