SeerOfSS said:
IBS can mean a lot of things. TCM recognizes many different causes for IBS and how to treat it.
By the way, there are many online clinics for TCM where you can get diagnosed and prescribed herbs and other lifestyle changes. You can do this completely concurrent with the allopathic doctor.
In addition, TCM possess methods to promote the faster healing of wounds, including the knee, other joints, bone, etc. They would also look at your complaints with your lungs, as well as any other imbalances you may have. In this way, it would be in your best interest to see a TCM clinician.
I don't want to kill your hope in allopathic doctors, but as far as IBS treatment goes: I know a man who had IBS all his life and they just kept increasing his meds until they eventually removed his whole colon. They never asked him to give a food diary, and they told him conflicting dietary advice like don't eat fiber, then they said eat fiber, and so on. I don't think they really know what they are doing, but they made a lot of money from the drugs and surgery, plus other colonoscopies.
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I read a bit on this drug. From wikipedia: "Dicycloverine [Dicyclomine]
blocks the action of acetylcholine on cholinergic receptors on smooth muscles in the GI tract, relaxing the smooth muscle. Dicycloverine can cause a range of anticholinergic side effects such as dry mouth, nausea, blurred vision, dizziness, confusion, severe constipation, stomach pain, heart palpitations, difficulty urinating, and seizures"
Even the doctor should know the bloating happens when the food items are acted upon by bacteria in the intestine. This happens because the food items were not properly digested by the spleen and stomach organ systems beforehand. Same way that something rots in your fridge and smells bad.
If you weren't constipated, then the intestines were moving just fine.
For your sake I hope it does bring you relief in some form. As far as any long-term recovery though, I wouldn't rely on it for that.
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There is some interplay with the lungs and other parts of the body. For example, the kidneys are responsible for "holding the lungs down". When this does not happen, then the lungs will feel like short of breath or cannot get a full breath. This may or may not be the case, but I think something similar may be happening.
Does this happen only when you are feeling bloated, or just in a general sense?
Following this, do you feel other symptoms of not being able to calm down in other parts of your body? Insomnia, anxiety, palpitations, frantic movements, cannot sit still or concentrate well, etc. Do you also feel opposing symptoms, such as cold limbs, weakness, fatigue, tiredness, low motivation? Note, it is possible to feel both of these things at the same time.
If you are a
Vata Dosha person, then this is another possible reason for the bloating. This seems more likely than Kapha since you indicated feelings of not being able to calm down, plus if the knee joint was damaged (unless from being overweight). Read the above link and see if that applies to you. If not, then you should find your Dosha/Constitution, as this will point to how your body is most likely to be imbalanced and how to counter this, on a broader scale.
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Food wise, definitely start making a list as to what aggravates you and what does not. Be critical of processed foods because they can contain many different chemicals and ingredients that may aggravate you. Whole foods are easier to judge, but processed foods can be harder. You may have to eliminate specific items, for example.
Be diligent and patient now while the digestive system recovers, but don't think this is something that will have to go on forever. Some food items may be very damaging and should be completely eliminated, but not all. Once healed, the digestion would be able to handle things that may otherwise give you symptoms now.
Lastly, are you able to perform yoga? I assume you might not be able to with the condition of the knee. However, if you look in the
Hatha Yoga PDF from Satan's Library, you
should pick out a few of the exercises that don't involve the knees. For example, the twisting of the chest, the side stretches, chest stretches, etc. Do as many as you can that don't strain your knees. This should further heal those parts of the body.
The ST36 point will direct the body to specifically heal the stomach and spleen of all ailments. This is what makes it a great and commonly used point. Spend as much time as possible with it to promote healing.