Confusion and Silver Lining.

Gerta  was mighty confused as to where Betsy's head had gone! 
Another morning on the allotment - yep, doing cover again for the morning open! More digging of the bed, more removing stones from the soil! Im making progress but it's slow! 3 hours and my FitBit goal of 10,000 steps achieved - meant the rest of the day I could take it easy! 
I'd just got home and was making myself some fried bananas on rice cakes when someone rang the doorbell. It was compassionate girl, and much to my surprise I let her in! We shared the fried banana and caught up on each others news. She has digestive issues too and so we shared our experiences and tips. I've recently discovered that lack of food can trigger an IBS attack, so as well as watching what I eat I'm making sure I eat little but often! Not sure if I've already written about this latest self-diagnosis, so incase I haven't here goes! 
Past issues are settled, panic attacks virtually gone, and I'd had the reassurance from the Dr there was nothing physically wrong with me. However  the strange sensation I get in my digestive system along with the severe bloating, remained and I finally realised the sensation was cramps!  I don't know which came first, the IBS or the panic and high anxiety, but I think they both came to trigger each other! I was still worried about what the cramps were until I looked again at the symptoms of IBS. Now I think I know what it is and can do things about it, I can cope with the attacks without getting anxious and going into panic attacks when the physical symptoms are severe. Knowledge is everything! I'm hoping with time the IBS may actually disappear as my whole system calms down.
I've also discovered a herbal remedy called Iberogast, made in Germany since the 1961 it contains 9 herbs, Bitter candytuft, Angelica, Chamomile, Caraway, St. Mary’s thistle,Lemon balm,Peppermint, Greater Celandine and Liquorice. It is apparently one of the most documented plant-based medicines for gastrointestinal disorders in the world and has been  taken by over 52 million people! I take 20 drops in a little water before eating and it really seems to help, it certainly makes me burp well after eating more effectively than the peppermint tea I was drinking after a meal!
So all in all I'm less confused and far more positive and happy than I have been for the last 8 months. Plus I have a new lifestyle and mindset which is so much healthier than the way I used to live and function. So the collapse on the allotment last August really did have a silver lining to the cloud!