Debra Jean Kelly Greene's Story

What were the steps leading up to your diagnosis?

For many years I had symptoms of fibromyalgia but I did not know why I hurt and couldn't sleep, or why my stomach was not happy. In April of 2000 a doctor confirmed that I had FMS. With FMS, IBS seems to be a 'given'. In my mid forties I was a prisoner in my home so often because I could not stay away from the bathroom. I had no life and it was a miserable existence.

What lifestyle changes have you needed to make?

The biggest lifestyle changes I have made deal with what I eat. I stay away from processed foods, drink no sodas, eat very little bread and no pasta. I eat a good deal more vegetables and nuts/seeds than I used to. It is also important to eat something that is pickled four or five times a week. I try to eat some fermented food each day. Probiotics and sufficient fiber has healed my GI tract and I rarely have GI problems now.

Who has been there for you? How?

My husband and children have really been there for me. They are really wonderful. My doctor has also been there for me and did not doubt the pain I was in. I had to become proactive in my choices. Through my journey I have learned that I have to look after myself, be judicious in my choices about my healthcare. After all, just popping a pill to cover a symptom will not find the root of the problem.

What accomplishment are you proud of?

Before I had these health problems I was an ‘A' type personality with boundless energy. For some 20 years I worked with disabled adults, putting myself through undergraduate and graduate schools as a house parent. My career helped me get a Masters of Education in Vocational Rehab. Counseling from Drake University in Des Moines, IA. I worked as a case manager for a while and really enjoyed working. I am so glad that "learning to learn" back then helped me later on. My studies ever since have been a boon for me. They have given me my life back!

What's your advice to someone else living with IBS?

The way in which I healed myself was a personal journey of discovery. Making good or questionable choices as to what I eat each day is a personal thing. Through ongoing studies (even before the WWW!) I learned what my body does and does not need. Over the years my studies on proper diet have completely changed my understanding of what I should and should not subject my GI tract to. Each person is different but the research I did in the past decade or so has healed my body.

Is there anything else we should know?

Radically changing my diet was something that I had to try. When you are so sick and don't know how to find relief, you will try anything to help the situation. It is difficult for me to say this but at one point I was taking a dozen prescriptions. Now I take zero.

I was getting sicker and sicker and something had to give. While I still love my MD, I have learned that chemicals are not the way to help or heal FMS and IBS. With natural and healthy choices I have lost some 20 pounds and greatly improved my health. Throwing a chemical-based substance at symptoms is not getting to the root of the problem. Find whatever your body is deficient in and the symptoms will be helped. Holistic healing has made a world of difference for me.