Hello! Today I'm gonna talk about my (unfortunate) journey with IBS which is also known as Irritable Bowel syndrome.
I remember I used to have an iron stomach - i.e. i could have eaten 3 bowls of rice + other dishes without issues and within a few hours, i'm ready for my next hunt. However, ever since a severe food poisoning episode when I was in Sec 2, my stomach was never the same again.
Initially after the food poisoning episode, I noticed that i started having on and off periods of constipation and diarrhea. Increasingly, I developed flatulence which often resulted in embarrassing tummy sounds and sulphur packed fart... I really had no idea what was happening then and I could only attribute to my body 'recovering' from the bad food poisoning which lasted for about 2 weeks.
Before I knew it, I've been living with such uncomfortable condition for at least 10 years. I did try to see a doctor before but I'm often told that it's either I'm stressed, not eating enough fiber, not exercising enough etc etc. But mind you... i do all these yet my condition seemed to have worsened over the years. TBH, I was at wits end because I've tried omeprazole, enzymes, constipation relief pills etc but nothing seemed to help. If it did, it is only temporary and the symptoms would be back with a vengeance lol. I did a lot of research on pubmed, google, youtube whatever and my symptoms seemed to point towards IBS. Although I did not get myself medically diagnosed as having IBS, I knew something wasn't right with me.
Thus, I decided to try out TCM to see if I could regulate my body back to the norm? I know it definitely does not sound scientific in any way and as a science student and it was rather difficult for me to accept. However, when nothing seemed to work, any solution to me could be a possible light at the end of the tunnel.
I've visited at least 2-3 other TCMs and each visit would cost me around $80 or more... while symptoms did improve, it didn't last. My only source of 'hope' seemed to be diminishing and I wanted to give up trying tcm. HOWEVER, my ibs problem was soooooo bad after university that whatever I ingest, my stomach bloats up like i'm 9 months pregnant and gosh it was really frustrating. I felt that if I did not find a way to relieve this problem, it's gonna affect my health or my mental health...
Chia Kit Chay Medical Hall TCM
SO anyways I googled for good TCM around where I stay in 2019 and a blogpost regarding Chia Kit Chay Medical Hall popped up (The blog is no longer available). The blogger talked about how the physician managed to help her conceive despite after undergoing multiple failed attempts of IVF etc. OK, pregnancy and IBS has no relations but heck it, if he can help someone get pregnant even when IVF cannot, I gotta try this!!!
I went with negative expectations due to my previous failed attempts and I told myself that I will just give up if this wasn't gonna work through after 3 months of treatment. The first consultation was rather efficient and doc told my that I have IBS too (yay i'm not a paranoid and crazy patient). He suggested me to go down every week and I had to receive acupuncture + medication as well. He told me that I'm experiencing all these because I have a weak spleen (in the tcm concept) and thus he would have to strengthen my spleen. TBH, it's hard for my brain to wrap around this because I'm too used to western medicine but hey, if tcm has lasted throughout 5000 years of china history, it probably works.
Did it work??
Lo and behold! After 6 months or so of treatment, my condition kinda stabilised and I no longer have frequent cycles of constipation and diarrhoea. I could also enjoy my food much better now without bloating up like I'm pregnant. Apart from that, my energy levels has improved greatly and I no longer feel so lethargic despite having a full 8 hours of sleep. Seriously thank god for sending this amazing doc and I really really cannot imagine myself struggling with this problem for the rest of my life!! Quality of life has drastically improved for me after my IBS has stabilised and I could feel that I am less irritable as a person as well.
I went religiously every week from Nov 2019 until dengue strike in April 2020 and I was forced to take a hiatus of about 1 month. That's when I realised that my body was no longer 100% dependent on his medication/treatment for me to feel ok. This translate to the fact that my condition has improved! I still visit him now and then for other stuff and also to keep this problem at bay - but it's at most twice a month now :)
About the physician
I found Physician Chia very frank but friendly. Instead of just treating my IBS problem, he treated me as a whole which I found different compared to other TCM I've visited. He shows genuine care to his patients and it was almost like meeting an old friend everytime i go for review haha. Whenever he finds patients in bad mood, he will often try to counsel them and advice them to look on the brighter side of things. I think this is something I really appreciate because after going for his treatment and AKA counselling sessions, his snippets of wisdom on life has rubbed off me a little. So if you are looking for a caring and zai physician, look no further!
Cost
The cost is definitely not cheap considering that I had to go down every single week. Each session was about $78 and it was a serious pinch to my wallet. However, as the saying goes that health is wealth, I'm actually very glad that at this point of time, my wealth is still able to buy me back my health and a peaceful stomach. With a fixed cost of $312 for TCM, I certainly had to cut down on other areas of my expenses to tide through. BUT IT IS WORTH IT!
IBS and ME now
I guess IBS will always have a symbiotic relationship with me whether I like it or not. But at least it is a tamed kitty now. Although I do have some occasions where there is severe flatulence, the issue isn't as serious as before and I can live with this minor inconvenience. Living with a chronic condition isn't easy and it takes a lot of self motivation to overcome the pain and frustration. It is about learning how to cope with the problem mentally and also physically. To me, that would be to understand what are my triggers and how I could possible tweak my lifestyle to better manage the disease.
I still experience basal bloating after I eat now, but at least it is manageable. I remember the bloating used to be so bad everyday that I could only wear loose preggy looking clothes because I did not want anyone else to notice my enlarged tummy. Fortunately now, I could at least wear some figure hugging clothes on good days :)
What worked for me
Stress was a major factor that contributed to the severity of my symptoms. Thus, I knew I had to regulate my stress levels. This included regular exercise (cardio, hiit, weights, yoga etc), journalling and deep breathing exercises. Not only did it help with my bloating, it improved my sleep and energy level as well.
I began a log book on what triggers worsening of my bloating/diarrhoea/constipation and try to reduce the intake of these food. I tried my best to go on a low FODMAP food. While complete abstinence could be a solution, the physician also felt that maintaining a good quality of life is still important :) thank goodness I do not have to bid farewell to ice cream, desserts and spicy food :> Portion control is also important because overeating will certainly cause bloating even in normal people. I've noticed that banana and kiwi are especially effective for me to have normal bowel habits in the morning and thus have included them into my regular meals :) I'll share more in another post on specific changes I've made to my lifestyle.
If you are struggling with IBS and would like to try TCM, you could try Mr Chia out! However, do note that he does not take appointments and every visit is strictly by walk ins only. Try to be early as he is very popular - the queue tends to balloon up within 30 minutes of opening. He is located near the selegie soyabean and diagonally opposite the famous Ponggol Nasi Lemak. The nearest MRT station is Kovan MRT and there are several buses that service that area also. I've included the address below, you can google to find out about his opening hours. Closed on Wednesdays and Public holidays.
Chia Kit Chay Medical Hall: 1010-A Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534748
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