What If I Get Sick Again?

 

If you have any chronic illness, you are sure to have wondered, what if I get sick again?  What if I do all this work, see improvements, but they do not last forever? What if the healing does not last?

 

Of course, it is normal to have these concerns. But they should not be a reason to not try and heal yourself.

 

If I get sick again. I will never regret the time that I have spent healing myself. This time, and all the actions I am taking. Will always be an investment in my own body and health.

 

If you have worried about what would happen if you get sick again. Read on, we discuss:

 

• My plan if I do get sick again

 

• How I will clinically monitor my symptoms

 

• My own fears and experience with this topic

 

• How I will never regret the healing that I have created

 

Let’s look into each of these ideas more. Hopefully, we can all calm our fears on the topic of, ‘what if I get sick again?’

 

My Plan If I Get Sick Again

In April 2022 I started to feel a lot better after my last flare. I was so terrified for a lot of the time that I was sick. Terrified of what was happening to my body. How much harm I had done to myself. And if I would ever feel better again.

When I did start to feel better, I developed a real fear of getting sick again. I know that I have some PTSD from the flares that I have experienced.

 

And that is completely normal. Having an IBD flare is life-changing. It can put your entire life on hold, and even change the way that you view your own life. Especially if you develop complications of IBD.

 

That’s why I decided to make a plan. I actually took out a piece of paper and made a written plan on what I would do if I get sick again. Just making the written plan calmed me.

My plan outlined the following:

 

• Listen to my body for the first signs of an IBD flare

 

• Take immediate action, which includes
  • Switching over to a completely semi-elemental diet for a few weeks (2 weeks at least)
  • Start from phase 1 of the IBD-AID

 

• Assess what sparked off the flare, and avoid repeating it

Listening to your body, and being honest about what it is telling you. Is the most important step in managing another potential IBD flare. I have found that the quicker I react to symptoms, the quicker I can heal a flare. 

 

I will be looking for IBD symptoms, such as diarrhea, and increased bowel movements. Stomach upset or irritation. I will have to be proactive in looking for the first indication of a flare.

While also taking into consideration what else could be affecting my GI tract. This could include my period, an iron infusion, or a normal stomach bug.

I will continue to use my BM journal. Where I monitor how many BMs I have per day. How they score on the Bristol chart. And any new foods that I am adding to my diet. As well as my overall symptoms and feelings.

 

 

If I begin to have IBD symptoms, I will use a two-tier dietary approach.  First I will follow a semi-elemental diet. I will make sure that I always have some Elemental Gold on hand. So that I am prepared for this if I get sick again, 

And then the IBD-AID from phase 1.

 

I will take the time to assess what sparked off the flare. I will have to be completely honest with myself to make this assessment accurately.

 

Everyone wants to believe that everything that they do is perfect. But I truly believe that if I were to have another IBD flare. There would be something that I have done, or has happened to be, that sparked it off.

 

Something like, breaking my diet. Or mismanaging a stressful event. Or an increase in pollution, or a vaccine. Once I have identified the trigger, I can try my best to avoid it, and learn to prevent future flares.

I Will Clinically Monitor My Symptoms

 

I am going to clinically monitor my symptoms every six months. I will do this by getting a calprotectin test done. This calprotectin test will help me monitor the inflammatory levels in my body.

If my inflammatory markers start to raise, then I will know that I need to take steps to heal them. If they are stable or continue to go down. I know what I am doing is working. And my body is doing well.

The calprotectin tests will be used as a confirmation, for how my body actually feels.

 

My Own Fears and Experiences

Of course , I am worried about what will happen if I get sick again. Every doctor I have ever seen has told me that IBD is a lifelong condition. That you go through periods of remission and flares.

 

While I do not necessarily think that this is true if you take the right steps to heal your body. It is difficult not to worry about this.

I have spent hours worrying about what may happen during my healing journey. If I’ll get sick again.  If I can ever be fully healed from IBD. I know other people have done it, but can I do it?

The bottom line is that I am going to try. Not only try, but commit 100% effort and responsibility in the task of healing myself.

Creating the plan mentioned above has helped me immensely. Having a written plan on what I will do, step by step, if I have another IBD flare. I have proven that these steps have helped heal an IBD flare in the past. And I am sure they will do it again.

 

Managing these fears is a crucial aspect of overall stress management. And therefore IBD management. Learning how to focus on the positive aspects of what I am doing. Rather than just the risks if it fails, has been a huge, and necessary learning curve.

 

I Will Never Regret The Healing That I Have Created

The bottom line is that I will never regret the healing that I have created in my body. I am in clinical remission. I do not have high levels of inflammation in my bowel. What I am doing has healed my body.  Even if it’s temporary, I will never regret it.

 

Everything that I am continuing to do is an investment in my own health. My own body. And my own future.

Even if that healing is only temporary, I know that it has benefitted my body.

It has also impacted my mental health in a hugely positive way. The healing that I have done has proven to me that what I am doing is working. It has shown me what is possible.

 

Deep down I know, that if I stick to what has been working. And commit to a healing lifestyle 100%. I know that I will be successful in my healing journey.

If I get into another flare. It does not really matter. I will just go back to the beginning of my journey and start again. I am committed to this healing lifestyle for the rest of my life.

If you are committed to this natural healing journey as well. Hopefully, this post has given you some respite from any fears you may be having. If you get sick again … your healing journey continues.

 

There is no reason to regret any healing steps that you have taken to help manage IBD. There are no negative side effects to healing your body.

There are no negatives to eating a healing, healthy diet. There are no side effects to having a good sleep schedule. Meditation will not harm you. There is no reason to fear these healing practices.

If I do get sick again. I know that these practices have only added to my health cup. And helped me to create a better future for myself.