Ann, I am so glad you're back with us! You are right, fatigue is your # barrier to a lot. It's created by the diseases, by stress and by simply "doing" some days, on other days, it's the over-doing that'll getcha. I am more prone to talk and think goofy when I am stressed. That's why I always take my daughter to the doctor with me. She hears better that I do, anyway. Haha (Sometimes I only want to "hear" the good stuff)
My daughter-in-law, Emily, (and by the way- they are newly pregnant- yeaaaaaaa!! another UT fan) suffered with IBS for the last 10 yrs, but says it's really eased up the last few months before she got pregnant. The methotrexate seems to have put me over the edge into something that seems like IBS, but I think I'll try what you use. Can't really hurt- or can it??
The info about IBS is from a pamphlet that's put out by the Autoimmune Association and it lists all the AI diseases:
cardiomyopathy, diabetes, IBS, Systemic Lupus Erythemtous, Discoid Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren's Syndrome, Reynaud's, Asthma, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia...
I just went and looked for the pamphlet, but, of course, I can't remember where I put it. :-}
There is a VERY good reason my husband keeps reminding me: "Special places for special things". haha I'm hopeless! :-)
To answer you question about telling family: I don't ahve an answer, but an opinion.mI have told my close family and they have told whomever they wanted to. it's very inportant that I be up=front on a need-to-know basis because the disease does complicate things. Like- I must avoid people with infectious/communicable diseases. So, I had to resign from directing Toddlers Worship at my church. I didn't tell them exactly what I had, just explained that I was dealing with some serious health issues and had to withdraw from thatnsort of service. However, my Sunday School class knows all about it as they are my prayer-support. I am serious with co-workers if they get careless about their coughing habits, or come in deathly ill. We have 3 on staff of 6 who are at-risk from catching stuff. We try to stay light about it, but must be careful for each other. My boys don't understand as much about this disease as they will be in-time, but myb daughters and daughters in law are hungry for any and everything about the disease. They also monitor the whole family's health, anyway. They come in very handy as accountability monitors if I am trying to overdo. My husband is wonderful. he says that God gave me to him to protect and thata he's going to do whether I am sick or well, grouchy or happy, worn-out or frisky.
The rest of the people- and that goes for a buch at church to, hear about the disease(s) you have and come running to see how sick you really are- I call them crisis seekers. They find it exciting to hear of a new ailment. However, we disappoint them most of the time and look well. So we get the "well, you dont LOOK sick..." I try to avoid those kind of people unless I feel really strong. I don't have the time nor energy to convince them how sick I have been and may be off-and-on the rest of my life. For all who ask I am honest with one unwavering truth: I give God the glory for His comforting and for getting me through each day surrounded by His love.
It sure is good to share with y'all. have a great week learning, growing, surviving and overcoming.
Rest in Him
jeri
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oops I almost forgot my insane moments.... 
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