This story is a powerful testament to resilience and hope. It narrates the journey of Shalini Garg, a Delhi-based publishing professional, who, for five years, battled Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) a relentless condition that completely isolated her and eroded her professional life and energy.
The Initial Crisis: The Misdiagnosed Pain
Shalini’s struggle began five years ago with frequent loose motions and a chronically disturbed stomach. Initially dismissed as temporary issues, the problem escalated until it was recurring every three months. Despite multiple hospitalizations, numerous tests, endoscopies, and colonoscopies, all reports came back normal.
Doctors finally diagnosed her with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), but the conventional solutions were merely temporary fixes. Her energy was drained, and she was forced to go to the washroom 8 to 10 times a day, making a normal routine life impossible.
The Systemic Breakdown: The Burden of Depression Pills
The failure of conventional IBS treatment forced Shalini into the most debilitating stage: doctors prescribed depression medicines. These heavy narcotics provided temporary mental relaxation but came with severe side effects, including extreme dry mouth and constant grogginess, leaving her feeling “separate from the world.”
She realized this wasn’t a sustainable solution. Her professional life suffered immensely as she couldn’t focus or go to the office, and her personal relationships were strained because she couldn’t explain to her family the invisible problem she was facing. She felt utterly hopeless, concluding that no medicine would ever work for her condition.
The Padaav Pivot: The Lifestyle Rebirth
Shalini was already aware of Padaav because her nephew had successfully recovered there from Pancreatitis, giving her a crucial foundation of trust in Ayurveda. She contacted the Vaidya, who immediately assured her she didn’t need depression pills to manage her gut health.
She traveled to the center in Rudrapur, where she spent 14 days focused on a complete lifestyle change. The cooperative staff, the environmental connection, and the attention to her specific needs including daily health checks and customized food provided the necessary holistic support. She learned critical lessons on a healthy diet, replacing stimulants like tea and coffee with nutritious meals like poha and cheela, and learning to eat timely, light snacks to set a life-long routine.
The Recovery: Reclaiming Energy and Joy
Eight months after leaving Padaav, Shalini’s life has been completely restored. Her problem is “generally solved,” and she now has normal bowel movements (only once a day). Crucially, she learned how to manage stress and actively keeps her mind busy to prevent relapse, regaining the mental energy she had lost.
She is back working at her publishing house, managing her home, and enjoying her routine life, able to do everything she was previously too exhausted to attempt. She states emphatically that for IBS, Ayurveda is the only complete solution.
Her message is clear: no matter how tough the journey, with the right support, treatment, and determination, recovery is possible. Giving up is not an option.
