How many of you suffer with IBS

fernmaddock

Please could you comment your triggers and symptoms and what to avoid.

Chef_Barbell

Stress is number one... and numbers 2 through 10

AnnPT77

I was diagnosed with IBS-C, but I'm still a little unclear about whether the diagnosis was entirely correct.

At the time, the "C" part was correct. My doctor had me increase fiber, which in my (unusual) case was the wrong answer: I eat lots of fiber (whole grains, veggies, fruits). Instead, I wasn't getting enough fluids. Increasing water intake helped, lots. Later, especially when starting to reduce calories, I realized I needed to make sure I got sufficient fat intake - that's also something that affects digestive throughput. (If that's an issue, something in the range of 0.35-0.45g per pound of bodyweight is probably sufficient.) I think regular exercise helped, too. (Maybe via stress reduction, maybe via movement or strengthening of the midsection? Not sure.)

Much later, like years later - and this is why I somewhat question the original diagnosis - a fair fraction of remaining lower abdominal discomfort was relieved when it was discovered - while treating another condition - that there was extreme tightness in some of my pelvic floor muscles (levator ani) especially on the left side. I learned some exercises, got some physical therapy - that helped, though there is still some discomfort (much reduced frequency/severity - for a while I couldn't even lie on my left side in bed).

All of this is atypical, though - just throwing it out there in case something resonates.