IBS

judelyon

Does anyone suffer from this on here? Any tips on how to manage this as I've just been diagnosed with it - also do you weigh in when you have IBS as I'm sure it can make your weight fluctuate?

Many thanks!

OSUalum

IBS isn't fun! From what I've seen, the healthier you eat, and the better you handle stress, the symptoms will lessen.
Try to incorporate yoga and meditation into your routine.
Good luck!

PA21

I was recently diagnosed with IBS, and have controlled it with diet. I couldn't believe how terrible the bouts were! I asked my dietitian what to do and this is what she told me:
- Eat fiber rich cereal for breakfast
- No coffee ( went down to 1 coffee a day)
- Nothing with skin, i.e. grapes, apples, the white pith on citrus fruits, etc.
- No ruffage, only iceberg or butter lettuce
- Spicy is ok, cream or dairy is not
- No greasy/junk food (I was already dieting, so if I had a "cheat" I would do sweet instead of salty/greasy)
- I also stay away from fizzy drinks and liqour

Lots and LOTS of water, and be kind to yourself! I realized when I was a nicer person to myself during times of stress then I felt better. I was diagnosed shortly after my sister found out she had cancer and I realized I wasn't dealing with it very well. I'm happy to say that I am doing better and her treatment is going very well!
Good luck, I'm here if you need me

SammyLynn13

I have Crohn's and it does get really hard to manage, especially when you have flare ups, but just try to eat as healthy as you can (and stay away from your trigger foods!) and exercise. Don't let yourself get stressed...the more stress you feel, the more problems you will have. I've had Crohn's for 10 years so I know how it feels to have it. If you need someone else who understands, just friend me!

MissJanay

I was diagnosed with IBS several years ago. As you start to eat healthy, go get some fiber. Benefiber or anything works. I was given a prescription Miralax, but I think its over the counter now. It made my weight jump several pounds from day to day. I would get very discouraged. It takes a little longer to show the results with IBS but dont give up ) -- also, one thing that me and my dad did was cut out ANY type of sausage per my doctors advice. I never had the bloating, etc after that.

hungrybears

My boyfriend, whom I've lived with for the past 10 years, has IBS. Unfortunately, IBS is really an umbrella term - so people with IBS all have varying symptoms and triggers. As others have posted, stress is a trigger, and so one of the treatments out there is anti-anxiety prescriptions. It just doesn't work for everyone. For instance, my boyfriend does decently well with dairy products, but has cut out legumes. Fiber supplements and nearly every medication for IBS have either not worked at all or only worsened his symptoms. Take the time to figure out what works for you. Also, the books by Heather Van Vorous were extremely helpful. Good luck!

hpsnickers1

I've been dealing with IBS for around 20 years. I eat healthy now. But I eat apples and citrus fruits and all kinds of fruits. The fiber in fruits does wonders for it. I also eat plenty of roughage: greens, spinach, (I hate iceberg lettuce), baby greens, etc.

Bad carbs give me issues. Too much sugar gives me issues. Sodas give me issues. High sodium meats will cause issues. I get my fiber through whole grains and fruits/veggies. I'm careful with beans. If you are going to take fiber take Metamucil. The psyillium fiber in it causes less gas and bloating than others (recommended by doctors).

And stress is very bad for it. I never dealt with stress well. But as long as you eat as healthy as you can it is controllable.

One thing I did notice is that when I cut out breads (basically flours - including whole wheat) I "emptied" out and all the bloating went away

JennDoesKeto

i also suffer and have been told to take the script of miralax which is available over the counter. i just add it in with my oatmeal in the am. I have found eating greasy foods like hamburgers creates probelms for me. drink plenty of water and eat the fiber. i like the miralax because it has no taste and i can mix it in with almost anything.

ILuvLifehouse

I know how you feel I'm 45 and have had IBS since I was a lil girl and some of the flares I have had is worse than having a baby. I take Bentyl when an episode starts and it helps a lot. Everyone has given you great advice but what works for me may not work for you so you really have to find your own triggers and it is a long process. Also, depending on the type you have (most have either the constipation or the diarrhea or some with both) that will help with finding remedies to get it under control. I was sorry to find out my son has it also it really can take over your whole life. Good luck and I hope you find what works for you. Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like more support.

AScheif

I was diagnosed with IBS around 6 years ago, but have lived with it since I was probably 5 years old.....as many others have posted your symptoms can vary per person depending on what you eat....I do eat lots of fruits and vegetables they don't seem to bother me but I do have to stay away from very creamy dairy products... I find yogurt and cheese to be okay, but ice cream, milk, and some creamy pasta sauces not so much... I use Lactaid, its a Lactose-free milk in my cereal, baking, cooking, etc. my spouse doesn't even taste the difference. I have also noticed that fizzy drinks don't agree with my stomach either.

In terms of weightloss I do notice that it is definitely harder because my weight can fluctuate upwards of 5 pounds depending on how I am feeling. My suggestion would be to measure inches as well and only weigh yourself when you have had a "regular week"....even if its only once a month.

The good thing is it is manageable, I find working out, especially running really helps me relieve the stress as well as helps my body function more normal....

If you need support I am here, add me as a friend

sd892310

Hi,

I know how you feel!!

!have IBS, was diagnosed a couple of months ago (although suspected for long time due to family members having the same) after things got so severe i was hospitalised whilst they tried to get things going again.

I was told that although people are told to eat more fiber, it is not always necessarily the case or best way forward. I was eating a hell of a lot of it and was still having quite severe problems (5weeks without BM), with several different remedies not working, and the doctor said that sometimes too much fiber can do as much damage as too little fibre.

once my initial problem was resolved, to stop it from getting bad again, I was told to try and cut out/avoid all wheat from my diet and ensure i was drinking 2 litres of just water a day (ie not including teas, squashes etc in my 2 litres). I was also told to cut back on dairy, but not have to cut it all out, and eat more fruit and vegetables.

Touch wood before i finally had it diagnosed my BM would vary between 6 days to 8days and in that instance it was 5 weeks, and since i have come out of hospital and followed the advice given to me my BM are normally daily, sometimes every other day, and i have found that my weight is a lot more even (not up and down so much).

IBS is a general term used by doctors when the bowel doesnt work the way that it should, but there can be many variations in the way this happens.

Everyone who suffers with it will have triggers and you need to find out what yours are and try to avoid. The most common ones are:

Wheat intolerance
Dairy Intolerance
Stress/Anxiety
Caffeine intolerance
Chocolate Intolerance

You probably wont even know you have one or more of these intolerances - i certainly didnt, and i never used to have an intolerance either, but something my consultant said was that sometimes if someone eats too much / a lot of a type of food, ie wheat, dairy etc, even though they are not born with an intolerance their bodies can develop one through too much of the foods.

i guess the best thing to do is look at your diet, see what you eat and what could be triggering it, and try avoiding/substituing them. it may take a bit of time to get it right but you'll find once you have cracked it youll feel lots better in yourself and your weight wont go up and down so much.

hope this is of some help to you!

rachgleeson

I also suffer with IBS mainly the diarrhea side of it, but sometimes do get bloated too!! It can get you down so much at times!! I have had very sever cases of it, and it can be embarrassing too. I have suffered with it since i had my first child almost 8 years ago, when i had post natal depression. I cant seem to find any triggers as yet, i seems to be something different each time, one day all i ate was a biscuit and had to make a dash to the loo. I hate going out sometimes because i'm scared of being caught out with no toilet near by!! Sometimes if i know i am going out i wont eat anything before i go, which when trying to lose weight isnt ideal!! Since i have started losing weight i think the symptoms have reduced slightly, but always seem worst at totm!! If you ever feel like a chat, feel free to get in touch with me I do find it can affect your weight sometimes, but luckily it doesnt make me bloat too often!!

judelyon

Thanks everybody you are an inspiration!

judelyon

Thanks everybody you are an inspiration!

AScheif

Oh I also wanted to mention that I have started taking digestive enzymes with each meal and I have noticed those help as well. I am taking all natural ones, 2 with each meal, and it just helps you digest your food better which can be a problem for many IBS sufferers, you can get them at any drug store