IBS???

ajfoer

After 4 years and multiple specialists, my new doctor thinks I have IBS. For years I was told it was food allergies and intolerances, although I really still am allergic to almonds and sesame. I was just put on a bland diet and medicine. Thank God the medicine is finally working but I gained 3 pounds this last week. =(

Does anybody here have IBS that could give me some advice? I am not too sure how to eat a bland diet without going into boredom. I know one of the foods I have problems with is eating a lot of bread in a day or starchy carbs like that. I can eat it once a day but that's it.

What foods to you eat? Also, I have to go away on an overnight and need to bring snacks. HELP!!! I'm really nervous that I am going to get sick like I did this weekend because what I thought would be ok, wasn't. And of course I don't want to gain weight this week. The snacks need to be portable that don't need to be refridgerated for at least 12 hours.

Thanks for all your help! I am at a loss right now.

amysambora

I guess it all depends on what your trigger foods are - you need to work around those specifically. I'm currently seeing a dietician for my IBS and I'm trialling a new diet developed here in Australia called the 'low FODMAP diet' (http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/low-fodmap-diet). It has been really successful over here and I'm finding it very helpful so far. It basically rules out a large group of dietary sugars (FODMAPs) including fructose and lactose that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine. The main problem foods are certain fruits and vegetables, honey, milk and wheat. A typical day for me is:

Breakfast: gluten-free toast with peanut butter, coffee with soy milk
Snack: Banana or some gluten free cereal
Lunch: Usually a sandwich made with gluten free bread, or leftovers from the night before
Snack: Nuts or rice cakes with peanut butter
Dinner: Meat (beef, chicken or fish) and 'safe' vegetables such as green beans and potatoes, or a stir fry, a frittata, shepherd's pie, gluten free pasta dishes...

I really don't find it that restrictive at all. And it really seems to be helping me! Good luck with your journey, trust me, I understand your frustration. It's taken me years to get to this point. As far as going away overnight I would definitely go for nuts (that you're not allergic to of course!) and cereal!

randa_behnam

iv tried a gluetn free diet, as this helps my IBS a lot but i find that it can get quite costly and to be honest, i was getting annoyed with how fussy i had become so i now only eat the stuff im trying to cut out once in a while and before i knew it, it was like a routine and i dont really miss things like bread or pastas.

Theres a lot of gluten and wheat free stuff available, pastas are great and quorn mince so you can make your own spaghettie bolognaise, or plain fish with veg, i tend to marinate a lot of diced meats with yoghurt and mint and serve it with a nice salad.

salad is the one thing that doesnt bloat me or make me run for the loo. iv had to eliminate spicy foods because i would just feel awful the next morning.

Lunch ideas i usually take a microwave packet rice to work (so many flavours to chose from) and i made a massive spinache salad, i try to bring some grilled chicken or turkey with me as well because the protein will fill me for longer.

I promise it will get easier and your cravings for the starchy foods will reduce. there are a lot of recipe books about now that cater for food intollerance. my snacks usually consist of carrot sticks and hummus, or celery or olives. even try plain popcorn. that fills you up and if you make it yourself then you know that there isnt anything in it but the corn. )

PR1NC355N1X

I was diagnosed with IBS in 2006. And suffered many years on pills and peppermint oil. It was not until 2009 when I took an allergy test while at a spa that I eventually found out I was intolerant to certain food groups which I realise were my stable diet such as wheat And tomatoes. I slowly started to remove these from my diet. Initially it was very hard and socialising became difficult as my friends did not understand my diet.
I struggled on with it and persisted now 2 years on I
3 stone lighter. Lost my bloating and pains and maintain a very healthy lifestyle. My friends areslowly getting there heads around the foods I eat and thankfully UK stores have started to stock more gluten free foods which are starting to have more flavour. Restaurants are also very accomodating if you give them advance warning.
Good luck.

Monkeymin

My IBS is hugely triggered by Fats and Oily food. Also bread can leave me feeling bloated and lethargic. I think IBS is one of those conditions which is different for everyone. What may effect me, may cause no problem for you. I was reading an article the other day that stated that IBS is just an umbrella term for when there is a form of inflammation of the bowel.

I've changed my diet considerably since being diagnosed. I was told I just had to live with it. Which was very frustrating, so I took it upon myself to keep track of days when it's bad and days when it was ok.

I became a vegetarian over a year ago as a drastic measure to halt my IBS. I don't suggest everyone with IBS give up their meat, but it worked for me in that I lost weight and the reduction of high fat meals helped. I also stopped eating takeaways that were high in fat and oily. I am in control of my IBS now. It doesn't rule me. I do have days where it's bad still and I have come to know that this is triggered by anxiety. So I do reccomend looking into some relaxation techniques as having IBS is vicious circle when it comes to stress. I used to worry about eating out or staying round a friends which in turn would trigger my IBS therefore causing more anxiety.

I am open with friends and family, they know I suffer and are helpful when it comes to them preparing food. I don't go anywhere without Gaviscon or Immodium but I can count of one hand the amount of times I have had to use them in the last year.

I hope you manage to find a way that suits you when controlling you IBS.

ajfoer

Thanks for the advice. Gluten Free is actually one thing I am used to. They told me I was allergic then not allergic to it. ugh But I dislike GF bread greatly!!! But certain wraps don't bother me as much. So maybe I will try them. But too much kills me...

I will try those. Has anyone ever made hummus before? They don't sell it at the commissary here.

ajfoer

PS I have the unfortunate problem of NOT going to the bathroom. =( Sorry, TMI I know.

TrainingWithTonya

I'm sure it's TMI to ask, but what are your symptoms for IBS? There are two different versions, diarrhea and constipation. The food treatment for each is different. For the traditional IBS with diarrhea, the treatment is a low fiber diet. When I say low fiber, I mean <10 grams per day. That is a hard diet to design while getting enough fruits and veggies. You have to stick to cooked fruits and veggies (IE: applesauce instead of apples) to cut the fiber. Also, white bread instead of whole wheat. Yeah, it's the only time as a nutritionist I recommend white bread. LOL You should also avoid caffeine, coffee (even decaf), high fat, and any trigger foods for you. Things that have been shown to help are natural peanut butter, tapioca pudding, and applesauce. (I actually have full lists of foods to avoid and add to help with symptoms but not with me at the moment. PM me and I'll send you the full lists if you need them.) For IBS with constipation, it's just the opposite. High fiber and high fat to help things move. The same lists of changes to diet are reversed. So, with constipation you eat the whole fresh fruit and whole grains and drink the caffeine while cutting back on peanut butter, tapioca pudding, and applesauce.

spiritmachine

I'm not sure about there being two different versions. From what I have learned many people can have alternating periods of diarrhea and constipation. FYI IBS is what you call a "diagnosis of exclusion" meaning that once you can't figure out what is causing the symptoms you call it IBS. So there is no definitive way to diagnose IBS and we don't know much about it. I will tell you that one of the classic treatments (at least on the books) is an SSRI as depression and mood disorders are thought to have a contribution.