Other people with IBS trying to live healthier?

I'm just starting out to figure out my IBS... I avoid milk like it's poison, eat minimal wheat/gluten. NEVER have onion or garlic.
FODMAP diet is strict but very good out line of foods to avoid.
I don't get toilet troubles per-say, slow digestion (every 5-6 days!!) just started fibre supplements, been exercising daily and eating my BMR worth of cals... no loss in 7 weeks! just waiting for my body to adjust and sticking at it.
Horrible condition.. My main symptom is incapacitating cramps.
all of these tips are brilliant... great to not feel alone.

For me, having IBS includes so much bloating that it was difficult for me to see any positive changes in my body when I tried to lose weight. I would bloat up so much that my pants wouldn't fit at the end of the day. I started taking probiotics daily, and I have found that my bloating is probably 80% decreased!! I still have IBS symptoms, but I am so happy with the decrease in bloating! Now that I can see the changes in my waistline due to eating healthier and exercising more (rather than any progress being masked by a huge amount of bloat), I am so motivated to keep going!!

what probiotics are you taking? is it tablets, or yoghurts? or something else?

I probably don't monitor what I eat as well as I should..there's a handful of foods that I love but send my stomach into a fit...still eating them. I don't find that the IBS gives me many problems when it comes to actually /losing/ weight but I get bloated so easily and sometimes it's really bad that any weight loss doesn't matter because of stupid bloat!

For me IBS is a complete nightmare, sometimes I can bloat up so much, I change change a dress size in a day. It definately is hard for me to lose weight! My body thinks its in starvation mode most of the time and stores my fat like a safe! I eat healthily, and blandly most of the time- I gave up on spicy food and Junk food years ago (I can occasionally have mcdonalds provided its just the plain burgers or the chicken! I try not to though!)
I used to love hiking but now worry about getting half way up a hill and needing the loo (the movement and exercise, sometimes actually triggers the need to go). I am now back to exercising after not doing it for 3 years, I put on 3 stone. Since January, I have lost 10 pounds, 5 before joining MFP, and 5 since joining MFP, but it has been hard work and a slog to reduce every step of the way, most people on here can lose 2 pounds in a week or so, I am lucky to lose 1/2 a pound in a fortnight, or more! (I lost a pound this month!)
For me I know the pain will reduce when I can shift the weight, but for now, it has an affect on my job, my relationship, my energy levels and my whole life. It really is dibilitating, and whats worse is because there is no cure, and because doctors have such little knowledge on the subject, they either leave to to get on with it, or guess! People who don't have it, think your exagerating, or just dont understand.

Its nice to know other people on here that can understand, and we can support each other! Good luck to all of you with the daily struggle, and well done for having the strength to try to change our circumstance!