IBS...is it just mental?

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melbhall
melbhall Posts: 519
in Health and Weight Loss
So several years ago while at a doctors appointment I was told I had IBS. I had just mentioned some symptoms and my doc said that was the culprit. I was then put on some meds that did nothing for me so I stopped taking them. I moved to another state, told my doc I had IBS and again he put me on meds, which my next doc took me off of when I got pregnant.

I'm just wondering, how do you really diagnose IBS. I seem to have diarrhea more often than not. I cannot make a connection between it and food because it is so sporadic. I can eat cereal and be sick, or a big greasy breakfast. Sometimes if I eat a sandwich with onions or condiments I'm sick.

It's so embarrassing, and sometimes I wonder if I don't make things worse by worrying about getting sick out at a restaurant. The only connection I can make, is that if I go out to dinner and have 1 drink, my symptoms seem to hold off and I don't have to go immediately. That's why I wonder if it's all just mental.

What should I do now? I'm sick of being sick all the time. I hate that I can't eat out with my husband without having a drink, and that I have to wait until I'm home if I'm going to eat fast food because I know I will most likely be sick immediately.

Any advice on how to talk to a doctor, or help sort out my symptoms would be great.

Replies

  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    If grains and such are causing IBS flare ups - take them out of your eating plan.

    I eat only natural foods, protein (meats, eggs, yogurt and butter are my only dairy), lots and lots of veggies and minimal fruit.........

    IBS is gone.............it only comes back if I stray and eat grains, beans, legumes and such.

    That tells you that you have a grain intolerance..........

    Try it for 2 weeks and see how less bloated you feel and how the symptoms magically disappear!!!
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
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    I have IBS and no I don't think it is mental, however, the more you stress, the worse it gets. After several years I know what helps me and what hurts. I have hardly had any issues since I started cutting my calories and being more aware of what I eat. Especially cutting down on eating out.

    I wish I could help with your symptoms but I am the exact opposite and can go days and days without a poo. I wish you luck though. It is not a nice thing to live with either way. :frown: Just try to keep your stress levels way down. I am always worse with stress.
  • avalinsky
    avalinsky Posts: 2
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    I would suggest trying a waterfall diet - take everything out of your diet but protein, vegetables and fruit. After a couple of weeks, start adding things back in slowly. For example, add grains for a week, then add dairy for a week, then add sugar for a week, etc. until you find out what makes you sensitive.
  • kpopa
    kpopa Posts: 515 Member
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    Hey Melbhall! I have IBS as well. I'm surprised your doctors were so ready and willing to dianose since it's something a lot of dr's don't know about.

    Although I'm still struggling with it I find that if I keep my natural fruits, veggies, and protein levels up then I tend to have less flare ups. The thing about IBS, though, is that there are different triggers for different people. What works for me may not work for you. So, if you're super dedicated to making a change in your diet, I would suggest an elimination diet to see what your trigger foods are.

    Here's a great website: http://www.helpforibs.com/

    I use Heather's tummy powder and it is AMAZING!!! After almost 10 years of suffering through IBS and trying different fiber pills, etc etc etc etc etc etc this really does do what it promises.

    Good Luck and feel free to add me as a friend or shoot me a message if you need help!

    -Kate
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
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    Hi fat foods (like greasy foods and chips) make me go. Maybe you need to change the foods you eat out. Have you tried eating a banana before going out? Maybe that will slow it down a bit???

    I don't really know much about IBS, I have the opposite problem so I eat a super high fiber diet. I found that altering my diet works better than any drug. But that's what worked for me and everyone is different.

    Good luck!
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
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    I too was dx with IBS, and have learned to control it with diet, no meds in 4-5 yrs.....I eat alot of protein and less carbs/fat. Any high fat greasy, foods flare it up....but so do grains and some vegetables. Drink lots of water, it helps. One thing that really makes mine worse is overeating.....If I eat so much that I am stuffed (always at a restaraunt) it flares up.

    Keep a journal of what you eat each day and how it effects your stomach and you will know more what foods to avoid.

    Good Luck!!
  • Susan57
    Susan57 Posts: 40 Member
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    my doc said fiber. eat everything with a p in it. peaches pineapple ect.
  • Alioth
    Alioth Posts: 571 Member
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    I agree with sillygoose. It's stress triggered because it's related to the nerves in one's bowel. Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep is a big factor. Also, I found that certain high-stress jobs caused me to be sick almost every day and when I quit working those places I stopped having 80% of the symptoms. It took months to settle down though.

    I've fought IBS for 13 years. One of the indicators you have it is if you can trace it back to a sickness or event that was traumatic to your gut. For me it was a really bad stomach virus that hit me when I was sixteen years old. Before that, I was okay. Some people with IBS just have sensitive systems though. Kudos to your doctor for noticing it. I went for years with my doc just saying "Oh, you have a touch of the flu." or, "It's probably just drainage or allergies upsetting your system." My P.A. figured it out immediately.

    I found that an eating routine can help a lot. There are periods of time where I can't drink acidic stuff (like coffee and orange juice) or eat greasy food (bye bye pizza) and no raw vegetables. But they've gotten rarer and rarer. When I skip meals or eat something much larger than normal, it can trigger a flareup. Pro-biotic yogurt helps too.

    You probably already know all that.

    As far as I know, they still haven't developed a medicine that works long-term and is actually effective. They keep coming out with new stuff, but they have side-effects I don't like.

    A cup of catnip tea and honey is really useful on a bad day. It calms things down a lot (don't drink it and drive!) You can get catnip tea in most healthfood stores and some drug stores.
  • mytmom
    mytmom Posts: 29
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    My ex has this and no, it's not mental, but stress will flair his up for sure. Also he has the same thing with alchohol, was told not to drink it but discovered that if he has a cocktail before a meal he is unsure about (like at a resturaunt) he has better results. I think the alcohol just relaxes you both mentally and physically. Going overboard with drinking has the opposite effect, so for him it's two max. But it is very real and one of those things that effects everyone in different way so something that helps or hurts one person may or may not have any effect on the next person. it's a trial and error disease.
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
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    Thanks so much everyone for all the thoughts. I'm not a pill popping kind of gal so I would much rather control it with diet if I can. I will do some more research and set up a system of logging for a bit, then doing the waterfall idea. I know I don't eat as healthy as I should, but since something as small as a bowl of cereal can set me off, I've just been eating whatever I want. Overeating definitely causes flare-ups for me. Thanks again for the advice!
  • KristyF08
    KristyF08 Posts: 89 Member
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    I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 13 years old (now I'm 27 years). I went through all the tests before they diagnosed me. I think part of it is mental because when i worry about not being able to go to the bathroom or not having one around... I always have to go! Stress does play a HUGE role in mine too. Some foods affect me some of the time and other times they don't. it is hard to live with but it runs rampant in my family so everyone is understanding at least. I was told to eat at least 30 grams of fiber a day, which is tough but i am loving the Fiber One bars and they only have 140 calories!!!! My dad & sister were put on meds but they don't seem to help them a whole lot. So when i am out I try to only eat mild bland foods. I agree with mytmom...It is definately trial and error on what will work for you! Good luck with everything!
  • Amandac6772
    Amandac6772 Posts: 1,311 Member
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    My doctor told me to drink a glass of "metamucil" type drink. As long as I do it every day and I don't overeat for several days in a row, I'm good. Stress and overeating are the two things effect me the most. I hardly ever have an episode. Oh and too much coffee make it worse for me.
  • Nina74
    Nina74 Posts: 470 Member
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    IBS- not mental at all. My former boss had this VERY badly (was eating medicine like candy) and stress would only make it worse. She saw every specialist known to man, but none could really "cure" her. She finally found a holistic nutrionist who identified the foods that were triggered her IBS. As long as she avoids them, she is fine.

    For me (I don't have IBS), I have a wheat/gluten problem, so any time I eat anything wheat/gluten based, my stomach is sick. If I had a greasy breakfast (as you mention) without toast (eggs, bacon, butter, syrup, I assume you mean), I would be perfectly fine. I seriously thought I had IBS until I, too, went to the holistic person (for other reasons-migraines) and realized what was causing this.

    I would recommend what another posted said about checking out your diet. Fiber supplements could only make your problem worse (it did for my former boss and others I know).

    Lots of luck!
  • losingnow
    losingnow Posts: 82
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    I have IBS with the same problems you are having. I have been diagnosed for 13-14 years. Went through every test imaginable before i was diagnosed. I have some trigger foods like pancakes, and hot dogs. I also can hardly eat any fruits and veggies. Carbs, bread, and things like that are easier on my stomach. I also can not handle fiber hardly at all! Been on meds for years, but I am off of them now. I can't overeat or drink carbonated beverages or fruit juice. I also can't have spicy stuff, grilled stuff, or anything like that or I will have a flare up. I also found out a lot of restaurants make things and include a batter like pancake batter that I have to stay away from. Some even use it in their breading for chicken and things. I still eat some of this stuff but I know I will be sick the next day. It has interrupted my life to where I am sick enough I can't hold down a full time job and have to miss a lot of activities I would like to go too. Stress does make it worse if I am already sick but it doesn't make me sick. It can have so many different effects in so many people that it is hard to figure out.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
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    Here's a great website: http://www.helpforibs.com/

    -Kate

    This is a good website!
  • jljohnson
    jljohnson Posts: 719 Member
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    I happened to read this article yesterday.

    http://www.watertownchiropractic.com/Bloating.html

    It suggests that IBS could be a symptom of a bacterial overgrowth in the intestines. A strong probiotic could be an alternative to treating your IBS with conventional medication. I'm sure not all cases of IBS fall into this area, but it might be worth a try.
  • ceredonia
    ceredonia Posts: 61
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    For anyone asking about meds--my husband has severe IBS (was in the hospital last summer for 4 days), he takes Lialda daily. I'm still looking for ways to get him OFF the meds, but he works a high-stress job (phlebotomist) and eats poorly as a result (he's still skinny, darn him). It's DEFINITELY not mental though. He had an ulcer several years ago, which is probably what triggered his IBS--along with taking ibuprofin like candy (aspirin and NSAIDs are really, really bad for you if you have too many).

    Good luck getting it figured out though. Keep working on figuring out what triggers it and I think you'll be okay. If not, ask about Lialda--he has to take 4 pills daily, but it's kept him out of the hospital again!

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