Anyone with IBS, Food intolerances or digestive disorders?

I do have IBS, although have found that with really watching what I eat I am totally able to control it.
good luck

I had quite severe and unpleasant IBS-D including severe lactose intolerance and mild gluten intolerance. I found two things that really helped

1 - a teaspoonful of Manuka honey every morning. This was recommended by my nurse, as apparently manuka honey is good for healing damaged stomach lining and calmin irritation

2. Starting the 5:2 diet - I've not had a serious instance of D since starting the 5:2 12 months ago. I'm able to tolerate small amounts of lactose and quite a bit of gluten which before would have made me really quite ill for several days. I've also lost over a stone.

Hello fellow dodgy-tummy sufferers!

I have IBS which was triggered by severe food poisoning/gastro about 3 years ago. It's not too severe, eating greasy or fried foods often makes it worse. If i eat fairly healthily then I can control it. I tend to get very bloated after any large amount of food. This is irritating.

However, this post seems so apt, as this morning I had a severe drop in blood sugar. This has happened to me about 10-15 times over the last 6 years. I eat breakfast, then a few hours later, I start feeling sick and weak, which escalates into feeling faint and shivery. I ate a biscuit and within 5 minutes felt slightly better. I have done some research on this and think I may have reactive hypoglycemia.

Do you think these two things could be linked? advice?
xx

Hi - I have had IBS for 18 years (it used to be called having a 'spastic colon' then as the pain comes in spasms) and a lactose intolerance. I have just had to find out what does affect me and avoid it. For example I haven't eaten cheese for 18 years (apart from a couple of 'tries' resulting in a lot of nastiness).

It does get easier after a while and I find that although reading the ingredients of things a pain (especially when something looks nice and then you read it has cheese or double cream in it!) I do not feel deprived of foods. I can tolerate skimmed milk and a small amount of chocolate so that means I can still have hot beverages (I love tea) and a treat now and then.

If you can control your IBS without medication I think that is better; I stopped taking anti-spasmodics 15 years ago and have had just a few bad episodes entirely due to my own choices and a bout of food poisoning that would have upset anyone's digestion. Yes I still suffer from the issues of ISB but these do not go away with medication either......... and as I say, it gets easier after a while as you recognise the symptoms your body tells you.

All the best in your journey ahead

I have had IBS my whole life. Tons of food allergies and -ose intolerance's. Basically I should know better before eating sugars.
I have pinpointed my IBS to a corn allergy though and its derivatives. Staying away fro the corn helps the IBS, but its never fully gone.

Its super annoying. I do see a nutritionist and I am slowly losing weight since we feel lots of my weight is edema from eating my allergens.

Hi there. I have been dealing with digestive issues for 2 1/2 years. It started when I put my body under extreme stress by over exercising and under eating for over a year (1200 calories max, 70 carbs max, and 3+ hours of exercising between weights and cardio daily), while I was training for a figure competition. I became constipated, then became reliant on stool softeners, then my digestive system eventually shut down. I had to stop training and restore my metabolism. As a result of this stress, I am undergoing testing to find out what kind of damage has been done to my system (colon, intestines, etc. damaged or torn).
I am lactose intolerant and have to be super careful with my diet. If I drop below 150 carbs a day, or drop below 1700 or so calories a day for more than two or three days, my digestive system slows and I get constipated again. I am completely self diagnosing after over two years of observing what affects me and how, but I have concluded that my metabolism is messed up still and my body can't handle the "stress" of being in a calorie deficit yet.
I tried the FODMAP elimination diet, lactose elimination, and gluten elimination for months at a time under the guidance of a naturopathic doctor, but had no luck with any of them. Even the gastro specialist I am working with now is baffled. :-( Good luck and I hope you find some relief soon.

I think I have this... how did you get diagnosed?

I have been gluten free for 2 years but that alone does not help. I know that if I eat VERY low sugar and certain VERY clean food I do well. If I stray I gain weight so easily and have all kinds of trouble.

Would love to hear more of the specific diet.

After having gone through extensive testing for Crohn's (which runs in my family), it was finally sorted out that I am lactose and soy intolerant. Unfortunately, it took two years to figure it out because the first time that I did an exclusion test for dairy, I swapped out milk for soy milk and was just as sick as ever. Two years later, my frustrated doctor suggested I try it again, and I just happened to get almond milk instead of soy for the tests. Voila! It took a couple months of trial and error, but we finally sorted out that I'm highly intolerant to lactose, and lightly soy intolerant.

Lactose pills help a little, which is good because I'm still hooked on greek yogurt- I just can't give the stuff up! Giving up cheese was easier because the Cabot brand in the US makes some really good lactose free products. I read labels like a fiend though, trying to make sure that there's no milk or soy (esp. soy oil) hidden in things.

I've had a sensitive stomach ever since I was little, and started becoming educated about food intolerances and such a year or two ago. I've stopped eating cheese and milk and ice cream etc. for the most part, and my acne completely cleared up and my depression got a lot better. Apparently lactose can affect serotonin levels, and whenever I eat an exorbitant amount of starch and cheese my pupils get huge and my mom says I go a little crazy! haha. I still eat Greek yogurt, but because of the bacteria and stuff and because it's strained, it's fairly easy to digest. I still have a little treat from time to time, but any time I eat lots of ice cream I break out, any time I eat lots of cheese I get a pretty severe stomachache and crazy eyes. Fortunately there are lots of alternatives nowadays such as vegan cheeses/ice cream and almond/soy milk. I also thought a gluten intolerance might be possible, and I really don't eat much. I eat granola and oatmeal and sometimes cereal, but that's about it. I hardly ever eat straight up bread, but it's more of a personal preference than anything I think. I guess moderation's key and I just don't overdo it because of stuff I've read about it. To me it was more about well-being than weight loss, but I do suppose it's made me less bloated and has made me feel better, which inspires me to eat better and be more conscious of my choices anyway!

IBS, Lactose Intolerance and Gluten sensitivity here.