help me please have IBS and struggling to lose weight

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  • PunkinSpice79
    PunkinSpice79 Posts: 309 Member
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    Are you taking a probiotic? My doctor recommended one to me and I took it for awhile. It had the opposite effect on me, too. I completely stopped probiotic medication. If you're not taking one, however...try it! It may just help you.

    I've been reading about probiotics and IBS. Make sure that if you go this route, the probiotic has bifida bacteria. Otherwise, it won't do you any good. :)
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    I'm still battling my IBS, and think it is the reason i retain weight. I've stuck to 1300 cals and exercised daily for 40 days- no drop!
    My main trigger is milk, i now have lacto free and things are much better with symptoms. Still get the odd flare up from toomuch wheat/gluten but it's better than it was- as for weight loss, FODMAP is fabulous! however it's quite strict and I struggled and reverted back. If I havent lost in a month i'll be going back to boring but effective FODMAP.
    Good luck xx

    Many people will say you're notblosingnas you aren't eating enough.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,298 Member
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    please try to read up on Salicylate Sensitivity. Doctors recognise this in relation to medication but not in general foods. Google salicylate sensitivity, there is a site of that name, most people have lesser problems. Probably better is "food can make you ill" this one has a book available as well but you can get a significant amount of information from the site it covers other potentially problem foods. SS can be at the bottom of many problems IBS is just one.

    Please come back to me if you like. I discovered SS and I am in my 60's. The chances are, being so much younger, you can reduce the severity should it turn out to be a factor. Starting out on the ss reduction can be daunting.

    hope this helps. all the very best
  • danjacharlotte
    danjacharlotte Posts: 5
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    I have IBS that is triggered by my period aswell (well i did.. it stopped once I moved back to europe), but one thing that has helped since then and maybe the reason I'm not suffering from it often anymore is that
    1) i started exercising (with the goal of losing weight but not actually losing much) and
    2) identifying what made me feel bad after eating it. two of the big ones for me are spinach and popcorn. they send me into 24hs of stomach cramping and constipation, so i have completely cut them out.
    Try finding things that you eat regularly and cut them out for a couple of weeks, maybe that will help. its going to take trial and error but i think eventually youll find things that irritate your system (irritatable being the key word in IBS), and will know to avoid them :)
  • JanaCanada
    JanaCanada Posts: 917 Member
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    My son has IBS. I gave him Align and encouraged him to eat yogurt. He says his symptoms are way better.
  • tarabriscoe
    tarabriscoe Posts: 2
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    I have IBS and have been struggling to lose the rapid weight gain of 30 lbs in one month before I was diagnosed. Mine was caused from an infection I got in the hospital. After a year of trying to lose weight, I haven't found the answer for me. I've been on calorie restricted diets with this app. I went on a doctor-administered HCG program that I lost weight on before, and on 500 cals/day for 3 months I lost nothing. But through all of this, I've learned a lot.

    I've dreaded going on FODMAPS because my schedule is just too busy, it isn't feasible. This site has been a life saver http://www.helpforibs.com/ and where I've found most of the helpful information.

    I learned that although fiber is good for you, only soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber causes problems for IBS. So white bread is okay, whole wheat bread is not. Apples are good, but the apple peels are not. I also take enteric coated peppermint oil and it has made a huge difference, along with the probiotic Align. This site tells you, generally, what are safe foods, unsafe, and those that cannot be eaten alone or will cause symptoms.

    For constipation, I take high potency Magnesium, 800 mg. This is the most gentle laxative there is. It works by bringing water into the colon to move things along. I've taken this for over 2 decades with no side effects or rebound. And I had terrible constipation before that caused diverticulitis.

    I've read some have posted that they've lost weight eating basically chicken and rice. This is the starting point of FODMAPS. It's funny to me how so many medical websites tell IBS sufferers to eat high fiber legumes and cruciferous vegetables, which are horrible for IBS. I have another chronic health problem from which I've learned, you cannot rely on Western medicine... they are not all-knowing. You must be your own advocate, research the issue and figure it out for yourself. And if the weight management center is giving you a hard time, they obviously know nothing about IBS, and I'd drop them immediately! Especially if they are just causing you stress!!

    I think I'll look into the Paleo diet and cut out foods from Heather's list. Good luck! :)
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Hey,

    Sorry you suffer with that. You can lose weight with IBS or on SSRIs - are you logging everything you eat?

    Also - I do know codeine makes it MUCH worse so steer clear of that!

    Good luck! x
  • She_Hulk
    She_Hulk Posts: 277
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    I didn't go through all the responses, so please forgive me if this has been said already. I have been going through the same issues for months. Stomach is completely bloated by the end of the day. GI doctor put me on FODMAPS, gluten, dairy free diet. Wan't helping. My primary care doctor decided to make sure my gallbladder, liver, intestines were working properly. He sent me for an ultrasound. Everything looked fine. To the naked eye. He then sent me for a HIDA test. Make sure you have this done. It showed my gallbladder is not functioning properly. Foods are getting "stuck" somewhere in my digestive tract. I found this all out yesterday, so I'm not exactly sure what's going on. I do know that I now have to set up an appt. with some surgeon at FL Hospital. ASAP. I haven't seen him yet, but pretty sure my gb will have to be removed. Also, all the foods the GI doctor had me eating were no good for me. That's why my diet (and yours too, possibly) wasn't working. My doctor sent me for food allergy tests and I'm HIGHLY allergic (had food allergies as a kid...thought I outgrew them) to most of the foods on the IBS friendly list. I just wanted to share my experience. Seems like my symptoms are caused by both food allergies and a non functioning gallbladder. Just make sure you get tested for food allergies and take the HIDA test. You really need to rule these things out just to be safe. Good luck! Lori
  • claireelewis
    claireelewis Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi, I've had IBS C/D for all my life. I have tried the FODMAP diet and found it left me a little more constipated than usual, so if you do go down this route make sure you are getting enough fibre (the sorts you can have). Over the last few months I have been taking probiotics every morning (Lactobacillus acidophilus) and digestive enzyme supplements with each meal (although I now only have them when i need them such as when eating white bread occasionally). The probiotics have defiantly helped me and if I get a bout of D I find ginger tea and peppermint oil a big help.
  • flsunshine
    flsunshine Posts: 188 Member
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    I have IBS too. what i found that works for me is high protein and veggies. more fiber actually binds me up too much. also my doctor told me to take a stool softener daily since its safe to use long term.
  • Alice_104
    Alice_104 Posts: 15
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    I'm not very good with diets. Right now I'm using Roca Labs formula. 50 lbs down in 2.5 months. Still 70 lbs to lose.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    I'm doing the low FODMAP diet and am FINALLY losing weight. I'm also tracking and am eating the same calories as before but I think the bloating must have masked my fat loss before.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Options
    I have IBS and have been struggling to lose the rapid weight gain of 30 lbs in one month before I was diagnosed. Mine was caused from an infection I got in the hospital. After a year of trying to lose weight, I haven't found the answer for me. I've been on calorie restricted diets with this app. I went on a doctor-administered HCG program that I lost weight on before, and on 500 cals/day for 3 months I lost nothing. But through all of this, I've learned a lot.

    I've dreaded going on FODMAPS because my schedule is just too busy, it isn't feasible. This site has been a life saver http://www.helpforibs.com/ and where I've found most of the helpful information.

    I learned that although fiber is good for you, only soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber causes problems for IBS. So white bread is okay, whole wheat bread is not. Apples are good, but the apple peels are not. I also take enteric coated peppermint oil and it has made a huge difference, along with the probiotic Align. This site tells you, generally, what are safe foods, unsafe, and those that cannot be eaten alone or will cause symptoms.

    For constipation, I take high potency Magnesium, 800 mg. This is the most gentle laxative there is. It works by bringing water into the colon to move things along. I've taken this for over 2 decades with no side effects or rebound. And I had terrible constipation before that caused diverticulitis.

    I've read some have posted that they've lost weight eating basically chicken and rice. This is the starting point of FODMAPS. It's funny to me how so many medical websites tell IBS sufferers to eat high fiber legumes and cruciferous vegetables, which are horrible for IBS. I have another chronic health problem from which I've learned, you cannot rely on Western medicine... they are not all-knowing. You must be your own advocate, research the issue and figure it out for yourself. And if the weight management center is giving you a hard time, they obviously know nothing about IBS, and I'd drop them immediately! Especially if they are just causing you stress!!

    I think I'll look into the Paleo diet and cut out foods from Heather's list. Good luck! :)

    Being on a low FODMAP diet isn't really that difficult. I don't think a busy s edible should put you off.
  • AshleyChapmanPlexus
    AshleyChapmanPlexus Posts: 2
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    I have colitis and IBS 2 of the worst intestinal conditions to have ever. I have struggled with my weight since I was 6 years old. That was 20 years ago. Once I was diagnosed with colitis and ibs my problems became worse. UNTIL June of this year where I found Plexus Worldwide. I normally am totally against weight loss products because I felt like none of them ever worked. But, being desperate and depressed I gave in. Good thing I did. I start out in June 2013 a little over 400 pounds I am now down to 346 pounds. I also try to keep track of everything else as well as far as calories and such but truth is I don't eat enough. Never have!

    The bio cleanses I find is really great for constipation and IBS it helps to rid your body of harmful toxins but it does not "cleanse" you like some things on the market. This is all natural and does not cause diarrhea symptoms.

    I would at least consider it. It could be the answer to your prayers. It was for me. Let me know if you are interested. The Bio Cleanse is not really expensive actually it is quite affordable.
  • jamk1446
    jamk1446 Posts: 5,577 Member
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    Have you looked at the FODMAP eating plan. Google it. It's advised that you do it with a dietician though.

    Even if you don't use a dietician, look it up. Very frequently, increasing fiber is the wrong thing to do for IBS-C.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    You need to find out what your intolerances are. Could be dairy, wheat, gluten or even some natural sugars. Tea, coffee. I suggest you get that checked out. Or go for the process of elimination.

    This. I recall before I knew about my food intolerances (lactose and soy) having the opposite problem of constipation and was miserable! Once I cut the foods I was intolerant to, I became much better.

    OP, I am so glad you are under the care of your doctor too.

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