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IBS-c Switching to IBS-d (and vice versa)

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suzfimbres
suzfimbres Posts: 36 Member
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Does anyone else out there have the IBS issue where they are constantly having symptoms that flip flop from one extreme to the other? I will literally go months with C, landing me in the ER and Urgent Care, and then suddenly and inexplicably my symptoms reverse to the extreme and I have D symptoms without any gap between the two. If I'm not alone, how do you treat/manage your symptoms?

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  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
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    It only happens to me if I eat high FODMAP food, otherwise every day is similar for me.
    Are you sure you know all of your trigger foods? This might alleviate your problem.
    Good luck!
  • suzfimbres
    suzfimbres Posts: 36 Member
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    No, I don't know my trigger foods... I've tried tracking them, but my symptoms seem to be more closely related to stress than specific foods. Although I've definitely noticed that certain foods aggravate certain symptoms when I'm having one kind of flare up or another. Other than dairy, though, I don't see a direct link between eating a food (cause) and a flare up (effect). And seemingly out of nowhere it will just stop.
  • Vorenus85
    Vorenus85 Posts: 112 Member
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    That's the thing about IBS (possibly IBS-C specific), something you ate a week ago could be messing with you today. This is why trying to determine what you are eating at a single moment is causing you an issue is difficult. I would strongly recommend keeping with a low FODMAP diet; bearing in mind that even "safe" foods could be a trigger. It can take a lot of trial and error to figure things out. You may feel like everything is a trigger at first and that feeling may not subside for months, but if you keep at it you may see results. I recently cut out eggs on a whim while doing low FODMAP and have noticed MUCH less abdominal pains. Eggs mind you are supposed to be a safe food..and I love them. It just doesn't make much sense sometimes.
  • fcordingley
    fcordingley Posts: 25 Member
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    I used to have this problem all the time and stress does effect my IBS however I've been doing a different elimination diet (not low FODMAP) and have realised that some foods can take 3/4 days to have full effect, only by keeping a conclusive food/ symptom diary am I able to pinpoint exactly what is causing it.

    Good news is that other than when I'm stressed, I'm completely symptom free on this diet.

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