Anyone else with IBS managing it with diet?

Options
2

Replies

  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
    Options
    I knew someone who has Crohn's disease. Everything she ate made her sick. A nutritionist suggested she turn vegan. She turned not-quite-vegan; it turned out that honey didn't trigger her Crohn's symptoms. Her semi- vegan diet got rid of all her symptoms. She said she tried eating a piece of fish one day and it made her sick.
  • mountainrun73
    mountainrun73 Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    I'm glad I found this. I've actually lived with IBS since I was in high school (20+ years ago). They didn't even have a name for it then, it was all in my head, is what doctors told me. The attacks weren't too frequent, but they were bad. They've been off and on my entire adult life.

    In the past 2 years I've had IBS-D about once/month and also have frequent respiratory troubles (colds, flu). Last week, I was out sick from work for 2 days because of it. Even started vomiting at one point on top of the pain, bloating, and watery stool. I've had pain and bloating nearly every day for the past week. I try to exercise when I'm not having diharrea, but it sometimes makes the pain and bloating worse. And I've gained a lot of weight in the past couple of months (from about 135 to 142). I can't fit into any of my clothes. I'm miserable and desperate for a solution besides antidepressants - yes, doctors put me on antidepressants to treat IBS and told me I need to learn to deal with it and eat more fiber. Argh!
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    Options
    I'm glad I found this. I've actually lived with IBS since I was in high school (20+ years ago). They didn't even have a name for it then, it was all in my head, is what doctors told me. The attacks weren't too frequent, but they were bad. They've been off and on my entire adult life.

    In the past 2 years I've had IBS-D about once/month and also have frequent respiratory troubles (colds, flu). Last week, I was out sick from work for 2 days because of it. Even started vomiting at one point on top of the pain, bloating, and watery stool. I've had pain and bloating nearly every day for the past week. I try to exercise when I'm not having diharrea, but it sometimes makes the pain and bloating worse. And I've gained a lot of weight in the past couple of months (from about 135 to 142). I can't fit into any of my clothes. I'm miserable and desperate for a solution besides antidepressants - yes, doctors put me on antidepressants to treat IBS and told me I need to learn to deal with it and eat more fiber. Argh!

    I notice it too, that it gets far worse after a bout of the flu or a cold probably because the virus messes with the digestive system far too much on top of regular troubles. I find that being careful WHAT fibre I put in my body at that time is really important (no brocoli/cauliflower or cabbage type veggies as well as no beans) I up my fruit intake a ton which also helps with fighting off the virus itself, and I add an extra probiotic to 3 a day for a week after, this has helped over this past winter a ton.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Options
    My husband is just starting this. Coupled with the fact that I avoid goitrogens, I'm afraid we're going to starve.
  • ChrisMullis
    ChrisMullis Posts: 73
    Options
    I get it, what triggers it?

    I've narrowed it down to eggs in solo form.


    Nightmare.
  • jakichan
    jakichan Posts: 109 Member
    Options
    Eggs? For me I've found that greasy breakfast buffets can do it (mmm...reconstituted eggs....), but hard-boiled ones don't.
  • cookiekrunch
    cookiekrunch Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    I have had IBS for 17 years without knowing the name of it for 8 of those years. I tried taking medicine which only relieved the symptoms at times. My triggers are fried foods, gravies, salad, most of the green vegetables, and dairy, I am from Louisiana so fried chicken, pork chops, and fish sums up what I would eat at about every meal. I have removed the fried foods and gravies. I never really liked salads, so it doesn't bother me if I never eat one. I will eat broccoli, spinach, green beans, and brussel sprouts in moderation. But every so often I crave sweets (homemade pies, cookies, and cakes). I indulge sometimes if I am at home knowing there is a toilet nearby.
  • TKhamvongsa
    TKhamvongsa Posts: 287
    Options
    Mine was from dairy, deep fried foods and junk like chips/chocolate.

    I increased my daily fiber to 30g per day. I stopped eating junk food daily. I still treat myself twice per week.

    Fiber is what made everything better =)
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Options
    I've had to give up my whey protein, as that was definitely triggering symptoms. Also if I eat too much fruit I get triggered. So if I'm careful about those two things, I'm OK 85% of the time. Dehydration also seems to be a trigger for me.
  • Amy3935
    Amy3935 Posts: 94 Member
    Options
    Happy to find this thread. I've suffered from IBS-D since I was a young kid (7 or 8). For a while I got too frustrated with tests and drugs so I swore off doctors and just dealt with the pain. At its peak I was having severe pain and diarrhea (not to get too graphic but sometimes I couldn't be far from a bathroom for hours) several times a week. I'd have periods that were worse and better. I realized that my trigger foods were generally greasy things, fried foods, too much dairy and too much food in general.

    Since I've started seriously losing weight three months ago my symptoms have practically disappeared. I've had only 2-3 "attacks" over the past three months and I could always link them to greasy indulgences. I do suffer from some constipation now but as it doesn't really come with pain I find it MUCH more tolerable and I treat it with fiber and laxatives.
  • guidothecat
    guidothecat Posts: 141 Member
    Options
    I can't drink milk AT ALL, yogurt is still ok, but it has to be the plain with no additives. I can still eat the more aged cheeses and can use a bit of cream in cooking.

    Sugar is bad, HFCS is awful. Can't eat a plain green salad without some sort of protein in it either. Have to eat something with my hard boiled eggs everyday, like a bit of cheese and a tomato, that seems to do the trick.

    I have upped my fiber (physillum) I take a half dose about 2 hours after breakfast, after lunch and after diner. And fennel tea helps with the bloating.
  • 2Chaotic
    2Chaotic Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    I suffered with IBS for about 15 years and it was getting progressively worse, ie the attacks were becoming more frequent. Despite eliminating foods or trying to find a common tigger I could never figure what caused it.

    At the start of this year I decided to eat less meat for general health reasons. I was concerned that replacing meat with beans, pulses etc may trigger more IBS. Well, what a surprise... I have not had a single incident of IBS since the start of the year. I very occassionaly still get "the runs" but they don't last long and aren't accompanied by the excrutiating gut pain that I used to experience. I still eat meat but not as much as before. Unfortunately I still love my dairy foods....
  • purplishblue
    purplishblue Posts: 135 Member
    Options
    I had bad IBS, and followed the advice on the Help For IBS website, it actually worked really well! Essentially it talks about cutting back on insoluble fiber, while making sure you have plenty of soluble fiber. So for example, cutting way back on whole grains and being very careful with fruit/veggies. Also being very careful with fats, and other things. It was really helpful for me, and I was able to slowly over the years carefully add things back. I can now eat mostly normal without having any issues :)
  • patsypooter
    patsypooter Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    Thanks for sharing your stories everyone.

    I think it's so helpful to see what's worked for other people. There seem to be some common things that bother other people that bother me too.

    Gluten is a huge no no, it causes so much nausea for me. I don't really miss it though. Thought I would but it's just an adjustment then you get used to it. Hard at first for sure.
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 170 Member
    Options
    IBS can go together with celiac disease so I would get checked for that
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Options
    I can't drink milk AT ALL, yogurt is still ok, but it has to be the plain with no additives. I can still eat the more aged cheeses and can use a bit of cream in cooking.

    Sugar is bad, HFCS is awful. Can't eat a plain green salad without some sort of protein in it either. Have to eat something with my hard boiled eggs everyday, like a bit of cheese and a tomato, that seems to do the trick.

    I have upped my fiber (physillum) I take a half dose about 2 hours after breakfast, after lunch and after diner. And fennel tea helps with the bloating.

    I have recently discovered that I am lactose intolerant, and that is pretty much what you are describing in your first sentence. I think sometimes we can get hit by a double whammy - lactose intolerance and IBS.
  • mountainrun73
    mountainrun73 Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    "At the start of this year I decided to eat less meat for general health reasons. I was concerned that replacing meat with beans, pulses etc may trigger more IBS. Well, what a surprise... I have not had a single incident of IBS since the start of the year. I very occassionaly still get "the runs" but they don't last long and aren't accompanied by the excrutiating gut pain that I used to experience. I still eat meat but not as much as before. Unfortunately I still love my dairy foods...."


    That's really interesting. I've been trying to cut down on meat intake as well and have toyed with going veg, but sometimes find that the only thing that doesn't cause problems is chicken and veggies. I'll pay more attention next time I eat a bean protein meal to see how it affects me, if at all!
  • elv1ra
    elv1ra Posts: 146 Member
    Options
    i didnt read the whole thread so i dont know if its been mentioned but there is a diet for ibs called the low fodmap diet and its supposed to help 70% of sufferers.

    unfortunately everything i like is on the list of foods to avoid (onions, garlic, avacado, brocolli, brussels sprouts, apples, mushrooms) so i was like "hell naw!" but if your curious, check it out.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Options
    Just dealing with an episdoe today.

    I'm blaming the stress of my boss being back from leave, together with a cup of black coffee I had for breakfast dont usually drink coffee)

    I'm tempted to buy some Yakult on the way home to see if a pro-bitoic helps.
  • Seevan07
    Seevan07 Posts: 23
    Options
    I've already posted and mentioned low FODMAPs. But I'm still having issues with constipation and gas. I want to start a probiotic, but are there any other suggestions for relieving those symptoms?

    If anyone wants to add me, I track pretty consistently and also include some things about my IBS in my notes so I can figure out triggers. It may be TMI for some, but I have no qualms about discussing poops and farts! Also, I'm a vegetarian if that interests anyone.

Categories