IBS and Falling off the wagon, with weight loss.

This is one of those stick to your doctors advice thing rather than talking to people on the internet who may or may not know what their talking about!

In my experience doctors tend to diagnose IBS when every other avenue has been exhausted. All IBS is, is a collection of symptoms and there is no cure. I have suffered very badly with IBS symptoms on and off for many years, when it got particularly bad a few years ago I was tested, poked and prodded and nothing came back so I was to told just live with it. At that point it didn't matter what I ate, I was ill regardless.

Looking back the main trigger for my severe IBS was stress, I just didn't realise it at the time. I made a lot of changes in my life last year, changed jobs, ended a bad relationship, moved house and just got happy being me again. For the most part my IBS has vanished. Now if I get symptoms it tends to be because I am distressed or anxious and I am trying to get better at paying attention to that.

That is just my own experience. The only thing I would suggest to you is make sure you have been tested for everything else before landing on IBS. If there are stresses in your life, do what you can to make positive changes.

About 3 years ago, at my higest weight, my IBS was at it worst. I was ill with IBS-D every day, was constantly tired and in pain and had no energy. Personally stress is a big trigger for myself, but also looking at what foods I am eating massively helped me take back some control in my body.

Keeping a food diary on here purely to help you identify a few trigger foods might help you see certain foods which may make things worse. It may also help you to choose better options to help you feel better.

When my IBS was worst, my stomach was constantly hurting and overeating large ammounts of tasty food helped make that pain go away a little bit which is why I think I gained so much.

Fast forward a few years, I now mostly symptom free, apart from the odd occasion where I feel it all flare up again which is usually when i am stressed. I pay more attention to what I eat without being strict about it. I still have a takeaway at the weekend and wine, but not three or four times a week like before. I still eat crisps but not 3 or 4 packets in a row!

I also have an active job now which keeps me on my feet for 8-10 hours a day which helps me stay active, and try to go to the gym twice a week to make sure I keep myself accountable.

I think the best thing is trial and error, with food. It may be worth noting that sometimes any food was a trigger for me, it was the fact I was stressed that it didnt matter what I ate and I couldve been ill, but making better choices meant my body was getting more nutrients and getting a more active lifestyle helped me feel much better about myself.

(P.S. My doctor said I probably knew more about IBS than he did! He tried me on a few different pills, none worked and some made it worse. Now I just control it with loperamide if needed.)

Hope this helps, and you only REALLY fall off the wagon if you decide not to get back on again

I have IBS C and after losing 60lbs, it is better but not THAT much better. IBS is individual, unfortunately you'll have to tinker with your diet and find what your triggers are. Be sure to have an adequate fluid intake, though.