Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Amanda82691
Posts: 298 Member
Hello everyone. I have recently learned that I have IBS. (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I was curious to know how many of you out there also live with this condition and what do you do to keep it under control and yourself balanced? Any tips or advice?
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Replies
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I haven't been diagnosed yet.. lol can'tbring myself to collect samples.. WTF!? lol
I've been living with the symptoms for a couple years now... was watching a show on tv about IBS like symptoms, they were talking about making a list of suspected problem foods and taking them out of your diet then re-introducing them to see if they make a difference. Turns out romain lettuce, bell peppers, corn and watermelon are problomatic for me.. I've been a lot better since i've cut those out of my diet, not 100% but close.0 -
I had a real issue with IBS until I cut out the majority of processed foods and fast food out of my diet. It almost completely went away. Now I know that if my IBS is back -- I haven't been eating correctly and need to get back on track.0
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I haven't been diagnosed, either, but my doctor and I have talked about it. I'm really just avoiding a colonoscopy. I've noticed that what helps me most is drinking a lot of water, exercise, sleep and a well-rounded diet. Alcohol and bar food (fried, cheesy food) definitely does NOT help, although I admit I indulge on a regular basis and just deal with it.
I take a magnesium citrate tablet every night.0 -
I concur with cutting back on foods and then re-introducing them. I am like csk0018 with the processed foods and junk in general. I cut it all out for a little while and my pain totally went away. I started re-introducing back some of the old favorites and usually symptoms come back when I fall of the bandwagon...Good luck! It's not pleasant...But I am virtually pain free now, so there is hope!0
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A couple of things . . . well for me, at least.
First and foremost what made the biggest difference was cutting out processed and fried foods - for example, I went over to my brother's the other night and while I was there his girlfriend was cooking dinner which was processed crap, pizza pockets, hot pockets, chicken fingers, wedges, and the like. They offered me some and not wanting to be rude I had a couple bites. With just a couple bites I was paying for it for days!! I could barely make it home that night, if you know what I mean. And what's worse is that I really don't even like that particular food, if I'm going to make myself pay I would choose other foods lol.
Another few things I read made IBS worse, and I didn't know it, was certain raw fruits and veggies. For me, it's bananas, raw broccoli, raw bell peppers, avocados, and grape/cherry tomatoes. When I stopped eating these, or at least cooking them first, I felt so much better. Another thing for me is to seriously limit my intake of dairy.
Rich foods - which are coming out around this time of year unfortunately - also tend to wreak havoc on my system so beginning December 1 I start taking probiotics to help regulate my digestion. If I have a build up of these in my system I tend to get through the holidays a little better - but it was years of trial and error. I find it does not help with the bloating but it does help a great deal with the other unpleasant side effects - so I am ok with wearing stretchy pants for a few days if I'm not living in my bathroom, if you know what I mean. I don't have any regular medication I take as I have been working with a doctor to keep it as diet regulated as possible. I do have a prescription from him though, for super strong anti-inflammatory medication for when it's really bad, I just try not to use it unless I really need it.
My dad, however, does have Chron's disease though so realistically it's only a matter of time for me before I am regulated by medication.
Also - avoid emotional stress as much as you possibly can!!! I was in a bad relationship for 5 1/2 years and it wasn't until I was out and settled that I realized whenever we would fight (which was OFTEN) is when I had the most trouble, even if I was eating properly and exercising regularly. I didn't think of it at the time because after cutting out processed/fried foods I felt a huge difference so I thought it's probably as good as it's going to get. However, I have been out of that relationship since beginning of August 2014 and I have had 2 or 3 flare up days, which coincided with Thanksgiving so that's kind of a given. Emotional stress can make it worse on your body (and I mean work stress, child stress, basically just not physical stress like from exercising) so if you can avoid it, do so. It's easier said than done, I know, but I feel so much better now.
Hopefully this helps for you! It's a little different for everyone, but honestly regular exercise I find helps the most! If you lack for a bit, getting back into it can be uncomfy at first which makes you not wanna do it right? But if you can get through that part, I believe regular exercise (4 - 5 days/week, maybe even 6 depending on your lifestyle) makes a major difference in alleviating the symptoms.
Feel free to add me or reach out if you have any more questions0 -
Amanda82691 wrote: »Hello everyone. I have recently learned that I have IBS. (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I was curious to know how many of you out there also live with this condition and what do you do to keep it under control and yourself balanced? Any tips or advice?
What works for one may not work for another but here is what helped me after living with IBS for 40 years and you can Google and read for yourself to see if it of interest to you.
I got on coconut oil in a major way to see if it would help my arthritis pain that started 40 years ago along with the IBS. The first month was bumpy as I jumped into doing 2 tablespoons 4x daily but I was desperate because the doc wanted me to get on shots that often leads to cancer long term for pain management. Starting with 1 teaspoon 2x daily would have been better perhaps.
While the coconut oil did help some with the pain within the first month my IBS went away and has not returned. A couple months later I cut out most all carbs (<50 grams daily) and all foods with added sugar to get a more full control of my pain. This removed all grains from my diet by default.
Since I have not plans to ever eat sugar/carbs/grains again for health reasons I am not sure what stopped my 40 year old IBS condition nor do I care at this point.
This just worked for one old man. The freedom from IBS and most of my pain has freed me in so many ways. Now I can delay a bathroom break without needing to change pants. Those who do not have IBS may think this is funny but the rest of us know the fear when a pain hits at the wrong time and place.
The doctors never offered any solution for 40 years and I found one by accident in my case.
Best of luck in finding the solution that works for you for the rest of your life.
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"Also - avoid emotional stress as much as you possibly can!!! I was in a bad relationship for 5 1/2 years and it wasn't until I was out and settled that I realized whenever we would fight (which was OFTEN) is when I had the most trouble, even if I was eating properly and exercising regularly. I didn't think of it at the time because after cutting out processed/fried foods I felt a huge difference so I thought it's probably as good as it's going to get. However, I have been out of that relationship since beginning of August 2014 and I have had 2 or 3 flare up days, which coincided with Thanksgiving so that's kind of a given. Emotional stress can make it worse on your body (and I mean work stress, child stress, basically just not physical stress like from exercising) so if you can avoid it, do so. It's easier said than done, I know, but I feel so much better now." - oh, this is SO true! Annoying, because really, how CAN you simply "avoid" stress, but it does indeed go hand-in-hand.
I, too, suffered with my IBS terribly during my first marriage. I was miserable and unhappy and from my experience, IBS symptoms are not only associated with food but with emotions as well. Elimination diet is also the key. I finally learned to successfully manage my IBS once I stopped going to doctors and just experimented on my own. Now I very rarely have issues. Good luck and just figure out what works for you.0 -
Since I have not plans to ever eat sugar/carbs/grains again for health reasons I am not sure what stopped my 40 year old IBS condition nor do I care at this point.
So I'm really curious . . . How can you survive without any kind of sugar or carbs? Grains, it's possible, but do you mean processed/refined sugar and starchy carbs? Because even if you eat fruit, berries have a lot of carbs in them, and if you're eating fruit there's a lot of natural sugars in them.
Those three ingredients are key in most foods, processed or not. Unless you're living off of only meat (and only natural, organic, free-range meat at that), it's really hard to avoid these ingredients.0 -
Every person with IBS has a different reaction. I have read on the web that people with IBS should not drink peppermint tea, but for me its a life saver. However, Chamomile can make me sick, but its supposed to be great for IBS.
On top of IBS, I am lactose intolerant. So cheese was a big one for me, since I am not fond of milk or cheese, well that is pretty easy, when I do have it use lactaid.
I found that making sure I have enough fiber is key for me. I have to eat enough veggies and fiber cereal. Before I got the balance right, I used metamucil to supplement. However, I can completely control my symptoms that way. Water is also key, drink plenty of water. One of the reasons for symptoms has something to do with water absorption, so drinking water is important. Stress, vacation, schedule changes, change in eating habits (like a party) can trigger it. Alcohol will also effect me, I still drink, but have to be aware of the effect for the next 2 days or so. I don't know if I will ever be 100% always, but I have minimized the worst of it.
One thing I can NEVER do is take anything to stop diarhea or take a full blown laxitive. If I take something anti diarhea medicine the effect is to stop pooping for like a week. Laxatives have me on the toilet forever.
No matter which diet works for you and which foods are your trigger, the really is being healthy, choosing healthy food, exercising and lots of water really does control the worst of it. I keep peppermint tea on hand to help with digestive symptoms when they pop up.
I am 48 years old and was diagnosed with IBS at age 19. I have managed my symptoms pretty well over the 30 years. So it isn't that hard to live with, I mean I know when I go on vacation I will not poop well most of the week, then the last day of a week long vacation, well that is when my body says "OK lets clean out now". I know it will happen, I know what to expect. The peppermint tea can help minimize it a little, but not totally. Knowing what throws me off and what to do to get back on track are key for me.
Good luck
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i actually have ibs-c (c is for constipation) so i generally have the opposite issue, i don't go enough. switching to a more whole food oriented diet really helped me out. i didn't have to cut any foods out but i do have to make sure i keep my fiber intake at a steady amount using a supplement. the doctor always tells me fiber and water are the key and i just have to find the balance of the two that works for me.0
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It might be worth it to google FODMAP and IBS. See what a low FODMAP diet looks like and see if it might be of help. My sister has IBS-D. I wouldn't be surprised to learn I did as well (but C). Eating mostly whole foods and limiting heavily processed stuff was what really clued me in. I felt so much better and everything works as it's supposed to.
I agree, it's about knowing what messes YOU personally up. Good luck.0 -
I have been put on Linzess, which helps so much. But, the thing that helps more than anything else is eating as close to paleo on a normal basis. It totally helps me to have more energy and not be afraid to go to the gym on days when I don't take my medication. Everyone is different and most people I know who have "IBS" just don't know what it is that they do have (ex: I do not have Chron's and they think it could possibly be celiac, but they don't know). Good luck, try different things. And AVOID STRESS!!!0
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I had a real issue with IBS until I cut out the majority of processed foods and fast food out of my diet. It almost completely went away. Now I know that if my IBS is back -- I haven't been eating correctly and need to get back on track.
Same for me! If I eat out or at someone else's house the IBS can kick in within minutes!! I try to choose lower fat options to avoid this problem!0 -
acorsaut89 wrote: »Since I have not plans to ever eat sugar/carbs/grains again for health reasons I am not sure what stopped my 40 year old IBS condition nor do I care at this point.
So I'm really curious . . . How can you survive without any kind of sugar or carbs? Grains, it's possible, but do you mean processed/refined sugar and starchy carbs? Because even if you eat fruit, berries have a lot of carbs in them, and if you're eating fruit there's a lot of natural sugars in them.
Those three ingredients are key in most foods, processed or not. Unless you're living off of only meat (and only natural, organic, free-range meat at that), it's really hard to avoid these ingredients.
Bottom line we often do not know the cause(s) of IBS so we need to cut back the the required food groups and see if we can get stable then we can start to add back foods. My point is we will not die if we cut out carbs for awhile or forever (which is not practical). Carbs are where we get our fiber that comes in handy.
It is true there are going to be some carbs in any healthy diet because they will tag along with Fats and Proteins. Carbs are not like evil or anything but they have been associated with an increase the risk of stroke, cancer, heart attack and Type 2 diabetes for some people were as today this does not seem to be the case with saturated fats.
ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/5/951.2.long This paper talks about how carbs are not essential for human life in a technical sense and is not something you even need to read unless interested.
Because carbs are everywhere and cheap we all will eat some carbs one way or another. The point is we can greatly reduce our carb intake and add the calories back with fat if we have health issues related to dealing with carbs in a healthy manner.
Fats help me slim down and carbs make me fat. Well both can make one fat but fat and some protein can reduce craving carbs like sugar and starchy bread etc which leads to the desire to overeat. It was the craving for carbs that lead to my overeating.
For my pain control I need to keep my carbs as low as possible so I shoot for <50 grams of carbs daily. That low level of carbs is not required for IBS management in my case but I do need to stay away from grains which means breads.
Everyone is different on the inside so when addressing IBS the same solution does not cure all for sure.
While not IBS related I am learning one can have a healthy diet and stay under 50 grams of carbs daily.
There is so much confusion on this subject even among the MD's even so that will mirror through to these forums. One just needs to learn their bodies and leave off the offending foods. We can get ideas from others but not the final solution typically.
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I have Crohn's disease.
While Crohn's is much different than IBS, what has helped me is:- avoiding processed foods
- cutting back on simple carbohydrates
- drinking lots of water
- avoiding high citric acid foods
- no dairy
- taking Align probiotic, a multivitamin and Wellness Formula by Source Naturals
ETA: You should keep a food diary so you can note what foods give you tummy issues.0 -
ScullyChick wrote: »I haven't been diagnosed yet.. lol can'tbring myself to collect samples.. WTF!? lol
IBS cannot be diagnosed through stool samples. Your doctor most likely wants to check your stool for things like H.pylori, C.Diff, parasites, and problems with your intestine's ability to take in the nutrients from food (malabsorption). What I listed above can become very problematic so I would highly suggest giving your doctor a stool sample as soon as you can. It's really not a big deal. Bring it in a little brown bag… no one will know what's inside except the medical staff.0 -
FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I have Crohn's disease.
While Crohn's is much different than IBS, what has helped me is:- avoiding processed foods
- cutting back on simple carbohydrates
- drinking lots of water
- avoiding high citric acid foods
- no dairy
- taking Align probiotic, a multivitamin and Wellness Formula by Source Naturals
ETA: You should keep a food diary so you can note what foods give you tummy issues.
I have Crohn's too! I agree with all of the above - although I tolerate citric acid okay, sometimes fiber gives me issues (ie: broccoli, unless steamed to death is on my no-no list along with brussel sprouts). I went back to cooking 90% of stuff from scratch, and my scope at the end of last year revealed I was in deep remission - now if I could just get the joint pain to go away (haven't figured out how to control arthritis with diet yet...I'll figure out something eventually!)
There is also some talk out there that Crohn's people almost always feel better on lower carbs - so possibly some gluten issues?0 -
CoffeeMate flavored creamers do me in.
They have some sort of additive in them that is just ghastly for my IBS. I can drink a single cup of black coffee with a meal with no problems, but the creamer while tasty, just causes horrendous issues. And it took me a LONG time to isolate it as the problem!0 -
Yeah, definitely work with a GI doc if you think you might have IBS, since symptoms could be coming from a very serious condition. I've read but haven't tried that cutting out FODMAPs is the first place to start when trying elimination. Because it's a lot of things they recommend working with a dietitian. Personally, I haven't done anything formal, but spices and greasy foods seem to be problematic and when I'm eating more healthfully my IBS seems to improve about 60%.0
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CoffeeMate flavored creamers do me in.
They have some sort of additive in them that is just ghastly for my IBS. I can drink a single cup of black coffee with a meal with no problems, but the creamer while tasty, just causes horrendous issues. And it took me a LONG time to isolate it as the problem!
Same here.
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