IBS - help needed

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  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited May 2015
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    sixxpoint wrote: »
    Does adequate daily fiber (25-30g+ per day) and protein (0.60-0.82g per 1 lb. bodyweight) help with this issue? I was told by someone that IBS is like having diarrhea and constipation at the same time. Seems like an adequate fiber/protein ratio would alleviate the symptoms.

    Trust me its so much more than fiber and protein and you are correct in the other area of your statement. Doctors don't have a clue how to fix IBS!!! Its an individual finding their way through life fix is the only way to describe it.. I'm so thankful I found my way after breaking 11 ribs over the course of two years. I'm willing to re-live the most discusting painful part of my life to try and help someone else find their way.. Everyone is different which is why I believe its psychogical no one diet fixes it but a healthier attitude and choice seem to be a prevailing factor. My 2 cents- eat better (let the haters starts there), exercise more, feel better and it gets better.. I did counceling and must admit it helped more than anything else did! I wouldn't post this part of my life online if i didn't understand how bad it can get..

  • BancroftLady
    BancroftLady Posts: 43 Member
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    I just found this thread as I am trying to figure out how to deal with IBS and get out of pain :( I was hospitalized last week and was given morphine and anti spastic meds through an iv it did take it away in time but wow.. brutal, I had another flareup today, I keep trying to go to work and then come home in pain (yes I am getting the correlation with work / anxiety / pain ughh) I went to the doc and was given some pills to take three times a day to help with cramps.. I am going to try and exercise more and try the fodmap diet I see people are trying.. this pain is soo bad I have a really hard time getting it to go away once I get it.. any tips are welcome .. thanks
  • LaceyBirds
    LaceyBirds Posts: 451 Member
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    I have suffered (and I do mean suffered) with IBS for 40 years. My symptoms and triggers have changed over the years, and continue to change, so I have no advice about food, but there are a couple things I want to point out that people may not know.

    Many, many foods that are "sugar-free" contain sweeteners that are known to cause diarrhea and cramping. Some of those sweeteners are: Sorbitol, Mannitol and Sucralose (Splenda). Sorbitol is found in chewing gum. I learned this the hard way when I started having terrible diarrhea and found it was coming from the Big Red gum I was chewing daily. From the point that I learned about Sorbitol, I checked all labels for its presence and eliminated them from my diet.

    After I joined MFP, I started incorporating greek yogurt into my diet, and got lots of Dannon Fit and Light Greek Yogurt. Suddenly, I was having really terrible diarrhea again, and checked for Sorbitol. It didn't list it on the ingredients, but it did list Sucralose, and, lo and behold, it also causes diarrhea in a lot of people. So, several containers got thrown into the trash. It's a bummer, because Greek Yogurt has a lot of protein, and the Chobani that I was buying prior has too much sugar for my macros. You can Google these sweeteners and find the information, I'm too tired to go find links. Be sure to check your ingredients, and stop eating anything with these sweeteners for a while and see if your symptoms improve.

    I also want to share that 10 to 15% of people who have their gallbladders removed suffer from Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome. Nobody told me this after my surgery, and it took some Googling to find out that my new problems were NOT from IBS. The only drug that helps it is something called Questran, and I can't take it because I have alternating IBS, and the Questran makes the constipation dangerous for me. Info: emedicine.medscape.com/article/192761-overview

    Hope this helps.

  • kellycasey5
    kellycasey5 Posts: 486 Member
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    I understand IBS varies person to person. I have diarrhea prominent IBS. I do best eating oatmeal or rice daily, and adding some psyllium powder to my day. It really helps me bulk up, and a little goes a long way. You might ask your dr about it. I started small to avoid bloating and cramps, and now just titrate based on my tummy. The psyllium has worked better than the questran and other meds for me. Even stops the diarrhea before my period, go figure
  • lunamare
    lunamare Posts: 569 Member
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    One of the strangest things I learned through my journey was that the multivitamin I was taking was contributing to my IBS symptoms. I was taking a women's vitamin with iron and it was tying my stomach in knots and making me constipated. I stopped that and the constipation stopped as well. From there I just had to work through what my "trigger" foods are. I agree, the processed foods are a killer. Every time I get lazy and try to have something like that I get sick again. For me too much fiber is awful. So, you can tell that following any of the latest fad diets is out of the question for me ;) I wish you luck! Seriously, do a search on FODMAP. I know I have a huge pinterest board on it and there are tons of other boards out there as well with links to valid information.
  • comeongethealthyro
    comeongethealthyro Posts: 50 Member
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    Best way to gauge what's causing you pain/discomfort is seeing how you feel after you eat something--consistently. Also, probiotics help me a TON! I take 1 per day, and my symptoms have decreased dramatically.
  • MimiMayRR
    MimiMayRR Posts: 19 Member
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    I have Crohn's disease and follow a low FODMAP diet. It has helped me tremendously. It was actually originally developed for people with IBS. Try checking that out.

    My GI said it's not an elimination diet. Stuff that is high FODMAP is NOT off-limits for the rest of your life, you just want to eat them in small quantities and occasionally until you figure out which foods are your specific triggers. If you cut back on gluten (not because of the gluten, but because of the wheat), high-lactose dairy, legumes, and artificial sweeteners and honey you'll probably reduce your total FODMAP load quite a bit right off the bat. Good luck!
  • 89Madeline
    89Madeline Posts: 205 Member
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    I'm in my 4th week of FODMAP and seeing improvement. Interesting to follow this thread :) I tried googling about this, but I'm still unsure about the following: if you can't tolerate wheat, but gluten isn't the problem, what does that mean in terms of what you can and can not eat? Is there wheat that does not contain gluten? Bit confused about this still :)
  • balboasuze
    balboasuze Posts: 7 Member
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    I guess everyone is different but FWIW I had moderate IBS for years, and the things which helped me were a) avoiding white/refined carbs (e.g. white pasta, rice, bread) and replacing with brown or wholewheat versions, b) getting more exercise, and c) taking a high quality daily pro-biotic. The pro-biotic was the thing which really swung it for me, but after experimenting I find that only the more expensive pro-biotics with very high levels of viable bacteria - in the billions - work. I take Biocare probiotics and I swear by them now. I get flare ups now and again if I don't watch my white carb intake or if I have to take antibiotics, but otherwise am mostly cured.
  • PositivelyFlawed
    PositivelyFlawed Posts: 316 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Cladf wrote: »
    I'm amazed by all the replies - thank you everyone...they're all really informative.

    I did have the thought that IBS was meant to be an elimination diagnosis - although I've had recent blood tests so I guess the doctor was happy enough with my general results (thyroid function etc all checked) - had my celiac blood test yesterday so just gotta wait a month or so for that and we shall see what comes up.

    The food intolerances/allergy point is a good one. Wondering whether it might be pertinent just to take myself off for an allergy test - see if that comes up with some big hitters then it might hint at where to start if I was to eliminate anything from my diet.

    Right now, I guess I'm just mainly going to be looking closely at what I'm eating and how it effects me... no longer in pain (thankfully), just some lower back pain because I've swung from D to C (sad face) but to be fair, as long as the horrendous cramp is gone I'm feeling kind of ok.

    Really appreciate all the posts here - IBS really sucks but it's good to have so many supportive people around

    If you decide to go the food allergy route, there is a newer large panel IgG panel, in Canada it is called the Genarrayt 200+ which tests 120-200 foods. (to clarify I have no financial interest, just a lab tech working in an allergy/imunology office :)) I am almost certain such a test would exist in the US and probably the UK. In Canada it runs about $200-$250, which is a bargain because specific igE tests run $21/each. It isn't an allergy test so much as testing for intoleralnce, which generally causes gas, bloating, diarrhea and coincides with IBS often times, (as opposed to allergies which most often cause hives, rhinites and the risk of anaphylaxis). My point being this could be an option to find out which foods don't agree with your system in a more cost effective way (and quicker too).

    You've received lots of info and advice here so it's just a matter of time until you figure out what works for you. Good luck!

  • alisonmarie85
    alisonmarie85 Posts: 55 Member
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    I was diagnosed with IBS back in Elementary school. My doctor told me to eat 2 stalks of celery per day PLAIN. Nothing on it, and drink your 8 glasses of water a day. He said this will help strengthen the bowel.
  • MimiMayRR
    MimiMayRR Posts: 19 Member
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    89Madeline wrote: »
    I'm in my 4th week of FODMAP and seeing improvement. Interesting to follow this thread :) I tried googling about this, but I'm still unsure about the following: if you can't tolerate wheat, but gluten isn't the problem, what does that mean in terms of what you can and can not eat? Is there wheat that does not contain gluten? Bit confused about this still :)

    There is no wheat that doesn't contain gluten (although spelt is sometimes better tolerated by people with IBS/IBD who are sensitive to wheat). The reason the low FODMAP diet recommends gluten-free products is because, by default, they don't contain wheat (but make sure to check the ingredients for inulin and avoid those!). Wheat contains a lot of prebiotics, which are a type of carbohydrate that are not easily digested by the body and make conditions right for certain microbes to flourish in your gut. Prebiotics are good, but too many all at once can cause problems in people with IBS/IBD. So, that is why it is recommended to limit or cut out wheat, rye, and barley, at least until you are sure they aren't triggers for you. For many people who don't have celiac disease but don't tolerate wheat well (and who think they are gluten intolerant), it is actually the poorly digested sugars, not the gluten, that are causing a reaction.
  • NataBost
    NataBost Posts: 418 Member
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    IBS is such a crazy thing, isn't it? I was diagnosed about 7 years ago. This thread is filled with a lot of good ideas, so I'll probably repeat a few things.

    1) Definitely keep an eye on your food log, and note how you feel/felt that day. No issues? Tons of issues? Did you have a stressful day?
    2) Fiber is your friend, but too much can be just as painful.
    3) Water is also your friend
    4) Try investing in a probiotic
    5) Be patient, and GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
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    I just eat a 6oz yogart w fresh made pro biotics in it...nightly and that takes care of all IBS issues.
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
    edited June 2015
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    I have just recently begun following the low FODMAP diet and it is really, really helping. It seems that just about everything would set off a terrible flare - bread, cookies, cake, donuts, apples, nuts, beans, any vegetable in the broccoli/cabbage family, too much hot sauce and the list goes on - to the point where I was afraid to eat anything. I would get to work in a pair of pants that fit, but if I ate any of the above, the bloating and cramping started immediately and the pants became so tight that I couldn't stand it. I wish I would have taken it more seriously before, but I thought it was just a "thing." I would tell people that apples affect me in a negative way and they looked at me like I was nuts. Now I know it wasn't all in my head. I can't handle apples and many other fruits. My food choices have been drastically reduced, but I feel so much better and just steer away from what I think will cause that horrible discomfort. Last week there was a luncheon at work. The main course was called "Chicken Verde." I took a couple of bites, noticed all the grease and put it down. Sure enough, the bloating and cramping started, I guess because of the grease and cheese?

    BTW, does anybody know of some good IBS groups on MFP?
  • Winingwoman
    Winingwoman Posts: 1 Member
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    I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 16. I am 66 now and no one has really found a cure for me The list of foods that give me diarrhea from the FODMAP diet were numerous. I have found whole foods work best. Also I eat a high fiber , low sugar diet and restrict dairy. Eat grass fed beef. Glutens don't seem to bother me if I stay away from wheat. Every one is different. The doctors do not know how to cure you. You must cure yourself through trial and error. Study up on how the digestive system works. Good luck!
  • meangreen11
    meangreen11 Posts: 42 Member
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    sunnyside1213 wrote: »
    I struggled for 15 years with what I thought was IBS. Constant diarrhea. I had to be near a bathroom at all times. Sometimes I would just live in the bathroom. I did every elimination diet on earth. Then, I got a kidney stone. My doctor said no more calcium pills. No more cheese. (I miss the cheese.) But I kept taking the magnesium that helps calcium into your bones. One day I ran out of magnesium. Guess what happened next? I got better.

    My heart breaks for people with IBS. I know that doctors have no idea what causes your problems, but hopefully you can find something that will help you.

    So Calcium aggravates IBS-D symptoms? I was just advised to start Calcium for osteopenia, but I certainly don't need anything making my symptoms worse!
  • Speckle38
    Speckle38 Posts: 53 Member
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    89Madeline wrote: »
    I'm in my 4th week of FODMAP and seeing improvement. Interesting to follow this thread :) I tried googling about this, but I'm still unsure about the following: if you can't tolerate wheat, but gluten isn't the problem, what does that mean in terms of what you can and can not eat? Is there wheat that does not contain gluten? Bit confused about this still :)
    My friend uses spelt flour, and our local bakery bakes spelt bread to order on certain days, so she orders it once a week. Spelt flour is a little bit more expensive where we are, but it works perfectly in everything I've used it in.

    There is a low FODMAPS app that both of my friends bought. It ranks foods in a traffic light system, so it's easy to use.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    My husband has IBS and has since high school - he was put on Valium for it because he was just over 100lbs from the weight loss. It seems that everything triggers it, but some things less so. Dairy, greasy foods, cruciferous vegetables, and beans seem to give him more pain. Medical marijuana has been the only workable treatment so far. If not, he is in so much pain that he doesn't eat at all.
  • doutri2
    doutri2 Posts: 186 Member
    edited January 2016
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    This has been so interesting to read all of the responses and how varied they are. How brave of all of you speak up on such a private, personal matter. But, sharing these experiences hopefully helps someone else.

    Ever since my 2nd child born(2005), I never know if I'm going to have regular bowel movements or diarrhea from day to day. I also had bloating and gas pains so bad that I went to the ER just to be embarrassed to find out it was gas. I even had my appendix removed b/c they thought that was the problem. (I still think that was a mistake.)

    Then, one A.M. I was so stuck in the bathroom that I had to call off of work. Since I was home, I was watching Dr. Oz who had Dr. Hyman on and he said that there are 7 main foods that many people cannot digest or have trouble digesting: wheat(gluten), eggs, milk, beans/peas/peanuts and other legumes and corn. And, of course, the day before I had been munching on peanuts as a snack. And, had realized that previous episodes also involved beans at some meals and peanuts or peanut butter at other snack/dessert times. Plus. both of my boys have nut allergies.

    A few years earlier, I had also discovered that foods in the onion family (garlic, shallots, leeks) also cause GI distress for me as well. And, since then have talked to so many people, usually strangers, who also cannot handle those foods either.

    This year, I had to miss Thanksgiving b/c I am starting to wonder if my love of red peppers and tomatoes are also getting the best of me. And, today, I had to skip out on a family reunion that was 90 minutes away b/c of the chili (non-bean) that was coming back to haunt me today due to the tomatoes in it.

    Lastly, I have one close friend who I can commiserate with about the same problems and he figured out that it was the sorbitol in his Trident gum that was bothering him (as a poster above had mentioned as well).

    Anyway, thanks for giving me a safe place to share.

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