IBS Nearly Drove Me Insane.... But I Beat It

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patsypooter
patsypooter Posts: 175 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I won't get into too many details but I had such bad IBS/Heartburn/Reflux/Pain that I thought I was dying. Some of my symptoms included: Constant dull pain in my guts, bloating, diarrhea mixed with severe constipation which resulted in pain unlike anything I had ever felt, heartburn and reflux so bad I couldn't sleep, gas so bad it would make my dogs gag (and boy did it hurt!), constant lump in throat feeling, difficulty swallowing, nausea, dizziness, headaches, etc. This lasted years. The dizziness got so bad once I fainted and cracked my head open! I was giving up hope. After extensive testing doctors couldn't help me and were now acting like I was insane. But I knew none of this was in my head. I was in pain daily, sometimes so agonizingly so that I thought I surely must be close to deaths door.

I had nearly given up hope but I decided to completely overhaul my diet. My diet wasn't exactly bad, I ate lots of veggies, some cheese, some bread, meat, fruit, etc. I was eating well and couldn't figure out what was going on!

FODMAPS diet gave me great insight into what to look out for. Turns out I also can't do ANY dairy, and have fructose malabsorption and can't tolerate ANY fruit! Can't do any wheat, although it doesn't seem to bother my stomach it WAS causing seasonal allergy symptoms! Itchiness all over, scratchy throat, etc. Very unpleasant.

I also go off of SCD principals. I basically did an elimination diet based on a few different principals, and figured everything out.

I slowly am adding foods back in, one every 3-4 weeks and see how I react. Found out I have a crazy amount of sensitivities. Swiss chard? Nope. Green beans? Nope.

I'm happier than I have ever been, since I feel like I've finally got my life back. Yes my diet might seem absurdly strict but I would do ANYTHING to feel good again. It's been so worth it.

I just want to tell anyone who is dealing with the pain and misery that is IBS or Reflux, it can get better. It just takes a lot of work and dedication.

Replies

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Glad you found something that helps! I have Crohn's, IBS and reflux which is helped by low fodmaps but Crohn's is a nasty beast which I have to take strong meds to help control and even safe food can cause issues at times. Sometimes water is even a trigger. It is a pain
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    ^^^x2

    I was diagnosed with IBS in January and I have had to eliminate almost everything I used to like to eat e.g. beans, sprouts (yes my fave veg), garlic, onions, all wholemeal stuff, sweeteners and I even have to limit my whey protein to just once after the gym due to the lactose in it
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
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    I am so thankful that you are doing well. I am a special ed teacher and one of my non-verbal students has IBS bad- this causes him quite a few problems and others as well. It really can be difficult to diagnose and handle.
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
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    I'm so happy for you. I started having lots of troubles (mostly very painful gas cramps, distension, and spasms) about 5 months ago, and am still trying to work out my triggers. Low FODMAP is helping but after almost 4 weeks, I still haven't reached any kind of stable 'okay' state.
  • socalrunner59
    socalrunner59 Posts: 149 Member
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    Very happy you found a way out of your misery. I totally get when you say you feel like you got your life back.

    I was sick since childhood. As an adult I was sent from doctor to doctor. For more than 15 years I was missed diagnosed. First doctors told me I had IBS. Then it was IBS with constipation...followed by IBS with diarrhea...then when they couldn't explain all the symptoms, they said it was IBS with both constipation and diarrhea.

    Turned out to be celiac disease. From my horrible experience, I now believe IBS is a convenient, catch-all "diagnosis" handed out when a doctor is clueless.

    I'm the one who asked my doctor if it could be celiac. He subsequently ordered the tests...I've been gluten free for 8 yrs--and so have my life back!
  • jordiblu
    jordiblu Posts: 145 Member
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    I have suffered from IBS since I can remember
    The only diet that works for me (and feel fantastic) is no gluten nondairy and no sugar or processed foods
    I'm 90%plant based eat a ton of avocados and olive oil leafy greens chicken and eggs
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited July 2016
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    socalrunner59 wrote: »
    Very happy you found a way out of your misery. I totally get when you say you feel like you got your life back.

    I was sick since childhood. As an adult I was sent from doctor to doctor. For more than 15 years I was missed diagnosed. First doctors told me I had IBS. Then it was IBS with constipation...followed by IBS with diarrhea...then when they couldn't explain all the symptoms, they said it was IBS with both constipation and diarrhea.

    Turned out to be celiac disease. From my horrible experience, I now believe IBS is a convenient, catch-all "diagnosis" handed out when a doctor is clueless.

    I'm the one who asked my doctor if it could be celiac. He subsequently ordered the tests...I've been gluten free for 8 yrs--and so have my life back!
    @socalrunner59
    IBS is usually diagnosed by exclusion meaning they can't find anything on scopes or tests because it doesn't cause ulcers, inflammation, fistulas, structural damage, etc like celiac and IBD and other diseases do. It is actually a syndrome because it is a bunch of "unexplained" symptoms (though it is understood to be a functional/ motility issue).

    I was diagnosed with IBS without a scope 15 years ago but it might have been mild Crohn's for a long time because when I went into my severe/almost killed me on deathbed flare and finally got diagnosed with Crohn's with a colonoscopy days away from perforating my symptoms were the same (except bleeding which I though was from hemorrhoids) but magnified x1000000. I have a complication (fistulas) that erupted 1 month after diagnosis and from research it looks like they usually occur after 10 or so years of inflammation/Crohn's so it makes me wonder. I wish I was properly diagnosed at first as fistulas are hateful and I'm now stuck with lots of irreversible damage and on biologics strong meds. Perhaps I could have avoided all my horrible experiences if I had been given a colonoscopy.
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
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    Ibs is just about management. I take viberzi and atrantil and I did the low fodmap diet which helped me eliminate triggers so I have not had a major flare in along time. I was still pooping too much so that's where the viberzi comes in and keeps any cramps away.

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