I have IBS but can't seem to stop eating trigger foods!

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NakeshiaB
NakeshiaB Posts: 250 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was diagnosed with IBS around 2 years ago, and while I manage okay most of the time, I can't seem to stop eating certain foods that trigger an attack (especially chocolate!). It's like the message isn't getting through to my brain that if I eat this I will be in pain or have to spend the next 20mins on the toilet! I use MFP as a food diary as well and make notes when I have an attack, but I seem to have the memory of a seive and no self control when it comes to certain foods. Does anyone else have this problem and if so how do you deal with it?

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  • Funsoaps
    Funsoaps Posts: 514 Member
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    I don't eat wheat or dairy and pretty much never do.
    But chocolate, coffee or too much spices will cause me to have a lot of acid reflux. I usually can have one once in a great while, but then if I get all into it for a few days, forget it, my stomach will act up. It's hard, but I remember the pain I went through, carry anti-d pills lol in case and try not to do it again (or find replacements for cravings like Almond butter really helps with sweets cravings).

    Can you do carob instead of chocolate? Can you find a dessert tea like caramel apple to help with a craving, etc.?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    no sorry. i have issues with gluten and i avoid it by just not eating it. i's pretty simple.

    maybe it's less of an issue for me because my throat constricts and i have trouble breathing when i eat gluten. i figure not being rushed to the hospital is worth more than a piece of bread.

    but even when i thought i was lactose intolerant (turns out it was the gluten) i would still avoid milk because generally speaking i like not being in pain and a bowl of cereal or 10 minutes of eating ice cream isnt really worth 2 days of dicomfort
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    My best advise is make your shopping list during a moment of clarity (like now) and then DON'T LET THOSE FOODS IN THE HOUSE. Learning self control is great, blah blah blah, but sometimes it's best to just remove the problem and not give ourselves the choice.
  • NakeshiaB
    NakeshiaB Posts: 250 Member
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    Thanks, it's usually the biscuits in the kitchen at work that get me, they just sit there while I'm making a coffee and without even thinking about it they end up in my mouth!
  • chonji4ever
    chonji4ever Posts: 120 Member
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    I would get an appointment with a specialist on stomach problems (I forget what the profession is called). My mom suffered from that for years, and she finally got with a specialist. He ran tests for a couple of months, and she got a medication that almost completely stopped it. Now she eats mostly what she wants.
  • zen_mama
    zen_mama Posts: 51
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    I too have this problem and seem to be indulging a lot lately in my number one trigger...CHEESE. I am also discovering that ice cream (there's that dairy link) and excess sugar seem to irritate my stomach as well. I know that when I'm feeling stressed out, I tend to crave trigger foods even more, then pay for it for a whole day. I wish I had more will power- I would go back to a vegan diet and leave the dairy behind!
  • NakeshiaB
    NakeshiaB Posts: 250 Member
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    I've decided I'm going to write out a list of Life Rules and put copies up at home and work.

    Rule 1: Listen to my body, not my mind!.
    Rule 2: No cakes, slices, biscuits, sweets, milk or white chocolate, heavily fried or fatty food, and soft drinks.
    Rule 3: One serving of treat food a week: once it's eaten, that's it for 7 days.
    Rule 4: Put my physical and mental health first.
    Rule 5: Enjoy life, don't spend every second obsessing or feeling guilty about what I've eaten.

    There's are going to be my new rules for LIFE. Note I haven't completely elimated all desserts (things like sorbet and tarts I don't trigger my IBS). And of course rules will be broken, but if I make them rules rather than goals, I think I may find myself more willing to stick to them. I've always been a stickler for following the rules.
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
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    If its the biscuits at work tempting you, take some healthy snacks into work to eat instead. I always have nuts, seeds, rice cakes, dried fuit, etc on my desk :)
  • alinakaras
    alinakaras Posts: 51 Member
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    I've decided I'm going to write out a list of Life Rules and put copies up at home and work.

    Rule 1: Listen to my body, not my mind!.
    Rule 2: No cakes, slices, biscuits, sweets, milk or white chocolate, heavily fried or fatty food, and soft drinks.
    Rule 3: One serving of treat food a week: once it's eaten, that's it for 7 days.
    Rule 4: Put my physical and mental health first.
    Rule 5: Enjoy life, don't spend every second obsessing or feeling guilty about what I've eaten.

    There's are going to be my new rules for LIFE. Note I haven't completely elimated all desserts (things like sorbet and tarts I don't trigger my IBS). And of course rules will be broken, but if I make them rules rather than goals, I think I may find myself more willing to stick to them. I've always been a stickler for following the rules.


    I like these rules, I think I'm going to adopt them as well. I am, too, terrible with avoiding the trigger food (I have IBS as well) - especially milk. I sometimes just can't resist a latter or a cappuccino in the morning! I don't understand how my brain still doesn't get that after I have this coffee, I will be in a lot of pain.

    But as they say, a willpower is like a muscle - you need to train it in order for it to be strong. So I am going to have your rules in mind next time I am craving that latte!
  • 3RMomma
    3RMomma Posts: 55 Member
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    I know nothing about IBS, but I'm wondering if you had a chance to mourn/grieve the loss of all of the foods that you loved/enjoyed/turned to? It sounds a little odd, I know... but from a psychological perspective there are times that our bodies and minds can be so disconnected or at odds with each other....
  • amanda6393
    amanda6393 Posts: 176 Member
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    IBS usually indicates something isn't right gut-wise, whether it be a long term intestinal flora issue or leaky gut. I would highly recommend seeing a nutritionist/naturopath, who may be able to resolve the issue once and for all, rather than a band-aid solution which treats the symptom rather than the cause. Soooo many doctors don't investigate the real cause of problems, they just want to give you drugs to treat things...speaking from experience here :)
  • sethandjane
    sethandjane Posts: 74 Member
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    Rule 1: Listen to my body, not my mind!.
    Rule 2: No cakes, slices, biscuits, sweets, milk or white chocolate, heavily fried or fatty food, and soft drinks.
    Rule 3: One serving of treat food a week: once it's eaten, that's it for 7 days.
    Rule 4: Put my physical and mental health first.
    Rule 5: Enjoy life, don't spend every second obsessing or feeling guilty about what I've eaten.

    I'd like to request permission to adopt your rules too :)

    I'm more gluten-intolerant (I've never been actually tested for celiac disease which is why I've adopted that label). This is why I switched to the Primal/Paleo way of eating. But there are still triggers for me everywhere, and like you, I have the worst physical symptoms for the next couple of days when I indulge.

    Thanks for posting this topic!
    :) Jane
  • angeseabridge
    angeseabridge Posts: 13 Member
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    I've found it gets easier over time. When I was first diagnosed nearly 5 years ago (using the term loosely because the Dr never really investigated it), I found it diificult to avoid those trigger foods and often craving them. Your body does adapt and get used to enjoying other things instead. Don't give yourself too hard a time of it! x

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