Ibs

While I don't have IBS, I do have an eating disorder and a different stomach disorder, called celiac disease. For a long time, people told me it was all in my head. It's hard to live with stomach problems and they can be so embarrassing. Have you read up on your disease? The best thing to do is learn about your condition. There are a ton of books out there on IBS and other stomach disorders, with lots of good info on how diet affect them. Have you seen a nutritionist? Your ED may be agrivating the IBS. A nutrionist may be able to help you develop a good diet.

Ugh, it's rough isn't it? There are people who understand you're not nuts, and understand the embarassment it causes. My husband completely gets how real it is, but doesn't get the embarassment at all...It can be just humiliating if you're out, and the lack of control is frustrating.

Hi,At one time they thought i had it and
my doctor gave me medicine to take before i ate that was supposed to help the problem. It went away so i can't say if it worked or not.
It's worth looking into!
Chuck.

Well, just this week, I was diagnosed with IBS, so now I join you in your struggles. From what I've learned, it is somewhat in your head, mean that stress and various mood problems will make it worse. Are you taking a fiber supplement? My doctor recommended benefiber specifically. He said some of the fiber supplements can actually make things worse, like metamucil. He said peppermint herbal tea will help with gas and bloating. Has your doctor given you any perscriptions? Mine gave me two different meds. The next time you go to the doctor, ask him if any meds would help you. Did he give you a diet to follow? Mine told me to limit fat, caffine, soda (pop), raw veggies, salads, ect. Until I'm stable, all my fruits and veggies are supposed to be peeled and cooked. He also said to eliminate all dairy. There are a ton of books out there that give tips on eating for IBS.

I've had IBS my whole life, so I can maybe share some things I've learned.

First, IBS is a generic term that doctors came up with for anyone who has a digestive problem that they can't easily identify. So in truth, it encompases many different kinds of disorders, allergies, intolerances, and ailments.

The only way to deal with IBS is to use trial and error to find out what works best for you. I'm still on that road after decades of battling it. You have to take charge of your own health to deal with it. No one else will.

For me, I know that I need to avoid: sugar, dairy, egg, presevatives, orange juice, and caffeine to remain functional, and even that is no guarantee. My primary source of fibre has to be fruits and veggies. I eat whole grain foods instead of white starches whenever possible, but this is a small piece of the puzzle for me.

I try to start the day with a fruit and then later eat a protein, but always ease my way in very slowly. Mornings are the worst because waking up my digestive system is always painful. Fruits that are particularly helpful are avocado, banana, and papaya.

I have trained myself to drink water all day, every day, and never go more than one hour without at least a full glass of water.

I've never found a prescription drug that helps in the least. I am currently trying various enzimes and bacteria to see if anything will help.

IBS is not generally a disease that's "just in your head". It's a real physical condition of the digestive system. People who are prone to having a problem with their disgestive systems often find as well that stress adds to the problem. Note: stress doesn't create the problem, it just aggrivates it. Makes sense when you consider that most people tense their gut area naturally when they are stressed. So don't take it personally when people (especially doctors) tell you it's just in your head. They're just uneducated and don't understand.

Another interesting fact is that far more women develop this problem than men, and it's often related to hormones. But again, doctors know even less about female hormones than they do about digestive disorders. So they're not much help in treating these issues (in my experience anyway).

i have celiaic and IBS
try a low carb diet, no sugar
when i have alot of sugar my IBS gets soo much worse
sandi

Romans55 said:

i have celiaic and IBS
try a low carb diet, no sugar
when i have alot of sugar my IBS gets soo much worse
sandi

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IBS is a very individualized disease. Mine gets worse if I eat alot of animal products. I feel best on a totally vegan diet, with low residue, ie low insoluble fiber, but high soluble fiber. I've been taking Elavil for several months now, and it has dramatically reduced the frequency of the really painful episodes. Staying vegan has really helped with the gas and bloating.

I was diagnosed with IBS several years ago. I kept a food diary of every single thing I ate, and noted when I had which symptoms. I learned what foods I need to avoid.
For me red sauce is a huge one. I can eat spaghetti, but then nothing else tomato based for 2-3 days at least or else I am bathroom bound for hours. LOL

You may want to checkout this site, www.bradyinstitute.com, or John E Sarno's book, the Mindbody Prescription.

my mom has it and she swears by flax seed

I used to have bouts of unpredictable IBS, more often when I was in public but sometimes at home, always after a meal. Yes, I did notice that my stress level affected it too as I'd never had these spells until after my mother died in 1996. I constantly had gas. Interestingly, when I got tested for allergies to begin allergy shots, it turned out that a couple foods I was eating on a daily basis that were supposed to be really healthy for me, I was actually allergic to! I have a small list of foods that I have mild to moderate allergies to & as long as I avoid them I have NO gas or bloating. I have maybe a handful of the sudden cramping/diarrhea spells in the last year but that's all. Just based on my own personal experience, you might consider visiting an allergist to be tested for food allergies. I'd always assumed that food allergies caused severe symptoms, such as not being able to breathe. You know, I thought they all caused life-threatening reactions but not so. They can also cause many milder problems, including gastrointestinal upset. This is just a thought, but maybe worth looking into. You never know what might work.

I have IBS and it is not happening now because I am on anti-stress medication. I am so glad not to have that pain. It is horrible, I know. I used to be in pain all the time practically. I am praying for everyone.

I have ibs and really, outside of avoiding red meat, I just basically live with it. I have a mild form though, with only occasional serious flareups (the week after finals, for example, I had painful runs for a week). As someone said, while stress doesn't cause ibs, it certainly makes it a thousand times worse, so do you best to control stress (impossible to do fully of course, but large improvements can be made).

I was recently diagnosed with IBS a well, after having an endoscopy/gastroscopy in hospital in November. Still seeing my GP now...I started off having loads of nausea, and even acid build up when I first started feeling ill in July last year. Then I had bad constipation, and been put on laxatives. Now I just feel really bloated and full of wind (burping all the time) so am hoping to find some medication to calm that down.

Argh, it's a pain...

I know few people that has it. They must be away from stress and must relax and practise a lot to stimulate tummy function. Not drink milk, not eat fet, drink much and of course pray...))I will ask my friend with that problem.
I hope you will recover soon.
Amen