Irritable bowel syndrome support

[Kima]

I was diagnosed a few months ago following a few weeks of serious pain. Since irritable bowel is a common problem (about 1 person in ten, mostly women), I'm very interested to know how others are coping and think it would be great to exchange tips and give each other support and encouragement when times get tough.

Things started to get better for me when my doctor gave me plant tincture drops to take with meals. Peppermint tea also helps a little, though I'm starting to believe that it causes heartburn. I'm only starting to experiment with my diet to see if anything improves. Major culprits in my case seem to be coffee and alcohol... it's hard to give them up, even temporarily! However, although much of the pain is gone, other symptoms regularly come back which causes a lot of anxiety and fatigue.

Is anyone else going through this? I'd love to hear from you.

[Reyna]

Cutting out sugar and refined carbs helped me A LOT. I also lost weight and ended up eating more veggies (which probably helped things as well). I still have some issues but they are getting better and better. I'm hoping one day to be symptom free *fingers crossed*

[katie bridgewater]

Have you tried going gluten-free? Gluten intolerance is very common can be linked to IBS. I gave up gluten and within a week I felt a million times better. Also, avoiding refined and processed food can really help.

[Duellist]

I ended up cutting out certain things from my diet and doing food diaries. It turns out that I am currently lactose-intolerant, but they think that is a temporary thing or at least something that will ease off. In any case, I avoid too much fat in my diet and so cutting back on milk helps with that. I actually started that when I shifted from black tea to peppermint tea, but never twigged that it was the lack of milk (and caffeine) helping rather than purely the peppermint. Other than that, mine is controlled with mebeverine.

Peppermint has two issues; yes, it causes heartburn like you wouldn't believe and drinking it on an empty stomach can land you in A&E from the pain. Apparently, you can get peppermint oil capsules which remove these side-effects, but I have never needed them; I keep a bottle of Gaviscon by the bed instead.

[NovaStar]

I have suffered with IBS on and off for about 10 years now. At its worst, within about half an hour of eating I would have to lie down with severe abdominal pains and bloating. These day, bouts are usually infrequent but serious abdominal cramping followed by an upset stomach that will have me passed out on the floor in pain.
Unfortunately IBS is generally a catch all diagnosis for undiagnosable abdominal problems and sometimes undiagnosed coeliac, chrones disease etc so do make sure these have been properly ruled out as they are much more serious.

After completing an exclusion diet to identify potential suspect intolerences, I went completely gluten free for over 2 years which did seem to help. I gradually reintroduced wheat again successfully and rarely have problems with it now. I suspect I have a lactose intolerance but refuse to cut out cheese so I just live with it.

I find commercial peppermint tea gives me heartburn but homemade with fresh mint and manuka honey is good. I tend to prefer nettle tea though and never drink regular tea or coffee.

Probiotic drinks or capsules help many people although I never experienced much benefit.

Remember to drink plenty of water, and rest if you can when it gets bad. Sleep is a good healer.

Happy to discuss further if it would help

[Kima]

Thank you so much for all your replies! I'm glad I started this thread. I've been eating a fairly healthy diet with very few processed foods, a lot of whole foods, and mainly organic. I went completely overboard over the Christmas period which is why I suffer now... but gods, was it good

I haven't tried removing gluten from my diet. I am reducing dairy but I've kept ewe milk yogurts because they help with milk cravings (I love milk!) and are probiotics. They don't seem to be a problem so I doubt I'm lactose intolerant. Are there tests for food intolerances, other than to remove everything and reintroduce foods one by one later? I think a food diary could help, and I'll try to keep peppermint tea for when it feels like I've eaten too much and my stomach is full. The drops I take (Iberogast) already contain peppermint tincture. I've tried to get off them a few times but the pain comes right back.

I have suffered with IBS on and off for about 10 years now. At its worst, within about half an hour of eating I would have to lie down with severe abdominal pains and bloating. These day, bouts are usually infrequent but serious abdominal cramping followed by an upset stomach that will have me passed out on the floor in pain.

Four months ago the pain landed me in the emergency room a couple of times. I didn't suffer more when I had appendicitis, though the pain is more generalized with IBS and feels different. I was actually offered opiates when the pain kept me from sleeping for an entire night (though I didn't take that!) Trouble would start about an hour after a meal and it got so bad I was scared of eating. So glad that Iberogast worked for me. At least it's natural.

[katie bridgewater]

The only way to really know foodstuff (if any) what is triggering IBS or other chronic conditions is to try a strict elimination diet which is a really prescriptive and challenging thing to do.

Milk intolerance is extremely widespread in human beings - there are different types of dairy intolerance / allergy. Milk contains 3 proteins that are commonly known to cause reactions in humans. Most people with a milk issue are just lactose intolerant, and are more able to digest milk that has already been partially digested for us by moulds and bacteria (ie in the form of yoghurt, cheese and in Mongolia, fermented yaks milk). A much smaller sub group are also unable to digest other 2 main proteins in milk, and are unable to tolerate milk even when even pre-digested by other living beings.

Milk is a key factor in IBS. I'm fine with yoghurt and a little cheese, butter (being mostly fat, not protein) is ok in moderate doses, but milk is really bad for me. Fortunately, for ethical reasons, I avoid too much factory farmed animal produce in my diet so I don't really get enough dairy to cause many digestive problems. I have found fresh pressed coconut milk is the best, and most natural, (though not bioregional for me, so not a day to day option) dairy and gluten free milk substitute for those things that absolutely can't be done without some kind of milk substance, so I have this as a luxury from time to time.

As an aside, I have a suspicion that homogenised milk is probably the worst culprit, as the fat molecules are able to pass directly through the gut wall before they have been properly digested, and I wouldn't be surprised if the rise of lactose intolerance, and related conditions like IBS was linked to the rise of homogenisation by the dairy industry.

Once you've started an elimination diet (you should always seek medical advice before doing this) then you can find out better what your body really can and can't tolerate.

[Kima]

Funny though that we all seem to react differently to a variety of potential triggers. While a cup of coffee with warm milk will inevitably be too acidic and make me feel a little bloated, I have more immediate and painful reactions to a big bowl of salad!

I've come across explanations that state that insoluble fibers can have a big impact on IBS and should always be taken in moderation either after or with a portion of soluble fibers. Has anyone focused on that? It looks like this may be a big thing for me since I noticed years ago that greens and many vegetables are harder for me to digest than fatty foods or alcohol. It's easier if they are well cooked, which is why I like soup and stew so much.

Advice can be so contradictory and difficult to sort out

I guess the food diary is the way to go. I'll reduce gluten drastically and remove milk to see if it makes a difference.

[andromeda]

I suffered from IBS too but after eliminating gluten and lactose (which does not include cheese, cream or butter) I don't have the problem anymore. I can eat everything else even beans and raw veg

Of course every person has different allergens so an elimination diet as suggested by Katie B is the best bet!

[Aigeann]

I suffered from IBS too but after eliminating gluten and lactose (which does not include cheese, cream or butter) I don't have the problem anymore. I can eat everything else even beans and raw veg

Of course every person has different allergens so an elimination diet as suggested by Katie B is the best bet!

I have a dear friend on the elimination diet in the sincere hope it will help. She's spent years being miserable. But please, don't try to fix yourself alone. Too many things might go wrong. I encourage people to first go to their doc in case there is something hidden and/or unrelated going on.

Blessings

[truthseeker]

Thank you for starting this thread Kima. I had looked for one about IBS and failed to find it. Lucky for me I am OK with most natural foods but have terrible problems with anything highly processed and fast foods. Also many small meals as opposed to large overindulgent fatty meals seems to do the trick. Weird things like popcorn cause me great grief and terrible stomach pain and I just know (from unfortunate experiences) places and things I need to avoid when I can't access a washroom quickly . I think it's probably different for everyone so there will be some trial and error on the way. I've learned to be careful but sometimes there are still errors in judgement and I find it helpful to always have TP within a reasonable distance, under my carseat, in my backpack, in my fishing vest...oh keep it in a ziploc bag to keep it from getting wet...

So many jokes are made about this condition that I think people are afraid to talk about it. Personally I don't find it very funny and if it's someone's idea of a joke I would like to send it back please!

[katie bridgewater]

So many jokes are made about this condition that I think people are afraid to talk about it. Personally I don't find it very funny and if it's someone's idea of a joke I would like to send it back please!

That's a shame Truthseeker. I can't say I've ever heard much joking about it here in the UK, but maybe it's something Canadians are embarrassed about still. I hope you can help change that.

[NovaStar]

I have recently had issues with my workplace due to my IBS as apparently they feel i cannot work from home during bouts, despite the fact my head is fine and i just dont want to get caught out travlelling or whilst at work, so insist i now take the time off as sick...

Exclusion diets are tough but worth it: i initially cut out all the biggies entirely - gluten, dairy, sugar, yeast, soy
Excluded them all and lived on plain meat and veg for 2 weeks, then reintroduced each, one at a time for a week, carefully noting any reactions. It is a time consuming process and the best way to test for intolerences, for which there is no proven test yet (unlike allergies).

One thing i did find interesting last year is that usually i cannot eat cucumber, howeveri grew a variety called 'burpless tasty green' and had no problems with it whatsoever (and ended up making jars of them picked with dill), so varieties could make a big difference too.

[katie bridgewater]

One other thing I just thought of. A few years ago I walked from Dorset (mainland Britian) to Galicia (north=west Spain).
I ate whatever along the way (wheat, cake, more cake. fruit. sardines and instant mash. fruit). There was no routine to my diet except that I needed up to 4000 calories a day and the cheapest calories come from the most rubbish food! I was walking between 10 and 20 miles a day and living outside pretty much the whole time and consuming several litres of water each day.
My insides wore completely perfect - motions, perfect, digestion, perfect, wind, perfect. In fact I'd go so far as to say I have never felt better - cellulite disapppeared, weight loss, perfect skin, fit etc It certainly felt like I was functioning properly on the inside.

I wonder how much of all our western problems are exacerbated by our sedentary lifestyle. The average mileage required for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle is approx 9 miles per day. Most of us would be hard pressed to do that in a week...

[Kima]

I wonder how much of all our western problems are exacerbated by our sedentary lifestyle. The average mileage required for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle is approx 9 miles per day. Most of us would be hard pressed to do that in a week...

I try to walk as much as I can instead of taking public transports. I live in town so work is only half an hour away if I walk swiftly. I'm sure it makes a big difference if you do that regularly. Breathing and motion definitely help with digestion.

I have a suspicion that homogenised milk is probably the worst culprit, as the fat molecules are able to pass directly through the gut wall before they have been properly digested, and I wouldn't be surprised if the rise of lactose intolerance, and related conditions like IBS was linked to the rise of homogenisation by the dairy industry.

I agree with you here. I only drink pasteurized milk and am a strong believer in unpasteurized milk, which unfortunately is hard to get away from the countryside. Anyway, no more milk for now, though I seem to be dealing with ewe milk much better than with cow milk. In a similar vein, wheat has been selected for its high gluten content for decades because it makes the grain more profitable financially. Wheat used to contain less gluten, just as other cereals that haven't been genetically selected for commercial purposes (rye, spelt...) contain lesser amounts of gluten. The rise in allergies is probably related to this phenomenon.

Thank you for starting this thread Kima [...]
So many jokes are made about this condition that I think people are afraid to talk about it. Personally I don't find it very funny and if it's someone's idea of a joke I would like to send it back please!

You're welcome, it feels good to share this with others, especially on such a supportive forum as OBOD's!

Yesterday when I said I was about to start a rather drastic diet for my digestive disorder, my sister answered "If you come to visit me please bring your own picnic". Not very supportive. My boyfriend didn't look too happy either when I said over breakfast that I would try to do without gluten for a while - and that's only one of the many foodstuffs I am eliminating! He loves to cook for me and I can't help feeling slightly guilty, as if I was doing it on purpose to annoy my loved ones

[Duellist]

I find that IBS is not good for my relationship with my wife. We have a fairly good idea of what some of my triggers might be, but it's hard to convince my wife to actually avoid them; we are going through a rough time financially, so we have argued once or twice over how expensive it can be to follow an IBS diet which restricts the cheaper options. The trouble is that I currently try to avoid lactose and tomatoes, so it's hard to find a sauce for pasta, that staple of the poor. No pizza, no sausage and chips, no beans on toast.

On the other hand, I suppose IBS has freed me of some of my more expensive vices; I can't really drink alcohol, my most recent three months of on-again off-again illness left me such a mess that I can't drink latte, mocha or cappuccino even if I do have decaf with soy-milk, ice-cream is a big 'no', can't really eat chocolate without getting heartburn, cream cakes make me ill. Sadly, the combination of IBS and protracted illness means that I've also lost weight, despite not really having much to lose.

[andromeda]

Most of our problems with food are derived from the fact that Industry uses chemicals on it that are no good for us, that is without mentioining GMO

For example, wheat in the UK is improved with synthetic iron to make the products more spongy and use less wheat. The side effects of consuming iron can be: Constipation; darkened or green stools; diarrhea; nausea; stomach upset; vomiting http://www.drugs.com/sfx/iron-side-effects.html similar to gluten intolerance but undetectable

Coming from South America, I could not understand why I got all the sudden intolerant to gluten until I finaly realized it was the synthetic iron to which I am seriously intolerant

There are many alternatives to pasta sauces other than tomato which I discovered in my recent trip to Italy, for example pesto which is made with nuts, basil and olive oil. Olive oil and parmigiano (very small quantities of parmigiano so a little goes a long way), Olive oil and mushrooms, olive oil and seafood etc. Anything with olive oil realy

If you have gluten intolerance rice is a cheap alternative to pasta. You can also try buckwheat with different sauces

Breads can be made at home with buckwheat which is a seed and has no relation to wheat. Buckwheat is a seed. There is a essene bread that is made just sprouting the buckwheat for a day or too (changing water 3 times a day) and then just spon it on a tray and bake at a very low heat for an hour or so. It is an acquired taste but so healthy is untrue!

It may be that the pasta sauces contain GMO tomatoes and that is the source of discomfort.

There is a very good book for elimination diets "cooking without" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Without ... 216&sr=1-5 and can be bought in amazon from £ 2.30

PS I forgot to mention that the buckwheat has to be blitzed after straining on a blender or hand blender to make a paste and then spooned on a baking tray. You can add salt before baking if you so desire

[Kima]

We are going through a rough time financially, so we have argued once or twice over how expensive it can be to follow an IBS diet which restricts the cheaper options. The trouble is that I currently try to avoid lactose and tomatoes, so it's hard to find a sauce for pasta, that staple of the poor. No pizza, no sausage and chips, no beans on toast.

At the moment I eat a lot of white rice. I often have it with vegetable soup, so it's not very expensive, and I find that everything is easier to digest with rice. I also like rye bread (and love buckwheat) and it's not too difficult to find or overly expensive (though I'm aware it's not as simple in the UK). I eat simple sandwiches with yet more vegetable soup. So far I'm ok, but once I lose the few extra kilos I have I will need to be extra careful to stabilize my weight and make sure I don't lose more if I don't want other health issues to show up.

[Kima]

I've just come across this research article abstract, which supports our claim that walking helps with IBS: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21206488

[Duellist]

There are many alternatives to pasta sauces other than tomato which I discovered in my recent trip to Italy, for example pesto which is made with nuts, basil and olive oil. Olive oil and parmigiano (very small quantities of parmigiano so a little goes a long way), Olive oil and mushrooms, olive oil and seafood etc. Anything with olive oil realy

Odd you mention that; my wife and I have an amazing selection of olive oil for some reason and she never seems to use it while I find any excuse to add it to my food. For some reason, most of it is extra-virgin for what it's worth. I think she ordered some online and found out that she was buying a case rather than a bottle...

Pesto can be a little expensive, but making it at home seems even more expensive, which can only make you wonder and maybe worry slightly. Left to my own devices, I do like to add olive oil to things and I love a good panino with pesto, mozzarella and chicken (I don't eat a lot of meat, but I do like it) if I can get it. Sadly, salad is ridiculously expensive (even in-season) compared to less healthy options like tinned ham or spaghetti hoops or I would probably eat more of it.