IBS: Anybody else struggle with this?

[beanqueen]

YIKES, SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST...couldn't find my original post!


hi,

i've gotten so much information from cathe's forums over the years..definitely an 'educated crowd' even beyond the fitness realm.

so, i thought i'd ask about this as well...i was wondering if anybody here has IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and if so....WHAT and HOW do you eat? i'm having a terrible time finding a diet that will work for my 'irritable bowel'. (currently, i only have a handful of items i can safely eat.. ) would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences.

thank you!

 

[lorajc]

I've had it since my teens (when it was very severe). It remained a probably well into my adult life and in my 30's I finally discovered certain foods I must stay away from that make it flare up. Everyone with this condition reacts differently to foods, but in my case, I cannot eat oil, greasy foods, blueberries or some fruits with seeds. I am able to eat fiber like lettuce, granola, oatmeal, etc. It helps to keep me regular. Over the last few years, I have been having horrible bouts of IBS a few days prior to my period. I am 45 and this has just started happening. I hope it isn't getting worse, as it is already quite disruptive when it flares up. Sometimes, I can't even get Immodium to work for me. I am on Librax (prescribed) from my family physician and I occasionally take another Rx called Bentyl that is for bowel spasms and stomach pain which helps when that is flaring up. The 2 drugs are basically the same, but the Bentyl actually is a little stronger for me personally. There is also a new drug out for women who suffer with IBS but your main symptom has to be constipation and bloating and my main symptoms are bloating and the opposite of constipation, so that is not an option for me. I've also read that health food stores sell natural aids for IBS ...can't remember exactly what they're called and I've never tried them, but I've been curious. Hope this helps somewhat. I really think you need to learn about food by trial and error. You have to introduce one food to your body at a time so you can see which ones are causing the symptoms. Sometimes, it's not even a food, but rather stress related, which has become the major problem for me lately. Good luck with it. It's quite annoying to live with.

 

[Kit_]

IBS, is basically a personal disease, it affects everyone different and I don't think I know anyone that reacts the same as I do with certain foods. Do try to keep as much fiber in your diet as possible, and of course, water. As my doctor to me, be come a fish, and in more ways then one. Drink water like crazy but also try baths, pools, hot tubs etc. As that can help relax the bowls and reduce the craps and pain.

And now what you need to do is experiment with food, see what to stay way from and what to eat, this takes a long time, and you have got to keep a food diary for every little thing you put in your mouth. Since your the opposite of me, you may want to try grape juice or grapes when your in a flare, it is a natural remedy that helps stop diarrhea and I've found it much better then anything the doctor can give you on on the market today. The only thing is not to have too much, or you of course of the other way, and another is cheese, it will make diarrhea disappear but that takes much longer with cheese but if you are having it day after day do add grapes and cheese to your diet. Grape joice will even work when you have diarrhea from food poisioning or the flu or some other bug. Make sure you get all natural. As the sugary kids dinks of grap juice will counter act the affect the actual grape juice has. And that's another thing during a flar, stay away from sugar, as that can make you run to the bathroom a lot more.

My doctor actually made me start with a liquid diet and then slowly add solid food back in so we could test and see what did what to me.
Good luck and I hope your able to find foods that work as well as the ones that set you off so you can get it under control. I don't know if that would work for you or not since we are the opposites in that respect, but do talk to your doctor and see, especally when your in a bad flare.


Good luck,

Kit

 

[beanqueen]

thanks so much

thanks so much kit and lorajc...your responses were really helpful. yep, right now since i'm just coming off a 'flare up'..i'm re-introducing food one at a time to see what's the culprit. (i graduated from 'just oatmeal' to chicken breasts chopped up today! woohoo.. ). from my past experiences, it seems that 'food combining' has been a factor. which, of course, makes things more complicated...(sigh) and time consuming to figure out the puzzle....but..i realize it's a discipline i've got to endure, if i ever want to eat again.

thanks again for your responses....such an encouragement to know that i'm not alone, and that it is manageable.

 

[Kit_]

RE: thanks so much

I am really sorry to hear about your flare I really hope you solve it, what is the bad thing. And congrats on moving up to chopped chick breasts, that's always a good sign.

Yes food combining is a problem for me too. So I basically eat one thing at a time. So I get suck eatting all day long, as I'll get one item I'm going to have for lunch at 12, the next item at 1 and then the next one at 2 and so on. So my body usually has 30 to 45 minutes to start breaking things down before the next portion of food comes along. The one thing that it does help is over eatting, as I always save the oen food I really like for the very last so I'm already getting full so I don't pig out. But I know some people must think, Gee she never stops eating every time I see her she's got food in her hand.

So don't give up, there is hope and just take one day or one food at a time. Though I competely understand how frusterating it can be, when your body has a hissy fit, and you get stuck with clear liquids for a week or any other food for more then a day or two. The food gets old quick and you anything else besides what you can have sounds good. Good luck, I wish you the best, and a fast recovery as well as finding all the things you can't eat without having to go threw a long drawn out process.

Kit

 

[beanqueen]

RE: thanks so much

thanks, kit...your words are so encouraging...i look forward to the day that i can have food in my hand eating ALL DAY LONG. (looking longingly into space) just gotta be patient, i guess...it's a blessing in disguise in the realm of trying to 'control my eating habits and weight management' ;p i suppose... but i'd much prefer pigging out, and doing cathe's hardcore's. (wink)

btw, when you eat your foods separate..does it matter at all if you do proteins and carbs one after another? i find mixing those two, or eating them close together (time wise) are deadly for me. currently, i'm waiting 3 hours b/t my oatmeal and chopped chicken.

oh well, thanks again!

 

[Kit_]

RE: thanks so much

Hi beanqueen,

Well it sounds like your making some progress, but every little thing you learn really does help and make a difference in the long run, as you'll know how to schedule your foods. And that's you actually just found a big thing, as now you know if your not sure, keep your carbs and protein apart. And yes I find carbs and protien don't always get along, for me its still a guessing game in that area, so I usually eat my carbs first, then my fruit or veggies the next hour, then whatever one I didn't eat the hour before, and then finally my protien. As I can eat some protien and carbs together, but others I can't. And especially chicken and carbs, my IBS has a hissfit. But fish and whole rice is okay, as long as I don't make it spicy.

If I have oatmeal, I can drink a cup of non-fat or 1/2% milk. Yes we actually have 1/2% non-fat milk here, why? I don't know, as we do have 1% and non-fat too, I guess it's for the people who just need a little bit of fat in their milk. Just I'd be so much happier if they'd just made it complete non-fat, as the stores here never order much of non-fat and I could get my wonderful non-fat milk, all the time, if there was more of it. I still can drink 1/2% but I like the taste of non-fat better. But then again I live in the area with the most fat people in the US, we actually made news about it last year, but one thing it did do, was make the gyms come down in price, so more people can afford them, as their prices were getting insane, so hopefully we won't be on America's most fat list very long. But I think that might be one of the reasons healthy food is hard to find. We have a fast food place on about every street. Which for me doesn't help when I'm hungry. I still have got to drive all the way across town to our one and only restruant that cooks their food in the good oils and actually has something on the menu besides food cooked in grease. Or go home and eat. As I do avoid fast food like it is a plague, as well as most resturant food. If they cook something in really cheap grease, and I take about two bites, I'll go into an almost instant flare, from Lupus and then that will trigger my IBS, about 30 minutes later.

The only thing I really miss, is my mexican food, I do slip a little in once in a while, but I make sure everything is as natural as I can get a hold of, or make it myself. And that seems to be okay as long as I eat a very small portion, something like a 3 year old would eat in one sitting. But it still tastes wonderful and I just can't give that up, completely, just usually with my mexican food now a days, I have no meat, as to advoid any conflicts.

Good luck, and it sounds like your starting to figure things out. Do write everything down in a journal, as having things cooked a different can sometimes trigger or not trigger IBS, or that's usually the way it works for me. Like for me, I can eat eggs in an omelet, but I can't eat them poached. I personally have to write everything down or I'll forget what went with what, and I'll end up sending myself into a flare because I didn't remember correctly. And sometimes it can help your doctor as well, depends on if there is any patterns etc. If there are, they can even tell you some of the other foods to stay away from that would fit the patten and you don't have be the guinea pig for those.

Anyway keep on doing what your doing, it sounds like your doing good and making pretty good progess already. Things will start to come together faster, especally when you get to keep adding another food in, every few days.

Kit

 

[beanqueen]

RE: thanks so much

thanks so much, kit.

yep, you're right..that journaling of everything i eat is of PARAMOUNT importance. even drinking water can cause my stomach to freak out in a gas attack! i get so discouraged, since i really can't eat anything. thus, my energy level is effective etc... i've been going through this for a year now, and actually, the foods i was able to eat prior to this attack (albeit, there were only 5 foods i could eat) were a 'feast' compared to the oatmeal, chopped chicken and tofu that i'm currently eating. it seems i can only tolerate about 1 cup of food per sitting as well.

it's encouraging, tho...to hear that for instance, you can have an omelette, but not poached eggs. the hardest part for me is the testing part..because the consequences of a 'bad food'...is BAAAAD, and painful....with repurcussions for a few days ....but i guess that's the only way to really know.. i'm hoping to possibly find a nutritionist or allergist that can help me with some of my food selections.

thanks again, kit....i'm glad to hear you've found a way to manage your ibs..and still eat some mexican food! WOW! GOOD FOR YOU!

i so appreciate you sharing your experiences with me. THANK YOU!

 

[Kit_]

RE: thanks so much

beanqueen,

Your very welcome and yes I do know about that water thing, I have to buy expensive bottled water to cook and drink. No cheap bottle water that you buy in a gallon and tap is just out of the question all together. I think I nearly spend $15 on water a week for myself to drink or cook with.

And yes I know how hard it is to experiment, if I could have stayed on the clear liquid diet, I would have a few times, as the reactions to some foods were just so horrible. I also found out for me prilosec could help some, I wouldn't get so gassy or bloated, as it turned off the acid pumps so there wasn't such a huge reaction. I have no idea if that would help you, or if you've tried it already. I also use to pop zantac like they were candy, before and after every meal. I'd love to explain how that helped, but none of my doctors can, I just know it seem to leasen the affect of a *bad* food. At least for the stomach pain, and heat burn and bloating part. I still had the cramps though.

Just remember to take it slow if you find something you can tolerate, then stay with that until your ready to take the plunge again. I did that a lot as there were times I prefered to eat the same thing over and over again then try to deal with another flare. So remmeber to go at your own pace and don't let the doctors push you, as sometimes they will. I always try to give my body at least a weeks rest from trial and error. Just to keep my strength, or what little I had at that time. Do try to keep as much strength as you can and don't let this wear you out. I know much easier said then done. Especially when you start to get really tired of your *good* food, and want something more. I struggled with my ibs for about 5 years before I actually started to get it under control some, just I was the opposite of you, everything I ate, would bloat me up, have really bad cramps and I was not regular at all, unless I used a lot of laxitives. And then everything changed on me and I couldn't stay off the potty and now it's kind of in the middle it doesn't know what way to go, so I just am really careful, and haven't experimented in a while, I have semi balance diet, it's just the same old thing week, after week.

But I'll be lighting a candle for you and sending good vibs your way that your experimenting isn't so tough on you and you'll be able to eat what you need and find a semi balance diet like I did.

Kit

 

[beanqueen]

RE: thanks so much

hi kit,

yep, actually..i have the conspitation problem, and everything i eat BLOATS ME UP, too..along with horrific gas cramps...it's terrible. i currently take nexium for the acid in the upper gi (since i have reflux and gastritis, too. blech)

i also spend a ridiculous amount of money on water. although, right now even a cup of water can cause pain and cramping.

i like your idea of waiting a week or so to get your strength back after a 'trial and error'..."error" situation. it's just tough to have any semblance of a life with this lifestyle of 'no food/no energy' syndrome. but, it's encouraging to hear that you've got it under control and can eat food!

i hope to be able to start working out again..but realize that i'm FAR away from that. my energy level is so low from all this, along w/ the cold i can't kick b/c i'm not eating anything....btw, have you gotten to the point where you can do cathe tapes? that's my hope and dream. i'm currently not even at a cathe beginner level. x( to be able to eat and workout...that would be grand!

thanks again for sharing....it's really helpful and encouraging!

very gratefully,
bq

 

[Kit_]

RE: thanks so much

hmm okay this post didn't go threw yesterday or at least it's not showing up for me, if it's shwoing up for anyone else I'm very sorry about the double post.

Hi BQ,

Ah I see you are on Prilosecs daught/sister whatever it is, Nexium and Prilosec are a lot of like, as Nexium is a decenant of Prilosec, I just don't remember in what way. And yes I've gotten back to living and eating and yes I can do Cathe, though I'm still only part time personal training others, still. I'm a PT and a computer geek. I was very lucky to have my computers to fall back onto, or I wouldn't have been able to pay for all my meds and doctors, that and living in an area that you can walk in anywhere and see a help wanted sign, so finding a job isn't difficult. But I had to, being down and out for so long, with very little food. I didn't have the energy, to train others like I use to, and I didn't feel right sitting in a chair and tell them to do things without my usual hop around them and checking them from every angle. Cathe was actually the one who got me interested in becoming a PT, a friend of mine gave me one of her videos and after I watched it, at the age of 14 I told my parents I wanted to help people get and stay fit. Just I had two loves, one the computer and the othe fitness. And I decided to go for a double major with a triple minor, in college. As from what I had seen at the gyms that I joined and worked at in my teens, once you started to be come *older* the gyms didn't want you so much in the public eye, you were usually put in an office, or something. They wanted the young pretties out there coaching. So I decided to have a fall back career just in case that happened to me. But luckly that is changing some now, especally with some of the big names in fitness getting older and still showing that they can make videos better then the younger ones. But it sure saved me from debt being able to work from my home and still bring in a good size pay check, and it helped with geting my IBS under control as I could work when I could, and I could deal with the flares on my own time. I know I got one heck of a break and most people are not that lucky, I'm just knocking on wood every day, and thanking god I was as smart as I was when I went to college and didn't let anyone talk me out of my degrees.

I'm sure you'll be able to do Cathe one day, just take it day by day, and most important keep that strength up. And do keep as active as you can. I know that isn't easy sometimes. And days that's down right impossible, one of the things I did to help keep my body moving and keeping some of my strength was to stretch a lot, to just do some small minor exercises. As you don't need a lot, and sometimes the Endorphines can help with the energy problem until you get the food you need. As I wasn't trying to burn calories, I was just trying not to get weak. I did a lot of stretching and I was constantly playing with a resistance band when I had the chance. I found all sorts of new ways, to use it and strengthen my muscles. I ended up only doing two or three reps of a few exercises, and I'd only workout for about 3-5 minutes, but I'd do that 3-5 minutes as many times a day as my body would allow. And that did help me, a lot, it might have been all mental, but it took a lot of the stress and frusteration away, and it seems to help make my digestive system work a bit better. It wasn't like I could stop the IBS, but it did seem to help a little, but it might have just been wishful thinking too, as I was going nuts not being able to exercise. I remember driving my doctor nuts about not working out, that when I went and seen him one time he gave me a resistance band he had personally went out and bought for me, and said, "Go do whatever it is you do with that thing, I've given up on keeping you on bed rest." I considered that an okay to workout and me and the resistance band went everywhere. I did my exercises in the doctors offices, siting in the waiting room of laborities before I had to take a test, I'd pull it out at the supermarket and use it while standing in line, and of course at home.

Right now for me personally my ibs is very under control or back in submission, which ever it is I'm very happy about as I now have my active life style back. I do stay away from any *bad* foods, I don't want to gamble and see if I can wake it back up again. It can sleep as long as it wants, I really don't mind.

Good luck and I really hope you get yours under control and in submission, and I'm sure you'll reach that point it just takes time and a while lot of trial and *error*. But I'm sure you'll be back up and doing your normal thing and eating *food*.

Kit