IBS anyone?

[lesliemarie]

The last few days have been hell for me, I started at midnight with an IBS attack and took my Librax that has always helped me in the past but this time was differant, it didn't work. I then proceded to take a percocet and an hour and half later nothing, still agonizing pain and major acid reflux with it. I then took a lortab 7 and nothing for two hours, I finally began to get the pain to go down a few degrees but not away totally, The acid was the killer for me, It was the nastiest taste ever!!, I layed on the couch the whole day the next day and that night it intensified even more, I got to the point to where I could not take it anymore. My hubby was working grave shift 50 miles away and could not get home to me, I called a neighbor to watch my kids and she took me to the hospital while her hubby checked in on my kids. I was ther for 3 hours. They doped me up with Demoral and more pain meds and I drank some nasty stuff with lidocaine to calm the acid in my stomach and by the end of the three hours what relief I felt!!! I came home and slept and slept and slept!! I am still ok but my doctor said I HAVE to change my diet, no more sugar and no more fat in my diet. I have to be very careful what I eat as not to trigger another one of these attacks, He also said it will take me a month to totally recover from this attack. I feel so hopeless during an attack, How do others with this problem cope during an attack? and after an attack?

 

[jdoll]

hey...it's really very ironic that you posted this because i was wondering to myself last night if any one on the forum had IBS and would want to discuss it..how weird! i was diagnosed 2 years ago. i have never had the acid problem though. my gyno specialist in houston sent me to a GI specialist because he said my terrible endometriosis aften caused IBS. They did the insulin intolorance test on me and put me on a special diet with no sugar and alot of other resrictions. Also, you have to take flaxseed oil3TBS/day and chromium picolinate 330 mgs/day. The FS oil i couldn't stand to swallow so i got the capsul form. much better! But i have to say that i lost alot of weight on that diet (even though it was for health and not weight loss) my problems with IBS were different than your situation. i had years of constipation or the extreem opposite so i lived on correctol or imodium. when is started this diet i had a complete turnaround. After i had a third endoscopy for endometriosis though i have had no flare ups with my IBS and i don't even take the meds or do the diet anymore.(which is why i gained all my weight back) it just has been sort of dormant for about a year. i still stay pretty much away from sugar since that triggers bowl spasms. Anyway, i hope you feel better soon.

jes

 

[Terri1222]

I am only way too familiar with IBS/colitis having had this since I was about 15 years old (I'm now 45!).

My problem was like Jes also - in that I didn't have acid problems per se, but I was either extremely constipated or the exact opposite. Strangely enough, I would say the first 15 years of this was mainly constipation; now it's mostly diarrhea and I always have some Immodium on hand because I never know when it's going to hit.

Your diet plays a HUGE role with this disease. Sugar is definitely out of the question. Everyone has different things that will target a flareup for them - you have to find out what your "triggers" are. Maybe you should really start eating bland foods for a few weeks to give your intestines a rest and then slowly introduce certain types of food back into your diet - this way, you'd be able to isolate which ones are the "triggers" for you.

My one rule of thumb has always been that when I get a flareup, I immediately turn to Ensure/Boost and will only have liquids for a day or so (chicken broth, Gatorade, etc.). This gives your intestines a day or so to "rest", and the liquid/Ensure "diet" will keep you from losing energy.

This is a tough disease to live with, and it kind of forces you to get to know your own body and its limitations very well. I wish you the best...

If you ever want to talk in private about it, my email is [email protected]

Terri

 

[lilmsfit]

This is interesting. I was diagnosed at age 15 or 16 with IBS, but everyone was like, so what? The doc told me to eat more fiber (mine manifests as constipation) and avoid stress. I'm the only person I know for whom Metamucil does nothing. This was 25 years ago, and I've basically just lived with it since then -- praying for a "miracle" or a bit of "magic" every morning. hehheh. Maybe this is the kick I need to get rid of the sugar.

Is dairy a no-no too?

 

[jdoll]

I will see if i can find the copy of the diet the GI doctor gave me that lists what is ok to eat and what to avoid. i'm not sure if i have it anymore.

jes

 

[jdoll]

ok, this is gonna be long, but here is the diet my gastro intestinal doc gave me to follow and it worked great!

FOODS OK TO EAT

PROTEIN: chicken(white meat), fish, turkey(white meat), shellfish
cheese(except blue and cheddar)american, cottage, feta, goat, gouda, monterey jack, mozzerella, parmesan, ricotta
Eggs, all nuts, peanut better(sugarfree), whey protein powder

CARBS:

all veggies except those on avoid list
all fruit except those on avoid list(always eat fruit with protein in meal)
oatmeal(plain)
olives

BEVERAGES:
ANYTHING SUGARFREE AND DECAFF

FOODS OK IN MODERATION(1/WEEK)

Carbs: Bread(sugarfree),brown or parboiled rice, lentils, lima beans, peas, protein enriched pasta, red potatoes

beverages: tequila, vodka, white wine

other: butter, fructose, homemade soup, condiments

FOODS TO AVOID:

Protein: aged cheese(blue, cheddar), caviar, dried fish, ham , hotdogs, redmeat(bef,pork, veal, venison), sausage, tofu, soy(milk, powder, sauce)

Carbs: bagels, bananas, beets, bread(except on moderation list), carrots, cereal,chocolate, corn, cranberries, dates, flat beans(black, butter, kidney), figs, honey, mango, nuffins, papaya, popcorn, potato chips, prunes, rasins, syrup

so here it is. NO SUGAR.
splenda products are ok
anything you can find sugar free(jello, pudding, jam etc.) is ok.

this is a hard diet to follow but it does help immensly with IBS!

jes

 

[ColleenM]

Here is a good 3 day diet to use after you have a bad flare-up.

Day 1
First 12 hours NOTHING but water
Next 12 hours: chicken broth, popsicles

Day 2
Bread, crackers, pretzels, light cereals like Rice Chex (not sugar coated)
Chicken broth
Popsicles
Apple or Peach Yogurt (don't know why but these two specific flavors are mentioned)
Cottage cheese

Day 3
In addition to above add:
broiled chicken
baked potato

I have learned over the years what triggers me. High fat, and spicy foods get me terribly. Dairy fat like milkshakes, ice cream sundaes, cheesecake, kill me also.

I have found following BFL works well for my IBS and other aspects of my life. The last time I had a flare up ws quite awhile ago.

I had a co-worker who used to take something that sounded like "Donnatol" (sp??) and her dr. also told her anti-depressants might help.

Colleen

 

[kkshedevil]

Metamucil never helped me either. It had the opposite effect of what it was supposed to.

I have my IBS reasonably under control, but if I tried some of the things that work for some of you guys, I would be miserable. It's amazing how different things work for different people.

Here's my list of things to avoid:

Milk (cheese and ice cream are tolerable with lactaid)
Fruit (small amounts only -- fructose is a problem)
Soy
Fiber (feel much better with white bread, white rice, etc.) Fiber is like sandpaper to my insides. That was the single most effective change for me.

For those of you who avoid sugar, how does it affect you? I've never had a problem with it. In fact, sugar makes it easier for me to digest fruit.

I learned a lot from this board. It has great information:
http://www.ibsgroup.org/cgi-local/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

 

[ColleenM]

I think the hardest thing about IBS is that it is so individual as far as both symptoms and what triggers it. I do know stress is a big culprit for me, as well as food. Sugar never bothered me. Grains don't bother me either. But dairy fat just kills me! Metamucil never helped me either and it tastes just awful!

Colleen

 

[katia7]

Oh gush, I know all about this x(
I've been struggling with digesting issues for the past 3 years, and regular gastroantologists were just not helpful at all. Now I'm seeing a naturapath who has helped A LOT.
Here are some things that have helped me that you might want to look into.
homeopathic remedies
digestive enzymes
probiotics
Primal Defense
Healthy oils (flaxseed oil or fish oil)
Pepperment tea and chamomile tea (calming)
Giginer tea with meals (helps digestion)

Avoid foods that cause you flareups (definitely avoid dairy, even if you think you're fine with it - plain yogurt is OK for some). I had a food allergy test done and found out that almost everything I was eating I was allergic to. Avoid any "fake foods" (sugar substitutes, protein shakes, protein bars..etc.)

Never eat more food then you can fit into both palms of your hands.

Get tested to see if you have any bacteria overgrowth.

Wait at least 1 hr after eating before you workout.

Never drink water with meals (warm water or tea is OK).

Eat fruit alone.

When you're having a flare up: drink lots of calming teas (peppermint or chamomile), lots of broths.

Hope that helps.

 

[lesliemarie]

I have found the foods that irritate me is Apples, Honey and caffiene. I now drink caffiene free any drinks but what gets me is when you go out to eat for some reason some places do not accomidate those with digestion problems.
I am feeling alot better, the doctor did tell me not to eat close to bedtime, and now I don't eat after 6 pm. I will drink some water before bed and that is all. Drives me nuts watching my hubby eat some of my favorite foods that I know I can't have.
I am also on a regimine of prevacide for acid control. Don't want to kill the esophigus ( bad spelling )

 

[lilmsfit]

Thanks for taking the time to post this! It's very helpful. It's strange but as kkshedevil noted, this must be a very individual thing because I have to avoid some of the things on the the "OK in moderation" list and am just fine with a few on the "avoid" list. White wine has started to just about kill me (wah!). Still, this is a good general reference.

Probiotics are big where I live -- you can buy probiotic drinks at nearly every supermarket, and I am thinking of giving them a try. But I guess it's important to make sure they don't contain much sugar.

 

[hopefull]

It was mentioned on this site that Metamucil didn't help. It didn't help me either, but for what its worth, I had some relief with Citracil.

I had IBS pretty bad in college. It seemed to go away for years,but since my last pregnancy has been back with a vengence. I am hypothyroidic, and my meds being off can really agrivate this condition. (Just another avenue to check for those of you who suffer.) Boughts with IBS are my first sign that my medication isn't right. Increasing my dose by a very little has always given me relief. I have done pretty well for the last two years until my husband, who was uninsured, had a motorcross accident. Yes, he is an idiot, but I love him anyway. He will heal. We will pay the bills, and hopefully he will soon be insured. Maybe my colon will settle down then!!!x(

 

[kkshedevil]

Just to add to the weirdness, probiotics make my IBS much worse! My stomach bloats up something awful. Eating fruit by itself would double me over. Even the smallest amount of Citrucel will cause several more trips to the bathroom the day or two after taking it.

I think ginger does help a lot of people. I drink Traditional Medicinals Ginger Aid tea just because I'm crazy about it!

Some people get relief from cramps with peppermint oil. It's available in geltabs at a lot of heath food stores. I use it sometimes when things get really out of hand, but not on a regular basis. It gives me minty burps. Plain old Altoids, since they're made with peppermint oil, can help, and they're cheaper.

I had no symptoms whatsoever when I was on SSRI-type antidepressants, but they did terrible things to my mood.

 

[AKirkland]

I'm coming into this discussion pretty late because I don't visit the forum as often as I used to.

I was diagnosed with IBS in college. My diet was terrible - lots of sugar and chocolate - and I was totally stressed out about classwork and grades... classic type A personality.

I struggled off and on with it for years. When it flared, I ate oatmeal, baked potatoes, breads which SEEMED like safe, inoffensive foods. They had me on a couple of antispasmodics and even an anti-anxiety drug at one time. I was a zombie.

Finally, I had a particularly vicious attack triggered by the antibiotic biaxin and was taken to the ER in pain and bleeding. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, spent a week in the hospital in terrible shape. Three years of suffering and six GIs later... I finally started on the path back to health. I can't count the number of intestinal health books I've read or the Web sites I've scoured. I found all GIs to be extremely unhelpful. Regardless of whether you're battling IBS or UC... their answer is drugs, drugs and more drugs. And if you have UC, they'll eventually want to remove your colon. Oh, and eat whatever doesn't bother you... they say food has nothing to do with UC. I say BS.

I agree that each case is individual, but some general principles apply, IMHO.

If you've ever taken broad spectrum antibiotics, if you're under alot of stress, if your diet is the average SAD... fried foods, sugar, wheat products, dairy... chances are the drugs have totally wiped out the good bugs in your system and you are unable to digest and assimilate your food. Poor diet makes it worse. (And there are a lot of undiagnosed celiacs out there that are sensitive to wheat which is in everything. Have your doc test you or try eliminating it for a couple of weeks.)

Probiotics are necessary to reintroduce the good bugs your body needs. I've tried many different brands... most with no results at all. Primal Defense helped initially, but ultimately made me worse. If you suspect you might be sensitive to wheat, it has wheatgrass in it which I think was why I couldn't take it.

Finally, I discovered a scientist in CA who suffered himself and set about to formulate his own pure blend of probiotics. I use a six strain powder he's created and I can't tell you the difference it's made. You can call and talk to him personally and he can advise you on your particular situation. He also recommended digestive enzymes to me. If interested, his Web site is www.customprobiotics.com.

Diet-wise, what worked for me is similar to a low carb diet. I avoid dairy and grains as much as possible, as well as starch vegetables. Oddly enough, the very things I thought were bland and comforting when I was in a flare were the very foods I needed to avoid.

Supplementing with omega3 oils as mentioned above is also helpful for getting your body back in balance and cutting down on inflammation.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I can't describe the suffering I've been through and the hard work to educate myself when no one in the medical community would help me. My GIs all told me I had a chronic disease and would never be well again... that I would be on medication all my life. Five years after my diagnosis of UC, I'm healthier than ever. I look great... feel great... and I don't have to always know where the nearest bathroom is. These things aren't a magic pill or an overnight cure. They take time and commitment, but the result of restored health is SO worth it.

Hope this helps someone. If anyone has questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

 

[candi]

Mine was much worse when I was living under constant stress married to the ex. Stress is what causes my flare ups. Metamucil does wonders for me. I guess I'm fortunate!