So, do I understand this correctly??!
#100815 - 08/24/04 07:21 AM
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carey28
Reged: 07/09/04
Posts: 34
Loc: Boston, MA
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From reading more and more of this board it seems that even IBS-C folks should start heathers diet using only the 'safe'foods (white rice, chicken, fish, white bread) and then slowly add in cooked veggies for some insoluable fiber. When I first found this board and bought heathers books I tried this safe food diet for one week and found myself so very constipated and bloated!! almost worse than before i started...so i have tried to modifiy and use the safe foods with veggies straight out, but I still just can't seem to stablize..What should I be doing different? ohh, frustrating! 
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I know it sounds nutty, but the same diet does work for both C'ers and D'ers (and A'ers, too, like me). Now, I'm not going to offer specific suggestions, because I'm not technically a C, and someone who's dealt with that particular problem more than I have will likely give you better advice. But I do want to tell you this: constipation takes a lot longer to resolve itself than diarrhea does. A week on the diet wouldn't cut it; it's probably going to take several weeks, maybe even longer. Even as an A, I didn't notice myself REALLY feeling better till I'd been on the diet for almost 6 weeks, and had also worked myself up to 8g/day of a fiber supplement (that supplement is essential!).
After a week on "what to eat when you can't eat anything", you can definitely start adding insolubles. The key is to eat them after you've eaten a few bites of soluble, so they're "cushioned" a little. And yep, start with canned fruits and cooked veggies. You'll be able to add more stuff in time. 
I know it's hard to have patience when you feel like crap, but... ya gotta. Feel free to come on here and vent, we've all been there in one way or another and know how you feel.
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Thanks Casey! I will give it another try and just tough it out! I guess it just doesn't make sense to me that I will be able to have a BM with no insoluable fiber to start...I will try though, I am willing to try anything! Thanks for listening~ 
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Cooked carrots. It's a small start, but from the experiences here, I'd say carrots are one of the safest veggies to try. If they agree with you, try some peas. Don't eat a lot at first, and definitely still eat them with soluble. Peas and carrots were the first veggies I added, and they really did help move things along. (Ahem.)
The C thing was a total shock to me, by the way. I was always a D'er, and when I went on Heather's diet, the drastic change plus the lack of caffeine (my lifeblood since I was 10!) swung me right around to C. Peas helped. Fiber helped more. You'll get there! And like I said, I'm sure other more experienced C-types will have ideas for you. Good luck!
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C takes a long time to stabilize, so you gotta suck it up for a while.  That being said, be sure that you're getting enough fluids (fennel tea and peppermint tea particularly!) and that you're exercising regularly. There's also several good yoga moves to help release gas and cramping.
For a while, though, you may have to take lots of breaks with a heating pad on your belly.
But yep, lots of soluble fiber and slow but steady introduction of insoluble fiber are the key. And believe me, once you get stabilized and used to the right about of solubles, you can even skip insolubles for a couple of days and not have it throw you off for too long!
--AC, experimenting with this very concept at the moment!
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I am IBS-C and started the diet that way and mixed in vegtables and such - it helped me out greatly - I used them staright out - I did not give them up...but what I found for me is that if I dont eat on a consistant basis like every 3 hours when I do eat that fourth or fifth hour no matter what it is or how much I get bloated...I also am finding I have to make sure I drink a lot of water/tea...
Dont know if this helps...
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Donell 
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I'm a Cer, and in addition to carrots I'd like to recommend cooked, mashed squash as a good starting veggie. I bought tons of frozen squash, nuked it in the microwave, and added a little brown sugar. Voila! Another veggie that's very safe but is a good way to get some insoluble fiber.
Luckily I'm stable enough now (it took quite a while) so I can eat small amounts of other veggies like peas, green beans, etc., so that really helps with the C. Just keep working at it, you'll get there eventually!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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thank you to everyone! all of this has been very helpful! I can't wait to be one of the stablized people writing and answering more questions than asking !! thanks!!
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