Question for Heather
#26707 - 11/12/03 10:53 AM
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Zaftig1
Reged: 03/12/03
Posts: 92
Loc: USA
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Heather, I have been posting on a forum where lowfat diet advocates (like me) debate Atkins advocates.
There is one Atkins advocate who is posting links to studies that claim to find that ppl with IBS get attacks from sugar. I recall your book saying sugar is NOT an IBS trigger food...and in fact I have never found sugar to be a prob;em, only fat and certaion other things like too much alcohol and too-large meals.
Where are they getting this from? I have experienced Atkins devotees in the past making grandiose claims that their diet cures everything from obesity to God knows what, but this to me is ridiculous.
As a person who has had IBS since age 16 (I'm now 44), and whose IBS attacks were TOTALLY stopped once I switched to a lowfat/smaller portion (but not low sugar or low carb) diet, I do not understand their claims at all!
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"A waist is a terrible thing to mind".
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Hi Z-
I agree w/ you completely, the Atkins devotees can become fanatic about the benefits of this diet and in reality it has a number of serious side-effects. SO, even if it does help ppl lose weight, it's not a good diet to follow on a longterm basis AT ALL!
What is the web address for the board or chatroom where this low-fat vs Atkins diet debate is being waged, I'd love to read what's being written! Txs, LL
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Zaftig, I agree with you about the sugar. Once I started eating low fat and no caffiene, I saw an immediate change. I have tried the Atkins diet, many times, and still had the full blown ibs symptoms.
Anne Marie 
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Sugar
#26795 - 11/12/03 02:16 PM
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Heather
Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Hi - Well, everything I've seen from Atkins lumps all sugars together much as they lump together most carbs (and they're all "evil"). There are lots of different sugars, though. Fructose (a fruit sugar) can cause gas, diarrhea, and cramps in people who don't even have IBS. And many folks with IBS are fructose-intolerant as well. Lactose (milk sugar) is a notorious GI assailant, again for many folks who don't even have IBS. Raffinose, a bean sugar, takes special digestive enzymes to process, and if you're not regularly eating beans (and this can include soy) you won't necessarily have enough of these enzymes (the solution is to gradually introduce beans/soy, and your body will adapt).
What most people think of as sugar (brown sugar, white granulated sugar, powdered sugar, etc.) that you cook with or stir into drinks is actually sucrose (usually refined from cane or beets). Sucrose is not a GI tract stimulant or irritant, and there isn't any evidence that it would affect IBS one way or the other. It is absolutely not comparable to fructose or lactose in terms of triggering GI problems. It's also not a health food, so there's no harm in avoiding it completely, and because it is a very highly refined food that is nothing but simple carbohydrates with no nutritional value, it is good sense to not eat a lot of it.
Tell you the truth, I was anticipating from day one that there would be some Atkins folks popping up on this board, and though they'd be welcome to lurk they would not be welcome to post. So I'm glad that hasn't happened. 
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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I am a 49 year old female who was diagnosed with IBS at 14 years of age. I had gall bladder surgery in 1989. Since then, I have had periods of debilitating diahrrea. My colonoscopy last year was clean. My dr. prescribed Questran but it gives me reflux at times. Is soluble fiber therapy helpful to IBS sufferers who do not have gall bladders? I am finding that I am too nervous to go places where it is difficult to get to a restroom immediately! I want my life back! My dr. has nevermentioned any kind of diet tips.
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Welcome, Donna! You're in the right place. There's several other people here who've had their gallbladders out and they pretty much all say the IBS diet helps them a lot.
Why don't you start your own post on that topic to introduce yourself. Just click on the link that says Post up at the top of the list of messages. Also click on Search and do a search for gallbladder with no time limit, you'll see lots of posts.
Hope this helps. Glad you found us!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Hi Heather,
I am new to the message boards and am learning alot. I just read your post on "sugar". I have IBS and cannot tolerate any kind of "sugar". Even the sugar with fruits make me very sick. I can however, tolerate Stevia. I am hoping that as I eat the soluble fibers and tummy fiber and fennel tea, I will be able to tolerate some fruits again. Sugar, is probably out for me. Thank you for your info and site. 
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Nancy
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this isn't uncommon, and is sometimes misdiagnosed as IBS, or it can just happen along with IBS so you've got both. Be extra careful with fruits, check ingredients carefully for things like high fructose corn syrup, and be careful with honey, too. Stevia should be no problem, as you've found.
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thank you, Heather. I do probably have both. I have to be so careful with sugar and honey. I am starting to feel better as I learn more and more from your website. I am hoping to be able to try some of the recipes.
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Nancy
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for some ideas for cooking with stevia. I know that's come up in the past...
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thank you, I will.
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Nancy
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Hi Heather,
I'm jst new to this site today!
I am hoping that someone maybe able to help me.
I'm 12 weeks pregnant tomorrow (Fri). I have always suffered with ibs untill i had my first born (8 months). It completely stopped during this first pregnancy. However, it's worse than ever. For the past two nights i have had severe spasms - I know it's ibs (bowel movements etc) but it has never been this bad before. I actually got to the stage yesterday where i was crippled over crying in pain. I went to my doc who stated that i had a bug and just brushed my ibs to one side. I asked him could i take the colofac tabs but he said not at this stage of pregnancy and that the ibs would just go.....
What am i supposed to do in the meantime? Do i go to another doc? Is there anything i can take (herbal) or otherwise - (safe for baby) I have been off work the past two days as i know i wouldn't b able to sit for too long and i would be the main occupant of the bathroom.....
I'm hoping that someone has had a similar experience (not in a bad way) but if someone can share what they have gone through and if there are any known safe pain killers for these severe spasms.
Thanks,
Maria
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so can direct heat on your abdomen. There's a sticky post at the top of this board that's all about pregnancy and IBS.
Congrats!!!
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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