IBS/C & feel like I can't eat anything
#153991 - 02/25/05 08:08 AM
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I am a month new ton this site and recently dx IBS/C by default as everything else negative. Oh, I also have GERD and Gastritis dx via endoscopy. Anyway, I have mild-to moderate pain, not the agonizing stuff some of you speak of. However, I have terrible bloating and gas. And not to gross anyone out by constant stinky gas. I HATE IT. I feel like I can't eat any IF because it seems to create so much gas. Especially beans, they annihilate me. NO matter how they are cooked. However, if all I have is SF just to avoid the gas, then I can't poop! Ughh!
I can't do any of the mint stuff because of the GERD and Gastritis. I do drink the Fennel tea and take the acacia, but even the latter seems to set off the gas and I am only taking about 5mg a day right now.
What do I do? Today is Friday, and as an observant Catholic it is a day of fasting and abstinence which will be easy as I am afraid to eat anything. Should I just eat Heather's "What to eat when you can't eat anything diet" and deal with being C for days? Ugh! I just hate this. All my GI will say is take some Milk of Magnesia (which rips through me) or Miralax (which doesn't always work).
Any friendly advice?
Rachel
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I can relate! At some point, food just becomes a terrifying prospect! Just drink the WATER, WATER, WATER...acacia is great for me for the bloating, but SFS regardless, whatever you can tolerate, and exercise. Unfortunately, C just takes time to resolve. Teas help some, and many here swear by the fennell. Hope you feel better soon!
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God is Faithful!
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Hi Rachel, sorry to hear you are having a rough time right now. I'm a fellow IBS c'er. I DO take Miralax, everyday, and it had changed my life! I couldn't imagine living without it!
As far as the gas and bloating, I also suffer. I find that taking 2 gas-x at lunch and 2 at dinner everyday helps. It won't reduce the amount of gas, or the stinkness  of it, but it will help keep the gas bubbles from getting to big and painful. It will help you pass it without it being painful.
As far as what to eat. Be careful, as you mention eating not enough insoluble fiber will make the C worse. Beans make me very gassey also. Try adding in a digestive enzyme when eating questionable food to help break up the gas. I do well with oatmeal, try adding in a little diced fruit like strawberries or banana's to add extra insoluble fiber. Try some hummus, you can get it at any grocery store, its ground up chick peas, spoon some into some pocket pita bread for a yummy, quick snack. Snack on some pickles, or chop up some sweet pickles into some tuna fish for a sandwich!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I know exactly how you feel. Gas & bloating are my major problems too. Even when I have a BM every day,I can still get gassy & bloated my I eat. What seems to have helped me is:
1} Exercise EVERY day. I walk about 3 miles every morning. When I don't do it, I can tell the difference.
2} As someone else here said, water, water, water. For us C'ers it's really really important. I try for 64 oz a day.
3} I take a probiotic every morning. I don't really know if it's doing anything but what the heck.
4} SFS, I take acacia & I'm up to about 9.5 grams every day. Stay with this. It may make you gassy at first but slowly your body will get used to it.
5}As for food, I find the best thing is portion control. I can eat a varied diet but only when I keep it small. Also, I always try to have a SF base before any IF. I've also found that if I stay away from meat (any kind) my gas is less stinky  . For IF I eat about 10 small snap eas a day
& some well cooked veggie at night with dinner. I don't really worry to much about the IF since I think the acacia & water help to keep me regular.
Sorry this was so long. Hope it helped
meryl
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Hello! I also am IBS-C, and have GERD and Gastritis! They're all quite annoying huh? Are you on medication for the GERD/Gastritis? Before I started my SFS, I also couldn't tolerate beans. I could tolerate maybe a couple tablespoons of hummus, but that's all. Do you find that you're more sensetive to veggies or grains? Sometimes people have better luck with one then the other. Have you tried Heather's suggestions like eating fruit without the peel, cooked veggies, purreed things, ect?
And if that SFS you tried makes you more C, then I suggest finding a new ones. The one I'm on now (Metamucil) was the 4th one I tried, and I'm soooo glad I tried it! Now that I take it I'm able to tolerate foods much better. So keep searching for other SFS's, and make sure you're always drinking enough water so that they don't get stuck in you!
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IBS-C
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Rachel,I can relate whole heartingling with you!! I have tried just about everything. Then I tried something from enzymatic therapy which can be found at the store whole foods. It is their brand of fiber and a laxative but it is not like anyother that I have tried. I cant't tolerate laxatives at all. But this one in combination with the fiber works beautiful. You don't take the laxative on its own. Also I take their pearl probiotic. I have been taking this for about a month now. I had been through many tests, had terrible pain, . I also take nexum for reflux which I don't have to take everyday. And I drink at least 2 32oz of water and more. I carry with me to work a real large water bottle water.Also I watch what I eat and eat cleanly. Not alot of sweets that have high fat. Check it out.
Good luck ,Robin
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i'm right there with ya...you're not alone! 
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Since I too didn't know what I could eat or how to eat anymore, I got some fresh turkey and put it in the blender so that it broke it down but still had some texture in order to pass through the intestines easier. I also have several jars of baby food like Pears, Pears and Rasberry - something like that. I followed through heavily with water to flush my system out. I've posted this several times and honestly, I'm not trying to push this product on anyone but it's one I'm having success with. It's over the counter called Digestive Advantage-IBS. It could take up to 14 days or 30 days if your system is stubborn. They tastey chewable tablets. They are designed to regulate and stop constipation, diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
I also am drinking the strong Peppermint Tea as I read in Heathers book and also went and bought the Peppermint Altoid mints for pain. Excellent idea! For the gas and bloating I use either Gas-x or Phazyme - store brand. I'm also drinking Chamomile Tea for indigestion and glas/bloating. Target has a Honey Vanilla Chamomile that I just found a couple of days ago with all natural ingredients. I bought Sleepytime Tea to see if it would work. I've only been doing the herbal tea thing for the past momth and I'm getting used to them already.
If you haven't tried these, it could make a huge difference in how you feel. I pray the best for you! Heidi
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Digestive Adavantage is an ok product..it's nothing special but is a useful combination of supplements in one pill.
Turkey, chicken and fish don't have any IF in them so you don't have to worry about breaking them down! That's only for IF veggies.
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I mainly eat only chicken, turkey, and fish with freshly steamed or frozen veggies. OK, "once" in a while I might slightly fall off the wagon but otherwise I'm doing well with my meals.
I know Digestive Advantage isn't a miracle product but in my case, it's really helping balance things out. I don't consider it to be something that will rid me of any symptoms down the road as IBS is a life long problem that requires much attention to what we eat, how we react to stress, not to mention hormonal. I'm using it in addition to other supplements. It wasn't until you posted and let me know that the Lactobacillus was (I "think" you said) a probiotic. I kept hearing about Probiotics on this board as well as the IC board and felt stupid asking what exactly it was but you were so kind and gracious in your reply to me about it. Did I ever thank you for that? You're a very kind person from what I've read in your postings. Take care. Heidi
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That's ok
#159475 - 03/11/05 01:17 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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I just like to remind newbies that there unfortunately isn't a miracle cure or treatment for IBS. That's all...if something helps you then that's great!
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