IBS-C + binge eating...am I alone?
#300606 - 02/23/07 01:07 PM
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I have been following the IBS Diet as much as I possibly can since early December but I can still go almost 14 days without a BM. This doesn't bother me particularly, it's the associated bloating that I find so frustrating to the point that I will sit and binge eat beacuse I know ultimately this will either force things to move or give me a D attack which will get everything out (sometimes I actually prefer having a D attack, as horrible as it sounds, because I feel such a relief). I do feel pretty awful for at least 3-4 days afterwards and have to go back on the BTC to settle my stomach again but sometimes I just see no other option to getting my bowels to open without using laxatives, some of which like lactulose make my bloating even worse.
I just wondered if anybody else does this or if I am the only one? The more I think about what I am typing I expect I am the only one because it is a pretty extreme solution I suppose. But I just get to the point where I'd rather have one huge D attack than 2 weeks of constipation and dreadful bloating.
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well, I've been a binge eater for a long time, but unrelated to my IBS. However, I too, have used a drastic solution. I know that I'm lactose intolerant. Before I started Heather's diet, if I went more than 2-3 days without a BM, I would drink milk or have some ice cream because, eventhough it was uncomfortable, it would get things to move. Since starting the Benefiber and Heather's diet, I never go longer than 2 days without a BM anymore.
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Are you getting enough IF in your diet, are you taking a SFS, are you drinking enough water, and are you exercising?
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I also have binge eating episodes, thought not necessarily for the same reasons. 14 days is a LONG, dangerous amount of time to not have a BM. I highly recommend you do a search on Natural Calm on this board; a lot of us (including myself) take it daily to relieve constipation.
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Quote:
Are you getting enough IF in your diet, are you taking a SFS, are you drinking enough water, and are you exercising?
I do eat SF, usually in the form of fruit in my porridge such as raisins, blueberries, raspberries, peach slices, chopped nuts, linseeds etc (though not all at once!) and I also mix ground flax powder into it. For dinner I will usually mix peas or sweetcorn into rice or have other well cooked veggies. I also eat the skins on baked potatoes...I think this counts as IF?
I take Acacia fibre every morning in a glass of warm water before breakfast and I have started taking it at night in my soy or rice milk hot chocolate before bed.
I exercise fairly regularly (running about 5K once or twice a week) and I do yoga classes on Wednesdays, but I tend to practice yoga moves every day to try and relieve my bloating. I also have a fairly active job working in a cafe where I am constantly walking around.
Drinking enough water is definately a problem for me and I know I don't have enough during the day. I find it really difficult to get the daily recommended amount because fluid really bloats me out and makes me feel sluggish.
Lisa Marie, Natural Calm isn't available to buy in the UK but I have ordered MagAsorb (Magnesium Citrate) which Rio recommended.
Kamikat, I'm not lactose intollerant but if I am going to binge eat then it will usually be on dairy foods which are high in fat like yoghurt and milk chocolate. I long for the time when I will have regular BM's. It's now been 5 days...help 
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Yeah, in the past I went for (smallish) binges on fatty foods when the C got too much - not consciously, but that's what happened! Now that I'm way more under control, I might just have an extra piece of chocolate and then stop myself.
Anyhow, if fluid seems bloating to you, you may want to increase the amount of salt in your diet. That may help with the bloaty feeling. Also, you may want to consider a SF supplement like Acacia - even if I eat loads of bread, it doesn't make up for my 2.5 T of acacia I have every day.
Magnesium supplementation does work, at least for me.
--AC (IBS-C)
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Quote:
Lisa Marie, Natural Calm isn't available to buy in the UK but I have ordered MagAsorb (Magnesium Citrate) which Rio recommended.
I hope that works for you; I tried a "generic" mag-Citrate supplement before Natural Calm, and it just didn't work. You can always order Natural Calm online from the manufacturer's website.
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I don't have an answer for you, but I can tell you that you are not alone. I excercise, drink plenty of water & take fiber supplements & I still have this problem. Hope someone posts something that will help us both out.
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Yeah I binge. For me, it's to do with mood/emotions, rather than a way of managing physical symptoms (I think). Have you considered what's going on in your emotional life? IBS diet just too much for me at the moment...need to wait until I feel more settled. Hope this helps, and good luck!
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i binge as well when im C because i want to push it out and because i become severely depressed. it drives me insane. i wish i could offer some kind of help but im suffering the same thing as well without any relief or solution so you're not alone even though that probably doesnt say much... hope it gets better!
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Quote:
Yeah I binge. For me, it's to do with mood/emotions, rather than a way of managing physical symptoms (I think). Have you considered what's going on in your emotional life? IBS diet just too much for me at the moment...need to wait until I feel more settled. Hope this helps, and good luck!
I know that my IBS symptoms are worse when I am stressed or upset. That's how I got IBS in the first place, because I was extremely unhappy with my life for a number of reasons. I have taken steps over the past year to improve things and at the moment I feel very happy in myself and my life is finally turning out the way I wanted it to. But my IBS symptoms still show no signs of going away or easing off.
I want to thank you all for replying to this post. I was worried initially because I thought it may be a sign that I have an eating disorder. I did have (and still do, to some extent,) anorexia nervosa (fear of food) and was seeing an eating disorder specialist weekly for a year. Although it was hard for them to understand that my fear of eating wasn't based on a want to lose weight, but because of what it did to my stomach. This site has been such a godsend because quite a few of you also seem to have lost weight for similar reasons and I have been able to cope better knowing that I am not alone in this. Heather's diet book and all the other info on this site has given me a lot of relief from my anxiety over eating and even though my C is still a real pain, I hold onto hope that if I continue as I am doing then there will be a positive outcome in the end.
Thank you everyone.
Oh btw, MagAsorb arrived today and I am taking it for the first time tonight. Will let you know if it helps!! *hope, hope!* 
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MagAsorb
#300950 - 02/28/07 08:44 AM
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Rio
Reged: 11/28/06
Posts: 123
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Glad it's arrived, Jennifer86. I was advised to start with just one or two tablets before bed, then see if there was any result. My usual dose is two, but I take three if I am getting a bit C. Everyone's tolerance level is different. Hope it works for you.
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Quote:
Glad it's arrived, Jennifer86. I was advised to start with just one or two tablets before bed, then see if there was any result. My usual dose is two, but I take three if I am getting a bit C. Everyone's tolerance level is different. Hope it works for you.
Rio,
I took one tablet last night but have yet to see a result. Should I carry on just taking one a night or would you recommend increasing to two tablets tonight? Seeing as I haven't had a BM for a week and a half now, I'm tempted to take two...I'm feeling very stressed and finding it hard to sleep
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Hi J,
for sticking with the diet - you're a lot stronger than I am!
Re stress have you thought about using IBS hypnotherapy CD and/or yoga in conjunction with the diet?
Be careful with magnesium - establish the maximum daily dose first - exceeding this may cause heart problems.
Good luck!
F
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Hi Jennifer86 - sorry, only got online just now, so probably you've taken your dose already for tonight.
I have been taking Magasorb since last August, and my experience is that it works, but not necessarily immediately. If you don't see a result with one tablet, I would increase to two tablets. I saw in another thread that you are taking into account the magnesium content of your multivitamin, which you need to do. But...the nutritionist who recommended this told me that depending on need, our bodies use up magnesium at different rates. That probably explains why sometimes, one tablet is enough, and other times I have to take three, sometimes for two days running to get a result ( But I never exceed three, which is the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer). My normal dose is two tablets (but I no longer take a multivitamin), and I adjust this according to how C I am - which often depends on the time of the month!
My advice to is to perservere with it until you get a result. It does not work like an harsh laxative - I have always found it to be quite gentle. I also take 3 and a half tablespoons of Acacia, split into three doses. The combination of magnesium, Acacia and EFI diet have really made a difference to me.
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Rio,
You are a godsend and I love you, LOL! I FINALLY had a BM about 2 hours ago, and might I say it's about time!!! It wasn't all that spectacular in size (sorry, gross), but at least it arrived!!!
I took two MagAsorb last night...so should I carry on taking two each night? Sorry if you've already told me this but do you take MagAsorb every night or just when you're particularly C?
THANK YOU!!!
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Yay - I feel your joy LOL. No, it usually doesn't produce 'spectacular' results, but I prefer it that way, actually! But I find that it does 'un-bung' me (sorry TMI).
I have taken it every night since last August, and I shall continue to do so, as I think it really helps, but in combination with the diet, Acacia etc. I take two a night, but up it to three if I haven't 'been' for a couple of days. I continue to take three each night until I have the BM, then I go back to two. I could probably manage on one if I wasn't on amitriptyline ( low dose for pain, prescribed by consultant), which is constipating. I never take laxatives - far too painful - but if I feel I am getting C (like before my period)I try to drink lots of water throughout the day. I'm not sure about this, but I think magnesium draws water into the bowel?? (I hope someone will put me right if that's not so!)Anyway, Acacia needs water to work.
I would keep taking two tablets and see if that does it for you. Hope you've had a good day!
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Rio,
I took two tablets again last night and I woke up this morning feelings ever so nauseous. I'm not suggesting it was the MagAsorb - I had a hot chocolate made with rice milk and a freshly made fudge brownie from a recipe on this site before taking it - but I was just wondering if it has ever made you feel sick? I have had a couple of small BM's today but I am extremely bloated... 
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Sorry you felt rough this morning. No, I can't say that Magasorb has ever made me feel nauseous. I do have nausea sometimes due to trapped wind, IBS pain and eating too much in one sitting (!), and always before a period, but I take Magasorb every day and have days when I feel fine.
If I am extremely C (and I have to say I have never been as bad as your 10 days without a BM) I find that I have small BMs for a couple of days, still feel bloated, but eventually return to 'normal'. I also find that if I am C and have a small BM, I can feel nauseous for some time after, with gurgling and pain. Almost as if the movement has triggered the gastrocolic reflex too much. I don't actually have much pain when I am C, more bloating and headache. Perhaps it will take some time for your C to resolve itself fully.
Hope you feel better soon.
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You are NOT alone!! You described me almost perfectly! I, too, would prefer a horrific bout of D to get passed the C!! Fortunately, I have been IBS diet faithful - food-wise, but not amount-wise. I feel bloated tonight, with some urgency, but little results. I have upped my liquid intake, primarily fennel tea and water and now, if I'd just find my way to my treadmill and get a mile in before I veg on the couch, I'd be even better!
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I also binge, but not to make things move, because they won't. I think I binge when I feel really bloated because I'm so miserable. I know things makes no sense at all.
I take Motillum (domperidone)available in the UK for my stomach and colon which are paralyzed (gastroparesis)in addition to IBS-C (or D if I'm stressed REALLY bad). If I don't take the motillum I don't have a BM...period. Without motillum I can go 7 days and then take a gallon of Miralax, have D all night and then start C again the next day and begin the misery for another 7 days.
I agree 14 days is a LONG time. It sounds actually dangerous. Do you see a gastroenterologist?
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Gracie
IBS-C since 1978
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Quote:
I also binge, but not to make things move, because they won't. I think I binge when I feel really bloated because I'm so miserable. I know things makes no sense at all.
It makes sense to me Wendy. The reason I start to binge is a) because I am so constipated, and b) because I feel SO bloated and depressed due to the constipation. It's a viscious cycle that I am really trying to break because I know in the long term, bingeing will only worsen my symptoms.
Quote:
I agree 14 days is a LONG time. It sounds actually dangerous. Do you see a gastroenterologist?
I saw an IBS-specialist once when I was in the process of being diagnosed 2 years ago but I have pretty much tried to deal with it on my own since then because the advice she gave me wasn't working at all. She said I had to up my fibre intake but didn't explain anything about the 2 different kinds of fibre...in fact she told me to even add wheat bran to my porridge...one week I was so bloated and constipated and her advice was to eat nothing but fruits and vegetables for the entire week...which I don't think ANYBODY on this site wuld EVER recommend in a million years!! So anyway I haven't seen a gastroenterologist since but I would love to be able to understand what my gut is doing...tomorrow it will be 7 days without a BM...
What is Motillum and what does it do??
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I'm in pain after only a day or two of C. I didn't think it was possible to have no BM for a week or more. I REALLY think you need to see a doctor about this, and get on some kind of heavy duty medication for C. Some people have mentioned Miralax, which is now OTC. Try Milk of Magnesia even, just to get things moving! But it really sounds like you need some kind of regular medication until you can get everything under control with just diet. Obviously you're not far enough along in the EFI diet to be able to consume the amount of IF your body needs to have regular BMs.
Please, get some help!!
--------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Quote:
I'm in pain after only a day or two of C. I didn't think it was possible to have no BM for a week or more.
I've had times in my life where I only pooped once every two weeks. Yeah, that was not good (and that was some monumental D twice a month!), but it didn't kill me either. My normal frequency was once or twice a week before I learned about Heather's diet. Now, I'm daily. Really. It's all about lots of SF and IF, lots of liquids and exercise, and stress management for me.
--AC
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You're probably right, I don't think I eat enough IF but I also think I just generally don't eat ENOUGH! When I'm at my worst, I get so bloated and feel so full that it's difficult and seriously uncomfortable to even drink, let alone eat....although thankfully I very rarely feel pain.
I'm going to revisit the IBS specialist for some more guidance. I was also thinking of trying homeopathic remedies and my mum knows somebody who does acupuncture which I hope will help calm me down when I get stressed.
As for the medication, I have taken 2 MagAsorb (Magnesium Citrate) for the last 5 nights and it has just started to take effect, although that was my first BM in just over a week. I'm going to aim to add more IF into my diet now so with the medication and therapy of some sort I should hopefully see an improvement!
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