Frustrated
#306637 - 05/06/07 07:58 AM
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caputsky
Reged: 03/24/07
Posts: 256
Loc: Baltimore, MD
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Hi all,
So I've been sticking to the diet pretty religiously for the past month. Along with that, I've been taking acacia (increasing my dosage slowly every couple days). My problem is that whenever I add in any IF, the next day I almost always have looser BMs. I am up to 4 tsp. acacia per day, which I know isn't a ton, but its certainly not a miniscule amount. There are some days where all my BMs are fairly well-formed, but those are usually after the days where I have very little to no IF in my diet. Should I be increasing my acacia even more??? The reason I ask is there have been a few days recently when I've been somewhat constipated, so I want to add in IF, but when I do the pattern usually is I start out with a formed BM, but then they become looser. 
My other issue is with over-eating. A month ago, I was barely eating anything for fear of the reaction, because until I found this website I felt everything would cause an attack. Now that I know how to eat, my appetite has gotten better. But my will-power has suffered, and I find that I tend to overeat occassionally on the weekends. Does anyone have a remedy for this? Like how do you trick your mind into knowing you don't need to eat anymore??? I had an attack this morning, and I'm pretty sure it was due to a combination of too much food (went to a Cinco de Mayo party last night), as well as possibly more IF food. And does anyone get bad reactions from guacamole? I checked the label to make sure it was the organic kind with avocado as its main ingredient, and it was, but it made me quite gassy.
Also (sorry, I know I'm rambling) my GI put me on Zoloft as an AD to help with my IBS. I even told him that SSRIs are supposed to help people with C (I'm a D) but he told me to give it time. Well its been a month and I really don't think its doing me any benefit. Do you think I've given it enough time, and should I ask to get switched to another AD? A lot of people on this board who are D seem to have good track records with Elavil and Lexapro. I don't want to jump the gun, but I also hate taking medications in the first place, so one that is doing nothing really bothers me.
I'm really sorry for the long post, I just needed a sound board and people on this website have been awesome. I know we all have bad days, and that until I get stable, that is going to happen, but sometimes its just frustrating. As it is, right now I'm scared to eat due to my attack this morning, but I know that is probably the worst idea. I am trying to stay positive, especially considering that compared to several months ago, I am doing a ton better. Its just hard sometimes (as I'm sure all of you know), and especially for me because I don't live close to any of my family and lots of my friends are far away as well. Phone calls help, but its nice to hear opinions of people who are struggling with IBS also. So thank you a million times in advance for your replies!!
Julie
IBS-D, GERD, lactose intolerant, hemorrhoids (possibly PCOS?)
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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
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Hi,
I've been using the Acacia for about a month and I've found the same thing with some days being loose and others not. I'm a C so anytime I can go is a wonderful thing. I've only gotten up to 2tsp a day and found that is good enough for now, any more and I'd be a D. Remember, in Heather's instructions she says to stop at whatever dosage works for you. I do think it takes longer than a month for everything to truly begin to be stable, so patience is needed. I've been activly battling this for 2 years and still have issues with foods that I'm weeding out of my diet. I'm even having to change my Zoloft tablets because the generic version is reacting. There must be wheat in the makeup of the pill and it has messed me up big time. There's just no knowing what could have been in the food you ate at the party. Even organic doesn't mean that something wasn't in it that bothered your gut. Overeating will certainly make you react too, or just eating too much of one thing. I can tolerate a few pieces of broccoli but any more than that and I react. We all seem to have a fine line to walk with this.
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Catnut IBS-C for many years, finally diagnosed in 2005. Wheat and dairy sensative.
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howdy,
I can totally relate to what your saying..I am IBS-D as well..If you had told me a year ago I would be so obsessed with poop I would have laughed my head off at you..
I find that if I go overboard on IF particularly green I get more gassy, I am at the point now where the amount of IF I have is actually getting my better results in the poop department..for me FAT is what is still my nemesis. I still need to eat more IF but I am taking it slow.
One thing that I found worked for me was doing what alot of people say, and adding in one IF veggie at a time, sticking with it for a few days and then moving on the next one. At this point after following the diet properly for 3 and a half months I can tolerate little amounts of asparagus, broccoli, snap peas, carrotts, lettuce, spinach, cucumber..When I eat too much or eat it raw ( I did an expieremt with raw broccoli and snap peas NOT GOOD) bad things happen.
I think the "looser" poop is harder to peg. For me a good morning is one when there isn't any urgency and rushing back to the toilet for intervals of about an hour. Loose is most likely your body reacting to getting something it's just not use to anymore..I found it went away if I stayed eating the same amount of what I thought was causing it. Once my body realised that this was going to be a normal food it had to deal with it, it started to cope
Over-eating is hard, now that I feel so much better I am getting to eat more yummy food..if it tastes good I want to eat way more of it. One way I have cut back on over eating is to eat something while I am cooking dinner. I will usually have a white roll, or some crackers...this takes the edge off of my hunger and then when my food is cooked I divide it into two portions...one for dinner and one goes in a container...an hour after dinner if I am still hungry I can have some of the food I put in the fridge. It works most of them time... 
Avacodo and I have a love/hate relationship. I eat it probably every day. I put it on all of my sandwhiches, and include it in some dinners. If I have it in my sandwhiches I am totally fine...I can tolerate probably the equivalent of one avacodo a day. However when I start eating guacamole
I pretty much lose all self control..it's one of my fav foods. I make my own and it can still make me slightly off in the mornings if I eat to much..I don't have attacks...just general yuckiness when I first wake up
I don't take AD so I can't help you there, I do hypnotherapy instead...
I hope you feel better today, and remember not to stress out about it...ironic me telling someone that..the more we worry the more we analyse. Like you said you are in a way better place then a month ago..that is what you need to concentrate on...and that alone..if you get better each month imagine how you will feel in 2 months..or 5 months..
Have a great day
Shannon IBS-D
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I take Elavil, which is a different AD, but it took about 6wks to really see results. However, those results have been miraculous. My doctor said it would take 6-8wks to see results. My results have been so good that I plan on taking this for the long term.
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Thanks for the info on Elavil. Just a quick question, are you C, D, or A?
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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
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Prior to starting the Elavil, I was D. Now, after 5 months on Elavil, I would call myself C, with a predictable D attack on the first day of my period. Prior to meds, I had severe attacks at least once a week and loose BM every day. If I stick to the EFI diet, I am normal (but still deal with gas and bloat). If I cheat, I get C. The only time I have D now is the first day of my period and it doesn't matter if I cheat or am faithful to the diet on that day.
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--------------------
"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
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I am a D who has been on AD's for 16 years. I've taken Effexor for about 10 years and Prozac for the 6 years prior. I think Effexor is great for help in managing depression. I think I tried Zoloft several years ago but it gave me a headache. I have tried many different kinds and I would give the AD a couple more weeks to get in your system fully. Also, has the doctor increased the dosage?
I have had colitis since 2001 and was on Remicaid for years until last summer. I have recently discovered the IBS diet and am trying to get used to it.
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Sound to me like you are on the road to stabalizing and it's just taking time. It can take awhile (more than a month) to find the ins and outs and quantities of balancing your sf and if. Same goes for the meds. I am one of those who reports that lexapro helps me, but it didn't really kick in completely until about 5-6 weeks into it. I would give the med a bit more time (unless someone else has tried it and says otherwise),then if it doesn't work, talk to your doc about switching. As for the diet, keep working at it and don't let the attacks get you down. Do keep a record though of the IFs you are trying and the quantities, plus your stress level/sleep and the the other foods you have eaten that day. It's a lot work and usually hard to decifer, but you'll figure it out in time. (And by the way, I was a d, then got kindof A like you are reporting..then the lexapro turned me more c and "regular" as long as I eat enough IF.) Feel better. 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who posted in reply to me. It was so nice to hear the advice and words of encouragement, if just for peace of mind. Thanks a million, and I hope you are all feeling good, physically and mentally, today 
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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
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