Soluble Fibre Help
#344346 - 04/10/09 09:48 AM
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I am so excited to find this website. I have been suffering with IBS-C for well, ever. I am 27 and suffer from severe constipation and bloating. I eat healthy (at least what I thought was healthy before reading the info on this website)and exercise regularly. I rarely have a bowel movement without the help of laxatives (and alot of the time they don't work) and my stomach is always bloated and distended. I am so frustrated because I work hard at the gym and watch what I eat, but I still have this huge bloated belly. I get nausea and cramping sometimes, but my biggest complaint with my IBS is bloating. I don't know if it is caused by the foods I am eating (lots of veggies and whole-grains) or if it is from being so constipated (even purgatives such as citro-mag do not work for me)!
I would like to try to eat only soluble fibre for a few days to see if that helps as the website says. However I am unsure of what I can eat for meals (IE, if I have a piece of 'white' bread, can I put anything on it)? AM I allowed any protein, such as chicken? If anyone could give a "diet" to follow or some meal ideas to get me through the first three days that would be great!
Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.
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Hi there! Welcome to the boards!
You and I must be kin. I have the same exact symptoms you have described!
The following is what I eat, most of the time, when I am trying to get "stable" or get my IBS under control:
Oatmeal
Bananas
Peeled apples
A little soy milk and/or yogurt
white rice, although, brown rice doesn't bother me (much healthier)
pasta (semolina and egg free)
fat free saltines
sweet potatoes (baked then peeled)
you can eat white potatoes, I just don't care for them
rice milk
lots and lots of hot peppermint and fennel tea
16-20 8oz glasses of water a day
low fat/low sodium chicken broth
I know it sounds bland, but try it for at least three days, and then start adding your insoluble fiber by a little each day. You can also start adding your protein as well, but to get under control, you really need to eliminate it for a few days.
I am also a "health nut" as my coworkers say, but when I am in IBS distress, I have to eat the starches. My dad says I am going to get fat eating all starches, but I haven't gained any weight, maybe lost a few pounds because I don't feel like eating.
When I do start to add other foods back, berries like raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, with a SF buffer, help me to have a BM. I usually have oatmeal with Acacia added to it with a cup of berries for breakfast. And people like us with C need alot more IF than people with D.
I also am on some meds that help to have a BM, but they don't help bloating, cramping, spasms, pain, nausea, etc.
Here's what I take
Miralax: one dose every morning at least an hour before breakfast (that's the only way it will work for me. If I take it then eat, I won't go)
Amitiza: 24mcg 2/day
Protonix for the stomach acid (don't see that much relief with it though)
I hope that helps! Ask more questions if you need, everyone on here is willing to help, if they can!!!
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IBS-C, Gas, Bloating, HURTING!
I'm married and it's so wonderful!
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Alot of us it seems did eat really healthy lol I am new to the site as well, and exercise regularly (cardio, weight training and pilates) before my diagnosis I was having 6 small meals a day-equal protein to carb ratio.....lots of fruit, and my only complex carbs was oatmeal....I was ALWAYS bloated and my poor husband was near breakdowns from hearing me moan about how I couldn't possibly diet anymore lol I thought the bloatness was me gaining weight! SInce following Heather's plan for 2 weeks my syptoms had pratically disappeared (i had cramping this morn and I was like oh no).....2 hrs later I got my period lol so Heather must know her stuff... I eat pretty much the same thing every day cause like I said I am new and still learning and experimenting, but here is a sample of what I eat in a day....now keep in mind that I do roughly an hour of cardio a day and about one hour of Yoga.
Breakfast: 1/2c brown rice, 1/2 c blueberries cooked (frozen), 2 packs of sugar in the raw, 1/2 banana, and one egg white.
Lunch: 3 oz chicken breast, 1/2 cup cauliflower, 5 oz baked potato
Snack: 1/2 c brown rice, 1/2 c cherries cooked (frozen), 2 packs sugar in the raw, cinnamon, 1/2 banana, 2t almond butter.
Snack: 1c organic corn flakes, 1/2 c peaches (cooked), almond milk to moisten
Dinner: 6oz Haddock, 5oz baked sweet potato, 3/4 brussel sprouts.
Dessert: Gluten/Dairy free, low fat brownies
I know it sounds a tad monotonous but I am a newbie so I am just getting it down, but it has worked tremendously for me....GOOD LUCK 
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It sounds like a lot of food, too, but you aren't consuming over 1500 calories/day. I think I might try your diet for a few days, it looks great!!!
Do you think i could sub Salmon for the Haddock? I'm a big fish fan, but I don't think we get too much haddock around here. I also love crappy (aka white perch, we catch them in the lakes around here)
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IBS-C, Gas, Bloating, HURTING!
I'm married and it's so wonderful!
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Yea Kappy lol I know it seems like alot of food, but I am used dto eating six times a day...and I love food  plus eating every three hours keeps my energy levels stable....I haven't had Salmon since I have been following Heather's guidelines..I would be careful only because of the high fat content 10 grams per serving. If you get the canned salmon it is lower in fat, just make sure it is wild caught, farmed fish contains higher mercury levels. You could also sub orange roughy or tilapia for the Haddock, any white flaky fish is lower in fat. We don't have crappy here lol but if it is white and flaky that should be fine. I am very active too...so if it seems like alot of food that may be why. I actually ended up losing about 4 pounds since I began the IBS diet two weeks ago, and I think that is because I had to cut down on my fat (albeit healthy fats). Let me know after you try the diet what you think lol
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Kappy -
Does the Miralax cause you any cramping. I've had a bottle for months, but, due to multiple prior bad experiences with meds, have been scared to try it. In the past, any stool softener, etc. was worse than the constipation - lots of cramping, but still unable to go. I would love to find something that would help.
Thanks!!!! Dorothy
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"I Will Survive! :-)... I shall live and not die and declare the works of The Lord..."
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Thanks so much for the great advice Rebecca! I'm with you about driving people crazy with constant complaining about having a bloated belly. It's so frustrating when you work out so hard and eat healthy, but still have a huge belly. I am so happy to have found this site...my fingers are crossed that this is going to work for me.
The diet that you follow, is that what you started with? OR did you only eat soluble fibre for the first three days? I think I need to "break the cycle" as Heather says and only eat soluble fibre. I'm wondering if you have a meal plan for that you followed for the first three days?
Thanks Again 
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Actually the first three days I kinda bumbled around mixing and matching....as I said I LOOOOOOOVE oatmeal, for me it doesn't work though...so I tried buckwheat groats which I love too, and I was having them with raw fruit, which was still giving me symptoms but not anywhere as severe as what I was feeling originally, I was also having egg yolks from omega 3 eggs. (it is so hard to get the idea in your head that raw fruits and veggies are better nutritiously and we need our "good fats" ) like i said i still had some symptoms so i figured that i would try to be a little more strict, hence cooking veggies and fruits and i cut out the buckwheat and traded brown rice for it and that seems to be the ticket! I have just the whites now and only one, i was at first worried that it wouldn't be enough protein to maintain my muscle mass, but in connection with my stomach subsiding and the cutting down dramatically of my healthy fats (which seem to be a SERIOUS trigger for me, before Heather's diet I was consuming probally close to 3T a day of almond butter, 4T a day of chopped walnuts on my oatmeal, and a raw food LARABAR nightly we're talking major fat intake....healthy albeit but still.) I now have about 4t of almond butter a day split between 2 meals (from previous text I have 6 meals daily) and that seems to have helped dramatically...not to be graphic but I got my monthly friend yesterday..and you know that usually causes trouble but this morn I woke up had a perfect BM (thank god) and my tummy is flat! You can see me abs on the top!! In addition I had cut down on the weight training and have decided to alternate yoga daily with strength and relaxation practices, I look leaner then I have in years and lost 4 pounds in two weeks! Give it a shot...it will prolly be a shell shock to you though if you are used to eating whole grains and alot of fruits and veggies like me, but it is worth it....experiment in little doses of buckwheat, oatmeal, quinoa, and amaranth see if you can tolerate them.....I would steer clear of the white carbs if you could only because of the no nutritional value, but please by all means if that is all you can tolerate EAT THAT. We'll make a pack to experiment with "Healthy Ibs recipes!" you find one let me know and I will do the same 
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Hi Dorothy! No cramping from the Miralax. It just makes it easier to go. I actually get a little urgency when it is time. I know when I wil have to go because I poot a few times and then, there it is! I have to go like clockwork! But the answer to your question is No. NO cramping from Miralax. Isn't that awesome!
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IBS-C, Gas, Bloating, HURTING!
I'm married and it's so wonderful!
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Hi Kappy!
Thanks so much for all the wonderful info! I am just wondering if you take Heather's tummy fibre or do you use some other acacia supplement?
Thanks again
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