someone help...so overwhelmed!
#361213 - 10/02/10 09:49 PM
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jennkenn
Reged: 10/02/10
Posts: 17
Loc: Long Island, NY
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DISCLAIMER: This is a long post but it's my first one and I'm just getting started with the book so I need all the help I can get. Please read!
I've had stomach issues for as long as I can remember-gas, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, etc. My mom told me when I was a baby, I couldn't keep down milk-based formula and was ALWAYS spitting up (sorry mom!) Now, I'm 23 and have been seeing doctors regularly about my irregularity for just over 2 years. The very first gastro I went to told me it was "probably just IBS." I felt like he was completely blowing me off. Another dr. said all my issues were the effects of anorexia (I became very angry at myself after hearing this). My current dr. ran a series of tests on me from celiac to lactose to gallbladder to ulcers to crohn's to a colonoscopy to a endoscopy. Everything came back negative despite my constant stomach aches. Just last week she told me that she is sure I have IBS and a very sensitive stomach. I am mostly constipated but do have those awful diarrhea attacks when you just want to curl up and cry. Anyway, my most recent stomach ache attacks have radiated into my back, making it very difficult to take deep breaths. It feels like stabbing pains all through my abdomen to the point that I have to just go to sleep to make it go away. My doctor said it's all gas pains/everything backed up in my system (she did a colonoscopy and found i have a "twisted colon"). More or less everything moves through me veeeerrrryyy slowly. The moral of the story is: I just can't take it anymore.
The other day (after weeks of crying because of all of my negative test results...yes I was praying for some diagnosis other than IBS so that I felt I had a definitive answer to my problems) my boyfriend bought me Heather's book. I've read through it at least a half a dozen times in the past 3 days. I went to Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and my local food store twice already. I've tried a few recipes and spent almost $150 on new groceries. I'm very excited to explore this new diet, but I am also very overwhelmed. The past two nights I've had non-dairy cheese. Last night I had mozz with casein because I didn't realize it was a dairy product. Tonight I had a totally vegan mozz (Daiya), which was alright. Both nights I've had headaches so who knows what that means. Is casein really that bad for IBS suffers?
Finally, all of my doctors have told me to take fiber supplements. I would try for a few weeks, but I also would feel noticeably worse (MORE bloated, gassy, constipated). However, Heather swears that the fiber supplements are essential to figuring out this mess, so I figured I'd give it one more try. I bought fiber gummies (I know I sound like a 3 year old) and am just wondering if they will work the same as the powders and other products Heather recommends. They have 4g of soluble fiber and are delicious, but I want to make sure that I am not wasting my time taking them.
Can someone just calm me down a little? I feel like I went on a wild shopping spree for all of the food/health products she recommends and now I just don't know where to start (besides eating gross vegan cheese).
Thanks in advance,
Your fellow IBS-A victim Jenn
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IBS-A...just looking for some answers!
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First of all, get the Follow your Heart vegan cheese. Its a lot better. Having IBS is very overwhelming. You are not alone here on Heather's website. Heather's Tummy fiber is the best there is. Everything else out there has a lot of junk in it and isn't all natural. If you follow her directions about taking the fiber and eating the WAY she says to do it, it will work! You should also get the Fennel tea. I drink it hot and iced and it really helps. Don't give up hope, it will work and you will feel better soon.
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Hi and welcome to the board! I've had IBS mostly D sometimes C for 1 1/2 years now. When my doctor first diagnosed me he put on Citrucel a fiber supplement the powder form. I've been taking it twice a day ever since. Just recently I've been wondering if it was really making a difference or not. So, I decided to experiment and went off it for a few days. While the Citrucel made me a little more bloated and gassy it was still better being on it than not taking it because I was a lot worse. So, someone on the board here highly recommended Heather's Tummy Fiber. So I ordered some of that and have just recently started taking it and it has made a world of difference for me. It really helps without all the extra bloating and gas. I would recommend trying that and following the instructions that she gives. You have to give it time to work and be patient. Also following the diet helps so much. The fennel and peppermint teas help too. I've just started using those also. I recommend trying it because it does make a difference.
As far as cheese goes I'm having a hard time with cheeses myself. I notice for me personally I can get away with eating a little bit of normal cheese only if it's Swiss, provolone or mozzarella (I try to get fat free or low fat if I can). If I go anywhere near cheddar cheese that has any type of dairy in it, it makes me horribly sick. I did find a cheddar rice cheese from Galaxy. It's not the best tasting cheese to just sit down and eat but it's not too bad when you cook with it. I'm still on the hunt for a good dairy free cheddar cheese that tastes good.
Hang in there it can be tough but you have to have patience. A lot of it is trial and error with what you're able to handle. It's overwhelming at first but you'll get the hang of it. Utilizing this board has made a difference for me. You're not alone out there. Good luck to you!
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Pedia-Lax Fiber Gummies contain xylitol as the artificial sweetener. It is a sugar alcohol artificial sweeteners which are known to exacerbate IBS symptoms. It might be best to look for a pure soluble fiber supplement such as Benefiber or Heather's Acacia fiber that doesn't contain any additives or sweeteners.
Good luck 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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gizmo---i'm SO happy the tummy fiber worked for you!!!!!!! i could not imagine my life without that stuff!!!!!
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stable IBS-A
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I understand how you feel! Starting with Heather's book is good because it helps you to change your eating habits and gives many yummy recipes that you can prepare. It changed my whole lifestyle for the better. You will learn to cook healthy and use more fresh food. I have many recipes for great foods I've created for my family that no one knows are IBS specific. Hang in there!
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bermudakate-I couldn't thank you enough for the suggestion! It works so well. I'm still working on increasing my dosage every week but it's been great so far. I haven't been hardly bloated at all.I can't imagine my life without it now. Thanks again!!! 
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ewolfie7- You should share some of those recipes with us. I'm always looking for new recipes to try that are IBS friendly and I'm constantly searching the message board for them. Thanks!
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Hi, I'm replying because you describe some of the same symptoms that my daughter (only 12) was suffering a few months ago. I hope it encourages you to know that she is doing really well right now! She's been out of pain for some time and is currently gradually putting back on some of the weight that she lost, too. Specifically, you described:
Quote:
my most recent stomach ache attacks have radiated into my back, making it very difficult to take deep breaths. It feels like stabbing pains all through my abdomen
and while I've heard others describe stabbing pain, I haven't heard anyone else describe the difficulty taking a deep breath, except for my daughter. (Maybe other folks have that, too, but I just haven't talked to them.) Our doc really wasn't convinced that this was part of the IBS, but there is now no doubt about that: when she got the IBS under control (yay for that!), that symptom, as well as all the rest including severe back pain, disappeared.
In my daughter's case, perseverance in following the EFI diet and taking the acacia fiber gradually got her out of pain. Thought I should add that it took my daughter weeks of eating easier to digest foods before she could eat vegan cheese without trouble, though. That might not be your experience, but I don't want you to be terribly discouraged if you can't find one of those that you can tolerate right away. AFTER the spasms stabilized, my daughter could/can tolerate a lot more of that kind of food. (As it turns out, she really doesn't like any of the fake cheeses, any way, though!)
[My daughter is also using the hypnotherapy CDs with apparent good effect, but as you are already overwhelmed you might want to file that away til you feel you are able to consider it! On the other hand, personally, I wish we had started the hypno even earlier than we did as it clearly LOWERS the stress level, while the diet change - though helpful! - does have a tendency to ADD to the stress level in its own way, at least while making the switch. It can be overwhelming, as you say!, when you already have too much going on!]
wishing you good luck with everything,
kem (daughter w/ibs-d)
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