desperate for advice (elimination diet) *DELETED*
#36786 - 01/12/04 10:01 AM
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Post deleted by rick401
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Hi Chris - I'm not really familiar with elimination diets. I've never done one. But, if I were guessing, I'd say all of Heather's safe list, because you don't want to live off of just rice. You need to get proper nutrition.
Have you tried keeping a food journal? Maybe that could help you target some trouble spots.
Also, have you considered hypno? It helped me tremendously, especially with stress.
Of course, there is always the peppermint & fennel tea for gas & cramping.
Hope you figure something out and feel better soon. 
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Chris, What tests HAVE you had? Have you been tested for Celiac disease?
Have you seen an allergist to test IgE Rast testing for food allergies? It sure is a lot easier than that elimination diet and a good doc would tell you whether you really need to go on it or not. (I know, I've done all that.) Why put yourself thru all that unneedlessly?
Personally, I'd stick to Heather's diet but avoid the wheat, using the breaking the cycle diet at first.
Ever consider the hypnosis tapes for stress reduction?
(What are those alternative therapies and supplements you mentioned?)
Let us know how you are doing along the way, ok?
Kandee
BTW, can you get Beano over there? Wish everyone could get it everywhere............it is a definite gas buster!!!!
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Post deleted by rick401
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Chris, I really think it would be wise, if you can to get in to see an allergist. You seemed to have been tested ok for all the other things, except like you said the colonoscopy, and that would show up Crohn's if you had it. During your endoscope test they should have checked for Celiac at that time. I'd ask.
If funds are tight and it's something you'd have to pay for out of your own pocket see if you can't find a medical teaching center close by. They may have an allergy specialty department were you could be seen at a reduced rate by medical students.....
I don't know if this is available where you are but it is in many places here in the US.
As to Beano, here is the actual enzyme you look for:
ALPHA GALACTOSIDASE ENZYME
Description:
Helps prevent flatulence and/or bloat from a variety of grains, cereals, nuts, seeds, and vegetables containing the sugars raffinose, stachyose and/or verbascose. This includes all or most legumes and all or most cruciferous vegetables and other foods such as oats, wheat, beans.
Maybe this helps............if only a little,
Kandee
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If you live in the UK, your GP (MD?) can refer you for free to a local hospital for allergy testing - it's a blood test - not the old skin-prick tests which were dangermouse. BUT, they only test for about 5/6 foods - wheat, cows milk, beef, pork, fish and maybe one or two others at the most as far as I can recall. Mine showed up nothing even though I'm quite an allergic person.
If you want more comprehensive tests for more foods I think you'll have to pay a company - but what you want is classical allergy tests for IgE antibodies. As far as I'm aware there are NO reliable tests yet for any kind of food intolerance (which is a sensitivity or delayed reaction to food) - companies offering these tests always refer in their small print that these tests are not conclusive, they give a shortcut or indication only and that you have to follow this with elimination and reintroduction to measure the reactions yourself. Everything I've read so far suggests these tests can give high false-negative readings. I wouldn't waste money on these, at least until trying the classical allergy tests first.
Finally, the food 'intolerances' that these companies refer to are different anyway from the sensitivities that IBS have. IBS react to foods more intensely, so that how and when you eat a food becomes important. It's how much of a food, how it's prepared and when you eat it etc that causes the reaction, rather than the food itself... ever eaten something one day and were ok, the another time you suffered??? this is IBS.
Speak to your doctor about allergy testing.
Hope this is helpful
Shellsbells
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Quote:
If you live in the UK, your GP (MD?) can refer you for free to a local hospital for allergy testing - it's a blood test - not the old skin-prick tests which were dangermouse. BUT, they only test for about 5/6 foods - wheat, cows milk, beef, pork, fish and maybe one or two others at the most as far as I can recall. Mine showed up nothing even though I'm quite an allergic person.
Shells, that's interesting that your tests showed nothing. When I had mine done about a year ago they showed that I was allergic to tons of things! I think it said I was allergic to corn, peanuts, pecans, and wheat... there might have even been 1 or 2 more things! Corn has often bothered me, as it does many IBSers, and so have nuts when I eat too many. But wheat is something I've always depended on even when I'm not doing well, and I've never noticed it to bother me! Since having the test done I've experimented with it, and I really don't think it is an issue for me. In other words, I don't think those tests are always very effective. My cousin had the test done twice, and once it showed that he was allergic to gluten and the other it showed he wasn't! So to make a long story short, I think knowing your own body is a lot more accurate than an allergy test could be. JMHO. 
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Kree,
You said you were going to see your GI Dr. How did it go?
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Yep, I agree. A slow, painful process it may be but your own body knows best and you need to learn to listen to it very carefully.
The allergy tests I had did show a severe reaction to cats, dogs, dust mite, mixed grass and pollen - which I know myself from the immediate reactions I get to these things, but when it comes to digesting food - this is a MUCH more complicated process involving more than just one type of antibody and how that responds in a test-tube in a lab.
I don't think any of that kind of testing can be as reliable as your own body.
Unless you, eg, vomit every time within a certain length of time of eating dairy or whatever - a distinctly measurable reaction, then you're not, strictly speaking 'allergic' to that substance. You may react to all kinds of foods in all kinds of ways for all kinds of reasons. The hard part of IBS is trying to find a pattern in that process that you can work with, whilst building a way of eating to maximise tolerance for the widest variety of foods - necessary for optimum health.
In my experience (so far) shortcuts are costly and ineffective.
Shellsbells
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Hi Chris do you take a fiber supplement? You mentioned you ate rice for one week and saw a difference. Rice is soluble fiber, maybe you need a soluble fiber supplement to start like the acacia, to get yourself balanced out again. Try some herbal teas for diahhrea like the peppermint teas, red raspberry leaf tea and yes blueberry. Try getting some plain yogurt into your diet of course IBS safe. Acidophilus can help as well as a calcuim supplement. When I feel a little spasic I eat a piece of sourdough bread toasted top with plain yourt, angel food cake and chamomile tea. Not all at once but throughout the day. Rice too and add some boiled chicken breast shredded. I get D real bad , my IBS came on from a infection I got last year the common stomach flu. Also make some rice water it's a refreshing drink and good for D. I know, I know, rrice it's boring but find ways to dress it up, it can be a life saver. Hope you feel well soon.Sherri
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