My doc told me to stop ...
#12327 - 06/23/03 10:51 AM
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jules
Reged: 06/17/03
Posts: 1140
Loc: Michigan
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...drinking fennel, peppermint, and chamomile teas and I don't agree. What should I do?
Background: I am two weeks in on a restriction/elimination diet by my doc as we are trying to figure out what's wrong with me. The lack of other diseases, is pointing toward IBS-C.
I called into my doc's office and told them that I was feeling somewhat better (which I had to do at the two-week mark). Around the same time that I started that diet, I found Heather's book, along with the recommmendation of upping my fiber (which I'm doing) and the fennel tea suggestion (which I feel has helped). I have very painful cramping and gas. I have a list of foods that I can't eat by my doc, and I have not eaten them so far.
After consulting with my doctor the nurse told me that my doc had told me to stop drinking the herbal teas, and to not take any sort of advice from health food stores, the book, etc. while I was on his diet. It's my opinion that the fiber combo and the tea has helped me feel better thatn I have in months. I understand that I shouldn't do a kazillion different remedies at once so that I can find out what's wrong with me. But herbal tea was not on my list of foods that I couldn't eat, so I don't see the harm. What do you think??
Oh, and the nurse told me that the doctor had noted on my chart "patient may not follow recommended diet, or suggestions, as she has done a lot of investigative research on her own."
I'm willing to give this diet two more weeks, just to make a point to my doc that I can, but some of the list of ALLOWABLE foods are: whole wheat bread, rye bread. I don't eat those because Heather recommends against it. But the diet that I was given is called the IBS diet and according to my doc "researched and tested, so you should follow it because we know what we're talking about."
I'm getting tired of this diagnosis, and the fact that I had to ASK to have a test ordered for celiac disease (at Heather's suggestion, which he is doing). There are certain things that he's not testing because it's 'unlikely' that at my young age of 25, I have those diseases.
Sorry for the long post, I'm venting, and tired, and in pain.
Signing off grumpy today...
julie
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~jules
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FIND YOURSELF A NEW DOCTOR! That is ridiculous! There is no reason that they should write things like that on your chart! It's like that Seinfeld episode when Elaine doesn't want to wear the smock, so her dr. writes stuff on her chart and before she knows it, she is banned from all dr's in the city! Not that it would happen to you, but GET A SECOND OPINION! This guy sounds like he is all high and mighty and NO ONE else knows what they are talking about. Don't you think that if Heather's diet plan wasn't working, we would all say so! But au contraire....we are all SUCCESSFUL from her plan. I can understand having the tests done, that is always a plus, but to tell you not to drink herbal tea....who is he kidding????? I am sorry, but your post ( not you) made me so angry, I hope that you are able to find someone better! You deserve to feel well and this goober doesn't sound like he will do that for you! Good luck...you will be in my prayers and thoughts!
Christianne
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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about???
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Hi Julie - Sorry you're caught in such an unhappy position. I am glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better, though.
I don't know why your doc would advise against the herbal teas. Peppermint, fennel, ginger, and chamomile are all well known, long-time favorites for helping digestive problems, and I've never seen any contraindictions for them aside from allergies. They certainly wouldn't interfere with dietary changes - they'll just likely help. At the worst they'd have no effect at all.
The whole wheat bread recommendation has me confused. Your doc's comment that the IBS diet he has you on has been studied and verified just can't be true, as there haven't been ANY clinical studies of a comprehensive diet for IBS. Believe me, I've looked, and the closest thing is the onging study by Dr. Noel Hershfield in Calgary of the Eating for IBS diet. That's in the earlier stages and nowhere near being published in journals. I'd ask your doc to point you to the research he's citing. And I'd also ask him to explain why the clinical studies of bran in IBS patients showed that it did not help most patients at all, but in fact made them worse. Here's a list of those studies web page You'll also see some studies on this page that look at soluble vs. insoluble fiber for IBS (guar gum vs. bran) and clearly show soluble is better. You have the right to know if there is research behind your doctor's recommendations - and if he doesn't have research to show you, you have the right to question the validity of his advice. He can't just expect you to shut up and trust him, and then label you a troublesome patient if you dare to ask question. This is your health on the line, not his, and you deserve to know exactly what is going on.
Trust yourself above all - you know your body better than your doctor, and better than I do. What matters is how you feel and what it takes to get you feeling good.
Please keep us posted.
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Jules, You should be PROUD of yourself for doing "investigative research" on your own! It is your personal responsibility to educate yourself about what effects your body. Some doctors prefer we be docile and ignorant. That way they appear to be all knowing. "He is NOT the boss of you" as my Kindergarteners say. Doctors are there to guide you and support you as YOU make informed decisions about YOUR body. I saw my GI doctor last week and excitedly told him all I have learned. I even brought Heather's book with me to show him. He was very impressed that I had taken the initiative to learn so much on my own. He even said he would reccommend Heather's book to his other IBS patients. He told me to keep up the good work. Not all docs are condescending. I don't want to suggest you find a new doctor, because sometimes it is pretty difficut to switch. That is up to you. However, if you are improving with the measures you have taken, why stop? You have to find what works best for you and stick with it. Follow your gut. (I think I just made a joke  ) You keep up the good work! artist
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Wow, you guys are fantastic! Thanks for the speedy responses and the support.
I told my stepdad (who used to be in pharmaceudical sales) what my doc had written about me in my chart, and he laughed his head off  , just because the comment sounded SO like me, but did agree that it was unprofessional to write that in my chart. He said that some doctors get to a certain point where they just don't want to learn anymore. He once worked with a guy who didn't believe in allergies (wha-at?!) and thought that it was only in his patient's heads.
Anyway, I'm going to not do the fennel tea for at least a week, and give the 'diet' a fair chance. I'm still not eating whole wheat bread. There are some foods on the restricted side that seem weird (can't eat pretzels) but I'm going to follow it for at least another week. I'm still doing the fiber, and if I start to feel bloated again, I'm definitely doing the teas. Screw the doc. I don't think that he had any right to write that in my chart.
I'm feeling ok right now. I just picked up a bag of French rolls and some Corn Pops, so I'm set for the evening. 
Thanks again!!
julie
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~jules
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My husband always laughs when I come home from the doctor's office. He says, "I don't know why you go to them. You won't listen to what they say." I find the opposite is trus----that the doctors usually don't listen to what I'm saying!!!! That's what's so frustrating.
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Hi Jules,
I say get another doctor. This guy sounds like a jerk! I have had no luck, except for the Bentyl, from my doctor. He's clueless about an IBS diet. Even the Gastro Doc I went to was not helpful.
I love Heathers books, and this support board. I found more help than from the doctor.
I don't think anyone is too young for celiac spue disease. I really urge you to find another doctor, and hang in there!
Good Luck
Cloudygirl 
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My husbands GI doc did'nt listen but My OB/GYN did and we are working on a support group in Payson AZ because of Heather's books. Get another Doc! If eating certain foods makes you sick it's not good for you. on the other hand If eating certain foods makes you better...
You are more patient than we are! I would have thrown the diet out along with the Doc!
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The first GI I went to said it sounded like I have IBS. He did a colonoscopy and that was it. I trusted him because he was recommended to me by 3 or 4 of my Dad's friends. One the friends has a family history of colon cancer and is required to have tests every year. After a run in with the PA that sent me to the hospital a few months later and having to wait 2 hours + to see the doc, I decided to see another GI. The second was recommeded to me by a friend of the family who has Crohn's. She said he likes to run a lot of tests and he's easy to talk to. He not only did blood work every time I go (luckily the lab's next door), he also ordered the stool sample test (that's always fun) he scheduled a colonoscopy, and the upper EGD. The results of the EGD showed I had H.Pylori growing in my stomach. The H.Pylori is a bacteria that grows in in your stomach. It was eating away at the lining of my stomach in 3 areas and were well on their way to becoming ulcers. He told me that he could tell that the bacteria had been there a long time.
I had done research myself before going to both doctors. The first doctor had acted like I didn't much of anything, that internet wasn't a reliable source. The secound doctor was a little more open to know that I was trying to find ways to help me feel better where he might not know for sure. He still acted kind of stand offish when I told I was looking stuff up on the internet. My feelings are, it's my body. I know if something isn't right with it. I've been brushed off with my heart palpitations because I am so young and that anything else could be wrong because I am young. I've told the doctors, I've had this body for 28 years and I think I know if doesn't feel right.
I'm getting off my venting soap box. My suggestion is find another doctor. The fact that you have the right to take a copy of your file to a new doctor and he's written that in your chart shows he is insecure in his ability to properly diagnose.
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Laurie 
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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Hi Jules. Sorry to hear about your experience with your doctor. I recently had a somewhat similar experience. I've had IBS since 1995, but suddenly my symptoms started flaring up for no reason I could determine. When I saw my doctor, she actually wanted to put me on an Atkins type of diet, where I would seriously restrict all carbs and eat lots of protein and as much fat as I wanted. She, like your doctor, said that this diet had been proven to work for some people with IBS, and she kept telling me how I would lose weight on this diet, which wasn't even a concern of mine! Well, I thought her recommendation sounded fishy, since I had already heard that foods high in fat can trigger IBS attacks, so I embarked on my own investigation, and that is when I discovered Heather's books and this site. I finally learned about what a difference soluble fiber can make (as opposed to insoluble) and confirmed my suspicion that my doctor was way off base. Needless to say, I did not follow the diet she prescribed, and instead started following Heather's suggestions, and my symptoms improved dramatically. While I don't discount the necessity of seeing a doctor for IBS, it often seems that taking matters into your own hands results in the best outcome. I hope you find relief of your symptoms soon!
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Thanks for sharing all of your experiences. It does help to hear that I'm not alone in dealing with doctor's who think they know all. My GP is fantastic and is more than willing to admit that she's not an expert in the area of the digestive system. She's the one who heard about Zelnorm and suggested it for me (it didn't work). And she was impressed that I had taken the initiative and looked up information on my own on the Internet.
I'm still doing the doctor's diet **a modified diet** which means that I will not eat any of the foods that Heather tells me not to, nor what my doc tells me not to. I've stopped the fennel, chamomile and peppermint teas, and I feel ok this morning. I'm drinking hot water with lemon, and I think that the combination of the hot water along with the extra water consumption is helping move things along.
I've also lost five pounds on this diet. I had five to spare, but I don't want to lose much more than that. I'm well within my healthy range weight. I'm 5'6, 134lbs, and 25yo. I'm not the biggest fan of cooking, so my daily meals consist of Corn Pops, canned tuna, Kix, French Rolls, Angel Food cake, and if I'm feeling creative (and not bloated) grilled veggies and chicken and rice.
After giving this diet one full month at the doctor's recommendation, if he doesn't come up with a treatment more useful to me, I'm going to consider switching doctor's and completely follow Heather's Diet. If the diet doesn't work for me, then something else is wrong with me and I don't have IBS. I wasn't even tested for lactose intolerance, and doesn't that only consist of a breath test? I have no idea if I'm allergic or intolerant of any other foods. These tests haven't been done. Should they? Should they have been done before subjecting me to a new diet for a month?
We'll see how this goes!
OH! I also figured out how to post my pic!!
Thanks again everyone!
julie
OH!! I created the best sauce for the veggies that I cooked on the stove yesterday. Mix 1Tlb of honey with small handful crushed rosemary and a teaspoon of garlic powder. I tossed some waterchestnuts, pea pods, broccoli, zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots on a frying pan mixed with a little bit of water and Pam Olive Oil Spray. After the veggies were about five minutes away from being done, I stirred in the honey mixture and cooked the rest of the way. I then stuck them in a toasted French roll and called it dinner! Yum! I'll also post this over on the recipe page.
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~jules
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Thanks for sharing all of your experiences. It does help to hear that I'm not alone in dealing with doctor's who think they know all. My GP is fantastic and is more than willing to admit that she's not an expert in the area of the digestive system. She's the one who heard about Zelnorm and suggested it for me (it didn't work). And she was impressed that I had taken the initiative and looked up information on my own on the Internet.
I'm still doing the doctor's diet **a modified diet** which means that I will not eat any of the foods that Heather tell me not to, nor what my doc tells me not to. I've stopped the fennel, chamomile and peppermint teas, and I feel ok this morning. I'm drinking hot water with lemon, and I think that the combination of the hot water along with the extra water consumption is helping move things along.
I've also lost five pounds on this diet. I had five to spare, but I don't want to lose much more than that. I'm well within my healthy range weight. I'm 5'6, 134lbs, and 25yo. I'm not the biggest fan of cooking, so my daily meals consist of Corn Pops, canned tuna, Kix, French Rolls, Angel Food cake, and if I'm feeling creative (and not bloated)grilled veggies and chicken and rice.
After giving this diet one full month at the doctor's recommendation, if he doesn't come up with a treatment more useful to me, I'm going to consider switching doctor's and completely follow Heather's Diet. If the diet doesn't work for me, then something else is wrong with me and I don't have IBS. I wasn't even tested for lactose intolerance, and doesn't that only consist of a breath test? I have no idea if I'm allergic or intolerant of any other foods. These tests haven't been done. Should they? Should they have been done before subjecting me to a new diet for a month?
We'll see how this goes!
OH! I also figured out how to post my pic!!
~Julie
Thanks again everyone!
julie
I created the best sauce for the veggies that I cooked on the stove yesterday. Mix 1Tlb of honey with small handful crushed rosemary and a teaspoon of garlic powder. I tossed some waterchestnuts, pea pods, broccoli, zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots on a frying pan mixed with a little bit of water and Pam Olive Oil Spray. After the veggies were about five minutes away from being done, I stirred in the honey mixture and cooked the rest of the way. I then stuck them in a toasted French roll and called it dinner! Yum! I'll also post this over on the recipe page.
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~jules
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