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Thanks for the words of wisdom- I agree about the island. That is why I love coming to this board where people understand more. I wish everyday that I could meet someone in my hometown who has the same issues so that we could go to lunch together and talk on the phone about every little thing. Because no one understands unless you've been there. No my husband doesn't read the boards. I think he thinks it's all in my head. The minute he heard every test I had done came back negative he kind of looked at me funny.. Now he just listens to me complain. He doesn't understand though. I know he doesn't. My friends don't really know much about IBS themselves. They just know I have it and that I don't go out anymore. I completely understand how you feel about dating etc... I think if I were to be single tomorrow- I would probably be alone. I can't say that for sure. But the way I feel every day I don't even want to go out to socialize with my forends let alone try to find someone to become intimate with. 
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Melissa
Pain predominant w/occasional C.
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Aww, I understand. I think the absolute worst thing about this disorder is the emotional isolation and dealing w/other people thinking its all in your head. You should let your hubby read some of this stuff.... maybe when he sees that men and women all over the world suffer in the same way, he'll realize. How old are you? I didn't read your bio? Do you ever think of having kids, or do you have them?
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Thanks for the information...... I have to admit, it sounds so tempting to do something like that. But there is always the fear of something going wrong. I couldn't handle this being any worse.
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taroh
#142611 - 01/25/05 02:40 PM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Okay, watch it with the cakes!  I piled on quite a bit of weight after I got settled on this diet as I was so delighted to find "fun" food like brownies that actually made me feel better, not worse. But if you're already thinking about weight gain, try and avoid them. If you have to have some cake, try and make sure it's one of Heather's breads so that you're at least getting some fruit or veg!
Are you D? Sorry - bad memory!  If so, I really wouldn't worry about incorporating more IF into your diet until you see the good effects of the diet. Now I do NOT mean only eat pasta...there are so many SF fruits and veggies, or ways of eating them totally safely (peeling and cooking for example). But I really feel it's important to give your body enough of a breather to help it get back on track. For some people, that can be just a few days. With me, I was on a no-trigger diet for about a month. I ate loads of applesauce, bananas, avocadoes, mangoes, cooked carrots, etc. so it wasn't that unhealthy. And for me, at that stage, adding IF only meant I had bad D so all the nutrients were going straight through me! You do need to get some protein though...make sure any meat you do try is lean, chicken, cooked with no fat. And eat lots of fish and soy as well!
I found that following a really strict diet helped me almost at once. But it was at least a month before I would have said that I was feeling noticeably better. And then there were setbacks as I reintroduced stuff - when I wasn't careful or did too much too fast . That's why it took me the estimated 6 months to feel that I was stabilizing - when my symptoms wre no longer a regular part of my life! 
Good luck. And perservere!!!  It's worth it. Unfortunately there is no "quick-fix" for IBS. It doesn't exist. Anyone considering surgery for IBS is crazy IMHO...there are soooo many cases of IBS developing or getting alot worse BECAUSE of surgery and no scientific reason for the surgery. As most of us know, IBS somehow affects the entire digestive tract - how would removing pat of the colon help that? Don't go there!
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I would get a few other opinions. Ibs is a motility problem of the smooth muscle of the gut. With that said you really have to wonder , What part of the colon is he going to remove?????. When a part of your colon is removed that has it own consequences such as malabsorption ect. I in reality have never heard os surgery for IBS unless what you really have is IBD.
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I totally understand your frustration. I sometimes wish I had a more serious disorder that had a fix. My sister has Ulcerative colitis and had a severe flare up about 6 years ago when she was hospitalized. But now she is on meds and doesnt have any problems. But there is always the risk of another flare up. So really I guess I am fortunate. It is annoying how people dont understand this and there is not any good treatment. My dietary needs seem to change all the time so no one knows what to think. A big frustration is also not feeling social at all. I know I will have terrible bloating if I am over at anyones house for more than a little while and definitely cant eat most things at most mainstream restaurants. Plus, I dont feel like going out to bars when I dont drink anymore. (I am 24, in med school, so some of my friends go out occasionally). I havent been out this whole year. I also get so tired of having to carry a giant bag of food around when I go away for a couple days! But there is no way we can expect to find what we need where other people are eating. I just hate how I feel like this concern over food/ bowel movements controls my life. It regulates all my actions, emotions. I have had a really great past two days, went 4 times yesterday and once today!! I am C so this was huge! I attribute this to my staying home from class and studying at home so I was on my own time. Also have started taking two probiotic capsules a day.
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Taroh73:
A doctor who recommends surgery for IBS has absolutely no idea what IBS is or what causes it. Well, the cause isn't 100 per cent known, but I believe one of the prevailing theories is that it is caused by a reduced amount of a particular chemical that is transmitted from the brain to the gut. Now, how in the world could surgery remedy that?
I've had IBS all of my life (46 years) and I've been very sick over the years. However, I now control my IBS very successfully with Heather's diet.
If some doctor told me I needed surgery for my IBS, I would think he was crazy -- or, if I was living in the U.S., I would think he was just trying to make some money on me.
There is NO surgery in the world that can remedy IBS. And, at the present time, there is no easy solution for IBS control. It's basically you've gotta follow Heather's recommended diet and lifestyle.
Sorry to be so blunt!
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As depressing as all of this is.... it is so nice to know there are other people who understand EXACTLY. I am so sick of trying to explain to people why a social life is next to impossible most of the time! Well meaning friends and family look at you and say or think "well you don't have to go to the bathroom every 5minutes and you look fine- what's the problem?" (I'm a C as well). There is just no way to explain to them the agony of what goes on inside our bodies 24/7. I do and have done everything youdo.... the bags of food, the isolation and fear of social situations, the constant change in diet that doesn't seem to work. I totally understand that it does control your life. And there is nothing worse than the people who think this is in our heads. Good for you for going to med school... are you gonna be a gastro?? Just keep hanging in there. I was in grad school at your age, and that's when things started getting REALLY bad for me. And 8 years later I have just found this website. You are ahead of the game! Do you already have a b/f, or do you find that this also impedes your ability to date? Feel better 
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What is a probiotic tablet - I am somewhat new at all of this - but not new to IBS!
I was just accepted into med school and becoming anxious!
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Hi, Thanks for the reply. I am actually thinking about going into GI. I had been planning on OB/Gyn before, but I think I could use my experiences as strengths in GI. Also, since my sister has colitis, I have a lot of personal experience with this stuff. Hopefully I will make it! I have felt a lot better the last few days cause I have stayed home to work on my own. Guess I just need to find a good schedule that works for me. I am actually married. I had been with my boyfriend for 7.5 years before we got married (last July!). Luckily we have known each other for even longer and really are completely comfortable together. I really dont know what I would do without him. He is wonderful and so understanding. He even eats my tofu and veggies and fibery foods most of the time. I think I would be a hermit and just live in my own little world if I was single. A lot of people here in Chapel Hill are vegetarian/vegan and do pilates and yoga and run a lot like I do, but I still would have to deal with the gas and bloating. Sort of impinges on your desire to go out, and could be embarrassing in an intimate situation. I also think I would not take as good of care of myself and would probably still have an eating disorder that would have gotten totally out of hand. He really keeps me keeping good care of my stomach! Good to talk to you! Good luck, you just need to find someone who has some sort of other quirks or something so that they understand! I am not sure where to find nice guys though. I have known all my good guy friends through Billy and college.
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