What happened to anlikerm?
#255706 - 04/01/06 08:37 AM
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Gracie
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 1967
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She used to post on here a lot not very long ago, but haven't seen her around for some weeks now. Anyone know how she's doing with her IBS?
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Hey Gracie! Michelle and I email each other pretty regularly. She has decided that this diet has not helped her and, in fact, was making her worse with fear of foods and obsessing over things she was eating as she found herself cutting more and more things out of her diet and trying every supplement that someone suggested would help. And some of the posts were aggravating her anorexic tendencies/thoughts.
So, she is not doing the boards anymore and never will be back. She is not doing the diet anymore either. In fact, in her last email this morning, she told me she ate a double cheeseburger at McDonalds (without the bread), yogurt, salads and cottage cheese for dinner...etc. Pretty much whatever she wants excluding bread. She is sort of doing "the Maker's diet" and feels so much better. She is like a new person! No attacks and more energy too. It's really weird. I don't think I'd have the courage to eat how she eats...but it works for her.
I miss seeing her on the boards...but our emails will have to do because she will probably never be on the boards again. She is happy and feeling physically better and eating foods you wouldn't believe! I'm so happy for her!
She just misses everyone. I'll let her know you asked about her. She mentioned that she thought nobody would even miss her! She will really be touched that you were thinking of her.
She has found her own answers, and we have to be happy for her, even though it took her away from the boards. 
This is not to encourage anyone from abandoning this diet, which has helped many people.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Oh,
#255711 - 04/01/06 08:52 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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she has also stopped almost all her supplements, I think. I think she might still take the Primal Defense and some citrucel, but I'm not sure. I just asked her in my email this morning, so I'll find out later.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Re: Oh,
#255714 - 04/01/06 09:29 AM
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Gracie
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 1967
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Thanks for replying. I hope she is feeling better. Not everyone is the same so one diet that works for one may not work for others.
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I wish ...
#255715 - 04/01/06 09:39 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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that people who find another way and decide to leave would post about that. I think Heather's diet is fabulous, but if it doesn't work for someone and they find an alternative that does, I think that would be useful information for other people who share their symptoms and aren't finding success with Heather's approach.
I'm not talking about the posters who seem to visit the Boards solely for the purpose of bad-mouthing Heather and stick around continuing to do so - that's tacky and tiresome - but if someone has honestly tried Heather's approach, hasn't succeeded, and has found something else that works better, it would be interesting to hear about it.
I truly believe IBS refers to a bundle of conditions that doctors don't understand and that will someday get their own names and diagnoses. If you think of those conditions as being, say conditions A, B, C, and so on to Z, it seems logical to me that while Heather's approach would work for most people in that bundle (say conditions D through W), there would be some people diagnosed with IBS who have conditions that are very different (say A through C and X through Z). For those people, Heather's approach may not work and it would be helpful for others like them to hear what does.
I also think - and I know this is pretty unlikely - that it would be interesting to hear from people who've found another way after a few months and then after a year. That seems to me to be the true test of any approach - does it work in the long run?
Anyhow, just some wishful thinking. I always think it's interesting to get the story straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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I am stable and have been for some time now...I don't post much about it anymore because I have posted about my stability repeatedly and it's old news. 
For thos of us blessed to have found stability...I think most of us would say that thinking about having...or having had IBS is really the last thing we want to do anymore as it has been a part of our lives for a long time and we are ready to be rid of it. There is a tendency to be obsessive and that is the LAST thing our stable tummies need.
IBS is such an individual disease, what works for one may not work for another (heather's diet did not work for me) so you move on. I have taken great pains to identify my triggers one of which is stress and do my best to work around them all collectively. I hardly come in this room anymore...I don't know that my answer helps you but perhaps it will offer a different perspective.
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Have a blessed day!...Rachel
stable and sooooooo thankful!
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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I think maybe a different approach is not always accepted on here. For example I've come on here before and said that I have tried the Garden of Life products and they are good, only to have a others reply and bash Joran Rubin and his products. True the FDA warned him about printing on the bottles that the products are CURES for certain diseases, and if he is claiming it's a cure then he has to submit papers for a new drug. However what many people have failed to research is that many other reputable companies - one for example is Enzymatic Therapy, have received warnings similar to this. All that is required to remedy the situation is to change the wording to say "may help with...."
I'm not saying his products work for everyone because obviously everyone is different but when people start with the bashing and negative comments, it becomes very discouraging to others who are thinking of trying it.
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The boards are, as Heather states clearly on the boards intro page, "This forum offers a happy home for people following the Eating for Irritable Bowel Syndrome diet. ... This board offers a friendly, well-informed, and supportive environment specifically focused on the IBS diet." Advice that's blatantly contrary to any of the principles of Heather's diet... well, this kinda sorta isn't the place for it.
I have to admit that I don't follow the IBS diet in a lot of ways - well, ok, most ways - and I'm stable. However, because of the above, I don't discuss the differences in my diet (which, by the way, are mostly just eating a lot of Heather's "no-no"s, and not using supplements) - I respect the purpose of this board, which is to discuss Heather's diet specifically.
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I have to admit I'm kind of shocked to hear that you don't really follow Heather's diet, AtomicRose, but it has spurred me to ask something I've been meaning to ask for a while:
Am I the only person left on the Boards who DOES follow Heather's diet?
I'm not saying I'm perfect at it - I cheat with a little wine and a little Coke (the beverage, not the street drug) from time to time and I'm not always as careful with my fat percent as I should be - but for me those are slips, not a way of life. Basically, day in and day out, I follow Heather's Eating for IBS precepts:
Avoid trigger foods and irritants
Base all meals and snacks on SF
Take an SFS
Eat IF carefully
Am I the only one around here who's actually doing that?
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Re: I am!
#255781 - 04/02/06 09:57 AM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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I follow this diet pretty strictly and take an SFS. Obviously we're all human and have our little cheats now and then. Mine tend to be chocolate-related, but I've cut down on that cuz I feel better without it.
I had pretty quick results from this diet, and if I stray at all I tend to not feel as well. So it's easy for me to see this diet works in my case.
I think that even if people aren't following this diet exactly, I'd still like to hear what foods they try. I'm trying to expand my diet little by little so I like hearing what other people eat.
Kat
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Kat
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For me, I try to follow it but I 'm having a problem finding a lot of SF foods that are low glycemic that. When I eat a lot of things made with refined flour, rice, potatoes, and of course sugar, my face starts to break out.
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Well....
#255784 - 04/02/06 10:59 AM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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No, I doubt it.  Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I follow H's diet more than I thought I did. I
* eat SF before IF always
* avoid dairy completely
* avoid SOME of the trigger foods - red meat and coffee in particular
* avoid SOME artificial sweeteners - the -ols (maltitol, sorbitol, etc) are KILLERS
* watch my fats religiously!
So I suppose you could say that I'm still following the principles, just not to the letter. I will also add that I was almost fully stable before I started "cheating" and fiddling around to see what I can get away with. I really encourage experimenting. I didn't really get completely stable until I discovered that I can eat fresh vegetables and fruits (IF) with wild abandon... something I know that a lot of IBS'ers can't get away with, specifically, but my point being that we ARE all different, and you never know what's going to work for you until you try it.
(And that's not really directed to you, Sand, because you strike me as the kind of person who already knows that - LOL! - but for everyone else who may read this, especially the newbies and those who are having a hard time stabilizing, it might be useful.)
And by the way, I know admitting that I don't follow the diet completely makes me something of a hypocrite, but not really. I totally believe that Heather's diet WORKS for a LOT of people with IBS, which is why I'm still here and still dishing advice according to the diet's principles. It DID work for me and get me to a point where I was just about stable. But I did find that in order to keep my guts moving, I had to focus more on IF than SF.
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Good for her!
#255787 - 04/02/06 11:57 AM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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I'm so glad she's found something that works for her. I'm not on Heather's diet either (too permissive for me) and I'm happy she's found a way to keep herself stable. I don't wish an ED on anybody, and a know it makes it hard to follow any diet if that has been a part of your past. Please let her know Nelly was thinking of her, and wishes her the bast and continued happiness!!
~nelly~ 
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Hey, I think that counts as following the diet! I consider "Heather's Diet" to be avoiding the absolute triggers (dairy, red meat, coffee), keeping fat under 20-25% of your total calories, and using SF to cushion whatever IF you feel comfortable with. I believe Heather does say that you should get as much IF from fruits and veggies as you can, and then just gives the tips to make it easier to handle for people who are afraid of it.
--AC
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I follow the diet pretty religiously. Now that I'm quite happily stable, I've definitely expanded my diet a lot more than what I was eating for the last 3 years or so, but I still follow all the principles. I may have a little regular tea now and then, and I often go too long without eating or eat too much at one sitting, but I haven't eaten any of the trigger foods in 3 year years, and I consider myself to be quite strictly on Heather's diet. It doesn't really feel so strict though... it's all second nature to me now!
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I'm new to posting on these boards (so I hope this comes across okay), although I routinely read the posts which are always so helpful and encouraging!
Anyway, I just wanted to chime in here and say that I also follow Heather's Diet and definitely believe it's what works for me. The low carb diets pushed on other ibs websites may work for others, but I need my SF base always before eating anything else, or I'm in trouble. Plus the triggers Heather lists do cause me problems (especially fat), so when I was first starting the diet it was so helpful to have these guidelines, and still is when I stray from the diet, suffer the consequences, and need to start over again. My GI doc was no help as he handed me a sample packet of Citrucel, a prescription for anti-spasmodics and said I'd have to figure out the rest.  So I was thrilled when I found this website and message boards.
I'm also sorry to see anlikerm go, but am happy that she has found what works for her. I have a hiatal hernia like she does and her old posts about that were so helpful for me as I learn how to deal with it along with my ibs. Augie-you can pass along to her that she is much appreciated!
And...I just want to extend a huge thanks to everyone who posts on these boards - they truly have been a lifesaver, making me feel like I'm not alone and it's not all just something in my head (like others have told me!)
Big Hugs and Thanks to everyone!
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Kara
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Re: Well....
#255839 - 04/02/06 06:14 PM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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I think it seems to me that I'm not following it because I really consume so little SF now... I mean, I eat as little as I can get away with to cushion the massive salads, beany dishes, and raw fruit that I'm eating, and sometimes that means just a single slice of light bread. (How I can get away with it, I'm still not exactly sure, but my guts seem to love it, so I won't argue!) Of course, Heather does say to eat as much IF as you can tolerate, but there's also a heavy focus on getting a certain quantity of SF, and I just don't do that.
And I'm really not as diligent about avoiding the triggers as I should/could be... but I do avoid the things that I know bother me specifically.
But hey, I'm glad someone else thinks I'm still following it ok! LOL!
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Hey! Welcome!
#255840 - 04/02/06 06:16 PM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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Just wanted to say welcome to the boards!
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Re: I am!
#255854 - 04/02/06 08:52 PM
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boo75
Reged: 10/29/05
Posts: 75
Loc: Butte Montana
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Kat, We're all different, but I eat a lot of potatoes, yams, carrots, parsnips, honey-nut cheerios, the snack mix made with corn and rice checks, rice milk, little white breads, crackers, etc. less things like apples, prunes, peaches, pears, mangos, bananas, etc. chicken, rice, quinoa, fish, roastaroma tea, green tea, fennel tea, raisin nut bran, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, recipe board desserts, chocolate (I can't give that up entirely). Hope this helps. xxoo
--------------------
(cool)
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If you peel them they are safe.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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--------------------
~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I'm sure she will be happy that she could help you. People don't always realize how much their posts may be helping someone else.
I hope you continue to post!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Re: Well....
#255908 - 04/03/06 09:33 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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I agree that you're still following Heather's approach. I, too, have found that the longer I'm on the EFI Diet the more IF I can eat and - surprising to me - the more IF I need to eat. When I first started on the Diet, I could eat nothing but SF and safe protein; now that just doesn't work for me. I've always thought Heather's approach was not just "safe incorporation of IF", but "safe incorporation of as much IF as you can possibly manage". Sounds like you've hit the jackpot in that regard.
I think it's great you can use so little SF as a cushion. I wonder if once our guts get moving in the right direction - so to speak - it takes less to keep them in order. I use less SF than I did when I started out, although still nowhere near as little as you can manage. And I do take an SFS.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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No Beth, I just eat less fruits, all kinds actually, and vegetables than SF. Proportionately: lots of SF , less IF lots of liquids, some sweets. along with triphala, flaxseed meal, lexepro and belladonna and acacia. It's hard to advise everyone, you just have to try things. I seem to do well with lots of potatoes, etc. xxoo
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(cool)
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I understand your point but the goal of everyone here is to feel better from IBS. Some people feel great following the strick diet while others need tweeking. Some of that tweeking might be more radical for some than others, and it might include different supplements, etc.
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Quote:
I follow this diet pretty strictly and take an SFS. Obviously we're all human and have our little cheats now and then. Mine tend to be chocolate-related, but I've cut down on that cuz I feel better without it.
I had pretty quick results from this diet, and if I stray at all I tend to not feel as well. So it's easy for me to see this diet works in my case.
I think that even if people aren't following this diet exactly, I'd still like to hear what foods they try. I'm trying to expand my diet little by little so I like hearing what other people eat.
Kat
I concurr.
I really would like to hear
1) What has worked
2) Why maybe this and not Heather's diet have worked
3) The duration of sucess
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IBS-C and Bloating
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That's because as I've become more stable, I've branched out to see what things I can handle again, and there are some things that I've always been able to handle that would be no-no's for a lot of people. For example, I can handle fried chicken(!), lean pork, and venison.
On the other hand, I stay far, far away from dead cow and most dairy. (I find I can handle some dairy if it's not a main ingredient.) I still take an SFS supplement 3 times a day. I still eat a lot of rice, too, but not as much as I did a year ago.
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I wonder how many there are of us. We keep plugging along though, don't we.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Because I have done that (eat according to the guidelines in the book) and my IBS is now stable - I don't post that often anymore. However - I love the recipes - and I try an check the boards and offer advice when I feel I can. I also hadn't been feeling well in some other areas -- and that limits my computer time... Turns out I have fibromyalgia -- which explains a lot! But now I am off on a tangent. Truth is -- Heather's advice has given my life back to me. I can eat without worry. Great guidelines --- and I can't imagine how I lived before (constantly in the bathroom is how it was).
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