Desperation setting in
#285279 - 10/05/06 06:44 AM
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I am so happy for people who can become stable through their diet, but I just can't seem to. What happens when even if you eat bread, fat free crackers, water, and plain chicken breasts etc you can't even go any further. I can't even get near any feeling of relief even with the most basic foods. It is not that I am eating these and having violent D symptons, but I have been in abdomnal pain all week eating just these foods. My stomach is bloated and gas is trapped and causing pain, I can feel the gas sloshing around my lower intestines but won't come out. When it does come out my stomach is visably less distended, but eventually it fills back up again. It is causing me pain. The only benefit I get from a bland diet is less explosive type D, but it doesn't change any gas factor, pain factor or a feeling of wellness. I am just as devistated this week as I was last week eating whatever I want. I keep trying over and over again, but it just seems my body reacts to just eating. I just decided to have some oatmeal this morning and just seconds after swallowing food, my stomach goes in an uproar of gurgling. I was hoping that I could get my stomach to a calmer state by this weekend because I have to go on a day trip to take my son on a violin audtion 1 1/2 hours away early in the morning, I thought well if I eat very basic like the diet instructs I can at least get to a more stable state to make the trip manageable, but I feel I have made it worse. My stomach has been in total uproar all week with these near cardboard foods. Is there anyone who just can't find a solution like me. I can't even tolerate the acacia in the smallest doses without violent reaction. I feel like I either can have a choice of D and Gas with regular eating or not as much D with gas and stomach pain and bloating. Can anyone tell me what cause stool shape because either I have some form of D, or small peices or ribbon/string bean shaped movements, Never in 20 something years have a normal movement, help.
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There's a lot of factors here, unfortunately.
I'm not sure how long you've been on the diet, but it does take some time to really start working. I didn't feel any better for the first few months.
Anxiety and stress will worsen IBS, big time. I'm not sure how stressful your life is on a regular basis, but I can almost guarantee that you will NOT get stable until you've taken measures to manage your emotions. Even stressing about IBS will make it worse! Many things work, ranging from the simple self-help (exercise, yoga, meditation) to the hypnotherapy cds sold here on the site, to seeing an actual therapist and learning how to deal with it productively.
Finally, do you take imodium? You might want to consider it. Many of us D's (or primarily D's) took imodium to help us along the path to being stable. Very simply, sometimes it has to be done, for the sake of your sanity! We'd all love to be able to manage everything without a pill, but sometimes it just isn't possible. Take some imodium and a deep, deep breath, and I hope you feel better soon. 
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The longest I lasted on this diet was a month. But I think you will agree that if you are on a diet for a month and after a month of eating bread and noodles and rice still cause you extreme gas and bloating, that situation is not going to change. I believe that stress worsens symptoms, it can worsen symtoms to any disease. But I will not believe it to be the cause of this. No matter how stress free I am, I do not believe that it will cause me to be able to tolerate bread and rice better. I have tried immodium and sometimes it helps, but I do already take lomotil and librax everyday, and sometimes pepto and even anti anxiety meds when necessary. But none stop the end result, they only delay the inevitable. I know in the past, people on the board have said you need to give it more time, but I guess I am not strong enough to give it more time. I just can't take it. Believe me when I say I would do anything, and if eating nothing but bread and rice brought on a miracle I would eat bread forever. But it brings me pain and I can't take that. It would be difference if I was rich and could stay home and work on this. But I have to go to work everyday and I have to fight every morning on the toilet for hours before I go to work to make it there everyday. Do I have stress, Yessss. I wrote an IBS Poem once and one of the lines goes " Nothing in the world can end this great sadness, except putting an end to this intestinal madness. Having all this agony and embarrassment for over 20 something years has taken its toll on me. But I am proud that despite it all I keep on ticking. Having not killed myself for all this suffering is an accomplishment in itself. I wake up everyday at 4:30 just to make it to work by 8:30. Most of that time is spent in the bathroom. I spend 3 hours in the bathroom whether I eat pizza or toast. As I sit here writing this my stomach burns and hurts from the small bowl of oatmeal I just ate. Sometimes I wish someone would just say, there is not always a solution, then I just could stop trying or stop feeling guilty if I give up. Or stop blaming myself thinking it is my fault because I ate that. But in reality I end up feeling just as miserable trying to do the thing that everyone keeps telling me to keep doing. I thank you for caring and giving suggestions. One thing I have noticed through this trial and error. If I have a bloated gassy stomach, it doesn't matter what I eat or drink, because with the gassy stomach to start with, anything that starts the insides churning whether water or soda or bread or french fries brings on pain.
The key is that the gas causes the pain and the pain is increased when the digestive process is stimulated. I have never found one thing that could stop my stomach from turning into a vertial Whoopee Cushion of gas.
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I am sitting here with a belly the size of Chicago - It would be the size of New York except I took 2 Gas X. I too can't figure it out. What to eat, not eat, what to take, what to avoid. When I have a flare up nothing seems to work. And, I think obsessing over it just makes it worse. But it is so hard to break the cycle. I do have periods where the tummy does okay. Even long periods. Then I have the flares. This summer has been particularly difficult. I was even hospitalized because the doc thought I had a bowel obstruction.
I think it's great that you function so well despite having a painful, difficult to control condition that is also often socially embarrassing. Keep endorsing yourself for all you do. Sorry I have no advice to give, just a lot of understanding.
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Are you taking some type of supplemental fiber? The fiber is the key for my being stable. Also, not everyone can tolerate the same foods. You may not be able to handle the foods you are currently eating. Try switching from bread to rice, chicken to fish--whatever will work for you. It is definitely a trial and error process. It took me over a year to figure out what I can eat and stay stable, then another year of experimenting to add a greater variety of food to my diet. Hang in there--it really does get better!
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Karen
#285435 - 10/06/06 11:01 AM
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Jordy
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 2095
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Can I ask which SFS you are taking?
Thanks
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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you poor dear. you have been so brave, so amazingly brave. sounds like you have tried so hard and been so disciplined. maybe you should stop "trying" so hard for awhile. do you let yourself cry and be sad, like w/ a friend or therapist? i am not saying "try this" but will add that the thing that helps me the most if I'm really "off" is acupuncture. my acupuncturist sees ibs as a hormonal problem mainly for women and basis his treatment as such. this slows down my stomach and calms it more than anything I can put or not putinot my body, and immodium, if i'm having a bad flare up. but you have been living in hell and my heart goes out to you. you do whatever you want that brings you any pleasure (that doesn't hurt you)!
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Have you been tested for Celiac's? That would certainly be a nice neat explanation (which I'm sure means you've already gone that road...). I do know that I started feeling better on the diet pretty soon, but it has taken me about 4-5 months before I feel like I can actually tell which foods are making me sick. Before there was no rhyme or reason. It just felt like being sick was going to be part of my life forever.
The hypno cd's have helped me an enormous amount - I credit them for getting me almost totally stable (and I'm not even done!). If nothing else, they are so relaxing and force you to take time for yourself.
I wish you so much luck and send the warmest wishes for some relief.
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IBS-D and STABLE!!!!
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I'm a little confused about what you're eating now. Could you explain what you eat in a typical day now? And then could you also say what you ate in a typical day during the month you followed Heather's EFI Diet?
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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