IBS-C and Heather's Diet - HELP!!!!
#289432 - 11/09/06 05:08 AM
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Zara
Reged: 06/07/06
Posts: 883
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Hi everyone, I read your board ocassionally but don't post that often. I've had IBS-C for about 4-5 years now. A few days ago I finally decided to try Heathers diet. I've tried eliminating the most obvious triggers before but never really obeyed the SF/IF rule. So for the past few days, I've been eating only safe SF foods to break the cycle. However, I haven't had a bowel movement since (it's been about 5 days).
I would like to hear from all of you other "C" who went on Heather's diet and got better just by eating SF foods, no laxatives. I'm really trying to stick to the diet but I feel like I need more IF to get things moving. I still get bloated, although I have less cramps. I don't want to take laxatives but I do take a SF supplement (Citrucel). Please tell me what's your experience. Thanks!
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant 
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Also, I forgot to add one more thing – how are you "C" doing with dairy? I used to eat yogurt and it didn't seem to bother me, I actually thought it helped me. I cut out all dairy for now but I'd be really happy if there was a way I could still eat it. I can't stand the taste of non-dairy yogurts.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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You've got hold of the wrong end of the stick with regard to Heather's approach but you're absolutely right in feeling you need more IF to get things moving.
The Break The Cycle Diet is to be used for 2-3 days only simply to get your gut calmed down a little and help stop the spasms. After that you MUST start adding in non-SF foods. This is important for everyone for health but it is absolutely crucial for IBS-C - as you've just discovered for yourself. 
What you must do is begin adding IF to your diet but do so safely: eat it with an SF base, and chop, cook, puree it to make it easier to digest.
I suggest you take a look at the June 7, 2005, and June 22, 2005, IBS Newsletters for a better understanding of what C's need to do to make Heather's approach work for them.
HTH.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Sand, thanks for the reply. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong though. I know the "breaking the cycle" part is only supposed to be for a few days. However, on the website Heather says that after a few days, you should feel better and then you can start adding IF. Well, I don't feel better yet so I'm afraid IF will only make things worse. Plus, I think Heather said with C it can take longer to break the cycle of attacks. That's why I assumed I should stick to the strict diet for at least 5-7 days. Am I wrong?
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Yeah, the top of that "Break The Cycle" Diet section is very confusing:
Quote:
Diarrhea and pain should resolve in just a few days. Constipation, especially if it's been chronic, can take several weeks. Please hang in there.
The best thing to do to break the cycle is to really restrict your diet for a few days (and only a few days - this is a short-term diet only)...
It sounds like she wants you to stay on the BTC Diet until your constipation resolves but the first paragraph doesn't really have anything to do with the BTC Diet - it's just general reassurance. So 2-3 days is the max for the BTC Diet whether you're C or D or whatever.
The bottom line as far as I can tell is that if you're IBS-C you're not going to have bowel movements without IF. That's what tells your body to go. The SF keeps your gut from spasming and is generally soothing and easy to digest so it starts your digestion process off smoothly, but the IF is what says, "Okay, enough relaxing. Let's do something productive here."
I'm sorry you're not really feeling better but at this point you probably won't until you get things moving again. You need to start adding in IF. Heather has some specific suggestions - her fruit and vegetable breads are great and smoothies are a fabulous way to get some IF in you. What you want is to start working back toward a balanced diet where you're getting some IF fruit and/or vegetables and/or grain with every meal (be careful at breakfast, that's usually a tough meal since our digestive tracts are awfully grumpy when awakened).
For a nicely relaxed, pretty simple approach to eating Heather's way for IBS-C, take a look at this old post. She's getting her SF base, whole grains with her second breakfast, vegetables with her dinner, an assortment of stuff with her lunch, and a decent amount of fat. Plus snacks, treats, and chocolate!
HTH.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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The problem is not that you're doing something wrong, but rather that not many people will fit your requirements for someone to post in this topic.
I am a C. I have taken laxatives to help me get stable, though (both over the counter ones and prescribed). Because I believe my story might be beneficial for you, I will write it. Forgive me if you find it is not what you are looking for.
For me, I didn't know about Heather's diet initially, so I was getting stable by just eating starchy things and avoiding irritants as I understood it. That mainly meant eating potatoes and rice with very little additives, but yoghurt too (didn't know about dairy). I was really C and had to take OTC laxatives once a week just to make me go and relieve the anxiety over "How on earth am I going to get that stuff out?" My doctor prescribed another laxative, because I was really C and had weird weight loss. I started taking it (Miralax is the name of the drug), got sort of stable, at least the excruciating pain went away and I discovered this web site (Thank the LORD!)
Then I started doing the EFI diet, but I was already past the most scary part... Since then I have been much better. Knowledge IS power! I stopped taking the laxative, but I think it was important in my stabilization.
So that's the story... I have not tried to get stable without a gentle laxative, and I am not going to try in the future, since I am not willing to live in pain.
Currently I am taking magnesium citrate in lieu of a laxative and it really helps, also for my sleep problems
If you insist only getting to go from food, I can't give you any advice, I haven't tried that. If you are willing to take magnesium (Natural Calm, or generic, the generic works better for me, but most people on this board are very satisfied with Natural Calm), I strongly recommend that path.
Good luck
Jerry, IBS-C
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Hi Jerry,
thanks for your post. I'm glad you're getting better.
The reason I wanted to hear from someone who got better without supplements is because I'm scared. I'm 26 and I'm thinking, am I going to be like this/worse for the rest of my life? I'm getting really frustrated with my IBS, and I just wanted to hear that sometimes, people get better without giving up their favorite foods (real dairy for me). It doesn't mean that I don't want to sacrifice anything, I've already given up wheat and coffee.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Dairy is something that is not good for people with IBS. If you're trying to get better, it would be good to stop eating it. Besides the lactose, milk has proteins in it that are hard for your tummy to digest. The the milk was probably irritating the bowels and pushing it along. In a D person it would probably cause D, but since you're C, it made you go.
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Well, I was still 22 when I got IBS... I am still scared (I'm 23 now... and it seems like it won't go away).
I gave up A LOT of foods, because of all the weight loss and the general horrible pain... It so that there was nothing I woulnd't to to make it go away. I hope you don't have to go there...
About yoghurt -- I love yoghurt. I'm from Southern Europe, where yoghurt originates from, so it's like yoghurt was a staple for me... it was so hard to give it up... just sooo hard. But worth it. I am not in terrible pain anymore, I can actually do things other than lay in bed and cry and the like.
Don't be scared of supplements... Acacia is pretty harmless for sure. Magnesium is something your body needs for the bones (to absorb calcium) so it won't hurt you. I was really scared of taking laxatives (like dulcolax and miralax when I got it prescribed) but the case was that I didn't go for 7 days straight and I had lost a pound each of those days (weird, huh) so I just NEEDED to go. My body forced me to do what I did. I hope you don't wait for it to become so desperate, I am glad you found this site.
Getting stable takes awhile for us C-ers... Hang in there.
Good luck,
Jerry, IBS-C
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