Please help me...I think I'm doing something wrong
#305919 - 04/26/07 07:15 AM
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Hi everyone, I am a 14 year old girl diagnosed with constipation-type IBS.
I've had it for almost a year now (it scares me to think how long it's been and how much school I've missed...) It was truly horrible waking up every morning to blinding pain and knowing the end was nowhere in sight. People were telling me every day how I was just overreacting. Doctors were baffled and shrugging their heads when I went for another visit to the hospital. I assume you've all been through this or something terribly similar so I won't go further.
I had tried many medicines for IBS and none of them seemed to help. I was sure that it was something I was eating because when I skipped breakfast and lunch I felt completely fine. But when it got to dinner, I would fall apart. My mother finally found this website and we immediatly ordered the book. It made so much sense because I instinctively was trying to aviod all the same foods that Heather had said, but wasn't allowed to do the diet entirely because of risk malnutrition. Then we had proof that it was safe, so I followed the book exactly.
I've been very careful about following the diet for almost 2 monthes now, and I feel 50% better. But something is still wrong. I still can only go to the bathroom once every couple of days, and I am still in pain after eating. Once I had cooked soft carrots with 1/4th of a teaspoon of oil in them, and I was in writhing pain the rest of the evening. Sometimes even plain rice bothers me. I went to just eating potatoes for a week and started feeling better, but my parents worry again about malnutrition. I'm bloated all the time no matter what I do. Can someone please help me??
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hi, I'm sorry you're having to go through this and it's awful when people think you're over reacting.
It does take a while to feel a lot better and to get to the point where you can go through life ibs free. I've been on the diet a year now and still have the odd attack and in terms of constipation I'm not regular yet but I'm sure that'll happen in time I can definitley see an improvement in the pain I used to get every day.
So the diet is great but there are other things that need to be taken into consideration....
are you getting enough exercise? this is really important for C (constipation) especially.
are you feeling stressed? stress and anxiety are big triggers for a lot of us here so if it's an issue for you then try to look at ways that you can deal with that ( I know it's easier said that done! lol ) you may want to get help with that from your GP and I would definitley involve your parents for support
are you taking a soluble fiber supplement? acacia is making a huge difference to me.
Make sure you're drinking enough water too
Godbless
Vicky
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Please read all the stuff on this site about constipation - Heather has a couple of great newsletters about it in the "IBS News & Reviews" area.
Basically, you need to eat insoluble fiber from fruits and vegetables - that will help you get more regular. Having the soluble fiber along with the insoluble will keep you from getting all crampy. You have to play with the amounts of each - search this board for *lots* of discussion about how to do this!
Also: diet isn't everything. Sleep, stress management, and daily exercise will make your life a whole lot better.
It takes a while, but you will get stable!
--AC (IBS-C my whole life, now as regular as anyone could ask for...and eating more fruits and vegetables than ever)
Edited by AstroChick (04/26/07 02:09 PM)
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You can try a multivitamin to help you get those vitamins you're missing. Even if you just go with Flintstones (I've heard they are much easier on the stomach), it's fine. Drink LOTS of water and get plenty of sleep. For some people, this means giving up some extracurricular activities but it is well worth it. Definitely try acacia fiber if you haven't. Check out the hypnotherapy program. And remember that this takes time. Your gut needs to heal and you need time to adjust to a new diet.
Quote:
I've been very careful about following the diet for almost 2 months now, and I feel 50% better.
This is great! You ARE feeling better. Stay with it and you'll get even better with time.
My IBS started when I was about 12 and I went about 10 years with it being untreated and undiagnosed. (I'm 27 now. I'm glad to hear that your parents want to help you. I was alone with my symptoms. It's nice to hear that they care. 
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If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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