Thank you, Heather!! You are a Goddess....
#310502 - 07/05/07 01:56 PM
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Lisa Marie
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 1566
Loc: Lakewood, CO
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I think it's finally time for me to write my "Success!" post. It has taken a whole year, but I think I can finally call myself stable! It's amazing to finally have my life back and not just pop pills to cover up symptoms every day. Thank you, THANK YOU, Heather for figuring all this out so you could save the lives of so many people, me included!
What has worked for me:
* Hypno: I did the program twice. I used to get an attack just walking into a restaurant. Not anymore!
* Acacia: I'm at a stable dose of 3 tablespoons per day. No more bloating! I'm even able to trade my white rice for brown once in awhile.
* Exercise: I do it EVERY day!
* Walking immediately after eating. I can't tell you how hugely important this one is.
* Natural Calm: I can't remember the last time I DIDN'T have a BM first thing in the morning. No more worrying 
* Digestive enzymes: GasStop is awesome!
* Small meals: I eat 5-6 times each day, maybe 1 cup or so at a time.
Now I can focus on the reason why stabilization was so important to me to begin with: DH and I plan to start trying for our first child in September. I can't wait!! I feel so much more confident in my ability to get through pregnancy comfortably now. All you ladies that have gone through pregnancy while maintaining your IBS stability - I'll be hounding you with questions in the near future, I'm sure!!
So many of you have given me so much advice and comfort over the last year; I can't thank you all enough! I hope that I can now, in turn, help some of you that have recently joined the boards. Don't give up! There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and I have now seen it.
Thanks again, Heather!!
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Congrats
#310509 - 07/05/07 03:01 PM
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abby6126
Reged: 04/09/07
Posts: 219
Loc: Towson MD
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Congratulations and it is so wonderful to hear that a Cer is Stable. I might look to you for advice!
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Abby-IBS-C, Lactose Intolerant, fructose sensitive
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That's so great, congratulations. Very exciting about trying for your first child- all the best.
Just wondering, what's "natural calm" and is it, or an alternative, available in the UK?
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Sarah
IBS-C
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query
#310557 - 07/06/07 12:50 AM
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welshsarah
Reged: 06/30/07
Posts: 297
Loc: England, UK
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Yup, same here as i'm a C-er. Btw Abby, how did you figure out you were lactose-intolerant and fructose-intolerant? Hope you don't mind my asking, I just assumed that these intolerances are unique to D-ers so never thought of investigating these to see if i'm intolerant of them. And also, do you have to strictly avoid lactoce and fructose containing products?
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Re: query
#310561 - 07/06/07 02:12 AM
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abby6126
Reged: 04/09/07
Posts: 219
Loc: Towson MD
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My doctor set up a sugar test (breath test) where I drank sugar and blew into a bag. Once my levels were so high they stopped the test. I am very lactose intolerant and stay away from dairy at all costs. If I am out and want to be on the safe side I might take a lactaid but I havent had any dairy in close to 3 months. There are so many substitutes that I am not missing it too much. As for fructose I havent eaten any fruit in over a year. I should start trying to bring stuff back in but I get sick every time I do.
Hope this helps
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Abby-IBS-C, Lactose Intolerant, fructose sensitive
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Hi Abby, many thanks for your reply- it's very helpful.
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Hi welshsarah - I'm also in the UK. As far as I know, Natural Calm is not available here. It is a magnesium supplement that is helpful for C and also for relaxation.
However, following a nutritionist's advice, I have been taking a supplement called Magasorb by Lamberts. It is magnesium citrate in tablet form. I take it every night,as it is really helpful for C - it's not a laxative, and in my experience, you have to take it every night, but it has helped me. I buy mine online - it's available from several websites.
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Hi Rio, that's great will try to order it and give it a go. How do you get on following heather's diet?
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Hi Lisa Marie - Am very happy for you being able to stabilize. Question - how did you find out about GasStop? I've never heard of it before and since I've tried GasX, Beano which neither one works very good, I'm going to try GasStop. Good luck on your future endeavor. CMB (IBS-D)
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Re: query
#310747 - 07/09/07 06:18 AM
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abby6126
Reged: 04/09/07
Posts: 219
Loc: Towson MD
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Your welcome
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Abby-IBS-C, Lactose Intolerant, fructose sensitive
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I found out about it on this board! It has a much higher dose of the main ingredient in Beano so I don't have to take as many. I had to take 4 Beano with each meal, but I only take 2 GasStop. It works much better! I buy it at a local grocery store, But I would think Whole Foods would carry it. I don't think Wild Oats does. It's made by Renew Life.
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I've been following Heather's diet and taking Acacia since October 2006. I have had IBS since my teens (a long time ago!) but my situation is complicated in that I have had major abdominal surgery which has resulted in adhesions (scar tissue) that cause a lot of additional pain. No surgeon is willing to operate and attempt to cut them, as I've been told time and again that it's too risky and also that more adhesions will form. I have tried many diets over the years, and Heather's seems to be the easier on my digestive system. I have to keep it as calm as possible as the more 'irritable' it is, the more the adhesions seem to pull and cause pain and blockages. Also, Heather's diet is the least restrictive I have found. I cannot eat 'normal' size meals anyway, so eat 'safe' small meals and snacks every three hours or so. I eat a lot of soups and avoid all raw fruits (except bananas) and salads. The Acacia is great for helping C and therefore the risk of an obstruction. Also, taking magnesium tablets helps immensely with C.
Hope you get on well with the magnesium - just remember it is not a laxative, so it's not an instant fix. You may need to perservere.
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks for the suggestion about GasStop - have tried it and it is soooo much better than Beano! CMB
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Lisa Marie,
How much do you exercise do you do a day? Is it the walking? Do you take Gas Stop with every meal? Or just with gassy foods like beans?
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EFI Diet
5 hours of exericse
Acidophillus
Benefiber
Acadia
Miralax
Anti-Aniexty Med
Psychotherapy
Did NOT work for me.
Guess you had a mild, mild IBS...I'd like to hear from Heather direct as to WHY I STILL AM NOT BETTER.
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IBS-C and Bloating
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you have made 748 posts...surely to goodness you know by now that what works for one does NOT work for everyone.
We are all different.
I we weren't and there was one answer for all, then there would be no IBS, would there? We would all be cured.
It is the nature of the beast.
Negativity will not help you and trying to blame someone for trying to help and not being successful is not the answer either.
Seriously you need to move on....
If this isn't working for you, then try something else.
No one is saying you have to keep doing something that you feel is so non-productive.
On a personal note...
Thanks Heather for all that you do.
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IBS-D
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I try to do 20-30 minutes every day. I do abs/back strengthening twice a week (I take a class), and 4-5 days a week I do my elliptical. I have back issues that make exercise necessary, but luckily it helps to keep my C in check, too. I mainly take GasStop with dinner and lunch, which is usually when I'm eating things like beans, veggies, soy, etc. I have a fruit smoothie every morning, but don't take any GasStop with that.
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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You need to quantify "EFI diet". It took me months to figure out that green onions gave me horrible cramps, yet yellow onions were perfectly fine. It takes a lot of fine-tuning.
On the contrary, I had some pretty nasty IBS. Anxiety, depression, pain, horrible C, gas.... I refused to eat anywhere other than my own home. If I even entered a restaurant, I'd have an anxiety attack and be in terrible pain until I left. I couldn't go to happy hours or out to eat with friends, or even to BBQs at people's homes. Talk about anti-social, I was a hermit. So yeah, it was bad. Definitely wouldn't call it "mild".
I'm sorry this diet isn't working for you. But you really need to step back and ask yourself if you're giving it 100%. Maybe you're not taking the right anti-anxiety med. It took me quite awhile before I realized that anti-anxiety and anti-depressant meds were making things worse for my IBS. And that was after trying several of them.
Nowhere on your list is the hypno program. If you really want to get better, that is the way to go. And you can't get discouraged if one time through it doesn't "fix" you. It took me 2-3 times.
Good luck to you...
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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