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Just Plain Old IBS?
      #311895 - 07/24/07 05:44 PM
BendeeWendee

Reged: 07/23/07
Posts: 392
Loc: Brooklyn, NY

Hi, as stated before, I'm new here. About a month ago I had an endoscopy that revealed a series of irritations on the lining of my stomach and so I have Acid Reflux. I'm on Omeprazol and it'll take about 2-3 weeks for my stomach lining to be repaired. Meanwhile, I have to chew on a couple of Tums tablets should I have to eat acidic foods (I have to avoid Acidic foods for about a month). The Acid Reflux only explains the heartburn that I was feeling but not the constant crampiness and the constant feeling of having to have a BM or the malaise/queasiness. From that, I've developed a bit of anxiety when I'm on the subway or somewhere not near my house.

And so I was diagnosed with just plain old IBS. Actually, the way I was told by my GI Doc last week was that all of my symptons point to IBS. My blood work and sonogram are excellent and shot down any thoughts of possibly having some bacteria in me somewhere or being lactose intolerant.

In reading through the threads, I noticed that some are IBS-C or D. I only have D if I have at least 3 milk products in a day. If I have at least 2 milk products, I MIGHT have a loose BM. On the other hand, when is constipation considered constipation? I've never been the type to have a BM every day. I was always like an every other day or two. Now, if I try to ignore the feeling of having to go and try to wait it out to see if I can be normal as before, I wind up getting queasy.

I've ordered several of Heather's products (can't wait to get them). One of them is the Acacia but it seems that mostly people with D use it. I thought the Acacia, the teas, the pills, and the Diet were all for the purpose of regulating the GI tract (which is what I need). Am I wrong? I was really hopeful and exicted this past weekend in reading the testimonials but now since I've read some threads where it works for some and not others has got me worried that nothing will work. Is it possible that my issues are all related to the stress I've developed from the Acid Reflux? I've also ordered the CDs to help me through.

Thanks for reading.

Wendy

--------------------
Wendy IBS A thru Z
Taking it one day at a time...


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Re: Just Plain Old IBS? new
      #311906 - 07/24/07 06:49 PM
Sand

Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)

Quote:

On the other hand, when is constipation considered constipation? I've never been the type to have a BM every day. I was always like an every other day or two.
The usual definition of constipation is going more than 3 days without a BM. Or, to put it another way, the usual definition of normal is from 3 BMs a day to one BM every 3 days. I say you need to factor in comfort, also. If you're having 5 BMs a day but they're not painful and they're not urgent, I wouldn't consider that a problem. On the other hand, if you're having a BM every 2-3 days but you're cramping and constantly feeling like you need to have one, I'd say that is a problem.




Quote:

I've ordered several of Heather's products (can't wait to get them). One of them is the Acacia but it seems that mostly people with D use it.
I really don't think this is so. Soluble Fiber Supplements like Acacia are good for both IBS-C and IBS-D (and IBS-A, for that matter).

I thought the Acacia, the teas, the pills, and the Diet were all for the purpose of regulating the GI tract (which is what I need). Am I wrong?
No, you're absolutely right. The basis of Heather's guidelines - briefly - is that IBS is caused by colon spasms. For some people those spasms cause D; for some C; and for some a mixture. The Acacia, peppermint tea, Peppermint capsules, and Diet are all designed to reduce colon spasms.

I was really hopeful and exicted this past weekend in reading the testimonials but now since I've read some threads where it works for some and not others has got me worried that nothing will work.
I sometimes find myself wishing that new people would avoid the Boards like the plague until they get the basics of the Diet down and have given it a fair try for a while. There are people for whom this approach doesn't work but there are a lot of people who do well with it. My advice is to follow the Diet guidelines as laid out by Heather - *not* as modified by people on the Boards - and see how you do. Avoid the peppermint and ginger tea and the peppermint capsules since you have acid reflux, but do take the Acacia - start at a very low dose like 1/4 teaspoon per day and increase that very slowly.

Is it possible that my issues are all related to the stress I've developed from the Acid Reflux?
It's possible but if your doctor is saying IBS and has done the necessary testing, I'd go with his diagnosis. Your always feeling like you need to have a BM is called "incomplete evacuation" and is a classic IBS symptom.

I've also ordered the CDs to help me through.
Good. Stress doesn't cause IBS but it can exacerbate it so the hypno tapes should help with that.





I'm not sure how much reading you've done outside the Boards but you really need to get the basics of the Diet from the rest of the Website or - better yet - from Heather's books. You can take a look at this old post of mine and follow the links to walk through the basics of the Diet.

And be very careful about deciding that some trigger foods really don't bother you. That's not all that easy to determine as you can see in this post.

I hope some of this helps. Heather's approach has worked wonders for me and I hope it does the same for you.


--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]

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Re: Just Plain Old IBS? new
      #311941 - 07/25/07 09:11 AM
BendeeWendee

Reged: 07/23/07
Posts: 392
Loc: Brooklyn, NY

Sand, thanks soooo much for your answers! Everything I've ordered should be received by today or tomorrow. This whole past weekend, I read the WHOLE website--not the threads. I can't remember where I read it, but I'm like some others who don't eat at all to not upset the stomach and then wind up eating late in the day by the time I get home from work. The reasons I don't eat is because 1. I'm scared to and 2. I really don't know what to eat. So yeah I am definitely looking forward to Heather's cookbook and DVD. I will follow it to the T as they say. My hopes are still high. Because of the acid reflux, I'll have to pick and choose which recipes I can have until my stomach lining is repaired. But that's ok because now I have somewhere to start. I should be able to pop the Peppermint pills but I won't just to play it safe.

Thanks again so much for your answers.

--------------------
Wendy IBS A thru Z
Taking it one day at a time...


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Re: Just Plain Old IBS? new
      #311949 - 07/25/07 10:09 AM
Jennifer Rose

Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 3566
Loc: Fremont, CA

Welcome to the boards, Wendy!

Sand did a great job answering your questions. The only other thing that I would strongly emphasize is to read Heather's book for First Years. Everyone is different so it is important to start with understanding and adapting to the basic guidelines before you start tweaking the diet at all. You're off to a great start reading everything on the website.

Be careful with the peppermint pills as they can sometimes cause problems in people with acid reflux. I have a mild version of acid reflux and the peppermint pills often make it worse if I'm having a bad acid reflux day.

Glad to see you found the site and hopefully it works for you as well as it has worked for me.

--------------------
- Jennifer

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Re: Just Plain Old IBS? new
      #311993 - 07/25/07 06:03 PM
BendeeWendee

Reged: 07/23/07
Posts: 392
Loc: Brooklyn, NY

Thanks Jennifer! I'm happy that my GI Doc pointed the website out to me from one of his "You're Not Alone" pamphlets he gave me last week. I actually took 3 weeks off of work (starting this coming Monday the 30th) to start to acclimate myself with the foods and with my Omeprazol for my acid reflux (25 pills to go!) so that when I return to work on the 20th of August, the old Wendy will be back.

--------------------
Wendy IBS A thru Z
Taking it one day at a time...


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Re: Just Plain Old IBS? new
      #311995 - 07/25/07 07:41 PM
lalala

Reged: 02/14/05
Posts: 2634


I'm a little late, but WELCOME! This is a great place to get support for IBSers. I found The First Year: IBS to be a good starting point for me, found a lot of answers to my questions in there. You're right -- Heather's diet and supplement are used to help regulate the GI tract, so it's appropriate for all forms of IBS.

Keep us updated on your progress!

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