plain IBS versus specific problems -long
#318555 - 11/13/07 08:15 PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
My IBS has been severe for almost 15 years. I have been on Heather's diet for 3.5 years. My 'A' symptoms are much better on acacia and the safe foods. However, I have debilitating gas and bloating. Much of the year it is hard to do anything or plan on leaving the house at all. At work and at other engagements I spend the whole time trying not to fart, wincing from bloating pain and trying to not look pregnant. I own maternity clothes so I will have something that fits when I have to dress in evenings. For long spells my gas will be absolutely unbelievably smelly too.  I have tried various elimination diets without results. I take a probiotic. I drink fennel tea. I eat safely. I exercise everyday. I take 2T of acacia a day. Despite this the gas doesn't go away.
Mainly my theory on IBS has been, despite how depressing this is, that it is uncurable. If you really have IBS that means you are normal physically but nothing works as it should and reactions happen without reason. We can decrease reactions by treating our gut like a spoiled child, essentially walking on eggshells, but all in all it will do as it pleases. This to me is plain IBS. But when you add gluten intolerance or fructose intolerance into it you may have these in addition and get benefit by avoiding the gluten or fructose. But really how much can we expect to improve basic IBS? If I have no extra intolerances what can I do to start to lead a normal life? If I have eaten safely for 3 1/2 years why is my IBS so bad? I am just so sick of the gas! If I go to the GI doc he tells me I am doing everything right and hopefully some medication will come out eventually to help me.
There has been a lot of talk here about FI causing a person's gas. Part of me wishes this were true and by avoiding fructose I would have no gas, but the fruits I eat mostly are bananas and pineapple.
Another mystery is why I improved so much when first on the diet and not even doing it quite right. The first summer and then the second summer my symptoms were light. At all other times they were bad- so how could I have some extra food issue? All the diet journals I have kept have not lead to any discoveries either.
I am getting a stool test, food allergy tests and ph test in the next few weeks. It is all I can think of. Any comments would be appreciated. Bloating is a mystery but since some people here are pretty much cured by doing what I do I don't quite get it! 
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Minnie, I do have some thoughts and recommendations I'd like to share with you however I'd prefer to do so through email. Can you send me your email? Mines kat_garson@hotmail.com
And yeah, I used to think IBS wasn't 'curable' too. I've had it my whole life. But I'm now believing that it is curable and that IBS is really not a normal state. I've had so many doctors tell me I'm healthy, and maybe I'm just made like this and I should deal with it. This was when I was running to the bathroom every hour, how is that healthy!? Anyways, I'd like to share some thoughts with you if you want, but preferably through email.
--------------------
Kat
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Kat. I don't want to impose, but if you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts with me, I might benefit from them. I know Minnie has tried many elimination diets and although I have not gone that route yet, I am beginning to try to find an IBS "plus" symtom too like fructose or ww/gluten to be the cause for my gas. The first part of Little Minnie's post described me so well...the embarrassment from the gas and the foul odors. It's weird b/c I can't recall it being like this before on a daily basis...yes, food related at times but not so constant. It almost seems like the d I had got rid of all the bacteria in there so it eliminated my gas. I do have bms pretty regularly now so I would think that would be enough but maybe it's something else. Thank you for your insight. I often think that I am just wired this way too. And hang in there Little Minnie. I admire your tenacious attitude despite your frustration.
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Yep of course I'll share with you as well. I'm warning you beforehand it's gonna be a looong email. Basically over the past few months I've done a ton of reading found a lot of information.
--------------------
Kat
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
May I impose too, please? If not, that's okay. I really respect your opinions and thoughts, Kat.
Do you take anything (supplement/med)in addition to your diet?
--------------------
IBS-C with pain and bloat
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Little Minnie,
All I can say is that I empathize and totally understand the frustration and trying to come to terms with this IBS.
Two things I wanted to ask are 1)are you sure the Acacia isn't causing or increasing the gas/bloat even though it is helping with the BMs? It may be a trade off. Have you ever tried just plain flaxmeal?
2) Bananas can cause gas and bloat in many people....me included. Have you ever tried to omit them from your diet?
Also, I think I have a problem with egg whites even though they are considered "safe".
I know.....we feel like we have tried everything and maybe this is just as good as it's gonna get for some...while others may have less severe cases or not all the same symptoms. I know some have posted that they do not have gas or bloat at all....so these aren't even concerns for them and they find the diet helps the symptoms they do have.
I really really understand. It's depressing when you have spent so much time trying to get it under control to no avail.
--------------------
IBS-C with pain and bloat
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I can forward information about what I've done in the past few months, and what I've been looking into as ways to improve my IBS and overall health. Email me at kat_garson@hotmail.com if interested.
--------------------
Kat
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Quote:
It almost seems like the d I had got rid of all the bacteria in there so it eliminated my gas.
That is an interesting comment. The way I have always understood bloating was that it was caused by contractions and spasms in the gut. Then some say it is bacterial overgrowth. Some think it is gas producing foods like broccoli. I know doctors consider acute bloating to be a mystery. One thing I don't do is take pep caps before eating. I have considered it and wondered if that would stop the spasms that lead to the bloating. I use pep caps more like immodium and take when I feel cramps and pain.
Today I went shopping all day. I started with french toast with homemade applesauce. Then a workout. Then at 10 I had a banana and a cereal bar. Then I didn't want to buy lunch so I ate the luna bar in my car. At one I still didn't want to try to find something for lunch so I munched on the new MIng Tsai chips at Target (awesome!). I got home at 2:30 and had a flat stomach and no gas! Then I ate leftover meatloaf and rice. Then I got bloat and stinky gas. Was it the food I ate? No, it was having lunch that did it. Everyday after lunch and dinner I get sick, pain, bloat and atrocious gas (it is better if I poop midday if I can do it). I am going to talk to my supervisor tomorrow about munching all day and just having a little something at break and lunch times. This will be inconvenient but I believe it will help.
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
If you don't mind, I would love that information as well. Right now my biggest symptoms are gas and bloating, and I really have no idea how to deal with these, it's really debilitating to my life. My email is jcaputo@bcps.org. Thanks so much in advance, Kat!
Julie
IBS-D, GERD, lactose intolerant
--------------------
"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
update
#318921 - 11/17/07 10:31 AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am definitely being helped by consciously reducing my amount of food at a sitting and eating way more often. I had sort of strayed from this a little. I am eating a larger breakfast than before and snacking when I am hungry. I am trying to reduce the size of my dinner- even eating in two separate sittings. At work I am bringing easy to eat snacks back to my desk and then on breaks or lunch just having something like half a grapefruit or half a sandwich. If I have a banana at my desk I don't have to worry about being hungry later on. So I have still been gassy but since Tuesday I haven't been as bloated or painful.
Also I have thought about the times I have been feeling well and the times when I haven't. My doc had mentioned once in passing how the body responds to change. This is why I have had really good spells after a diet trial (elimination diet that is) and when I first started Heather's diet and felt cured. But then trying to feel that good again is really hard. We should not underestimate our body's natural reaction to change in our deciphering our own conditions. The body naturally seems to feel better when we change our diet. I don't know how this can be used to stay stable but I do know it is really important to remember when doing trials and eliminations. They have to be repeated to really see if you feel better, along with doing food allergy tests. So I think it is a huge process to be completely sure you have a food intolerance.
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
