My Doctor Freaked Out!
#326767 - 03/18/08 11:12 AM
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CarolynC
Reged: 03/11/08
Posts: 108
Loc: Connecticut
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I have been working with my Doctor for my IBS symptoms.
To be honest I'm finding discouragement with doctors and IBS.
Just like Heather said..... my DR. told me to eat a high fiber diet!!! I was always in pain and feeling horrible.
I remember telling my DR I thought so much fiber was too harsh for my system. Her response was that all Docs recommend a high fiber diet for IBS.
So I began search on my own. That is when I found Heather's website and information about helping IBS.
I brought the "cheat sheet" to my doctor visit and asked my doctor about it. She FREAKED OUT at the list!
But....since my doctors advice was not helping, I went on my own and started incorporating Heather's diet plan and Acacia fiber.
So far this diet has helped far beyond anything my doctor has recommended, and I can't wait to tell her about this at my next visit. I'm feeling great today!!! Let's hope this is a start to a new trend in my life! (and everyone else with IBS)
Yippee!!! So far so good.
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IBS-C with bloating and cramps
occasional type A
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What did she freak out about? Probably the "white" bread. That makes me so mad when the world acts like you will die/and or gain weight from eating white bread. The diet is hard to follow, but I'm finding out it's still healthier than McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc...My doc also told me to eat more fiber. He suggested raisin bran. I have ignored that. Although I did OK for a while on Mini Wheats, but have since dropped that after major pains.
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Had the same experience with my GI. He told me the internet was full of misinformation. Well, this diet has allowed me to reclaim my life and I am really happy about that. Following the diet is not that hard after you get into a routine. I went to covered dish last night and I ate only what I brought -- and the rest of the folks thought my dish was so good (penne with cream sauce, chicken, mushrooms and spinach) -- they could not believe it was made with almond milk and rice cheese!!! Happy IBS eating.
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IBS-D, Gas & Bloating
Barbara50
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Yes! it was a whole lot to do with the "white" bread thing.
I had the SAME problem with the mini wheats!!!They did work for me, but I would have pain and bloat afterwards.
I am so glad I found this site and boards!! At least now I can show my husband I am NOT imagining my symptoms.
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IBS-C with bloating and cramps
occasional type A
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Unfortunately, this is a common experience. When the white vs brown bread argument arises immediately you know that the health professional you are talking to does not understand the role that different types of fiber play in IBS.
If we were to ask most GP and GI docs to explain the role that carbohydrates and specifically the role that SF, IF and FF (functional fiber) play in digestion and in particular, the regulation of GI motility, their answers would not reflect what the current IBS research has shown over the past 15-20 years. Hopefully, the next generation of doctors will be better informed.
Until then we have to educate ourselves, share our experiences and teach those health professionals that will listen to us what we have learned 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Don't be surprised if your doctor dismisses your experience with Heather's diet. I brought Heather's cheat sheet and book to my appointment and he said some other patient also brought the book. He just dismissed it. I am finding that it is sometimes best not to mention things that contradict their beliefs. Gone are the days when when patients were totally reliant on the doctor's opinions and treatments. Not so many years ago pharmacies were not allowed to give out product insert information. We are a much more informed group of patients now and we can decide for ourselves what advice we chose to follow, what treatments we will accept and whom we will see. Too bad most docs still haven't realized that patients have rights and that a health partnership can be a good thing.
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Syl ...
#326826 - 03/19/08 12:11 PM
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Double J
Reged: 03/09/06
Posts: 900
Loc: High Rocky Mountains ibs-d
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You always give such good answers...
Thank you.
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 Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”. Mary Anne Radmacher
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That is interesting. I brought the Cheat Sheet and the 1st Year IBS book to my GI doc a few months ago and he was impressed. It sure was a lot more helpful than the extremely minimal and possibly incorrect advice he gave me - "eat a bland diet and Activia yogurt."
I honestly believe if your tests come back normal, you're not a big priority to the doc, despite your pain. I personally had to find my own answers which I found on this site. The IBS brochure at the doc's office talked about eating more fiber and showed an illustration of a bran like cereal and fresh veggies, ouch!
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Laura
DX IBS 12/07
Following IBS Diet with Weight Watchers
Also GERD
Former cast iron stomach
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Quote:
Yes! it was a whole lot to do with the "white" bread thing
Seriously, you women are IBS-C and all the white food doesn't make you more C? How are you finding that you can eat all this white stuff and still have BMs? I haven't found that yet. Any advice or insight into your diet?
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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How are you doing with the Acacia?
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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I am having a hard time being C. I alternate back and forth. I really only eat white bread a couple of times a week, same with white rice. I've started keeping a food log to see what things make me sick. But, if I eat too much white rice, I actually get bloated. I just know the big thing now is whole wheat whole wheat whole wheat. I used to eat that and it would take me days to not feel bloated and crampy. I'm much rather a white slice of bread.
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Wendy, could it be that the problem is the wheat itself? I find any kind of wheat - white or whole - makes me bloated. So now I eat breads made out of brown rice flour, quinoa, millet, rye or oats. And I find white rice pretty constipating, so I rarely eat it.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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What brand do you use? I think the rice is constipating also. I just want to get some kind of nutrition. I can't eat hardly any fruits without becoming bloated/nauseated. So I always figure at least the rice has some nutrition.
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Do you make these breads yourself? The only non-wheat breads I can find at HFS are all made of rice. 
The brown rice breads don't cause you C?
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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I'm lucky, there are lot of non-wheat alternatives where I live. I mostly buy my bread from a local place called Little Stream Bakery which distributes to many health food stores in and around Toronto.
I am not sure if brown rice bread is constipating. I haven't been able to figure that one out yet. I don't eat a ton of bread anyway - 1 small slice a day. I also eat brown rice tortillas (Food for Life) and brown rice pasta (Tinkyada), and of course brown rice itself (brown basmati), but I try to eat only one brown rice product per day.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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Quote:
I'm lucky, there are lot of non-wheat alternatives where I live
How great is that!
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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I am so amazed at how much better I am starting to feel!!!! It's like having my life come back to me.
I've only been taking Acacia for a few weeks, and still at a fairly low dose, but the difference feels so wonderful.
I can honestly feel my gut evening out and much less gas and bloat than before.
I've been using the recipies and follwing the guidelines for eating. All of it seems to help.
How long for you???? and how do you feel?
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IBS-C with bloating and cramps
occasional type A
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It might cause problems if that's all I ate. I just take it easy with the white bread (I either bake it myself, or buy a fresh loaf at the market) and I DO eat wheat bread too...... just not on an empty stomach.
I'm still new at all of this, but I DO find taking the Acacia Fiber helps a whole lot!
After my Doctor read the part about "white bread" on the cheat sheet, she completley turned her mind off to any positive things I had to say about "Eating for IBS".
I'll keep working on her....so that perhaps eventually she will understand the concept and tell her other patients with IBS problems.
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IBS-C with bloating and cramps
occasional type A
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You might refer you doctor to the research paper referenced below which was mentioned in one of Heather's newsletters and the abstract is in the research library. There is an email address at the end of the abstract that you can use to ask for a pdf copy of the article so you take it to your doc.
This article is a review of 17 research studies on fiber and IBS. It concludes
Quote:
The role of fibre in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome remains poorly understood. An increase in the amount of dietary fibre is an almost universal recommendation in the primary care management of irritable bowel syndrome, and guidelines on irritable bowel syndrome management for out-clinic patients advise an increase in fibre intake in the event of constipation. However, our review showed only limited support for this recommendation.
In summary, our systematic review demonstrates the effectiveness of fibre therapy in irritable bowel syndrome patients, but only in terms of either global symptom improvement or constipation. The effectiveness on individual symptoms is variable. There is no effect of fibre in irritable bowel syndrome-related abdominal pain. Soluble and insoluble fibre have different effects on global irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Insoluble fibre is probably no better than placebo and may, in some patients, even worsen the clinical outcome. For the development of evidence-based management guidelines, valid clinical studies in primary care patients, focusing on the effectiveness and tolerability of soluble and insoluble fibre, are needed.
While this review article does not directly address the role of white bread (or sourdough bread) it does specifically state that IF may worsen IBS symptoms while SF likely doesn't.
Reference
Bijkerk, C. J., J. W. M. Muris, J. A. Knottnerus, A. W. Hoes, and N. J. De Wit, 2004: Systematic review: the role of different types of fibre in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 19, 245-251.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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