Anyone take drastic steps in their homes?
#341724 - 02/05/09 11:03 PM
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SLiCKsGiRL
Reged: 06/20/04
Posts: 428
Loc: Western Washington
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Hey there,
As posted over on the living room board, I'm an oldie who's been AWOL for a very, very long time. The short story on me is that I have severe depression and un-managed IBS-A, primarily because of the depression. I've got a great psych now who's helping with the first issue, so now I want to get started on the second.
I know all the ins and outs of the diet/lifestyle, but lack follow-through. I seriously can't stay on the diet for more than, oh, half a day. It's bad.
So my questions is, has anyone here taken any drastic steps in their household to keep from going off-diet? By drastic steps I mean, have you forbidden trigger foods from non-IBS members of your family? Or forced your family to eat the same safe meals you do? If so, how has that gone over?
My husband buys frozen pizza and chocolate ice cream, and I especially can't ignore the nummy ice cream ...
Any advice would be great. Or if you've got any great motivational tips, I'd love to hear those too! Thanks in advance!
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~*Amber*~
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I do most of the cooking in the household. However, it is unfair to restrict the foods that family members without GI problems bring into the house. And it doesn't foster a good relationship. My wife is free to eat anything she wishes and she does so everyday. I envy her freedom to eat what she wants too and I encourage her to do so. I must say I enjoy the smells of some of foods she prepares which are definitely on my do not eat list 
My greatest motivation for sticking with the diet is the reduction in discomfort and pain I experience. I cannot think of a greater motivator.
Good luck
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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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Actually since I do all the cooking...I do limit what everyone else gets to eat.I will cook them chicken or fish or whatever meat but I would opt for a chicken breast instead.I found that eating the efi diet wasn't really that hard.I always munch on pretzels or fresh white bread so I am never really hungry and the cravings for no no foods are a lot less diminished.
Don't think of it as a diet per say...just make a plan of what you are going to eat instead of wandering around looking for munchies.I eat when I am bored so I make sure I have a lot of pretzels around or something else that is totally safe.
I did the hypno cds too and have found that I can eat almost anything I want to.I still have to avoid high fat foods and can no longer eat peanut butter  but even still I try to keep a SF base in my tummy and try not to lean too far from the EFI.It has freed me up though to enjoy food once again.You should try them.
Good luck to you.
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IBS-D since 1999...mostly stable..i do cheat too.Bad me.
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No drastic steps here - although.... maybe it would help the DH's waistline - LOL!
Anyways. I made a decision long ago that it was far more beneficial for me to ignore the bad food and eat the safe food. I was too sick for far too long! Considering in high school, before I was diagnosed, all I was eating was crackers and lettuce because everything bothered my tum, I got to the point of almost a phobia of any food. So once I knew what to avoid - red meat, pork, dairy - I started reincorporating foods. If I found something that was a trigger, I cut that out again. I cook for the DH - pizza, steak, pork, whatever else. There is always ice cream in the freezer, Doritos in the cupboard, etc. I just avoid them. I found substitute snacks that are safe for me - baked or fat free Lays chips, sorbet that is dairy free, pretzels, licorice, etc. The meat thing doesn't bother me - I didn't eat a lot of it when I could eat it.
It's all up to you what you do. But starving your family of foods they like you won't be in their good graces long!! It's time for you to make a conscious decision - the food and the pain and the attacks, or you, safe food, a healthy lifestyle and the road to stability.
I wish you all the best in your decision. It's not an easy one to make.
Oh - one more thing. I eat most of the time a different time than the DH - him first, me first, whatever, unless he's having what I eat. I find this way I'm not tempted as much either. Granted it is only the two of us, no kids to sit down to dinner with. But it is another option.
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Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up!
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I don't get tempted with the trigger foods. Once in a great while I'll eat something bad and get immediate D and that makes it easy to avoid forbidden foods.
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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!
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My husband can have whatever he wishes in the house, I don't take any measures to ban certain foods from my cupboard. He doesn't have GI problems so why shouldn't he enjoy whatever he wants? He's not a huge sweets eater and we try not to have chips and junk food around anyway so that's not really an issue. He does have a big jar of peanuts, however (trigger for me), tons of cheese and cream spreads...but like Syl said, my motivation is my health and the lack of pain.
It's not like I'm stuck in my house 24/7, there's always trigger food around me - work (lunches, someone bringing something in), good smelling treats sold by street vendors...I would have to ban trigger food from everywhere . I'm the one who's gotta be in charge and decide for myself what I can and cannot eat.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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You're very right Syl, it is unfair to restrict foods from family who don't have IBS. It's just me and hubby at home, and I know he'd do it if I asked, but why should he suffer? Especially since I don't cook for him.
My motivational problem, I guess, is that I've been in an IBS limbo for a long time - I'm mostly just having that pseudo-diarrhea every day and little/no pain. Not C or D, just mildly inconvenient, especially since I'm more or less house-bound from depression.
But I've got to get this under control! I've gained 50lbs in the last 7yrs, 35 or so in the last 6 months. I want to WANT to get better ... Thanks for your reply
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~*Amber*~
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Thanks Dragonfly! I should keep a bowl of pretzels or something around me all day - I'm definitely a grazer I find that I really crave something sweet (like ice cream) after eating salty - any ideas on a small safe candy I could eat in-between pretzels? 
I have the hypno CDs; I've made it through once and felt much better. I'm a good deal less worried about getting sick when I go out. I should make a plan to re-start the sessions again soon. Thanks again!
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~*Amber*~
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Toady, I think I had the opposite response to my high school experience. I starved myself for so long because I was afraid to get sick, that once I started staying at home more from depression and started having this weird pseudo-diarrhea, I said to myself "No more!" And started eating everything. It's like I got into this mindset that if I don't eat something when it's in front of me, I might never get to eat again. I have to find a way to break that!
Hubby is not much help - he means well, but he'll make pizza and then offer me a slice, or call to say that he's super hungry and getting fast food for dinner and ask what I'd like. How can I say no to his lovely voice?  Guess I'd better find a way to do that too! LoL
Thanks for your advice!
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~*Amber*~
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I want your will-power Minnie! If I have the choice between a choc chip cookie and a peppermint Luna bar, guess which one I'll choose? And the sad part is that I wouldn't enjoy the cookie, and I know it ...
<Sigh> Will-power is not something you either have or don't - it's something you can build! I will be better!
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~*Amber*~
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