Can You Critique/Am I Doing All I Can For IBS?
#353152 - 12/11/09 10:16 AM
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Hi,
I'm a 25 year old male. I recently have had a flare up with IBS. I have been much more bloated and c as of late. Now, this could be due to having to prep for a breathe test. Nonetheless, it has me wondering if I am doing everything I can to minimize IBS discomfort.
I was wondering if any of you get a moment, could you critique what I am doing and either:
1) Tell me how good a job I am doing
2) What else I can to specific to my symptoms...bloating and c.
Thanks.
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IBS-C and Bloating
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Generally to help IBS I do the following:
1) Take 1.5 tablespoons of Benefiber TWICE a day for a total of 3 tablespoons
2) Take a Jarrowdophillus Acidiphillus pill TWICE daily
3) Drink 24-32 oz of water along with a couple of glasses of pure fruitjuice (no HFCS) and/or diet caffeine free Ginger Ale
4) Go to the gym
a. 3 times a week I lift weights
b. 2-3 times a week I do 25 minutes of cardio
5) Diet as listed below
Diet (typical)
Breakfast
1 bowl of oat bran mixed with pure applesauce
An Egg white protein shake (on days that I workout)
Lunch
Turkey sandwich on Rye with Lettuce and Mustard
Baked chips/pita chips/or crackers
Snack
Egg white protein shake (on days I workout)
Baked Chips/salsa/hummus
Dinner
Chicken/Turkey/Fish/Shellfish
Rice/Potatoe/Baked Fries/Pasta
¾ cup frozen Spinach
Snack
2 Bowls cereal/Sorbet
OR Leftovers from Dinner
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IBS-C and Bloating
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Questions:
Based on what I have shared, am I doing everything I can? Is there something missing from diet or program I should be doing, or something bad I am doing?
The only things I can think of might be
1) Possibliy more Benefiber
-If so…would I need to increase water consumption and to how much?
2) Change pro-biotics? I recently tested positive for bacterial overgrowth. I did try VSL before...no difference.
3) More water? Or is having 24-32 with some other safe liquids fine?
4) Enough fiber?
-If so…how? I hate my breakfast of oat bran….and spinach gets very boring.
5) After testing positive for both Lactose Intolerance and Bacterial Overgrowth, should I consider getting a fructose test?
-I avoid HFCS..I do not really know what foods if I tested positive besides HFCS I would need to avoid and really the only time I feel a really bad food based reaction is when I:
-Eat too much fat/whole grain/dairy/red meat/or too much food overall
-In other words is it worth to go through the process of prepping...or is it fructose MUCH milder and likely NOT to blame for my flare ups and chronic issues?
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IBS-C and Bloating
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You've mentioned all your eating but how is your stress?
Your IBS may be related to issues that aren't dietary.
Do you have any periods of IBS free days or months?
If so can you relate what is going on in your life during those times.
My IBS is almost all because of stress.I can go months without any issues eating WHATEVER!!!!Then something happens that is stressful to me an the cycle begins.
I'm gearing up for a cycle now I feel it coming so I am trying to choose my nontrigger foods but man thats hard.
So what else is going on with you?
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IBS-D since 1999...mostly stable..i do cheat too.Bad me.
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I have extreme C and bloat and here are my thoughts if I were trying to follow your diet. For me ANY type of bran kills me (more C and bloat). Also I can't mix IF/SF/Protein the way you are. It's too much for my stomach to handle. I stick with one type of food at a meal and it helps. For a lot of us lettuce is majorly constipating- maybe try eliminating it. Again with your lunch, my type of C can't handle the IF (lettuce) with the SF (bread) and protein. Maybe try combining proteins with IF alone at meals and keeping your SF's together. It helps to see how your gut reacts to each type of fiber/food on it's own so you can try to resolve how the different symptoms get jumbled together. At least that works for me- we are all different tho!
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I want to leave out stress for now and focus first and diet and exercise.
Once done and exonerated....I can process those others.
1) I do notice in the AM I get bloated.
-However, if I do not have Oat Bran...then what can I have for breakfast?
2) Also...my concern...if I take out the Oat Bran...then do I have enough fiber?
-How is my fiber overall?
3) What do you think...besides the Oat Bran...am I really doing wrong diet wise?
-What specifically about the amount of Benefiber I take?
-Too little?
-Or water?
-Too little?
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IBS-C and Bloating
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I have to jump in here to say that you absolutely cannot set stress aside as a factor for causing IBS symptoms. For myself, and for many others, it is the number one contributing factor for symptoms, much more impactful than diet.
I went around and around my diet for months until I finally realized I wasn't feeling any better despite extremely limiting what I consumed. I've gone back to eating more normally and am feeling about the same, no better, no worse than when I was on the restricted diet. IBSers tend to focus too much on diet when it is only a small piece of the equation.
Management of emotional upset (aka stress, anxiety, depression, anger, etc) is essential to managing IBS. Yoga, meditation, journaling, therapy - these are all useful tools, among others. If you truly want to get your IBS under control, you need to focus on these things.
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Good idea
#353208 - 12/15/09 04:36 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Good idea to get the diet and exercise under control and then focus on stress later. Many of us find this helps enormously with symptom management and once diet is under control then the negative effects of stress seem to be lessened too.
Later if you need a stress reduction technique you might try the gut directed hynotherapy which has been shown to quite effective for some people. Heather even has board dedicated to hypnosis for IBS.
I will answer you other questions in the posting you made with questions directed to me.
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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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Re: Good idea
#353214 - 12/15/09 08:00 AM
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renee21
Reged: 06/02/05
Posts: 486
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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I have to disagree with Syl. IBS requires a holistic approach. "Just" focussing on diet & exercise for now is like building a table with "just" 3 legs and expecting it to stand.
Obviously everyone's experience is unique, but based on my own history, tinkering and tinkering with my diet and supplements without addressing the bigger issues of how I cope with stress and other difficult emotions has not served me well.
But best of luck to you, it's a hard journey and we all have to find our own way 
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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Yes - Renee - this is exactly right. A holistic approach. I like your analogy, all though I would equate diet and exercise as representing only 1-2 legs of the table and the mental/emotional the rest. Basically, the table will not stand with diet and exercise alone.
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