any ideas for cramps and a very hard belly? ANY suggestions welcome!
#367308 - 04/24/12 07:40 PM
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emigig
Reged: 04/24/12
Posts: 13
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hello
I am the wife of a 35 years old man who was recently diagnosed with IBS, after a very long journey involving many unhelpful specialists (I'm sure you understand...). My husband also has had acid reflux for many years and is on medication (tecta) for it. I recently (2 weeks ago) discovered this website and I have been trying recipes and I'm doing an overhaul of our diet (I also have digestive issues). He has been eating way more soluble fibers, and he is always eating them before anything else.
He is then eating rice, oatmeal, bananas, mangoes, etc. We are now drinking rice milk or almond milk and no more yogurt. He used to be extremely bloated and his tummy would make so much noise after eating that I would be able to hear it!
Since he has started eating more rice, the bloating has gone down but now his tummy is always as hard as a rock and very painful. It is as if his muscles are all contracted around his intestines and stomach and they never let go.
Is it possible he ate too much rice and this is a reaction to it?
My husband is a all or nothing guy so he might have gone overboard with the rice the first couple of days...
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to relieve the pressure he has? I have ordered the soluble fiber and the peppermint capsules but have not received anything yet.
Is there something we can do in the meantime?
ANY advice is welcome at this point.
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Sometimes I swell up like a balloon and filled with trapped gas and pain. Last week the pain was so bad I was bent in half for several hours. I immediately brewed me some fennel tea, took a peppermint capsule and a Bentyl (prescribed from my gastro doc) I also put a hot water bottle on my gut. Then I just had to tough it out until the pain quit. I really believe the biggest help was the fennel tea and the peppermint capsule. You should always keep those on hand for him.
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Welcome to the board.
It sure sounds like your husband is experiencing spasms in his colon this can cause the symptoms you described and it is a common IBS symptoms. Rice is unlikely to be the cause. It is a very easily digested food.
Since he has been on Heather's eating for IBS diet has the number of bowel movements increased or decreased?
What sort of protein is he eating? Only chicken, turkey, fish and seafood?
You might supplement Heather's diet with the information in the first two links in my signature. The articles in these links explain a clinically tested diet for functional bowel disorders like IBS. Clinical trials in the UK and Australia have shown a 70-80% improvement of symptoms. May of us on the board use this approach with Heather's diet with considerable success.
Ask lots of question. There are many knowledgeable individuals on the board. 
--------------------
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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Thank you for the info. We have been trying the diet for 2 weeks and it seems like his bowel movements haven't really changed. I am a vegetarian but he eats meat. Since he also has acidity problems, meat is a problem. But he mostly eats fish (salmon) and chicken. Almost no red meat. Sometimes pork.
I have just received the peppermint capsules so he will be trying those out tonight for sure. He has been in pain for so many years, as I am sure most of you have. But he is not the most diligient person so I have to make sure he eats what he is supposed to eat and does not eat what he is not supposed to eat...I think he is still waiting for the miracle pill...
Have any of you every tried antispasmodic? He is seen by a gastroenterologist who seems to be set on only treating his acid reflux. But maybe he could prescribe some. Do they help with the pain?
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Thanks! I received the peppermint capsules today so we will be trying them out. I was going to order the fennel tea as well. It helps with the spasms and the pain?
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Another question: how about your eating habits? Do you eat frequently but small meals? We have been trying to eat every 3 hours but smaller meals including soluble fiber. As I said, I have always had digestive issues so I am kind of in the same boat as I also experience cramps, bloating and acid reflux. 
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If he's really in trouble it might take several cups of fennel tea, but keep at it. You can't overdose on fennel tea.
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Good to know! I have some here but I don't think it's as strong as Heather's. So I placed an order today for the big package! We should be okay for a while with it and hopefully we will receive it soon
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