Trouble with the diet
#825 - 02/13/03 10:09 AM
|
|
|
|
Lana_Marie
Reged: 01/31/03
Posts: 1968
Loc: Saskatchewan. Canada
|
|
|
Hi - maybe someone(s) can help me...
I am having trouble with the diet especially this past weekend. I always have gas. I suffer from IBS-D. Last weekend I had paralyzing pain in my abdomin and below. It hurt so bad I was literally crying. It hurt to laugh and move and everything. My husband is very supportive but it didnt help that he just wanted to see me laugh. Gotta love him!
My doctor diagnosed me with IBS and was giving me Dicetol - which worked for me - but I told him I didn't want to be on pills forever. Thats when he told me to cut out all starches (ie: potatoes, pasta, etc) and eat all the red meat I wanted. I told him that I thought it was the red meat but he said "Well - we are going to have to experiment together"
That night I went home and happened to run across Heather (she is going to be the head angel in heaven with my grandmother when it is her time! - What a wonderful person)
I have followed Heathers diet to a T. I have been on the diet for 3 weeks now. I bought the Eating With IBS book And there are alot of spices and items which I have never heard of. Is there anyway to tone down the diets to slowing merge someone into the diet because I find that I cannot just make something out of the book. I am always going to the supermarket for a last minute spice or wierd add in pick up. No offense intended, Heather. But we were a meat, potatoe and corn family.
Now -I mostly live on fish, rice, some pasta, oatmeal and herbal teas and tons of fruits and vegetables. The first week I lost 10 lbs which Heather advised was not good - because I was experiencing body aches. My weight has gone back to the same as before the diet.
My question is: Am I even doing the diet right? Because this pain this weekend was awful. I have never been more uncomfortable in my life!!! I am so scared the pain will come back and I don't want to go to my doctor because he is no help at all.
I live in Saskatchewan - the land of free health care so that means that every one likes to visit doctors regularly for no good reasons at all. So it is difficult to find another doctor because no one is taking new patients. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you,
Lana_Marie
PS I have the First Year for IBS on order - so if anyone has any advice from that book they would like to share before my book gets here feel free - because I haven't read it yet
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Lana! Sounds like the diet is going well for you, I always try to tell myself to just do the best I can. I don't know about the pain. Sometimes I get unexplained pain and it so frustrating not to know why I get it. I think sometimes it's a detox thing. Or trapped gas. Who knows? Are you cooking your veggies well? I also try to remember than even "normal" people without IBS sometimes get stomach pains or D or are sometimes C. About your doctor, it sounds like he is willing to let you try and find out what works for you. I have found that doctors may not know everything, but it's the ones that are so ridgid they won't consider thinking "outside the box" are the one's you have to worry about. Anyway, please know I'm hoping you find your answers soon!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Lana Marie,
Since you have Heather's cookbook, try to stay on the diet as strictly as possible. I know exactly what you mean about running to the store for this spice or that spice. BUT IT IS SOOOOO WORTH IT! The spices are such that they don't bother my IBS (I am IBS-d), not even the onions because of the way the particular dish is prepared.
I wonder about the recommendation of your doctor who said to stay away from the potatoes, pasta, and bread. That is the total opposite of what Heather's book recommends. Stay away from red meat!
And the comments about tummy aches happen to people w/out IBS is so true. So you just might have had a plain ol tummyache!
Good luck, the results will be tremendous...and you will be happy!
Sue
PS Yup! Heather is an angel to those of us who suffer from IBS!
--------------------
Sue
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you both for your help..... So those stomach aches are normal! Because I have never had them that badly....It was like stabbing pains in my abdomin - it was horrible!
If it is well atleast I know I don't have to worry.....I can live with it if I know that other people are experiencing them and they are normal (for IBS people that is)
I have been following the diets...what is everyone else's main staples of their diets and how do you prepare them. I just want to ensure that I am doing things properly and not going overboard.
Thanks again for your help,
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hello. I am wondering how many fruits and vegetables you are eating. You wrote that you eat tons of them. That could be causing your stomachaches, I think. I get a lot of pain if I eat too many.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I feel the same when I eat certain fruits and veggies, as it says in Heather's book...the broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and spinach gets me, do not eat them first or too much and it will give you immense gas and pain! EAt soluble fibre first and in greater amounts, such as potatoes and rice. Also, certain fruits have to be peeled and pureed or they will have the same effect.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I eat tons of vegetables.
For Example:
Breakfast = Fruit smootie with soy milk and real fruit
Snack = Usually a piece of fruit
Lunch = Bagel with tuna (in water) and some veggies of some kind
Snack = Oatmeal
Supper = Chicken Vegetable StirFry
So yes - I do eat alot of veggies and fruit but I just don't know what else I can really be eating - I work during the day everyday except on weekends and have trouble taking time to eat anything that isnt quite, easy and something I can eat and work at the same time.
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I do find that if I have a bowl of oatmeal or a few granola bars before a meal then I can eat the veggies and I have no problems.
I seem to only get the stomach pains on the weekends because I find it more difficult to keep up with the meal, snack, meal, snack, meal schedule because those are my days to laze around and sleep in etc. Would the messing up of the schedule be a part of the stomach ache problems....
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I also find it difficult to come up with quick meals. I eat lots of pasta with tomato sauce (not too much) and mushrooms, or a piece of fish with rice (squirted with lemon juice) or potato wedges that I broil in my toaster oven. Then I add fruits and veggies based on how I've been feeling.
A mistake that I was making was forgetting about seeds and other insoluble fibers in fruits, especially. I was blending strawberries into smoothies but they still affected me and I finally realized it must be the seeds. Also, recently I've had a lot of bread at restaurants with sesames seeds on top. At first I didn't pay attention but after an attack I now always remember to scrape them off or tear the crust off.
So, basically what I'm saying is, watch out for those sneaky sources of insoluble fiber. They might be the ones doing a number on your gut.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Those potatoe wedges sound wonderful...I never thought of that - Do you boil them or something first and then bake them in your toaster oven?
Thanks for your seeds advice - but I really don't buy alot of anything with seeds. I haven't implemented them into my diets as of yet - but I will definately remember your advice when I use them.
Isn't it amazing how the smallest thing in our diets make us sick. Crazy really! How do you people catch these little problems.....
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
No, I don't boil them. I just spray a little olive oil Pam (or olive oil from a Misto) and sprinkle some salt, pepper, garlic salt, or whatever on them. I LOVE french fries and these are a great substitute.
Heather has a great potato idea in her book. I forget the name of the recipe but you basically put chunks of potatoes in a skillet, cover them 3/4 of the way with water, and just let the water cook down. This way they become tender, then start browning and getting crispy after the water cooks down.
And, yes, I am finding it nearly impossible to identify my exact triggers. I envy these people who can say stuff like, "Cauliflower causes problems for me but I'm able to tolerate brocolli in small amounts." I can't wait until I get to that point. The only thing I know for certain is alcohol. It rips my gut up for days after drinking any.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Yah I'm with you - I follow Heathers Diet and if something goes wrong I have no idea what could possibly be the trigger.
I have the same trouble with alcohol - but mine is as soon as I drink it....within about an hour of my first drink I have "D" terribly. I have totally cut out alcohol - which was not difficult because I sure wasn't a big drinker.
My tough one is smoking. I am having so much trouble and I think that it is one of my major triggers for sure!
Lana_Marie
Did anybody else have the problem of quitting smoking when diagnosed?
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Crunchy Skillet-Browned Garlic New Potatoes. Don't forget the 6 large garlic cloves, minced, 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. They are good.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Coincidentally - this the first recipe from her cookbook that I have tried and you are right - they are excellent!
You can actually eat them, they have flavour and you don't feel the need to put any extras on them!
My husband loved them too....Has anyone found that their spouses (who do not have IBS) cannot handle all the fibres in this diet. My poor husband said he doesnt feel too good for all the foods he has been eating - we have now had to start cooking seperate meals.
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hello, Sorry to hear about your stomach pain, actually, the severe stomach pain is what prompted me to see a GI doc. I ended up in the ER last July, doubled over in pain and it turns out it may have just been that I was dehydrated. After 2 IV's and Tylenol the pain went away. I now make sure I measure my water intake and drink 2000ml (2 liters)every day.
My Husband has been my "taster" for all food ( I am VERY picky) and he has liked everything so far, even encorporated it into his everyday diet. I not only eat alot of Heather's recipies, but I also eat a lot of Boca and Morningstar products, and we love Heather's potatoes. About those potatoe wedges, how long do you cook them and at what temp?
Thanks. SharShar
--------------------
Who knew life was possible with out chocolate?!!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi,
Fruit on an empty stomach is usually hard for anyone with IBS to tolerate.
I find the best snacks for work are Heather's breads. I make up heaps and freeze them wrapped in individual portions for the week ahead. That way I can just grab some out quickly o throw in the old lunch box for work.
A lot of these breads safely incorporate fruits and vegies which is great. Some of these are below and they are great!
Brown Sugar Banana
Orange Cranberry
Cinnamon Zucchini
Sunshine
Pumpkin Apple Spice
Chocolate Applesauce
Gingerbread
I regularly bake all of these and love them.
There are also two really nice recipes for Apple Walnut and Maple Oat bread in the first year book which you will get soon.
Hope this helps,
Kerrie
--------------------
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you for the tips Kerrie - I never even thought of making breads and freezing them.
I have never been a huge baker except for cinnamon buns, cakes and cookies and the odd loaf of bread in
breadmaker, but I guess this is something I am going to have to get into!
Do you eat anything on these breads or do these flavoured breads make it so you don't desire any meats
jams on them.
Does anyone else find trouble with purchasing French bread and keeping it for a few days. I find it gets hard
as a rock in less than two days and they are rather large loaves and I don't eat the loaves fast enough. What
kind of french bread does everyone else purchase?
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi,
The breads are delicious as is, you don't need any spreads.
The peppermint fudge cake is easily fozen too and really yummy.
The breads are really quite quick and easy to bake once you get the hang of it. I know most of the recipes now without referring to the book.
Good luck!
Kerrie
--------------------
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi: I just missed 3 weeks of work because of IBS-D. Try cutting out the fruits and veggies for a few days. Fiber like metamucil and citracel made things worse for me. Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast and oatmeal turned things around for me. The last week or so I have been either IBS-D or IBS-C. But you have to stick with a very moderate diet for more than a few days. You will see a marked improvement for the pain. My boss is totally a self-centered b----! She doesn't believe me when I tell her what's up. My doctor has even written notes to her letting her know what's up. This last episode (3 weeks off work) was the worst I have every experienced. But finally the BRAT diet worked. I am still on it, but I am going to try including other foods VERY SLOWLY AND IN SMALL PORTIONS to see what happened. Good luck with this.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I quit smoking after this last bout with IBS. Right around the holidays too. The stress was killing me. But not smoking has helped the tummy. I know Heather says not to chew gum, but I had to do something to kick the oral fix. I chew Big Red. Mostly because it has sugar, the artificail sweetners send me over the edge. They say that the first week is the hardest, and then the third month. I always fail at quiting around the third month. Hope this helps! Good Luck!
--------------------
SLicK 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I have tried quitting tons of times and now with the new diet and changes I just am really dependant on them right now - its the only thing that is still normal in my day!
I know that sounds pathetic to you non smokers, but the smokers out there will completely understand.
I guess I should really quit! Someday! No not Sunday! Someday! haha. No I really should. Thanks!
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you Kerrie!
They sound excellent - I will have to try to make some of them.
Do you find yourself baking/cooking alot on the weekends so you can keep up during the week? I work all week from 8 am to 8pm and therefore find it difficult to muster up the motivation to cook Heather's meals because they involve alot of time. My stepmom advised me to make my meals during the weekend and then freeze them for that week. It is a great idea but I find myself doing alot of resting on the weekends because of my large work load.
Any suggestions!
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Lana, I am a smoker too! I completely understand! After my dietary overhaul, this is the one thing I have left! I have plenty of food/body image issues I need to work on before I can think of quitting...or is that a crutch? Aah! I'm with you...I will quit someday!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Lana,
You have been given some wonderful advice here...especially to watch the fruits and veggies. I know they are extremely important in the diet, but I just can't eat my "five a day" and stay normal. So I don't. I am IBS-d and eat mostly breads and dairy. I avoided dairy like the plague when I was first diagnosed but I learned (because of a weakness for pizza and cheese quesadillas!) that they actually help my D. I will eat veggies at dinner, but not a huge amount and I cook them until they're mushy. And except for the occasional apple (I love apples!), I only eat fruit from a can, or frozen berries that I nuke along with my instant oatmeal in the morning. I take a bagel to work for lunch and I usually have pasta or rice for dinner. Sounds very boring, I know, but it saves me from having attacks at work, which is worse than a boring diet IMO.
One thing I heard about IBS (and I have no idea where I first read this) is to regulate your digestive system, eat nothing but chicken and rice for a week. I have become a vegetarian since doing this, but I did it when I was first diagnosed and it worked wonders for me. Once your system is back on track you can slowly introduce new foods to see how your body reacts to them, so you know what is okay and what to avoid. The tricky thing about IBS is that we don't all react the same way to the same foods. I bet a lot of people on this board can't tolerate dairy, but I actually need it.
Hope this helps!
Jane
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Lana Marie,
Yes I do bake ahead and in big batches. I probably have a bit more time than you as I only work part time but I do have a two year old so I find myself having a big "cook up" when he has his lunch time sleep. Most of Heathers recipes serve 4-6 so I usually cook that amount and freeze the leftovers as individual meals. That way I can just reheat leftovers on nights that I'm too tired to cook.
Kerrie
--------------------
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Well thank goodness I am not alone....my husband told me he doesn't even want to see me quit smoking yet because I am so crazy over this complete diet change. Don't get me wrong he would love to see me quit - but right now my moods are about the diet - when you try to quit - the moods are about EVERTHING! (Roaaarrrr) haha
Glad to hear I am not alone!
Maybe someday we could try to quit together!
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you for your feedback, Jane. I pretty did something along the line of only chicken and rice for the first few days...I actually had only oatmeal and bread etc. Very boring like you said but my stomach felt alot better.
I can't wait for the day to come when I will be able to point out my definate triggers like you can. Right now it's all just trial and error. YIKES!
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
My Goodness with a two year old - you have a full time job in itself plus you work part time.
It must be nice to be able to spend some days with your child though huh? I hope to have that option once I have children..
Anyways - I will have to have "cook offs" at my house too. It's just another adjustment I have to make time for..No excuses!
Lana_Marie
--------------------
Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
