Hi Fuzzle! I am so sorry to hear that you are going through such a rough time right now. I think a lot of us have been there or are there now, so I really hope that you find some suggestions that DO help you in your trial and error getting a stable, happier tummy. Note: You might want to post this on the IBS Diet board if you haven't already, as this is the Fitness board and you might not get many responses on here.

I have a few questions for you that come to mind after reading your post:
1 - What tests have you had done? You want to make sure that you have ruled out many other conditions that mimick IBS and, you may already know this, but many of those would definitely not be made better by days upon days of eating white bread. Is it possible that wheat/gluten is a problem for you? Have you been tested for celiac or tried removing all wheat products from your diet? If you have an intolerance to wheat, it is common to get very bad D and have it go untreated because you don't know that's what is triggering your stomach reactions.

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I've changed my life completely.
I tried eating only bread and drink only water and the Fiber all day...I woke up with diarrhea. Every day this week I have felt awful, and have had bowl issues, and this is the week that I gave up all of the irritants from the book. I'm trying to live off of white rice and bread, I can't stomach white rice, so I will put soy sauce on it, which while its still gross, I can atleast eat some of it. I wrote down a list of everything the book said was okay to eat, and I ate them...Now I'm worse off then I was before.
Aside for eliminating other physiological problems, there are other things that could be problematic here. Even if you are able to tolerate white bread, etc if I were to just start taking doses of fiber every day and only eating bread and that's it - I would be sick as a dog too. Are you adding the fiber into your daily routine really, really slowly? If I don't do it bit by bit, I get a really bad reaction. I have a big thing coming up, a fantasy faire in which I have to camp there. And for some reason, the more I try to to better for my body, the worse it gets. I've been taking the fiber every day, I'm pretty sure peppermint only makes things worse, theres absolutely nothing I can do. I'm stressed, I'm panicked, I feel sick, I'm doing absolutely horrible, every day.
I know where you are coming from and unfortunately us IBS sufferers seem to perpetuate a cycle of IBS stressing us out and stress making the IBS worse. I found that a while back I was totally fixated on my stomach and had never felt worse - even though I was fixated on making it better! Sometimes I think it's important to try and just take a deep breath and a step back and give yourself a break from the stress of worrying about the IBS. Yes, it is a really terrible thing to live with BUT obsessing about it definitely can make it worse, so what can you do to try and help yourself get through this?
1 - Stress Management. You said you are feeling stressed and panicked, which is totally understandable. Let's assume that if you can get that under control, you can calm your stomach down. What do you do to manage your stress? Are you exercising regularly? Have you considered some kind of hypnotherapy or breathing/meditation exercises? If it is severe, have you talked to your doctor about the possibility of prescription medications to combat these feelings?
In my opinion, IBS is something that you have to take in stride and come at from all angles. It's not as simple as "I have a sensitive stomach, so I can't have cheese" and that means making lifestyle adjustments to cope with all the triggers in your life that can set it off, and stress is a HUGE trigger and one of the hardest things to get a handle on.

I've tried everything. All the tips, hints, pills, directions...and all I see is my condition worsening. I read on this site that if you need to just get your body back into regularity, just eat bread for 3 days and drink water. The day I tried it, I woke up with diarrhea the next morning. This trip is coming up, and I'm terrified of being in a car. This trip has a 15 minute road with no stops. If anything happens in that amount of time...What could I do? Nothing. I read every day about people getting better and how they can deal with this issue, find a way to live with it. I can't. The more I try, the worse I get...Its ironic and twisted that tests and treatment for this problem requires me to do exactly what my problem is...Going long distances in a vehicle, away from all bathrooms.
First I get that cramping feeling in my stomach, I get a cold body sweat, and tons of pressure in the lower area.

I'm even considering that fiber is bad for me, because all I can remember being on it is still being worse. I don't know what to do, I'm afraid, I'm suffering, I can't leave my house (ever), and I'm completely and devastatingly sick of this life. What can I do?
Okay, I hear the stress in your post and I really feel for you. I know the anxiety that goes along with IBS is hard to deal with, and I really would advise you to take a serious look at coming up with some coping mechanisms and strategies to get the anxiety under control.
About your upcoming trip: My opinion is, if you are at a point where you feel like you are so unstable that the stress of the trip is making you feel sick daily, is it worth it? I'm not saying that the IBS should control your life, but sometimes you have to take a "time out" and give yourself a chance to feel better. If you spend all the days leading up to leaving stressing and worrying and getting sick, will the trip even be fun for you? I think you have to weigh the good vrs the bad for your longer term health.
If you do decide to go (which I'm not suggesting is the wrong choice!), try to really rationalize your anxious thoughts. If you think, "The road is too long without a stopping place", try reminding yourself all the other periods of 15 minutes that you go WITHOUT having to run for the bathroom. Remind yourself that Yes, you feel nervous right now and it's unpleasant BUT you have gotten through this before and you will get through it again.

In my opinion, you are in a really rough spot right now of being completely overwhelmed by the IBS and trying a million different things to make it better and only feeling worse. I think that you need to try and take a deep breath and then make a decision to take an organized and careful "plan of action" for what you will do, and to do the best you can at those things and remind yourself that sometimes you have to just "let it go" so you don't end wasting every second thinking through your stomach. My suggestions for your "action plan" are as follows:
- Get yourself to your doctor and make sure that every test to rule out IBD, celiac, bacteria overgrowth, etc have all been done and you aren't missing that huge puzzle peice. While you're there, talk to him/her about how you are feeling emotionally and get some feedback about medications, etc to help you cope with the anxiety.
- Get yourself a diary or notebook and start recording what you are eating, drinking and how your body reacts. Record both your stomach symptoms and your anxiety symptoms. If there are extra stresses or anything else, write them down. Look back once a week to see if you can pinpoint any triggers, emotional or nutritional. Note: A good exercise for anxiety is to write down the statements you make to yourself when you are feeling anxious ("I am too nervous to go in the car", etc) and then write yourself a response to talk yourself down from those anxious feelings. For example, I always remind myself that I have gotten through so many of these situations before that I will get through this one too.
- Food: If I were you, I would try elimiating wheat. If only eating white bread is making you sick, don't eat it. Maybe try something more natural - a baked potato or baked sweet potato, something easy to digest but that isn't wheat or filled with artificial junk. Sip on water throughout the day to make sure you stay hydrated and keep any fiber you do take in happy. If peppermint doesn't work for you, try fennel tea and again, just sip at it if large amounts of liquids ever cause you problems.
- Try one thing (other than medication, if you go that route) to actively combat your anxiety: Get a yoga DVD for relaxation, get guided imagery meditation CDs, try the IBS-Hypnotherapy CDs, learn some anxiety-effective breathing techniques, do at least 30 minutes of good (effort-requiring) cardio at least 3 times a week to change the brain chemicals that fuel those anxious thoughts.
- Talk to someone. It's okay to say: "I know you don't understand what I am going through, and that's okay. What I want you to know is I am having a hard time, I am doing my best and there are certain things I am not going to be able to do right now. It's okay with me that maybe you won't 'get' a lot of it, but please respect the choices that I am making to get healthier and happier".
- Fiber: If you are taking fiber, cut back to a really really minimal dose and see how you react. Then so so so gradually you can increase it if you're okay. If not, try another fiber. Or don't. Fiber isn't the cure for IBS for a lot of people.
- Try to remind yourself to take things one day, one step at a time. In your notebook/diary, try journalling the way you are feeling when you start to get overwhelmed and then just put it away. Be proud of yourself for being proactive in getting healthier.

I hope this helps, I may have rambled on a little but I really do feel for you.
I'll check back tomorrow or soon after to see how you are doing, or my eMail is in my profile.

Cheers, Steph

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Thank you Stephie.

But you know, I've done all of that.
Hrm, you have done ALL of that stuff I suggested? I understand if you FEEL like you've done so much that there isn't anything left to try, but I find it a little hard to believe that you've tried everything that's been suggested to you on here. I know it sucks and it takes patience and time... but giving up is going to affect you more than it does anyone else, and you owe it to yourself to be open to trying new things. Right now I'm just eating Chicken and Rice. Yesterday I was doing just fine, everything going good, had a little trip to walmart, watched Hot Fuzz at night. I also ate chicken and rice for dinner.
I just want to point out that I know you feel limited, but I'm not suggesting that you eat only chicken and rice. And of course, the day I'm supposed to go to the faire, I have problems. And its a different kind of problem. I haven't gone to the bathroom one time today. But every single second I feel like I need to, and that any moment I'm going to seriously need to. I'm so afraid to get in that car. I have no choice, I have to go. I have medicine from the doctors, and I'm taking Immodium. I'm already loaded up on it, and I have to stay up all night to leave. If I go to sleep, I will wake up with some hefty problems. I still can't go to the bathroom, but I know that the moment I get into that car, I'm going to have to. You said that thing about remembering all the 15 minutes I've gone without having to go. Yes, I've done that so many times, expecially today. I mean if I get an attack really early in the trip, there will be no stops for me. Ugh! why couldn't I have just gone yesterday, or even earlier today? But no, everything seems to conspire to make my life worse and worse and worse.
This sounds to me like a typical STRESS reaction to the IBS. You feel fine one day, but the minute you have something important to do, you get sick right? Think about where you are mentally. Are you worked up because you are thinking about going? Are you telling yourself over and over that you're going to get sick? I'm not suggesting these things are your fault, but they are behaviours that could easily trigger an IBS attack and you need to consider getting a handle on that.

And what is wrong with groceries?! I went to every health food section in that store, every single one of them, EVER SINGLE ONE! had wheat, milk, and or nuts.
This really, really suprises me because of all the vegans and people with severe nut allergies, etc out there. Where do you live?

So you know what I got? Grapes, and plain chicken...MMM MMM! I don't even think I can have grapes. I lost 50 pounds in one year.
Grapes might be hard to digest, but it's all down to you. Maybe they don't bother you. That's where the food diary comes in handy. You said you have tried everything, have you tried journalling everything you eat and drink and your reactions, etc?

last year at this exact same time, I weighed 220 pounds, now at this very moment, I weigh 163. That came from not eating, and eating like I have to now. by the way I stopped eating bread. I've been taking fiber every day now, the one from this website. I believe it helps but...who knows.
And are you using it every day in really small amounts and verrrrry gradually increasing it? It hurts so much every time I see someone just up and go and have fun, they can just go out and have a great time, they can leave at any moment, wake up and just go, they can do whatever they want at any time. Every...single...freaking thing Is hell for me. Any fun activity is just a terrible trap for me, full of suffering, anger, depression, fear. Hey you want to go to my lan party? NO, I can't go, because my life sucks. Anyone can tell me to just "not worry" but thats impossible, you can't just not worry, expecially when the reason your worrying is because you are actually having the problem right at the moment. There is no way around it.
It does suck. You are absolutely right. But I really think that you will feel better if you try to have the best attitude you can about it. Sure, there will be times that you get really bummed out but take some "power" back in your life and decide you are going to do whatever you can to get yourself healthier. Focus on the positive things in your life and try to recognise when you begin to spiral down in negative thoughts, accept them for what they are, and then let them go!

I've had a colonoscpy, endoscopy, that ridiculously long 5 hour x-ray, blood tests, stool tests, THEY EVEN WANT ME TO REDO MY X-RAY BECAUSE THEY LOST MY RECORDS! I've gone in for countless little assessments, and pointless talks. Its stupid that I had to go through hell just for them to tell me what they want to do to me some other time.
Like Sand said, if you don't like your doctor than find another one. Once you find one that you trust, really trust them. If he/she says to redo a test, do it.

I don't believe in Hypnotherapy, I don't believe yoga would do a thing, and I'm pretty sure I've made just about any adjustment to my life that I can.
Tell me something, why don't you "believe" in these things? Have you tried them for an extended period of time and had them not give you any benefits? An open mind is the best tool you have to solve a difficult problem. You know I'm atleast 2 years behind in High school because I had to drop out of regular high school to do this computer program...even then I still have to go in to a school building atleast once a week. Everyone my age has long graduated and I'm still in it...Any and all foods I love have wheat in it...I swear its like some sadistic freak is up their making sure I have the worst time possible.
You can adjust. It sucks and it's hard. But you adjust and you move on. And you are far happier, because you are healthier. That is, IF you don't have a tolerance for wheat. And that will take time to figure out. And have you ever ate a plain potato or plain white rice? I can't stomach it, its gross. It needs something in it. Are you kidding? I have lived for days upon days upon weeks on bland food and sure, it's not very yummy but... seriously? A plain baked sweet potato is not the worst thing in the world and you need to try to remember that. It's your attitude that it holding you back here. I know it sucks, but you have to pull yourself up for your own good. Seriously, after this whole faire thing is over, I don't even care, I'm eating a whole freaking ton of Chinese food...and I'll just live in my room and play harvest moon.

What I planned on doing to make this trip easier is after the 8 minute drive to the fork in the road that starts the 15 minute road leading to the 10 minute road to the gas station 5-10 minutes away from the faire grounds, is to take a movie (the grinch) and play it at the moment we go down that road so hopefully time will pass by very quickly. The reason I'm so afraid of this road is because of my brothers wedding. On my trip back, it was terrible, and it seemed like the longest road ever.

Hurmpf...I have no idea what to do.

Good luck, and keep us posted. Reply to this post if you can and want to answer any of the questions I have put to you. And try to focus on as much positive in your life as you can, it will help you get through rough times. You are young, and rough times will come and you need to figure out a way to get through them for your own health and future happiness.
We are all pulling for you!
Steph

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