Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | What to eat to Gain Weight . I am a Guy, Help!

I was wondering what would be a good and safe high protein/calorie diet for gaining weight and muscle mass?

I have suffered from IBS since I was 18, and I am now 24. So it has been a 6 year battle, which still continues a bit. I have battled serious weight loss since then, weight I couldn't afford to lose. I was a solid 145 lbs through highschool, kind of skinny but was always strong for my size. I was always a strong and athletic since I was a little kid. I was always busy doing something physical which included playing alot of sports. But that all seemed to come to an end in a matter days.

My IBS Story (long, but I felt like I had to be detailed to completely understand):

At the age of 18, in the late winter, I had caught this really bad cold/flu virus. The virus was the worst I ever had in my life, and I felt like I was dying. I decided to tough it out for a few days, which then turned out to be a week. I didn't bother going to the doctors. I was spitting up and blowing out some pretty bad looking stuff. It was like some fluorescence yellow stuff (only way I could describe it) that I was caughing and sneezing out. I have never seen such stuff come out of ones body. I knew it was bad, and should have gone to the doctors as soon as possible, but I didn't. Well after suffering it out for a week, I finally started to feel better, and felt like new. From there on, I decided I wanted to start getting healthy and fit, more than ever. Two days after feeling better, I ended up lifting weights/working out for an hour. Well, during the workout I noticed I was becoming very nauseous, but thought nothing of it. After my work out, the nausea got worse, and I ended up throwing up. I threw up that same yellow stuff from that virus I had, which some how got into my stomach. I was so sick soon after, I had to go the doctors. I was sick for 3 days straight, and couldn't eat one solid meal at all. I tried so hard to eat, but everything I put down felt like it was going to come back up. I ended up losing over 20 lbs in just that few days, which scared the crap out of me. I weighed in at 124 lbs!!! Not good at all. Week later, I began to have some serious stomach problems. I had a hard time eating. Everytime I ate a meal, I would feel really sick afterwards with some serious excessive stomach gas and nausea!. I would burp pretty frequently for about a half hour or so, and I also felt like I was going to puke that whole time because I was really nauseous. My stomach felt like it was inflated, really tense with gas. That was the start of it, and I think the virus getting into my stomach and bowels, and possibly some other organs, had a huge role with these serious problems. If only I didn't work out that morning, I probably wouldn't have been so sick. If I had waited atleast a full 7 days after the virus receded, I might have avoided it all together.

The stomach problems continued for about a month or two straight, everyday getting sick after meals, or waking up sick in the morning and while laying down trying to sleep during the nights. I was back and forth from the doctors for a few months. They found nothing wrong with me, and gave me nothing to help. So I ended up suffering day after day. I was really depressed about what was happening to me. I felt like I was dying...

After those few months I started to feel a little better, and wasn't having so many attacks. I then decided to attempt lifting weights again to gain some muscle mass and weight back that I had lost. I also was eating alot more than usual. Well I worked out for a about 8 months off and on, and was feeling better with a few attacks here and there. One thing, I did get really gassy during my workouts, and after the workouts, not sure why, but it sucked. That made working out two times harder for me, but I toughed it out and continued for almost about a year. I had felt like I gained some weight and muscle back definately, but wasn't sure If I was back to normal or not (didn't weigh myself, and stayed away from doctors). Eventually, I ended up finding a Building Mass book, and changed my workouts completely, because I wasn't working out like I should have. For two and a half months, I was eating more than ever, working out harder, taking protein supplements along with vitamins, and essential oils. In the end, I ended gaining around 25-30 lbs (gained about 15-20 lbs of that in just those 2 and half months) in under a year! That summer and weighing in at 155 lbs, I was feeling good and better than ever, but still suffered those occasional attacks. I had taking a break from working out, as it was a full time job, and needed to get out a bit more.

Well, during that break, I ended up getting a job offering just before I was about to commit to another 2-3 months of lifting. During that 2-3 month temporary job, I couldn't find time to workout and eat as much as I used to. Well, months and months went by and I got lazy, and didn't have the motivation to work out anytime soon. Well that next early spring, about 6-7 months later after that job ended. I was fine one day, the next day I woke up with my stomach feeling a little off. I found it hard to ear that morning, but forced down a meal. I ended up throwing up not too long after I had ate. I brushed it off, thought it was nothing serious. I was wrong. About 4-6 days later, out of no wheres, the stomach problems came back at full speed! It was just as bad as it was 2 years prior to when it started, maybe worse than before. I was sick day-in day-out for about a month or two straight... I ended up losing 30 lbs in the meantime! 125 lbs and I was back to square one! I was depressed all over again. I was back and forth to the doctors, and also to the emergency on some nights. I had every test possible. I had blood test, gal bladder test, scans, xrays, you name it I had it done. Finally, a doctor referred me to a stomach/bowel specialist for acouple months there. I had every test possible again, and turned up with nothing again. The sad thing is, 2 and half years later, I wasn't diagnosed with anything, and the doctors didn't mention anything about what it could be, or what was causing the attacks and the excessive stomach gas I was having...

I finally gave up on doctors, and decided to avoid them altogether. I just suffered the stomach problems from there on, trying to tough it out hoping it would go away. I didn't know what to do. I was inside almost everyday, and I couldn't do anything active. Everytime I would do something physical, or anything that would get my heart and muscles pumping, I would feel nauseous and gassy sick. So that really kept me inside alot, sitting around playing games on my computer. I didn't go out much at all, especially during the winters. It was horrible, and I was depressed alot. This went on for a few years...

A few years had past. I started getting serious about solving the problem, and became interested in all-natural cures. I began searching the web for answers. After quite a bit of research, I finally found out that there was people that had the same problems, and figured out that I was having IBS Symptoms! This was a break through for me. I then did some extensive research on IBS and how to manage it. I soon came across this website, helpforibs.com. I decided to give the IBS kit a try. I bought the Fennel Tummy Tea, Peppermint capsules, and the IBS Book kit. I had some good results with just the tea and peppermint within a week or so of starting them, and was very impressed. I was excited that I finally found something to help me out. Eventually, I wasn't having less and less attacks. I would only have attacks if I had ate too much of a certain type of trigger food, which was on a rare ocasion. I was starting to be a bit more active again. I finally got the Acacia Tummy Fiber, which gave me even better results. I was feeling better and better as the months went on. I has been almost a year since using Heather's Tummy Teas, Diet plans, and Supplements, and I have been feeling better than I have in 6 years of suffering those stomach problems. At the moment, I am only taking the Acacia Fiber, with some other useful supplements (vitamin C, Sea Green capsules, Acidophilus), and everything seems to be under control with very few attacks or excessive gas... maybe once or twice a month. Sometimes I can go a whole month without any noticeable attacks.

This is all great progress for me in all, but I still suffer the weight loss. Few years later, after losing weight for second time (155 to 125 lbs), I haven't been able to gain any back. I haven't been motivated enough to work out either, as I still get gassy when I do something physical, maybe not as much as before, but enough to keep me from doing alot of things. All I want now is to gain my weight back, while keeping my IBS under control, and I find this hard to do. I basically just eat cereal, english muffins, oatmeal, pasta, and alot of homecooked meals. I try to eat more, but seems it always has a negative affect. More I eat, especially protein, the more I become vulnerable to IBS attacks. At this point, I really don't know what to do.

For me, IBS has ruined a good part of my life as an adult.

I missed out on alot because I was always sick and dealing with serious stomach/bowel problems. I couldn't go out and do things I wanted to do, or things that I needed to do, like getting a stable job. All my friends are off doing something with their lives, going out and having fun, college, getting married, having kids, you know having and creating a life for themselves. But nope, not me, I sit around everyday wondering what to do with my own life, and where to start. Only thing I can think of, is take care of my health and get back to normal, like in my high school years. I try to do everything I could, but with no full time job and little money, I cannot do much at all. I often feel hopeless and depressed. I just don't know what to do, I try to stay positive and keep looking forward, but often head the other way. I still live with my parents, at the age of 24. The Stress level in the house can be pretty high, my parents are raising their three grand kids (6,7,13), and those kids don't listen very well... so you can only imagine. There is 7 people in this house, which also includes my older brother. I also haven't had much jobs in the past 6 years, go figure, since I was sick often. I have been getting Food Stamps for awhile now to help out. But yeah, that is my current situation.

All this because of IBS! Most people don't even know how common IBS is, and how much it affects peoples lives such as mine. People around me wonder why I am the way I am at this time, and have no clue what I have gone through. I try to explain it, but they think nothing of it. What to do, I dunno.

I recently had a temporary job, which ended about a month ago. I also applied for a full time job at the same workplace, but I didn't get it. Jobs are so slim on the Reservation, next to none. So yeah, it seems this winter I will be laying around doing nothing again... I saved up some money and bought myself a great new Home Gym (Bioforce TNT) recently, hoping it will get me back in shape. I also pretty much dedicated any extra money I saved for vitamins or other supplements I might need.

I want to get back into lifting weights/working out again, and really want to gain back that muscle mass I had gained once before, when I was at 155 lbs. But, I don't know what high protein/fat foods will be safe to eat, or what type of protein powder to use (whey, egg, soy)...

I have found some Soy Protein Powder, and some Udo's Oil (which I have taken before), but I don't want to buy something that might lead to triggers. So I am asking if there is any recommended types of high protein/carb diets that will be safe for me.

Here are some links to these products I mentioned. Help me decided if they are good or not. I think they might be, but not fully sure.

- Udo's Choice Oil Blend

- ON 100% Soy Protein Powder (choc)

Thanks, would appreciate any help. Sorry for the long story, hope you take the time to read it.

Edited by NativOne (11/28/08 06:35 AM)

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator