I need help for my IBS badly please
#3498 - 03/20/03 05:23 PM
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till
Reged: 02/11/03
Posts: 712
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I have severe IBS. I have gas, gas pains, cramps, spasms, bloating, nausea, fullness from excess gas, headaches, constipation, diarrhea ( I got diarrhea 2 or 3 times from severe attacks. I swallow Altoids daily. Altoids are too big to swallow so I cut them to make them thin. I swallow 2 small Altoids after each meal but since I cut them, 2 small ones is equal to 1. I swallow 12 per day but it's really 6 since 2 Altoids make 1. Can I swallow more?
I get severe attacks often. I never know when they will start and end, some lasted 6 days in a row. I recently had one and it lasted 8 days in a row. Should I only eat safe food til my IBS is under control or should I eat them forever? Is ginger tea ok to have? I read on a website most people with IBS have to wait at least 5 yrs. before it gets under control. Is it true? Should I eat foods that have 20% or less calories from fat til my IBS is under control or forever? Can you give me an example how to find out the % of calories from fat? I tried but I don't know how. I have baked rold gold pretzels the calories per portion is 107, fat is 0.6 I tried to find the % of calories from fat. I got 4%. Is it right?
Please answear all my questions. My doctor is rude and cruel. He won't help me. He doesn't know anything about IBS. Thanks so very much Heather.
God bless.
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Angel - Unfortunately I don't have answers to most of your questions, but I'm sure someone will be able to help. I'm sorry you feel so bad.
As far as I can see, ginger tea is okay for you. Have you tried peppermint, chamomile, or anything else?
Have you tried looking for a different doctor? There's no need to put up with a rude & cruel doctor!!
I really wish there was something more that I could say to help you.
I really hope you find the help & answers you deserve.
Mags
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Hi Angel - I'm so sorry you're having such severe problems. I don't know if you can change doctors, but if you can I definitely would. And I'd complain about the doctor you have being rude and cruel - that is completely unacceptable and you do not have to take that.
Your Altoid level isn't really that high - I'd try drinking peppermint tea as well. Ginger tea is also wonderful, as is fennel or chamomile
I would stick to safe foods until you stabilize. You should go several days without any problems whatsoever before you gradually start expanding your diet (but still stick to the guidelines). There's "breaking the cycle" info at web page
Also, start taking a soluble fiber supplement - that can really help, and you can take them forever with no health risks. There's info at web page
I've never heard that it takes an average of 5 years for someone with IBS to get it under control. If you have the information and resources you need, you could well get things under control within a few days or weeks. Even the hypnotherapy tapes for IBS only take months to work, not years, and they're the slowest treatment approach I'm aware of. Don't feel like you're doomed for the next few years - you are not!
Until you stabilize, I'd go completely fat free for a few days, maybe even up to a week (the breaking the cycle link has info about this). After that, if you're still not really solid, definitely keep the fat intake to 20%. You can actually stay at that level and be healthy overall as long as you make those fats count - monounsaturated, essential fatty acids are important, so choose olive oil, canola oil, avocados, finely ground nuts, fatty fish, etc.
I think you calculated the fat calories properly, if the .6 is the number of fat grams. Usually, the labels actually say what percentage of calories is from fat. If not, then take the amount in grams times 9 (because there are nine calories in a gram of fat). That will give the number of fat calories. Then you can figure the ratio of fat to total calories, and you want this at 20% or less.
As a general rule, I wouldn't want more than 100 fat calories per meal (and that's if I'm stable). That's about 1 tablespoon of oil, and that's pretty much the maximum amount I'd want at once, even with a high soluble fiber basis. I'd actually use a lot less than that if I was cooking at home.
Please let us know how thing go - and dump that awful doctor! He sounds like someone who should have been gardener instead - then he'd only be hurting plants and not people. 
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks very much for your help. I can't get a new doctor unfortuneately because the doctor I have is the only doctor that is near my condo where I live. If I got another one I couldn't get to the doctor I'm too sick to leave the house and I don't drive I 'm too sick. Even if I did know how I couldn't afford a car since I'm too sick to work and gas costs a fortune. I do drink really strong peppermint tea everyday. I have 12 tea bags a day. I will start having ginger tea everyday for now on. I appreciate your help. Each day is really bad though I'm in so much pain I can't handle it at all. I'd rather be dead since I feel like I'm dying each day. I have no idea how I will get a job. I live with my mom for now since I can't work. It's hell since she's a drunk and is cruel. My life is over.
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Thanks. I'm going to start drinking ginger tea. I drink really strong peppermint tea everyday. I have 12 tea bags a day. I would have more but it's pricey so I can't unfortunately. Things don't seem to go right for me.
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Angel - you poor thing! So sorry you feel so awful. You could cut your expenses by buying organic teas by the pound. I used to drink peppermint/spearmint combined in bags and a box of 20 was $3.50 not on sale. On sale, I could get them for 2/$5.00 but still expensive. The peppermint I bought at a health food store by the pound and was about $9. I've been using it for weeks now and I haven't made a dent in it. I use the metal containers for infusion. Two containers filled with peppermint and soak in a large teapot of boiling water. I drink a hot cup in the a.m. and then use the rest for drinking all day.
Is the doc giving you anything to take? Are you sure you have IBS? Have you been tested and everything else ruled out?
I hope you feel better. Sorry about your mum--that's a shame, but...I'll be thinking of you. Wish I could come and whisk you away and take care of you!
Sharon
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Sharon
"Anything Chocolate"...that is all!
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Angel -
I am so sorry to hear you are having such a tough time and that you don't have the family support that
we all need when feeling so sick. Just remember we are all here for you. We are all family here.
I have been on the message board for about a month and last night when I had my men's washroom fiasco
all I thought was "The only people who will truly understand is the people on the boards" Although my husband
is super supportive it's nice to be surrounded by those who understand what you are going through.
When things get though - remember we are all here for you and I have been told that you can feel free to
email anyone with their address on their profiles in case you have some personal matters you just need to
talk about with someone.
We are all thinking about you and hope you all the best
((((((BIG HUGS)))))))
xxxxxxx
Lana_Marie 
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Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
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I just read your profile and we are pretty close - I live in Regina, Saskatchewan.
My sister in law lives in Virdon, MB.
What a small world...
Lana_Marie
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Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
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Angel, i just read your email and some of your replys. I am concerned you might have celiac disease. I have a sister, that made the same comment, she felt like she was dying. She had said, she would rather be dead then feel like she was feeling, the comment I feel like I'm slosly dying, got her husband to get her to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, she was diagnosed with Celiac disease, (she thought she had IBS because my mother suffered with IBS for years) I am happy to say she is doing fine now, she had to make some changes to her surrendings in her home,(house molds and mildews are a major factor in Celiac) If you have problems getting around to doctors, contact your church, most churches have programs where they have volunteers that help people who need heelp, GOOD LUCK
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Angel - How are you doing? Any improvement? It's nice that you have two tabbies to help you thru your illness. I have a little domestic tuxedo (black and white) shorthair that we rescued about 5 years ago on Xmas eve. Her name is Holly.
Have you heard of Best Friends in Kenab, Utah? It's a no kill rescue for all kinds of animals. They keep the ones that are unadoptable and adopt out the ones that are okay. I think it's great that they do this. Youu can probably try www.bestfriends.com and see what happens. Or search on Google or another search engine.
Keep a stiff upper lip, honey.
Sharon
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Sharon
"Anything Chocolate"...that is all!
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