Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: My doc told me to stop ...

Hi Julie - Sorry you're caught in such an unhappy position. I am glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better, though.

I don't know why your doc would advise against the herbal teas. Peppermint, fennel, ginger, and chamomile are all well known, long-time favorites for helping digestive problems, and I've never seen any contraindictions for them aside from allergies. They certainly wouldn't interfere with dietary changes - they'll just likely help. At the worst they'd have no effect at all.

The whole wheat bread recommendation has me confused. Your doc's comment that the IBS diet he has you on has been studied and verified just can't be true, as there haven't been ANY clinical studies of a comprehensive diet for IBS. Believe me, I've looked, and the closest thing is the onging study by Dr. Noel Hershfield in Calgary of the Eating for IBS diet. That's in the earlier stages and nowhere near being published in journals. I'd ask your doc to point you to the research he's citing. And I'd also ask him to explain why the clinical studies of bran in IBS patients showed that it did not help most patients at all, but in fact made them worse. Here's a list of those studies web page You'll also see some studies on this page that look at soluble vs. insoluble fiber for IBS (guar gum vs. bran) and clearly show soluble is better. You have the right to know if there is research behind your doctor's recommendations - and if he doesn't have research to show you, you have the right to question the validity of his advice. He can't just expect you to shut up and trust him, and then label you a troublesome patient if you dare to ask question. This is your health on the line, not his, and you deserve to know exactly what is going on.

Trust yourself above all - you know your body better than your doctor, and better than I do. What matters is how you feel and what it takes to get you feeling good.

Please keep us posted.

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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