Thanks for taking the time to post all this! It sounds like you're doing all the right things. I've never tried the Citrucel caplets, but the ingredient list reads safer than the mixes, so that's probably not it. I'm going to do my best to point out a few foods you listed that sort of jumped out at me:
Do you usually eat an apple without problems? Is it a whole apple? I know just half an apple, even if peeled, gives me a stomach ache, gas and bloating.
What about the soy cheese? Soy cheese still contain a couple of ingredients that a few IBSers, like myself, are sensitive to: casein (a milk protein) and carrageenan (an additive). I noticed a significant descrease in gas, bloating, and urgency when I cut out soy products that are dairy food alternatives and contain casein and carrageenan. Not everyone is sensitive to these additives, however, it might be worth a try to avoid them if you're still struggling to get stable.
Do you know what was in the baked beans? Sometimes the canned ones can be high in HFCS or restaurant ones can be made with ham. Just whole beans can be problematic because of the IF skins. You could try mashing them to mechanically breakdown the IF and make it easier to digest. Aren't beans sulfur-containing foods? Couldn't this lead to the odor and gas you experienced?
What about the sourdough bread? By keeping a food journal, I've noticed that eating sourdough bread in the past has triggered an attack--I've also experienced smellier stools with it too. I'm not sure why, but I found when I switched to regular French bread and limited the amount of yeasty bread I ate a day, certain symptoms improved, such as frequency and odor. It could be an intolerance or sensitivity to yeast.
Do you take a probiotic or eat soy yogurt? I find eating soy yogurt helps reduce odor.
With Immodium I would take 1 caplet in the morning or the evening, depending when I felt most crampy or rumbly, before I had an actual attack. Now that I'm stable, I take 1/2 to 1 in the morning before an important event or traveling. If I take two Immodium, it's usually after an attack, and I do notice that it makes me more crampy, gassy, and then a bit constipated for a few days. With 1/2 to 1, I get the desired effect but without the constipation--I'll have a regular BM the following day, although I will be a bit more gassy.
I hope this helps. How are you feeling this afternoon?
Edited by Maria!Maria! (07/05/05 03:01 PM)
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Re: Getting very distressed
