Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Hi all,

So I've been sticking to the diet pretty religiously for the past month. Along with that, I've been taking acacia (increasing my dosage slowly every couple days). My problem is that whenever I add in any IF, the next day I almost always have looser BMs. I am up to 4 tsp. acacia per day, which I know isn't a ton, but its certainly not a miniscule amount. There are some days where all my BMs are fairly well-formed, but those are usually after the days where I have very little to no IF in my diet. Should I be increasing my acacia even more??? The reason I ask is there have been a few days recently when I've been somewhat constipated, so I want to add in IF, but when I do the pattern usually is I start out with a formed BM, but then they become looser.

My other issue is with over-eating. A month ago, I was barely eating anything for fear of the reaction, because until I found this website I felt everything would cause an attack. Now that I know how to eat, my appetite has gotten better. But my will-power has suffered, and I find that I tend to overeat occassionally on the weekends. Does anyone have a remedy for this? Like how do you trick your mind into knowing you don't need to eat anymore??? I had an attack this morning, and I'm pretty sure it was due to a combination of too much food (went to a Cinco de Mayo party last night), as well as possibly more IF food. And does anyone get bad reactions from guacamole? I checked the label to make sure it was the organic kind with avocado as its main ingredient, and it was, but it made me quite gassy.

Also (sorry, I know I'm rambling) my GI put me on Zoloft as an AD to help with my IBS. I even told him that SSRIs are supposed to help people with C (I'm a D) but he told me to give it time. Well its been a month and I really don't think its doing me any benefit. Do you think I've given it enough time, and should I ask to get switched to another AD? A lot of people on this board who are D seem to have good track records with Elavil and Lexapro. I don't want to jump the gun, but I also hate taking medications in the first place, so one that is doing nothing really bothers me.

I'm really sorry for the long post, I just needed a sound board and people on this website have been awesome. I know we all have bad days, and that until I get stable, that is going to happen, but sometimes its just frustrating. As it is, right now I'm scared to eat due to my attack this morning, but I know that is probably the worst idea. I am trying to stay positive, especially considering that compared to several months ago, I am doing a ton better. Its just hard sometimes (as I'm sure all of you know), and especially for me because I don't live close to any of my family and lots of my friends are far away as well. Phone calls help, but its nice to hear opinions of people who are struggling with IBS also. So thank you a million times in advance for your replies!!

Julie
IBS-D, GERD, lactose intolerant, hemorrhoids (possibly PCOS?)

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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

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