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Re: Just Plain Old IBS?
      07/24/07 06:49 PM
Sand

Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)

Quote:

On the other hand, when is constipation considered constipation? I've never been the type to have a BM every day. I was always like an every other day or two.
The usual definition of constipation is going more than 3 days without a BM. Or, to put it another way, the usual definition of normal is from 3 BMs a day to one BM every 3 days. I say you need to factor in comfort, also. If you're having 5 BMs a day but they're not painful and they're not urgent, I wouldn't consider that a problem. On the other hand, if you're having a BM every 2-3 days but you're cramping and constantly feeling like you need to have one, I'd say that is a problem.




Quote:

I've ordered several of Heather's products (can't wait to get them). One of them is the Acacia but it seems that mostly people with D use it.
I really don't think this is so. Soluble Fiber Supplements like Acacia are good for both IBS-C and IBS-D (and IBS-A, for that matter).

I thought the Acacia, the teas, the pills, and the Diet were all for the purpose of regulating the GI tract (which is what I need). Am I wrong?
No, you're absolutely right. The basis of Heather's guidelines - briefly - is that IBS is caused by colon spasms. For some people those spasms cause D; for some C; and for some a mixture. The Acacia, peppermint tea, Peppermint capsules, and Diet are all designed to reduce colon spasms.

I was really hopeful and exicted this past weekend in reading the testimonials but now since I've read some threads where it works for some and not others has got me worried that nothing will work.
I sometimes find myself wishing that new people would avoid the Boards like the plague until they get the basics of the Diet down and have given it a fair try for a while. There are people for whom this approach doesn't work but there are a lot of people who do well with it. My advice is to follow the Diet guidelines as laid out by Heather - *not* as modified by people on the Boards - and see how you do. Avoid the peppermint and ginger tea and the peppermint capsules since you have acid reflux, but do take the Acacia - start at a very low dose like 1/4 teaspoon per day and increase that very slowly.

Is it possible that my issues are all related to the stress I've developed from the Acid Reflux?
It's possible but if your doctor is saying IBS and has done the necessary testing, I'd go with his diagnosis. Your always feeling like you need to have a BM is called "incomplete evacuation" and is a classic IBS symptom.

I've also ordered the CDs to help me through.
Good. Stress doesn't cause IBS but it can exacerbate it so the hypno tapes should help with that.





I'm not sure how much reading you've done outside the Boards but you really need to get the basics of the Diet from the rest of the Website or - better yet - from Heather's books. You can take a look at this old post of mine and follow the links to walk through the basics of the Diet.

And be very careful about deciding that some trigger foods really don't bother you. That's not all that easy to determine as you can see in this post.

I hope some of this helps. Heather's approach has worked wonders for me and I hope it does the same for you.


--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]

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Entire thread
* Just Plain Old IBS?
BendeeWendee
07/24/07 05:44 PM
* Re: Just Plain Old IBS?
lalala
07/25/07 07:41 PM
* Re: Just Plain Old IBS?
Sand
07/24/07 06:49 PM
* Re: Just Plain Old IBS?
BendeeWendee
07/25/07 09:11 AM
* Re: Just Plain Old IBS?
Jennifer Rose
07/25/07 10:09 AM
* Re: Just Plain Old IBS?
BendeeWendee
07/25/07 06:03 PM

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