IBS sufferers: Have you tried coconut?

[Alex2kMommy]

I just read in the paper today (column is the People's Pharmacy, peoplespharmacy.org) that coconut may relieve IBS symptoms. Soem people say that eating two Archway Coconut Macaroon cookies a day will control the chronic diarrhea.

I don't like the taste of coconut unless it's fresh, but I think I could manage to choke down 2 cookies a day. Has anyone else tried this?

 

[ericafny]

Hi fellow IBS sufferer

I haven't heard about the coconut, but I am very skeptical when experts say a certain food can help with symptoms. I did however want to recommend this website (it changed my life!):

http://www.helpforibs.com/

This woman is not a doctor, however she is a longtime IBS sufferer and has ALOT of adivice and other interesting things you may want to know. I bought her book 'Eating for IBS' and there are many good techniques (most of which I used while on vaca at the world) and recipes that are very yummy!

My MD diagnosed me and then pretty much said I was on my own. This website has taught me how to control my attacks and live a (semi)normal life. Hope this helps...

 

[newman7501]

My dad has crohn's disease and came across an article several years ago about eat those coconut cookies. He ate two a day for a while and only found mild relief so he stopped because that kind of cookie isn't cheap and he just wasn't getting the results that warrented buying those cookies and I think he said there is a lot of fat in them as well so he didn't like that aspect of it either.

 

[tarkus]

Interesting. Coconut usually has a slight laxative effect.

Alan

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I was a little puzzled myself, since I thought coconut was kinda fatty...? But I haven't tried it yet, wanted to see if anyone had.

 

[AdventureGuru]

really-I should look into this!!!

 

[TravelinGal]

I have IBS and I have found my attacks are almost completly gone since I have started eating low carb. There were 2 meals where I really overindulged (and had some extra carbs as well) and I got the IBS attacks again. But they were gone in a very short time.

 

[Gillian]

I have IBS and I have found my attacks are almost completly gone since I have started eating low carb. There were 2 meals where I really overindulged (and had some extra carbs as well) and I got the IBS attacks again. But they were gone in a very short time.

You know, I had heard this too, but when my nephew was first diagnosed (crohns), my SIL didn't want to hear about dietary changes because the Dr said it didn't matter. Then she switched to a low carb diet to lose weight and her family started eating that way too. It's been over a year and my nephew seems much better. I don't know if they're related, but I'm happy for him.

 

[ericafny]

Foods with carbs are actually one of the foods that DO NOT give me IBS attacks....just goes to show how each individual is affected differently.

 

[mickeymedic]

I have not heard about coconut helping IBS. I'm skeptical about anything that is advertised to help IBS - since IBS is such a broad diagnosis. If fact, it's hardly a diagnosis at all - instead, mearly a description of symptoms that cannot be explained in any other way. I often think that the doctors decided to appease us and label it as IBS so that we would quit bugging them.

Anyway, I'm sure coconut helped someone with their IBS symptoms. For me, ginger root pills seem to help. At times, the only food I've been able to eat is crackers and coca cola (sipping, not gulping). But I'm not sure that I would recommend the crackers and Coke diet to anyone to cure them of their IBS ills.

 

[ericafny]

If fact, it's hardly a diagnosis at all - instead, mearly a description of symptoms that cannot be explained in any other way. I often think that the doctors decided to appease us and label it as IBS so that we would quit bugging them.

It is actually a diganosis, the medical community has agreed upon that. Even the American Psychological Association recognizes it as a diagnosis as well, and many studies have been done to link the condition to anxiety and stress.

 

[mickeymedic]

It is actually a diganosis, the medical community has agreed upon that. Even the American Psychological Association recognizes it as a diagnosis as well, and many studies have been done to link the condition to anxiety and stress.

Yes, it is a recognized diagnosis. But what I meant was that, as a diagnosis, it doesn't really tell you anything. It took years before I found a doctor who was willing to actually look into what was causing the symptoms instead of mearly prescribing medicine to treat IBS. It turns out that my esophogus does not connect properly to my stomach, half of my stomach does not work and has lost its elasticity and a portion of my bowel no longer works properly. There is surgery that they can do to correct most of the problems, but my insurance company won't pay for the surgery until my symptoms are bad enough. I'm not sure what their definition of "bad enough" is, but I'm still waiting.

Unfortunately too many doctors are content to prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms associate with IBS rather than seek out the cause. I was lucky to be referred to an amazing Gastroenterologist who specializes in IBS. I learned that there are quite a few different underlying causes of the IBS symptoms, but most doctors lump us together and treat us the same. It's almost disturbing to find out that many of the patients that my Gastroenterologist has successfully treated were, at some point, referred to psychiatry because their other doctors couldn't find anything wrong with them.

 

[ericafny]

It took years before I found a doctor who was willing to actually look into what was causing the symptoms instead of mearly prescribing medicine to treat IBS.

I hear ya on that one. I'm on my third gastro and I think he may actually be willing to help me!

Unfortunately too many doctors are content to prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms associate with IBS rather than seek out the cause. I was lucky to be referred to an amazing Gastroenterologist who specializes in IBS. I learned that there are quite a few different underlying causes of the IBS symptoms, but most doctors lump us together and treat us the same. It's almost disturbing to find out that many of the patients that my Gastroenterologist has successfully treated were, at some point, referred to psychiatry because their other doctors couldn't find anything wrong with them.

My Gastro finally got the hint about the meds and told me to take Florastor (its a probiotic). It's helping but there are some rather unpleasant side effects (I'll spare you the unpleasant details).

I wasn't trying to start a confrontation before, just thought you didn't know that it was actually a diagnosis. We are making ourselves be heard in the medical world, albeit slowly, but they are listening

 

[mickeymedic]

Oh, didn't take it as confrontation - sorry if that's how I came across. I just want the world to know that just because your doctor can't find a problem, doesn't mean you're a psych case. (Ok, so some people are, but that's a whole other topic.)

My gastro did start with all the usual tests - and found nothing abnormal. It wasn't until he did a several day long imaging study that he was able to conclusively decide what was causing my symptoms. It was quite nice to finally have someone in the medical community confirm that it was not all in my head. While nerves and stress would sometimes trigger my symptoms, my symptoms were not caused by stress.

OK. I'll step down from my soapbox.