IBS sufferers

[luvwdwfla2]

Hi I am newly diagnosed with IBS. I am still trying to figure out triggers and what to eat. We r heading down to WDW in May, we have the dining plan but right now I am wondering if it will be worth it? I am not sure what I will be able to eat without getting a stoach attack. any advice or info would be appreciated.

 

[teachallday]

Everyone is slightly different as to what is a trigger for them, so some of your efforts between now and when you leave for your trip should be on trying to find some of those triggers.

For me, Milk based products or products with milk in them is my biggest trigger. Cooked tomatoes (uncooked ones are okay), is also a trigger.

Cutting milk, cheese, butter, whey, and other products made with these items has been VERY VERY hard. I have been working on this for 10 years now and still struggle with it. One thing I have learned however, is that you can find at MOST restaurants something you can eat. Disney has the added benefit that they are use to people with dietary restrictions and will accommodate to your needs (but it helps to let the place know when you make the dining reservations or as soon as you arrive at the place you are going to eat). However, you need to know what you can NOT eat.

My biggest struggle through the first few years was trying to find what I could eat, but all I could see was what I couldn't. Over the years I realized I shouldn't search for what I could and couldn't eat, but find what the triggers were so I could focus on avoiding them. Milk or milk based products are in almost everything, but I usually have no trouble finding something on the menue I can order. If you tell the cheif that you can't have milk based products they could make something for you without them.

REMEMBER you have to eat, and you might find Table Service places are easier to find something you can eat than Counter Services places. But you should be able to find something at both. I am going to Disney this summer and do not have experience with WDW since I was diagnosed.

View this trip as a challege. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life eating at home with meals that you make from scratch, then you need to find a way to eat out. Take your meds on the trip to help control the effects when you eat something you shouldn't, but go out and eat. I do try to avoid Italian and Mexican because they use a lot of cheese and cream sauses. But even in these places I can usually find something without talking to the cheif. If you let them accommodate to your disability, you should be fine. But you need to find out what are the triggers you are trying to avoid.

My last piece of advice that I will give you is something that I read years ago that has been very helpful. Eat things that are easy to digest. If it can get through your system without fully being digested (like popcorn), avoid it.

Good Luck and have fun at Disney

 

[mechurchlady]

You will do fin on the dining plan. You make your ADRs and plan for a wonderful trip. When you figure out your triggers then you will contact the special diets people, info is in FAQs, and tell them to put on your reservations those items you cannot have. I would tell them no soy, egg, or gluten for example. I knew a couple older people who were no dark green things.

The sit down restaurants owned by Disney can make you no spice, no added sodium, pureed, no pepper, diabetic, PKU, celiac, low fat, vegan, and many other meals for their guests. They now have a department dedicated to special diets. They can even let you know what food ingredients are so that you will know what to avoid.

Read the FAQs sticky at the top of the board for iinfo on your condition and special diets.

 

[LMC]

Are you on medication? (i really don't need you to answer that). Just wanted to let you know there is medication available in case no one has told you that yet. It took many years and two gastros before they put my son on IBS meds. He takes levisin and he has gone from 8-12 bathroom trips per day to about 2. Much better now thank you!

 

[cmesq61]

I have had IBS since high school. I am generally well controlled in everyday life if I avoid those foods that I know bother me. Unfortunately, stress is a trigger for me so I was concerned about WDW. I did fine and I think you can also. We were on the DxDP so we had mostly sit down meals. I had very little trouble finding things I could eat. I was always sure to check the map when I entered a park to locate the restrooms on the map. They are not always conveniently located so you may want to check that out just for you piece of mind. And I echo the previous poster that there are meds out there. If I did not take my loperamide every morning faithfully--and sometimes a second dose on a bad day--my quality of life would be in the toilet.

 

[Brenle]

Hi I am newly diagnosed with IBS. I am still trying to figure out triggers and what to eat. We r heading down to WDW in May, we have the dining plan but right now I am wondering if it will be worth it? I am not sure what I will be able to eat without getting a stoach attack. any advice or info would be appreciated.

Like other posters have said, once you know what your triggers are you can avoid them. In my case, "rich" foods cause a problem, i.e., foods containing heavy cream, butter. But other times its raw vegetables. All depends. Between now and May keep a food journal to help you figure out potential triggers. Enjoy your vacation.

 

[zumbergc]

i just want to second what someone else mentioned. If your eating something like corn that your system doesn't digest, its best to not eat it, and things related to it. like popcorn... i also try to avoid stuff with high fructose corn syrup too, as its corn based too.

I've talked to docs about this, and get the so, don't worry about that.

For some people milk can cause a lot of mucus, not only in your sinus area but thru out the body, and digestive tract and cause some bloating and other issues.

You may want to try to do some trials, like with out certain potential problem causers. Or, if you happen to eat a ton of cheese one week because you bought string cheese, and things are worse... well maybe something to cut back on, and if able to eliminate it for a couple weeks and see if your symptoms feel better.

A friend had said that some of problems were probably from dairy. I have never drank milk, just don't like it, etc. Well, what i was eating was cheese, and i did protein bars or shakes before i would hurry to the gym, and there was whey-which is dairy. So, i went to a holistic person who said to eliminate dairy. So, i tried it took a couple months to rid of most of it. I did it one food item at a time.
I of the mind that if you change to much at one time, you will fail miserably and go back to it if i try cold turkey for many things at once. You have to adjust to things in your own pace. So, like i gave up the obvious cheese first. I did that for a few weeks. Just that on my dinners was rough. The worst part was the first few days, i don't really miss it much now. Find a replacement flavor, like mustard, ketchup, something tummy friendly.
Then i started to notice that once the flagrant dairy was out, my symptoms got better. Then i started to notice after i ate certain things i got stuffy. Well, i thought i'd looked thru labels, but then thats when i found the protein powder and bars i was eating had whey in them = milk.

It is hard when i eat out. However the only time i eat out is maybe 1x a week, and mostly its every other week. Then if i eat small amounts i'm ok, but can tell the next few days. I still forget to ask no cheese on things, besides a ton of other issues.
Good luck

 

[disney4u2]

Hello, I'm 40 years old and have had severe IBS-D for about 6 years now. I was diagnoised and also found to have liver and gallbladder problems. Up until 2 years ago, I was afraid to be too far away from the bathroom and traveling was out of the question. Since that time I've been to Disney World twice and I'm going back in 2 weeks! My condition hasn't approved much, but I've found you can deal with and enjoy life.

The most important thing is to watch what and how much you eat. I've found it is better to eat smaller more frequent meals, rather than big meals. Everybody is different, but foods high in fat and fried are the worst for me. I try to eat baked chicken/fish and lots of yogurt. Avoid caffein/alcohol and carbinated drinks as much as possible. My wife and I normally get the meal plan and find there is lots of good choices in the sit down restaurants and some food courts (CBR Resort Foodcourt - Broiler Station/Sunshine Seasons Epcott)! Also, don't be afraid to ask for special preparations of certain foods that may include triggers. I've also found that 2 Imodium about 1 hour before meals helps a lot.


The final words of IBS wisdom is don't let IBS control you - you need to contol it! Disney World is a fun place that you and your family can easily enjoy even with IBS. Don't worry, and even if you have a few bad IBS situations, the fun of vacationing in the Florida Sun makes it worth while!

 

[KJ and Crew]

The final words of IBS wisdom is don't let IBS control you - you need to contol it! Disney World is a fun place that you and your family can easily enjoy even with IBS. Don't worry, and even if you have a few bad IBS situations, the fun of vacationing in the Florida Sun makes it worth while!

Thanks for this honest, inspiring, and helpful post! I am not diagnosed with IBS, but I get very sick every time we travel. I was terrified to eat "out" 3 meals a day, but I realized if those with IBS can find things to eat and survive, then I probably can too! With that help, and a lot of imodium, I'll feel a lot better about this trip! THANKS!

 

[mechurchlady]

Thanks for this honest, inspiring, and helpful post! I am not diagnosed with IBS, but I get very sick every time we travel. I was terrified to eat "out" 3 meals a day, but I realized if those with IBS can find things to eat and survive, then I probably can too! With that help, and a lot of imodium, I'll feel a lot better about this trip! THANKS!

Got FAQs and you can find the info for the special diets site. They can make you a meal without those things that irritate your insides. They deal with celiac, pku, allergies, pureed, IBS, low fat, low carb, and low sodium among other dietary limitations.