Irritable Bowel Support Group

[just4today]

so OP let me get this straight... not only do you have IBS but you also tinkle in your pants poor dear

Must be the OP is stuck in the bathroom since he/she hasn't been back to the thread.

 

[MIGrandma]

I have not read the entire thread (I will though) but I have to share my story with you. I have had "bathroom issues" for TEN YEARS. The last TWO being really, really bad ("going" 4-6, sometimes up to 8 times daily) and was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

I did not like that "generalized" diagnosis. Something had to be wrong. So I decided to do an experiment.

September 29th I started a diet, eliminating all wheat/barley/rye products from my diet. Within just a few days I could see an improvement.

I have been "wheat free" for one month today and my "bathroom issues" have decreased immensely!! Usually once, maybe twice in the early morning and I'm good to go for the rest of the day!! Some days I don't "go" at all. Then there have been 2-3 days where I've "gone" more but might have eaten something at a restaurant that did have a bit of wheat in.

I'm not sure if I really have Celiac's Disease, as I don't have all of the symptoms, but just an "intolerance" or "sensitivity" to wheat. But the difference is astounding.

So, my advice to anyone who is bothered by IBS, is to give a wheat free diet a try. What can it hurt? And your symptoms might improve greatly, like mine did!!

 

[FloraFauna]

I've noticed that I have had problems with my stomach after eating at Hibachi restaurants.
I thought it was just coincidence, since sometimes my stomach will act "funny" no matter how careful I am with what I eat. Does anyone know what specifically the problem is with hibachi?

At first I thought it might be red meat, but the last time I went, I ordered just the vegetables and ate some of the lobster on DH's plate. I was doubled over with pain when I got back home.

 

[ticktock]

I've noticed that I have had problems with my stomach after eating at Hibachi restaurants.
I thought it was just coincidence, since sometimes my stomach will act "funny" no matter how careful I am with what I eat. Does anyone know what specifically the problem is with hibachi?

At first I thought it might be red meat, but the last time I went, I ordered just the vegetables and ate some of the lobster on DH's plate. I was doubled over with pain when I got back home.

SOY. You can't find any Asian food in America that doesn't have soy in it. Also the fancy Japanese soy sauce seemed to bother me way more then the cheap stuff from the grocery, back before I eliminated soy from my diet and got my life back.

MIGrandma I had the same experiances. Bathroom issues getting progressively worse and all the docs telling me I had IBS which is just doctor speak for "You have this group of symptoms and we don't know why". I eliminated gluten and then soy and feel normal most of the time. Soy is my worst sensitivity. I can't use anything with the least amount of soy by product, which is in everything. Vitamin E, lotion, shampoo, hand sanitizer, 99% of processed foods. Urgh.

 

[cherylp3]

Also the soy sauce could have gluten as well.

 

[frndshpcptn]

I was diagnosed with IBS about 21 years ago...tried a few different drugs to help (bentyl, etc) and not only did it not work, but I swear the Bentyl made it worse. I had the Upper GI series, sonogram, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc. Everything. They even tested for Celiac about 10 years ago - nothing.

I lived with the horrible stomache aches, urgent bathroom issues, fear of eating most foods and self-esteem issues that stemmed from all this from the time I was about 8 or 9 years old, until now (I'm 31).

Then, a few months ago I read Elizabeth Hasselbeck's book The G Free Diet.

It spoke to me. A lot.

So, within a week I took myself completely off gluten. Less than 10 days later I was a completely different person. In the 3 months that I have been gluten-free, I've has only 2 urgent bathroom issues (and both times were after I ate out at places that claimed to not have any gluten in the food, but clearly it was hidden a sauce or dressing).

Other than that, I've had a "normal" stomache / digestive system for the first time since I was a little girl.

Going Gluten Free changed everything - I'm a HUGE adocate for it and I only wish I had discovered this years ago.

 

[pampam]

pampam,
\
would you mind being more specific with the Specific Carbohydrate diet. Can I find it on the internet if I google it?

Thank you - really interested.

Yes, it was on the internet that I first heard of it. I knew something was in my diet causing the problem, but try as I might, I couldn't solve the problem. I tried going gluten free, and it helped imensly, but I still had serious episodes. I was eventually diagnosed with what the Dr. felt was Crones Disease. I checked up on the diet and thought I could never do that. The disease progressed. My dr. was talking surgery, but I thought before I try something so invasive I'll try the diet. It was developed by Elaine Gottschall, a Canadian dietitian, who discovered that the crohnes was caused by certain bacteria in the gut. These bacteria feed on certain carbohydrate molecules. For example, you can eat rhutabaga but not turnip. It's very specific. If you eliminate these from the diet, the bacteria will starve, and the intestines will heal themselves. It's all explained in her book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" I decided if I was going to do this diet, I would get serious about it so I called up a second hand book store and got the book for $6.00. It retails for much more. After being on the diet for a week, I felt really good. As time went on, my symptoms disapeared. I went back to the Dr. a few months later, and he's pressing on my gut saying "Does this hurt? Does this hurt?" It didn't, so he said whatever you are doing keep doing it. So I showed him the book. "Yes, Elaine Gottschall, I've heard of her" he said. A year later, I had another colonoscopy. There was no crohnes in the large bowel where it had been previously, so he figured it must be in the small intestine where the scope wouldn't reach. I reminded him about this diet I was on, and he said "there is no cure for crohnes, only surgery. Keep taking your pills". Meanwhile I hadn't been on any meds for about 6 months. Did I mention he was a surgeon? Anyway, I can't fault him for that. I don't expect him to know everything, and I understand his training would involve cutting away the bowel. I chose to go another route- a better route in my opinion. While on the diet, all my arthritis disappeared, my acid reflux stopped, so no more meds for that, I really felt great. (While on the diet I also lost 35 pounds, another bonus).

In your search you will find a list of legal and illegal foods. I printed it out , and used it faithfully. You could do it without buying the book, but I think you will have greater success if you understand how these carbohydrate molecules work. The book also has great recipes that got me started, but I printed out many pages of recipes from the internet. It was a little more work, but do-able. For example, I had to make my own ketchup, because what we buy in the store could be up to 70% sugar. I enjoy cooking and baking, and never felt deprived on this diet. I still had my pies, cookies and squares but they were made with nut flour and honey instead of grain and sugar. I printed out cards (you can find that in the computer too) that I would hand to the cook or server in restaurants and I never had a problem. If I went to a burger restaurant, I would get them to put my filler free burger between 2 pieces of lettuce so I could pick it up. I eliminated the relish, but had mustard, tomato, onion and my homemade ketchup on it instead. (I always carried a small jar of ketchup or barbecue sauce in my purse.) Family and friends were very accomodating. If I went to a pot luck, I always took a casserole and a dessert, so I knew I'd have something to eat. The food I brought was always the first to go, because everyone loved it and it was very healthy.

 

[AnnaS]

Thank you for all the info. I did print out some info also with the list of what is allowed and what is not.
I guess like any other diet - it is a lot of work but if it works and it makes you feel better, healthier - you have to do it.

I am sending you a pm.

 

[bikinpunk]

I was diagnosed with IBS about 8 years ago at the age of 19. Since then the level of intensity has varied. I’ve got a full year without a single accident when I was about 22. It really only flared up when I was nervous about a presentation or something happening at work.
However, the past year has been bad and continues to get worse.
I finally decided to go back to the doctor (tomorrow), but am seeing a different one as the doctor I had didn’t listen to me and didn’t seem to care what I told him.

I hear how you all feel. IBS-D pretty much controls my life now. I always have to know where a bathroom is, I’ve had a few ‘accidents’ in the past few months… I mean, my life just sucks right now. It’s hard enough for me to make it to work in the morning.

And I’d like to also ask some of you this:
Do you feel that the mental is tied to the physical?
Ie: you’re stressed about a bathroom being near, and that makes your situation worse. It seems to me the two are linked. It’s a ‘which came first: chicken or egg?’ situation. If I start off worrying about potential issues, you can bet money that I’m going to have them. But, then if I just ‘go’ in the morning, then I may be worried about having to go again, and thus fight the cycle all day.
Living this way really sucks, for a lack of better words.




I’m hoping my doctor will be able to prescribe me something to help me. I know there is no cure, but there’s got to be something.
I know xanax has worked for me in the past, so I’m going to request that.

I had done some reading on what looks to be a great prescription, though potentially dangerous: Lotronex. But, it appears it’s only for women with IBS-D; not men with this. That sucks for me.


Anyway, I just wanted to chime in. Being 27, and having this really sucks the life out of me. I can’t do things I want to without worrying if I’ll have another attack… I just can’t enjoy life in general unless it involves me staying at the house.


I’m going to DW Thursday… can’t wait to see how that 10 hour drive is going to pan out for me.
Hopefully the Doctor will have something to help me out until they can run more tests.
I’d pay $100,000 to be ‘normal’ again. I’m just happy my wife is finally understanding just what this disease means for me.

Thanks for this thread. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Something my doc has been trying for me that seems to be having at least some modest success is a low dose antibiotic called Xifaxan. Apparently there is a new theory that in some people with IBS, there is an imbalance of the good bacteria in the gut, and this brings it back into balance.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I started having IBS issues when I was 34. I"m 42 now and continue to have them. My doctor just said it's IBS and gave me some pills for muscle spasms which did no good at all.

I've kept mental food diaries of the things I cannot eat and it's pretty much everything but meat, wine and cheese. Vegetables and fruit are absolutely out of the question and if I happen to be flying on an airplane-for the previous 24 hours, I have to pretty much starve myself to any avoid issues. SUX!

I'm thinking of going gluten/casein free and seeing if that does anything. Bread for me is horrible. I can't process that whatsoever and not to be gross, but vegetables and fruit look exactly the same coming out as they did going in. It's not a good way to live.

I don't absorb anything I put into my body, except meat and cheese as far as food goes. Even if I drink something like Koolaid-it goes right through me, same color coming out. I am trying some digestive pills right now I got from the health food store and that seems to help. I get sooo bloated when i eat that sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it to eat anything at all.