IBS and eating

tina_ · 08-27-2007, 04:43 PM

What can you eat with your IBS with out setting it off? because right now no matter what I eat or how small of a portion I eat I still get sick so i need help!!

Dolphin39 · 08-27-2007, 05:27 PM

My hubby has IBS and just about everything sets him off as well,but the foods he has tested so to speak he will stick with them much as possible and he avoids what really sets it off the most..i feel for ya i know what your are going through i go through it with hubby and i see how it effects his life...........maybe you can figure out what sets it off and avoid it i know sauses and spices sets his off the most. *HUGS*

stellarnix · 08-27-2007, 06:37 PM

W/o knowing more about your type of IBS, all I can say is try to avoid processed meats(bacon, ham, sausage, pepperoni) and high acid foods(tomatos/sauce, citrus). I take 2 fiber capsules per day, and eat dannon activia yogurt 3-5 times per week, and have been doing well for about 5 months.

Try keeping a food/mood diary. Write what you eat, and how you feel for about 2 weeks. That should really show you what your trigger foods are. Good luck and take care.

tina_ · 08-27-2007, 10:50 PM

I try not to eat anything with dairy because that seems to set me off plus anything spicy or any citrus but no matter what i eat i still end up in the bathroom at 2am

Mireille · 08-27-2007, 11:25 PM

Hint: drink hot water with your meals. Whatever your meals happen to be. My doctor recommended sipping hot water all day, and while that's not feasible for me, a cup of hot water with my food has done *wonders* for my digestion. Pasta (whole wheat) and any sort of beef used to send me into downward spirals of 'curl up and die', but eating slowly and the hot water? Totally makes a difference.

Also, fibre. I eat the rabbit food bran cereal every morning (which makes up half the recommended 30 grams/day), and eat assorted greenery (variety helps- I eat too much of one thing and Bad Things happen) and drink my hot water the rest of the day. It works for me. But I seem to be less susceptible to intense applications of fibre so I won't pretend it'll work for everyone. My sister eats a serving of my cereal and ends up in the bathroom ten minutes later. *rolls eyes*

tina_ · 08-28-2007, 12:12 AM

Last yeat I use to eat and then be in the bathroom. My parents thought I had a serious eating dissorder or I was preg lol. turned out both were wrong and it was just ibs. Ive also been taking benifiber 3 times an imodium once a day and im still ending up sick

ttara123 · 08-28-2007, 03:00 AM

Was the hot water suggestion for IBS-C or IBS-D? I have IBS-D and hot beverages sends me to the bathroom

Unfortunately, if you've already cutting out your trigger foods and you're still getting sick, you have to eat! I have been eating more organically (my milk is always always organic, my meat is organic whenever I buy it, and I try to go organic with many fruits/veggies) and it did help a lot after just about a month doing that.

Are you taking any medications? I have an arsenal of Bentyl (prescription), amitryptiline (also prescription, it's an anti-depressent that I'm on right now but am slowly phasing out because it doesn't do anything for me personally except make me bat**** crazy), but more than those prescriptions I get relief from Immodium, Pepto Bismal, and a probiotic (I get mine from a supplement source, some drug stores have them but I don't know ebough about them to be able to recommend certain ones you try. I'm on Bifidophilus. probiotics are the junk in activia that makes it help, although you can just buy it in capsul form and avoid the yogurt).

And this is going to sound super crazy, but I picked up this trick from an IBS forum I frequent and it has basically changed my life. If I had to choose just one medicine, I'd probably choose this over Immodium: eat Calcium with every meal. Specifically, Caltrate. It took a few weeks to work, but I swear it has turned my IBS around. I feel so much better all the time, and now I only use Pepto or Immodium about once a week. I can't even pretend to be able to explain it, but here's a link to the forum topic so you can check it out for yourself:

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index...howtopic=72764

(it has like a gazillion pages of replies, you don't really have to read them all, but definitely read the first couple that explains everything)

ameliapaige · 08-28-2007, 11:17 AM

When my IBS-D kicked in I couldn't eat for almost a year. I had so much distension, I looked totally pg and never lost a pound. Eventually it settled down, I discovered that fish, chicken & Jasmin rice were good foods, dark green veggies are okay too but any and all fruit or dairy was bad. I still have issues especially with taking Met on top of the IBS but I eat very healthy and have learned what to stay away from. I love a good steak but red meat is never my friend. Good Luck!

Eva37 · 08-28-2007, 06:26 PM

aww,

ibs is no fun. I avoid wheat, dairy the most which seems to help
eva

Meli1978 · 08-28-2007, 08:42 PM

Can I ask what the difference between IBS-C and D are? I've not heard that before. Thanks.

tina_ · 08-28-2007, 10:21 PM

Ibs D is diarrhea and C is constipation..(I think that’s what c is)

Mireille · 08-28-2007, 10:23 PM

To put it somewhat delicately, IBS-D means you spend far too much time taking in the view from the porcelain throne, and IBS-C means you don't spend enough.

My sister has the 'D' variety, and has redecorated the bathroom because she hated spending so much time in such an ugly room.

I have the 'C' variety, but the hot water tends to work more on letting me eat without getting a tummy ache than, er, helping to move things along. But if hot drinks set you off, then yeah, eating and hot water at the same time will probably make things worse.

kboo · 08-29-2007, 07:34 PM

Hi Tina, I just ordered this stuff from amazon.com called Heather's Tummy Tamer. It's a fiber supplement that is organic and tasteless, has no artificial colors, flavors or sugar. It dissolves completely in food or liquid and doesn't go gluggy or slimy like psyllium. I ordered some and just got it today so have only had one dose so far but the reviews were very promising. I guess time will tell... They also had other products on there, peppermint capsules and stuff so maybe it would be worth checking out. Good luck!

Meli1978 · 08-29-2007, 07:47 PM

Thank you all for the replies to my question. I had heard of having one or the other in association with having IBS, just never seen it like IBS-C or D before. Here is the "funny" part. I have both c and d at times.....depending on what I eat or what decides to stay down that day. Is that possible? Anyone else have that?

ameliapaige · 08-30-2007, 10:17 AM

Meli, I had the same problem at the onset of IBS. It took a little while for me to figure it out but its very common (so I've been told) to have C following prolonged bouts of D. For me C is far worse...I'd rather get it out...eww, TMI...sorry! Anyway, you have to learn your trigger foods and avoid those. I remember there was a time where nothing seemed like a 'safe' food, I still have those days but just not quite as extreme.