IBS

[rowech]

Well...not sure how to start this thread but I have somehow developed IBS and it's starting to really mess up my day-to-day life. This thread could be ultra embarrassing so I hope if you don't have anything that can help that you just move along...

I had symptoms once before but after losing 70 pounds now I thought those issues would be gone for good. Lately, they're back and I'm looking for anything that anyone has done to help if you've gone through things before. My doctor continues to tell me it's nerves, to relax, and I'm in control, etc. but I just don't feel I am. Are there any treatments anyone might receive that they could recommend? Any foods I should stay away from? Just looking for help.

[spleen1015]

I've never experienced it, but I know a couple of people that have.

Good luck finding some help, man.

[DaddyTorgo]

Well...not sure how to start this thread but I have somehow developed IBS and it's starting to really mess up my day-to-day life. This thread could be ultra embarrassing so I hope if you don't have anything that can help that you just move along...

I had symptoms once before but after losing 70 pounds now I thought those issues would be gone for good. Lately, they're back and I'm looking for anything that anyone has done to help if you've gone through things before. My doctor continues to tell me it's nerves, to relax, and I'm in control, etc. but I just don't feel I am. Are there any treatments anyone might receive that they could recommend? Any foods I should stay away from? Just looking for help.

:(

Not gonna crack a joke or anything. That sucks man. I don't have any idea how to help - except wondering if you're tried taking medication for it?

[Rizon]

Well...not sure how to start this thread but I have somehow developed IBS and it's starting to really mess up my day-to-day life. This thread could be ultra embarrassing so I hope if you don't have anything that can help that you just move along...

I had symptoms once before but after losing 70 pounds now I thought those issues would be gone for good. Lately, they're back and I'm looking for anything that anyone has done to help if you've gone through things before. My doctor continues to tell me it's nerves, to relax, and I'm in control, etc. but I just don't feel I am. Are there any treatments anyone might receive that they could recommend? Any foods I should stay away from? Just looking for help.

I was diagnosed with it 13 years ago. At the time my doctor told me to stop smoking, drinking, taking Advil/Motrin and stop the stress.

I've been on medication before but it never really worked for me. What works best for me? Just F'n ignoring it. If it does get to be too much Pepto is pretty much the only thing that works for me.

Things that aggravate it: spicy foods, smoking, sodas, junk food, coffee, stress.

[QuikSand]

If this information is useful, great:

*Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Symptoms and Risk Factors *--* T. Colin Campbell Foundation (http://www.tcolincampbell.org/courses-resources/article/irritable-bowel-syndrome-symptoms-and-risk-factors/category/gastrointestinal-disorders/?tx_ttnews)

Widely varying opinions on what would help here... this is among them.

[MacroGuru]

I honestly think this is what I am beginning to deal with now and if it is, it sucks.

I am thinking of switching up my diet and seeing if that helps (And I deserve to be berated over it, I ate like shit traveling the past 4 years.)

But other than that, I have tried Pepcid AC, TUMs and Pepto...Pepto has been the best.

[BrianD]

My big advice would be to start a food log. Write down what you have for meals and how your body reacts to it. After a short time, you should start to see some patterns. I have trouble with spicy foods, really rich foods, and tomatoes. Learn what gives you problems and stay away from it.

You may also want to make sure it is IBS and not celiac disease. Read up on a gluten free diet and compare that to your food log.

[flounder]

I had what I thought was IBS. It turned out I had become lactose intolerant. I would second the idea of a food log. I went through all kinds of tests before trying eliminating dairy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Haven't been there personally but the idea of a food log seems like a good one.
I've used the same technique on another subject (smoking) and I was surprised by how much I learned from it.

[RainMaker]

I've never been diagnosed with it but I believe I have some form of it.

I went through the same thing you did with losing weight. Symptoms went away but I still had bouts of it. I will say that my bouts were less and less the healthier I ate. But I'd still get it which made me wonder just how important food was.

There have been some studies about exercise (particularly intensity) and IBS. They don't know if the exercise is doing it or the fact that exercise can tend to lower stress and anxiety levels which lower IBS. Have you considered getting into a heavier exercise regiment? Maybe taking up running or lifting weights?

[Lathum]

My SIL has some serious gluten problems that cause her to have IBS related issues, I suggest looking into that and discussing it with your doctor.

Good luck, as a teacher I'm sure it is really tough

[johnnyshaka]

My mother has IBS and after years of trying various meds she resorted to narrowing down what caused the flare ups. In other words, a food log is definitely the way to go.

[rowech]

I've never been diagnosed with it but I believe I have some form of it.

I went through the same thing you did with losing weight. Symptoms went away but I still had bouts of it. I will say that my bouts were less and less the healthier I ate. But I'd still get it which made me wonder just how important food was.

There have been some studies about exercise (particularly intensity) and IBS. They don't know if the exercise is doing it or the fact that exercise can tend to lower stress and anxiety levels which lower IBS. Have you considered getting into a heavier exercise regiment? Maybe taking up running or lifting weights?

I'm running pretty seriously at this point. Four miles one day, seven another, and then two days of weights/stairs/elliptical mixed in.

The first time I went through this I got rid of milk, limited cheese, and things went better.

I've been paying pretty good attention to what I've been eating the last couple of weeks. I have the same breakfast and lunch every day so it can't be coming from that as some days I'm fine and others I'm not. I think it somehow has to be coming from things I eat at dinner but again, I can't track down sources that seem to be triggering things.

In addition, I find that many times, just eating in general is the trigger. 20-30 minutes after eating, I just feel like things are going crazy. After it passes, whether I go or not, it's fine for several hours until the next meal.

I will ask my doctor about the celiac disease that was mentioned. It does seem like there are some very similar symptoms compared to the IBS diagnosis. I have a feeling that my doctor is probably right to a point that much of it is in my head. Because I've had to leave class before, it's just in my brain that it will happen all the time even though it doesn't. I would guess stress plays a big part in it too unfortunately. I know that the release of stress is often a trigger for my migraines so I wonder if that will cause problems in other ways as well.

I can't fathom that the mind can control so much about the body when it comes to stuff like that though.

[Julio Riddols]

I had IBS symptoms about 2 years ago when I lived in Phoenix.. I had begun to stress about several new things in my life and it had taken a while to sort of build up, but eventually I got to a point where I had IBS issues and panic attacks as well.

After changing my diet (mostly just avoiding processed foods when possible and drinking lactose free milk instead of regular milk), eliminating caffeine and cigarettes, and learning how to control my panic attacks, everything sort of sorted itself out.

A lot of the stress had to do with my first kid being on the way and my fears that I wasn't yet ready to be a father emotionally or financially.. Some of it was also likely from lack of exercise, as I had a job where I sat at a computer all day and I was pretty lazy at home as well.. But I just read what I could about panic attacks/anxiety and IBS and started a food log as others have mentioned. Once I started noticing that there was no particular trouble food, I realized it was all in my head and I just needed to divert myself when I was stressed by doing something peaceful or fun and by being more physically active. Then after my son was born, I was occupied with him all the time and sort of forgot about all the things that worried me. Now I can eat whatever for the most part and even smoke an occasional cigarette, and my fiancee and I go hiking and play basketball several times a week and I no longer have issues with IBS or anxiety.

Don't know if any of this will help, just relaying my experience. Its amazing how much your brain can really fuck with you if you let it.

[Sgt Tomorrow]

I've got it... staying near a comfortable place does it for me... I have been lactose intolerant also for nearly 2 years now, before that I was eating a gallon of ice cream every two days besides the milk cheese yogurt, etc. I take Lactaid when I remember, other than that, my body wakes me early in the morning to take care of business. I don't eat out unless I am going to be home very shortly. Going to races and games has stopped for me. Even off the dairy I get the attacks. Not to be personal but make sure your tp is not that industrial stuff or you might as well use glass when you are sick. My experience is much linked to stress as well and learning to curb that can help.

[Qrusher14242]

I've had the same type of symptoms for a while...it usually seems to be any cheese or spicy foods that will do it. Milk doesnt seem to do it, at least i dont think so. It could also be all in my head, cause it seems to be worse if i think about it more.

Thats a good idea about a food log, i should try that out. Cause sometimes its hard to remember what triggers it.

[B & B]

Things that aggravate it: spicy foods, smoking, sodas, junk food, coffee, stress.

Hmm, the only things youre missing are energy drinks and alcohol. Or, energy drinks with alcohol in them. But yeah, that pretty much sums it up for me.

[britrock88]

I've had the same type of symptoms for a while...it usually seems to be any cheese ... Milk doesnt seem to do it, at least i dont think so.

Do you ever feel like you're having an allergic reaction in response to cheese?

[Flasch186]

Mine is called Jewish bowel syndrome...

[AlexB]

I've been diagnosed with this too - eating pretty healthily (avoiding junk food in particular) helps, and making sure you have Colpermin in the car/travel pack at all times is good.

I always have the low fat versions of things - skimmed milk, 0.1% yogurts, low fat spreads, etc and that helps.

Put up with the fact that your stomach could be fun after alcohol, but find out what else cause you problems - for me it's peanuts seem to be a common trigger.

I find if i eat too much or too little I have problems, so always have a banana/apple or similar between breakfast & lunch, and usually something between dinner and bedtime too. I always have a decent, healthy breakfast (juice, fruit & bran cereal or muesli with natural yoghurt; maybe eggs but never a fried bacon/sausage fry up) to make sure there's something good to get me started. As I say, I find it worse undereating than overeating.

But biggest thing I've found that helps is exercise - I've been cycling over the last year for 3-4 hours a week, pretty intensively (average heart rate during the rides is just over 2x resting heart rate) and it's caused me to lose weight and massively reduced the flare ups, even to the point that I can eat peanuts and not be too bad, spicy food is not a problem at all now, and good quality over cooked 9-10" thin crust pizzas OK too.

But no matter what, fast food is bad for me, and although I still have the occasional one, it's never good a few hours later.

Bizarrely the other thing I cannot defeat is the effect of flying: whenever I go on a plane my guts go nuts, no matter what I do with regards to Colpermin tablets, avoiding alcohol, taking fruit onto the plane as snacks - nothing helps, and I know I'm going be majorly uncomfortable for a good while after flying (& indeed during longer flights)

It took me a while to get used to it, but you will no doubt find what works for you.

As I say for me these are the keys:

Things to do
low fat versions of food
lots of fruit and veg
cycling
healthy snacks between meals to keep something going through the guts

Things to avoid
Fast food
Missing meals/under eating
Over eating
Personal trigger foods

[rowech]

What is Colpermin?

[AlexB]

Slow release Peppermint tablets basically - they calm the palpertations in the bowel that causes/exacerbates IBS. As soon as I start feeling a little bit bloated, I break them out: only things that even begin to help for me (apparently it's the slow release part that makes them so effective)

IBS Symptoms - Irritable Bowel Syndrome Information | COLPERMIN® (http://www.ibs-symptoms.co.uk/)

Apparently it's not available in the USA, but found this on Yahoo Answers

Where can I find Colpermin? - Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081220133642AAfWxPL)
Colpermin is an enteric-coated peppermint oil capsule. It used to be available in North America in the past. I guess lack of profit was the reason why they do not market it anymore. It is still available and very popular in Europe. An alternative would be Pepogest capsule by Nature's Way. Check some better-stocked pharmacies or health food stores

[AlexB]

Dola

That reminds me - since I got it, I really try to keep my fluid intake high, Lots of water, green tea/peppermint tea. Not sure exactly how much the green tea helps, but certainly if I don't drink enough water, I get attacks.

[AlexB]

Double dola

Another thing that affects whether/how bad I get is how often I go to the toilet. I drive a lot for my job, and if I don't find time to stop at service stations with the amount of water I drink while driving, my stomach is at high risk, even after I drain the snake.

Probably TMI, but it's true unfortunately, and the more that you recognise what causes problems, the easier it is to compensate/adjust because of them - in all honesty other that the flying and fast food bits, I can pretty much work around everything else now through. Took a while, but that's mainly beacuse I didn't have the wherewithal to ask for advice like you - hopefully with a few tips you will adjust much quicker.

[rowech]

I'll have to look into that...interesting. One of the few things I haven't tried.

[Flasch186]

Mine is majorly effected by stress and anxiety...

[cthomer5000]

My big advice would be to start a food log.

Not experienced it myself, but I would definitely start here.

[Qrusher14242]

Do you ever feel like you're having an allergic reaction in response to cheese?

no, i dont think so. It's just if i eat it, the next day i'll have ibs symptoms usually. So i try to avoid it. But it tastes so good :(

[rowech]

Slow release Peppermint tablets basically - they calm the palpertations in the bowel that causes/exacerbates IBS. As soon as I start feeling a little bit bloated, I break them out: only things that even begin to help for me (apparently it's the slow release part that makes them so effective)

IBS Symptoms - Irritable Bowel Syndrome Information | COLPERMIN® (http://www.ibs-symptoms.co.uk/)

Apparently it's not available in the USA, but found this on Yahoo Answers

Where can I find Colpermin? - Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081220133642AAfWxPL)
Colpermin is an enteric-coated peppermint oil capsule. It used to be available in North America in the past. I guess lack of profit was the reason why they do not market it anymore. It is still available and very popular in Europe. An alternative would be Pepogest capsule by Nature's Way. Check some better-stocked pharmacies or health food stores


I've been giving peppermint oil a try for the last week. Found several varieties in health food store and I must say that it's the best week I've had in MONTHS! It's been great. I have no idea if it's really working or if just the placebo effect but either way, there has been massive progress over the last week.

One other piece could be that I went off of my thyroid medicine for a while as my doctor feared it got cranked up too high. Now he has me down a bit and I just started back up. Hopefully, that's not the culprit.

[AlexB]

Glad it seems to be working - fingers crossed about the thyroid meds.