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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 4/9/2007 10:32 PM (GMT 0)

Hello all.  I have recently been diagnosed with ibs-d.  Started last summer and sort of tapered off through the winter but has "reared" its head again.  My main concern is not being able to make the 30 min. drive to work each morning.  No problems in the afternoon.  i have started to avoid the "trigger" foods but still have to make an emergency stop 1-2 times per week on the way to work.  I travel on backroads to get to work so there are no places to stop.  I am getting better at hiding myself at the side of the road in the bushes.  I find this to be humiliating.  However, my main question is regarding fibre supplements.  I am told they work for both conditions but haven't gotten the nerve to try them yet.  I don't need any MORE stops!  So far, no soiling if you know what I mean.  HELP!!  Will supplements actually slow things down to reduce the d?

Posted 4/9/2007 11:51 PM (GMT 0)

Hi and welcome, i too have ibs-d and find the mornings to be my worst. The only thing i can say about fibre supplements is that you have to give them a go to see if they wil help you. Fibre is a regulator so its good for both C and D, if you can tolerate it. I, unfortunatly, can not. You may need to try different types of fibre, ask at the health store or google for different types. When you do try, ignore the dosage amounts on the tub and start off real slow, kinda ease yourself into it and drink a ton of water daily.

One fibre supplement that i was ok with for a while was FibreGel. Comes in lemon or orange and you take a sachet after eating. This was the least agrivating suplement i tried and worked for a good couple of years before i sort of became immune to it.

Other things you could try is making sure you have a routine. Get up at the same time every day, even weekends and your tummy could get used to goibg at roughly the same time scale daily. I need 3 hours to get ready in the morning before i am comfortable enough to leave the house. Do not eat late at night either, and excercise in the AM may help. Lying on your back with legs in the air doing cycling motions is very good as it actually massages your tummy inside and can be calming.

I hope this is of some help to you.

Indigo

Posted 4/10/2007 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
Hi gotta go,
Welcome to HealingWell! :-)
Indigo gave you some great advice... Try the fiber. Metamucil works great for me. I pop 1 pill twice a day with a meal. **You must drink lots of water with fiber supplements.** As mentioned, DO NOT take the full recommended dosage right off the bat. Start with at most 1/2 a dosage and then work your way up. Fiber is notorious for causing excess gas at first, hence the need for introducing it slowly. Your body needs time to adjust. Same goes for probiotics. Do you take any? They might just be the ticket you need for controlling your curbside D. If you start taking them (which I highly recommend) start slow and work your way up.
Do you have breakfast in the morning before work? If so, you might want to stop. Wait until you get to work instead. Do you rush in the morning (i.e. are you always late)? If so, get up extra early to give yourself time to relax and be at a leisurely pace. I commute 35 miles each way to work (at least 1 hour each way with traffic) and I never eat before leaving in the morning. I wait to get to work. Also, I give myself plenty of time in the morning to get ready. IBS is usually especially bad in the morning and this is why you need to give your body time to relax and ease into the daily routine.
Have you read about calcium yet? MANY of us take a daily calcium supplement to help control the D. The calcium absorbs excess water and also helps soothe intestinal inflammation. I'll bump up a calcium post with oodles and oodles of information for you.
Posted 4/10/2007 12:55 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the advice 7Lil and Indigo.  I have not tried any supplements yet but am spending time online researching things like probiotics and L-glucosamine etc... I definitly need to give myself more time in the morning.  I don't eat breakfast since just eating seems to cause me discomfort at times.  From the forums I've been reading I see that my condition could be far worse.  I have an appointment with my sister's homeopath to see what she can do for me.  At least some of that is covered by my healthcare. 

P.S.  I tend to have a somewhat normal bowel movement 10-20 mins after I get up and then another yucky one 10-20 mins after that.  Its the second one that seems to be causing the trouble.  What are your thoughts about getting myself all worked up each morning being a large part of the problem.  I have to admit, no matter how I feel the thought of having to go suddenly is on my mind the whole trip.

Thanks for your consideration everyone.

Posted 4/10/2007 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes thinking about having a problem does indeed cause it, but also feel assured that the VAST majority of people with IBS have most of their stomach problems when they get up in the morning until noon or so. That's not to say that eating a bad dinner won't mess you up right away, but a lot of times it waits and catches you in the morning.

Have you tried the Caltrate 600 w/ vitamin D? A calcium pill or two a day can help a lot of mild D problems, or at least make bad D problems not quite so bad. You can try taking one before bed and another as soon as you wake up to help get it timed to match your morning problems.
Posted 4/11/2007 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
actually Keriamon, your comments fit perfectly as far as the timing goes. afternoon good, morning bad. I just picked up some calcium and some benefibre. starting slow but maybe i'll see some results soon enough. thanks for your thoughts.
Posted 4/18/2007 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi 7Lil,

I would be interested in reading the thread with information on Calcium; what is the title of the thread? Thanks
Posted 4/18/2007 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
I take Pamine for IBS D.I'm more normal now than in the last 10 years.............
Posted 4/18/2007 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi brandii,

Here is the link: Calcium Info That May Help If You Get Diarrhea

It's a lot of info but it sure is helpful.  Good luck!

Posted 4/19/2007 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
The other thing I do to avoid morning problems is to wait and eat my breakfast when I get to work. That way, if it stimulates me, I'm where I have a bathroom. I take simple things to work to eat, like fresh bread and no-sugar added jam, yogurt, oatmeal, Carnation Instant Breakfast, or a fruit smoothie that I make myself. Those are all pretty easy to carry with you in a bag or a travel coffee container and then you can eat them leisurely once you get to work.

But definitely check out the calcium. That may be all you need to give you a boost so you can hold it in until you get to work. I too drive a lot of backroads (30 minutes backroads, 30 minutes freeway). Also, if you ever have a problem with yellow, burning diarrhea, ask your doctor about Welchol. That yellow stuff is bile and the Welchol specifically absorbs it; the calcium absorbs water. While I have excess bile because I don't have a gall bladder anymore, some people with IBS-D also have too much bile in their stools too. Their gall bladder may be working fine, but their transit time is so fast or they're having malabsorption problems, so they're not getting their bile reabsorbed like they need to.
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