Have you changed WHAT you eat since finding out you have IBS?

Hey hope,

Good for you for doing your research!  Essentially, while a lot of dietary changes can help people with their bowel problems, it's really difficult to pinpoint what exactly is the culprit in a lot of these cases.  That's why one book will say you need to cut out dairy, another one will say you have to cut out gluten, another red meat, another raw veggies, another yeast...

My take is this: it will take a LOT of time to figure out what works best for your individual body.  Some people go on elimination diets - basically going down to a bare-bones diet, then gradually adding in major food groups one at a time over a period of weeks or even months.  And sometimes they find a particular food that really does a number on them and they can eliminate it from there.  It may work wonders.

Some major culprits for people with IBS do tend to be milk products (and not just products with lactose, but casein and other milk proteins), wheat gluten (found in a lot of foods), high fructose corn syrup (also found in a lot of processed foods), and sugar alcohols.

If you want to see if you have a sensitivity to any of these foods, it'll take some work, but you have to really start tracking everything you eat.  You have to become a food-label demon (i.e., you have to read every single ingredient before putting it in your mouth).  You have to understand the difference between sucrose and sorbitol, between lactose and casein and whey, between high fructose corn syrup and regular ol' fructose, etc.  That book you have is probably a good start.

You might also check out "Eating Right for a Bad Gut." That has some helpful dietary hints as well.

Keep us updated - I really hope you're able to get those symptoms under control soon!

Hi Laurel,

I don't think that there is any real "cure" for IBS. There are ways to keep it under control, but saying that eliminating dairy or other food products would "cure" it is misleading. A cure would mean it would be completely cleared up and gone away and that you'd be able to eat whatever you wanted again, including dairy. So I think cure is the wrong word. After all, you can not cure an allergy, you can just avoid what triggers an allergy attack.

I'd have to say that I disagree with whoever the MD is that wrote the book you are currently reading. Everyone is different as to what triggers IBS flare-ups. There are lots of food culprits that IBS'rs have in common, but there are also many culprits unique to each person. Plenty of people do have trouble with dairy, but I don't think it can be said that IBSr's are all allergic to all types of dairy. I have IBS-D and I can eat some dairy. I can safely and comfortably eat cheese, yogurt, and milk in my cereal. I can also tolerate ice cream as long as I do not eat it on an empty stomach. I know for sure that I have IBS and I also know for sure that I am not allergic to dairy. On the other hand, there are people who are allergic to dairy (lactose intolerant) and do not have IBS.

Yeast overgrowth is a known factor in causing stomach problems, but I believe yeast overgrowth is a totally separate problem from IBS. The foods you listed as contributing to yeast overgrowth are sometimes known as triggers for IBS, but perhaps not due to the yeast in them. I think caffeine is a problem because it's a stimulant, which makes D worse. If you think you have yeast overgrowth you can go to a doctor and I believe get tested for that. A yeast overgrowth can be resolved with treatment, but that will not necessarily cure IBS.

I hate to say this, but don't get your hopes up about totally getting rid of the IBS, if that's what you have. You will only get frustrated. What works for others may not work for you. Working out a safe diet is trial and error. I know for me I have discovered that raw fruits and veggies, fruit juice, alcohol and spicy and acidic foods are problems. I can, however, comfortably eat some dairy and some bread. If you'd like to modify your diet I would suggest start eliminating certain things to see if the symptoms subside.

Good luck! It can be frustrating but once you've got it figured out, it can be kept under control.

Hi Laurel,

Do you mind if I ask you what, if any, your other symptoms are? Besides the upper right quadrant pain that is. Have you had your gallbladder looked at? I think I read somewhere that you have...not sure though.

Gas can cause pain in the upper right quadrant, also under the rib cage and around the back/shoulder area. I have experienced this before, but not as persistently as you have. There are some things you can do to try to find out if it truly is gas. Does taking a "gas relief" medication seem to help? A couple other things that have relieved this type of gas pain for me are laying on the opposite side of the pain (so laying on your left side for you) and tucking my knees to my chest. It seems to get the gas moving. Also try having someone rub your back in a circular motion, or gently pat you on the back repetitively. That can break up gas bubbles and get them moving (sort of has the same effect as burping a baby!) If any of these things help reduce the pain it probably is just being caused by gas. If that's the case, you can start tracking and eliminating foods to see what might be contributing to it.

If you have no "gas relief" it might be worth it to further explore the pain with your doctor. Especially if diet modification doesn't help!

1. Yes. I follow a Low Residue Diet. My "magic" foods are mostly white, LOL - bananas, Stonyfield Vanilla yogurt, cottage cheese, applesauce, white bread, Bay's plain English Muffins, white rice, mashed potatoes, chicken, turkey, etc.

2. I eliminate chocolate, whole wheat products, spicy foods. I go easy on ethnic foods too. I am mostly on a plain, Bob Evans type diet!

3. Tips - I try to eat 4 to 6 small meals, instead of 3 large ones a day. I halve everything if we are eating out, before I even begin eating my meal - I just take my knife and cut it all into halves, then I ask for a doggie bag, taking the other half home. I scoot all the halves off to the side and quite honestly I am full when I eat only half my meal. If I eat everything a restaurant serves me, I am in the bathroom for hours - bms coming one after another and if I eat light, I can avoid this dumping. I also skip meals altogether if I have an important social event. I just make sure I eat several healthy meals earlier in the day, then abstain from solids until the next day. This seems to work well for me. I need to stop eating 4 hours before an event if I want to avoid any bm activity. Also, I am back to not eating after 7 p.m. I just drink water if I'm hungry. This tricks my stomach into thinking I've eaten. I end up sleeping much better and I've managed to stay in my size 8 clothing!

Mary/Marsky

Post Edited (Marsky) : 11/21/2007 3:51:28 PM (GMT-7)

Hi!

I go to a homeopathic Dr. to treat my IBS-D.  I have tried GI specialist and none of them have helped me in treating my IBS. (I've been through the ringer of tests to Dx IBS or something else that may cause chronic diarrhea with mucus.) 

At my last appointment, my homeopathic Dr. told me that he thought that I may have a sensitivity to wheat (gluten) or dairy, or both for that matter.  He told me to eliminate it from my diet for a month & see how I feel.  (This is very hard because we live in a world where processed foods are easy to prepare and are packed with gluten along with preservatives.)  I am eating chicken, fish, turkey, fruits, & vegetables (raw or frozen, not canned).  Instead of milk, I am drinking water & juices, green tea, those kinds of things.  I am eating no cheese, milk, breads, pasteries, anything that is made with flour, etc.  It HAS helped although it has been difficult to do because somany foods have wheat & dairy n them.  I have been tested for celiac which was negative, but my homeopathic Dr. said that it doesn't really matter if it comes up negative, I may just be sensitive to it vs. having a full blown out allergy to it. 

So to answer your question, yes, I have seen some improvement!  I can't say it has "cured" it, because I still have my daily morning "rush" to the bathroom, but it's better than going 10 times a day, right?!   I also had this wierd taste in my mouth along with the IBS before I took out the wheat & dairy.  I do not have this wierd taste anymore.

Take care,

Shelly