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What ELSE, besides fiber, can you do for IBS???

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 4/27/2009 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Hi folks. I've been hanging out in the fibromyalgia forum for a few months and those folks have been wonderful, but now I need some advice from the IBS "experts"!  For some time now I have been doing all I can to increase my consumption of fiber, and my IBS has been relatively good.  Unfortunately, I was recently diagnosed with gastroparesis, which means I CAN'T EAT FIBER!  I've been on my new soft diet for about 3 weeks now, and, you guessed it, my IBS has gone crazy!  HELP!  Does anyone have any suggestions?  Thanks for your input.

"Songbird"

Posted 5/4/2009 7:05 PM (GMT 0)

Sorry to hear you're having troubld :(

What exactly do you mean when you say you can't eat fiber? Are you saying you can't eat a certain kind of food (e.g. wheat bran, vegetables??) Or a certain kind of fiber (insoluble or soluble)?

Knowing what you can't eat could help me give you better advice. The primary way I try to manage my symptoms is by controlling what I eat. With that being said, I think that is would be practically impossible to cut out 100% of your fiber intake since soluble fiber and insoluble fiber exist in so many foods. It would also be unhealthy to do so. I am sure that in your soft foods you are taking in some fiber, probably in the soluble form which is much more soothing on the gut.

Other than diet, I have found the best ways to manage my IBS symptoms are through reducing stress, getting plenty of exercise, getting adequate sleep, and taking a flavonoid supplement. I was on probiotics for a long while, but am currently giving my body a break. I have also just accepted that there are times when I am just going to have really bad days no matter what I do. Rx medications for IBS didn't do anything for me. I take Imdoium about every 2-3 days to maintain stability. I'm also going to start therapy again to try to get my anxiety under control as it can play havoc with my IBS.

Posted 5/4/2009 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Like belablue I have found the best way for me to combat IBS/D is diet, reducing stress, and personally, reducing the portions of food I eat. If I'm traveling, I barely eat. If I have an important function coming up, I drastically pull back from eating. When I eat lightly I make sure I keep my fluid intake up though. You never want to pull severely back on liquids, unless it's for a procedure (nothing by mouth after midnight, for example).

A food diary helps too. Any notebook will suffice. Designate one page for each day, date it and record every single thing you eat and drink on that day. And how much (when might help too). Record if you took meds that day or not, were sick with something else, a cold or flu perhaps. These are important aspects of managing IBS. My gut is very touchy, it always acts up in December. Why? Because it's the busiest time of year! All that xmas shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking, attending and/or hosting parties, it all does a real whammy on my gut. So beginning on Dec. 1st I make sure I avoid all foods and candy/nuts that wreak havoc on my GI tract. I eat this way until early January. It's simply what works best for me. Also I do this one week before our vacation or something big in our family. We had a daughter graduate from HS last May. We hosted a huge party. I was barely eating 2 weeks prior. I don't know what kept me going but I somehow got thru it and began eating better after it was all over.

I never eat in social situations either, if I'm given a full plate of food I nibble but usually ask for the rest of it boxed up.

Sometimes a weekly enema has helped me clear out the crud. Sounds odd I know but that does seem to give me a few more normal like days. If you resort to an enema, make sure you ate well the day before and day of, then keep your fluids up during the enema and while it's working. That way you won't become dehydrated.
Posted 5/4/2009 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah specifically no whole grains, no fruits or vegetables except bananas, CANNED pears or peaches, applesauce, cooked carrots or beets, strained baby food. Fiber can cause bezoars, a solid mass of undigested food matter similar to a hairball in a cat, which can be dangerous if they block the passage of food into the small intestine.

Thanks for your replies. I am learning to make adjustments. This whole "no fiber" thing really kinda blew my mind for a while but it's finally sinking in. I was able to meet with a dietitian who really helped me understand my situation a lot better. FYI - for IBS she recommended Culturelle, a dietary supplement containing 10 billion Lactobacillus GG cells per capsule.
Posted 5/5/2009 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
That sounds like what I eat anyway. I cannot tolerate whole grains, raw veggies and certain types of veggies at all. Fruits make me want to die I am in such pain!

Good that you are seeking the help of a dietician! I'm sorry to hear about your dx, but you are doing what you need to do to take care of your body which is all you can do!

Probiotics, like Culterelle, can definitely help with digestion. I've taken them for years and swear by them!

Posted 5/10/2009 9:20 PM (GMT 0)

Hi

I hope a lot of you will read my message. I have for 2 years been in constant pain with my tummy. Pain to the point where I needed to go to the hospital. No one could ever found anything. I was referred to a gastroanterologist who couldnt care less. I was probably his number 1000 patient with the same symptoms. I had to insist for him to a gastro and colonscopy. I wanted to get to the bottom of it!

Results came back : nothing was wrong. So he said I was IBS, with no specific reason of how I got it. And more importantly there was nothing I could do BUT be careful with my food.

Over the past 2 years I became Gluten Free, dairy free.... it helped a little bit but the symptoms, problems were still there : bloated after every meal, gas (with bad odour), pain, either with diarhea or constipation.... you know the drill if you suffer from "IBS".

It make me laught (now that I have found the solution) that a doctor can actually diagnose someone IBS because they dont know better, AND worst that they cant actually treat you. Its RIDICULOUS.

Anyway people, the solution to this problem is a colon irrigation! over the years things get stuck to your colon and end up causing terrible digestion, bad breath, tummy pain.... all sort. Just google colon irrigation, have a look at some photo (you will be amazed to see what is actually in your body)

A healthy bowel is a healthy life. It is actually amazing to discover that every part of your body is related to your colon and that if your colon doesnt work properly then none of the other part of your body do.

NOW you need to do a proper colon irrigation. Forget about the pills, about the fast, about the detox you need to go to a specialist. They will massage your internal organs with warm water and gas, and this will help break down all the bad stuff and eventually get it out of your system. You will need about 5 or 6 session to get rid of it all. It is not painful, nothing to be embarrassed about, its quick and a fantastic process.

THIS WILL BE LIFE CHANGING. It has changed mine, and without any medications. it is all a natural process.

I hope this help you.

Thank you for this website where I have found support with my problem and felt I was not alone. Hopefully I will help someone too.

Posted 5/14/2009 1:42 AM (GMT 0)

My mother has IBS, and she's found that one of the biggest things she can do to help control her symptoms is drink lots of water. Any day that she doesn't drink enough water, she's in agony.

I hope you find a diet that helps!

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