Having ibs is ruining my life :(

KKkitty

username123 wrote: »

I suffered with IBS for years, for me it was mostly stress related, although some foods will trigger a bout, as will bad period pain.

One of the first things I found out was that Im prone to intestinal candida and it produces symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, cramps, bloating and runny poo for me. I think its my pill that causes me to be prone to it. I keep on top of it by taking diflucan or similar every 3 or 4 months - I can tell if I have a build up from the nature of the heartburn I feel.

Another trigger for me is processed food. I now only eat freshly prepared food 99% of the time, very occasionally I will get a takeaway, eat half of it, and feel rubbish afterwards.

Alcohol is another no no for me, one or two drinks are ok, but more than that and I will suffer with heartburn and indigestion for days on end.

Spicy foods - I can tolerate some spices, but for example, I cannot tolerate fresh chilli peppers in food at all - I will be doubled over with cramps and diarrhea the next day if I do eat them.

I keep painkillers on hand for period pain, and never let cramps become so bad as to start another IBS bout.

Mostly I found my answers through trial and error, an IBS event diary (as opposed to a food diary, because stress or period pain could also set me off).

I rarely have a tangible bout anymore, occasionally I will have an upset stomach with cramps for a day or two, but mostly I just get along fine. I have problems when travelling and eating in restaurants as I do not tolerate rich foods and sauces well so I try to stick to fish and salads in those circumstances.

Ive really found, as far as food is concerned, that simple is best for me, and the plainer the better - unless Ive prepared it myself and know that a sauce is ok, best not to risk it.

All my food is from pan to plate. I am going through a bad patch with ibs now but I think I'm so used to it that it doesn't get to me as much. I get constipation with it and muscular aches and pains during a flare up. I understand what you're going through with eating out. How are you feeling now.

username123

KKkitty wrote: »

All my food is from pan to plate. I am going through a bad patch with ibs now but I think I'm so used to it that it doesn't get to me as much. I get constipation with it and muscular aches and pains during a flare up. I understand what you're going through with eating out. How are you feeling now.

Mostly grand these days, just have to keep it simple food wise. Have not had much stress in life recently (thankfully) so fingers crossed - all good. Hope your bad patch clears up soon.

KKkitty

username123 wrote: »

KKkitty wrote: »

All my food is from pan to plate. I am going through a bad patch with ibs now but I think I'm so used to it that it doesn't get to me as much. I get constipation with it and muscular aches and pains during a flare up. I understand what you're going through with eating out. How are you feeling now.

Mostly grand these days, just have to keep it simple food wise. Have not had much stress in life recently (thankfully) so fingers crossed - all good. Hope your bad patch clears up soon.

Do you miss the rich foods and sauces at all. I sometimes miss microwavable foods. I let things get to me too much. Hope it's a long time til your ibs flares up again.

username123

KKkitty wrote: »

Do you miss the rich foods and sauces at all. I sometimes miss microwavable foods. I let things get to me too much. Hope it's a long time til your ibs flares up again.

Oh I do!! I had to totally simplify my diet, sometimes I just drool at rich things in the supermarket knowing they would upset my stomach!!

I make an amazing cream pepper sauce to go with steak - but I just cant handle it anymore!!!

Ive spent some time experimenting in the kitchen with various spices/simple combinations to get tasty sauces for things and Ive found:
Chopped tomatoes + pesto for a pasta sauce - tasty and ok for the stomach!
Lidl gravy - as gravy or add a lot of pepper and have it as a peppery sauce - seems ok too.
I used Tesco mild curry powder added to rice in chicken stock to make a biryani thats super tasty and clean on the stomach.

I miss chinese food most of all. Not that Id have it too often, but I did like it.

One thing that helps me is that my husband has very very simple taste with food. Given a choice between something with a sauce and a plain grilled chicken breast he would go for the chicken breast - so its easier on me that a lot of our shared meals are simple by request/choice rather than feeling deprived you know?

You kind of get used to it. Ive a friend just diagnosed as coeliac and the restrictions are massive compared to me just avoiding rich foods.

KKkitty

username123 wrote: »

KKkitty wrote: »

Do you miss the rich foods and sauces at all. I sometimes miss microwavable foods. I let things get to me too much. Hope it's a long time til your ibs flares up again.

Oh I do!! I had to totally simplify my diet, sometimes I just drool at rich things in the supermarket knowing they would upset my stomach!!

I make an amazing cream pepper sauce to go with steak - but I just cant handle it anymore!!!

Ive spent some time experimenting in the kitchen with various spices/simple combinations to get tasty sauces for things and Ive found:
Chopped tomatoes + pesto for a pasta sauce - tasty and ok for the stomach!
Lidl gravy - as gravy or add a lot of pepper and have it as a peppery sauce - seems ok too.
I used Tesco mild curry powder added to rice in chicken stock to make a biryani thats super tasty and clean on the stomach.

I miss chinese food most of all. Not that Id have it too often, but I did like it.

One thing that helps me is that my husband has very very simple taste with food. Given a choice between something with a sauce and a plain grilled chicken breast he would go for the chicken breast - so its easier on me that a lot of our shared meals are simple by request/choice rather than feeling deprived you know?

You kind of get used to it. Ive a friend just diagnosed as coeliac and the restrictions are massive compared to me just avoiding rich foods.

A friend of mine has coeliac disease too. She finds it incredibly hard when finding a restaurant to accommodate her diet. She has to stick to the same safe places the whole time. She took a look at my information sheet about ibs and found it very negative. It was basically all limit, avoid and restrict the whole way through it. There was nothing about what I could have or like what you've done yourself with substituting one thing for another. Well done for doing that.

username123

You know I remembered something yesterday evening about food and my ibs that might be helpful to you as well - Dolmio and Uncle Bens sauces - any of them that are no added colours and preservatives are ok for me as well.

Ive only seen one ibs info sheet and I thought it was very negative as well. The thing is, ibs is the catch all phrase that the medical community uses because they dont know what the issue is. So lots of stuff on those info sheets could be useless to an individual case.

I did go to an 'alternative' therapy about it once, I got vega testing done - that was who diagnosed the intestinal candida which once under control made a huge difference.

Its a lot of trial and error really. Stress makes it much worse although certain foods are triggers - the flare up will be worse with stress.

Peppermint tea or peppermint capsules can help a lot as well.

KKkitty

I found the same with those sauces too. I hate the fact that ibs is a diagnosis of exclusion. It's a very much underrated condition in my opinion. I know you can't die from it but my gp seemed uncooperative with me at the time he diagnosed me. I have not been near him since due to that. I would like to see how doctors would be if they had it.

El_Dangeroso

I honestly think IBS doesn't exist, because I have never met another person with the symptoms of mine. I know everyone is different but someone's crohn's is not that different from another person's crohn's.

My doctor was similar in disinterest in investigating further but I think you have to be forceful in demanding a colonscopy and stool analysis. SO many things are misdiagnosed as IBS it's ridiculous.

KKkitty

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

I honestly think IBS doesn't exist, because I have never met another person with the symptoms of mine. I know everyone is different but someone's crohn's is not that different from another person's crohn's.

My doctor was similar in disinterest in investigating further but I think you have to be forceful in demanding a colonscopy and stool analysis. SO many things are misdiagnosed as IBS it's ridiculous.

I've had blood taken to rule other things out. What are your symptoms by the way?

trixie_belle12

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

I honestly think IBS doesn't exist, because I have never met another person with the symptoms of mine. I know everyone is different but someone's crohn's is not that different from another person's crohn's.

My doctor was similar in disinterest in investigating further but I think you have to be forceful in demanding a colonscopy and stool analysis. SO many things are misdiagnosed as IBS it's ridiculous.

Having been continuously ill now since late September I was referred in December for a colonoscopy. I thought it would take longer but it's been scheduled for early next month.

CamperMan

IBS.. I had that back in the 1990's... caused by stress, bad diet and lack of exercise..

SO, I cut out the crap food, ate better, did more exercise and this helped reduce the stress levels = no IBS

trixie_belle12

CamperMan wrote: »

IBS.. I had that back in the 1990's... caused by stress, bad diet and lack of exercise..

SO, I cut out the crap food, ate better, did more exercise and this helped reduce the stress levels = no IBS

You were lucky to be able to rid yourself of it so effectively

KKkitty

Ibs is s**t to have. The less I stress about ibs and other things the better it gets but I get stressed over the most stupid of things. It seems to be easing off slightly now.

KKkitty

trixie_belle12 wrote: »

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

I honestly think IBS doesn't exist, because I have never met another person with the symptoms of mine. I know everyone is different but someone's crohn's is not that different from another person's crohn's.

My doctor was similar in disinterest in investigating further but I think you have to be forceful in demanding a colonscopy and stool analysis. SO many things are misdiagnosed as IBS it's ridiculous.

Having been continuously ill now since late September I was referred in December for a colonoscopy. I thought it would take longer but it's been scheduled for early next month.

The best of luck with your colonoscopy. Hope it goes well

El_Dangeroso

KKkitty wrote: »

I've had blood taken to rule other things out. What are your symptoms by the way?

Diarrhoea and bloating with a pain in my lower left of my torso. The pain is very specific and I don't get the regular cramping. I'll also get weird vertigo-type symptoms from time to time.

trixie_belle12

Thanks I'm dreading it to be honest but if it helps shed some light on what's going on it will provide some relief hopefully. I have a friend who's had several of them over the years but hasn't had any resolution or further insight but fingers crossed! i hope your symptoms aren't too bad

KKkitty

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

KKkitty wrote: »

I've had blood taken to rule other things out. What are your symptoms by the way?

Diarrhoea and bloating with a pain in my lower left of my torso. The pain is very specific and I don't get the regular cramping. I'll also get weird vertigo-type symptoms from time to time.

I have nearly the same only substitute diarrhoea for constipation. The left side pain is dull with me. It kinda drags on. I get the cramping from time to time. Have you got yours under control?

KKkitty

trixie_belle12 wrote: »

Thanks I'm dreading it to be honest but if it helps shed some light on what's going on it will provide some relief hopefully. I have a friend who's had several of them over the years but hasn't had any resolution or further insight but fingers crossed! i hope your symptoms aren't too bad

Whatever is wrong you will get help for it. Think positively and whenever you find out what's up let me know if you like

deadanonymau5

Does anyone else have a noisy stomach? I have in the morning and night. Theyre uncontrollable really. Usually before I go to the toilet. I go often in the morning. Sometimes immediately after I go eg. 10-60minutes. Anyone else have any of these problems?

I take Colofac by the way.

El_Dangeroso

KKkitty wrote: »

I have nearly the same only substitute diarrhoea for constipation. The left side pain is dull with me. It kinda drags on. I get the cramping from time to time. Have you got yours under control?

Pretty much, I just keep to low FODMAP foods like in the chart I posted.

KKkitty

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Pretty much, I just keep to low FODMAP foods like in the chart I posted.

I have tried that but it's hard to resist some foods. Ibs is different for so many people so much so that it's hard even with the information available out there it's difficult to get the mix of right foods to keep the symptoms of ibs at bay.

KKkitty

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

Does anyone else have a noisy stomach? I have in the morning and night. Theyre uncontrollable really. Usually before I go to the toilet. I go often in the morning. Sometimes immediately after I go eg. 10-60minutes. Anyone else have any of these problems?

I take Colofac by the way.

I have that from time to time. What other symptoms have you if you don't mind me asking??

El_Dangeroso

KKkitty wrote: »

I have tried that but it's hard to resist some foods. Ibs is different for so many people so much so that it's hard even with the information available out there it's difficult to get the mix of right foods to keep the symptoms of ibs at bay.

You don't have to cut out all FODMAPS forever, just for a few weeks and then you can introduce each type to see what you do and don't react to.

Merch

brokenice wrote: »

I was once where you are now....I feel your pain! The only way to get things sorted is by doing whats called the FODMAP diet. http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/low-fodmap-diet

You're basically going to have to strip back your diet completely. It sucks but it's the only way you'll gain control. You need to avoid a lot of foods for 6 weeks and then you slowly introduce things in a measured manner that will actually allow you to see what foods are bad for the IBS.

Stress for me was the main trigger. I go to see a kinesiologist and hope to take up reiki soon enough. Meditation helps.

Also try;
peppermint tea, eating too quickly, drink lots of water, avoid fried vegetables,

Hope that helps

Never heard of that FODMAP, replying to follow this thread so I can look it up again.

trixie_belle12

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

Does anyone else have a noisy stomach? I have in the morning and night. Theyre uncontrollable really. Usually before I go to the toilet. I go often in the morning. Sometimes immediately after I go eg. 10-60minutes. Anyone else have any of these problems?

I take Colofac by the way.

I have that alot. Yesterday was a particularly bad day. I was lucky that I was home for most of it in the afternoon as I just needed to be near the bathroom all day. My friend told me today that when he met me yesterday morning just after I started to get the attack i looked like death. Been ok today so far fingers crossed but I'd say tomorrow could be another story :rolleyes:

deadanonymau5

KKkitty wrote: »

I have that from time to time. What other symptoms have you if you don't mind me asking??

My symptoms now are, mucous in my stool, going toilet often.

What symptoms do you have?

trixie_belle12 wrote: »

I have that alot. Yesterday was a particularly bad day. I was lucky that I was home for most of it in the afternoon as I just needed to be near the bathroom all day. My friend told me today that when he met me yesterday morning just after I started to get the attack i looked like death. Been ok today so far fingers crossed but I'd say tomorrow could be another story :rolleyes:

Is the noisy stomach usually before you go to the toilet?

How do you deal with the noisy stomach? For example if your at work or in a public place?


Could other people with IBS let me know, did you just get IBS symptoms spontaneously? I didnt have it then boom, out of nowhere Ive the symptoms. Its a pain!

username123

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

Could other people with IBS let me know, did you just get IBS symptoms spontaneously?

For me it kind of came on gradually, I began to have a mildly upset stomach from time to time, graduating onto quite and upset stomach often, then to painful cramping, diarrhoea, bloating, acid indigestion etc....

At the worst it every was I had diarrhoea daily for over a year and threw up yellow bile fairly often during that year too.

KKkitty

username123 wrote: »

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

Could other people with IBS let me know, did you just get IBS symptoms spontaneously?

For me it kind of came on gradually, I began to have a mildly upset stomach from time to time, graduating onto quite and upset stomach often, then to painful cramping, diarrhoea, bloating, acid indigestion etc....

At the worst it every was I had diarrhoea daily for over a year and threw up yellow bile fairly often during that year too.

Mine came on bit by bit. My parents died not long after each other and it hit me hard. I still feel I haven't grieved properly yet.

deadanonymau5

username123 and KKkitty

do ye suffer from having a noisy stomach?
Is it just before ye go to the toilet?
and finally how do ye deal with it?

Thanks, and sorry for all the Qs.

trixie_belle12

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

My symptoms now are, mucous in my stool, going toilet often.

What symptoms do you have?



Is the noisy stomach usually before you go to the toilet?

How do you deal with the noisy stomach? For example if your at work or in a public place?


Could other people with IBS let me know, did you just get IBS symptoms spontaneously? I didnt have it then boom, out of nowhere Ive the symptoms. Its a pain!

I too suffer with the mucous side of it. For me it's happened gradually over a couple of years. Every time I get an attack now it's longer each time and this current one has been on the go since end September. Main symptoms are noisy stomach, constant diarrhea, urgency to go to the toilet. I am also having trouble with incontinence. Just last night it happened in my sleep :mad:

I do find the condition pretty debilitating. I also find it very frustrating as I eat well (well used to), drink plenty of water and excercise most days. I'm not working at the moment so I don't have to manage the stomach noise from that perspective.