Hello, I just found this thread today and read the whole way through. I was diagnosed with IBS about 6 years ago, and recently (the past year) it has become much worse. It used to be IBS-D, but more recently has become IBS-D/C. I thought I was lactose intolerand since the age of 17, but have recently have started thinking that it's more than that.
About a month ago I cut out dairy and gluten, and for three weeks, things were looking up. The first week of 'withdrawal' was hard, lots of cravings, and some dizziness and nausea. Then smooth sailing for a couple of weeks. I have had no diarrhea since I went gluten and dairy free. And I even 'go' at the same time every day!! Can't remember the last time I expereinced that!
Then the stomach cramps and gas and bloating began. I am convinced that there is something I am missing... something that is upsetting my gut...
I have an appointment today with a nutritionist, and I am hoping for some guidance. I am hoping to have IgG and IgE allergy testing done, and maybe some guidelines for an elimination diet? Since going gluten and dairy free, I have lost 5 pounds, and I don't have 5 pounds to lose.
I hope that I get some answers. I finally decided to find a nutritionist after reading a book about the FODMAP diet. Not sure if it's for me, but I'm willing to try anything. The IBS is controlling me, making me depressed, and not the best mother/wife/friend/coworker that I could be.
Interesting though, when I was reading the last post about the gummy bears and licorice. I had a small bag of jelly bellys last night. I woke up at 2am and the room was spinning. I've never had that happen before and it totally freaked me out. When I woke up later after 5am, the spinning was gone, but I had AWFUL stomach cramps. Felt like I could have diarrhea, but didn't. Intestinal spasms? So I'm thinking there might be something to this theory...
Anyways, reading your posts gave me some hope, although I'm overwhelmed at the amount of work that it will take to find all of my triggers. Hopefully the nutritionist will help with that.
The following user gives a hug of support to rederyn: counterclockwys (04-18-2013)
Hello, Rederyn....and welcome to our "thread"! I am so encouraged that you took the time to read "all" the way thru this thread....it has given you a complete picture of activity the last nine months for myself and Seabell & others. And you are soooo right...it is overwhelming having IBS and getting it "worked-out" for you. Issues that have been shared and suggestions that I have followed have quite literally "changed my life" and I am so glad that I found this board....and have found help. Know this...that we are here for you too! We encourage you to share, question, try and test right along with us.
Seabell will have much to share with you....she is sooo good at this! Yet, it al ready appears you are so "mentally" tuned in. You are doing all the right things. I know that we would appreciate hearing how your nutritionist visit goes. We have all been there in the "willing to do anything!" category....as you know just by reading Seabell's comments. I am so sorry for the possibility of your "jelly beans" being a trigger but I'm really begining to think there may be something to this......
Hey, Seabell.....I bought gummy's and put them in the fridge waiting for our experiment. And while I've been waiting I made a bowl of Jello for the first time in nine months. I have always enjoyed jello. But maybe not anymore. The four days I spent eating the jello not even the acacia fiber and imodium ad worked at all. Jello has "pectin" in it and is similar to "gummy" type things.
Are these types of things "all" connected as triggers.....as we can now add Rederyn with jelly bellys? I'm sooooo sad!
I too plan on buying this product. I live in Canada and going to the U.S. on the weekend and will look for it. Will post and let you know how it works.
Thanks for the reply! The appointment went well. I was there for almost two hours! It was nice to just 'get it all out' to someone who wasn't only able to give me 5 minutes before rushing to the next patient.(ie: doctors!)
So our plan is this:
Since going gluten free, she noticed that my food diary is lacking in protein and fat, so I will try to add healthy sources of that to my diet to avoind losing more weight. I may even try adding some smoothies (she suggested adding mct oil to those) to add more calories. That might be difficult, though, since I'm starting the fodmap diet.
I'm doing the fodmap elimination diet for 4 weeks, then will try the challenges. During the next couple of weeks, we will do a food allergy test (I think it was called a leep test?) I haven't had a chance to look it up yet. In the meantime, I need to schedule an appointment with my general practitioner to have some other blood tests done (mthfr, vitamin d, ferritin, sed rate, fibrinogen, homocysteine, hscrp, mag, and adrenal). I haven't looked all of those up earlier, but know a few of them. She believes that I am deficient in vitamins and minerals. So I will be improving the quality of my vitamin, and adding a mineral and fish oil.
She also believes that I have SIBO, from my symptoms of bloating, gas, nausea.. So I will be improving the quality of my probiotics as well.
I've also ordered a whey protein to make shakes from. I'll do a challenge of that to see if I'm sensitive (since I've cut dairy), and if I tolerate it, that will be in my daily shakes.
She also mentioned that my body may be in an acidic state right now? I need to research that too. I eat a lot of fruits (which may be part of the problem), but not a ton of veggies, so adding more greens will reduce the acidity.
I'm a bit overwhelmed and have a lot of research to do! I'm heading to the grocery store today to get everything I need for my first week of the fodmap diet. It's a bit frustrating because the fodmap groups aren't intuitive to me yet, so I'm having to look EVERYTHING up. And there are a lot of things I'm wondering about that there isn't fodmap info on yet. Especially a lot of my gluten free foods (I know beans are off limits for the elimination phase, so anything with soybean flour, garbanzo bean flour, is out I guess). Hopefully it will become easier as I go along... And I need ot be sure to buy plenty of fodmap friendly snacks, because that's when it is most difficult - when I'm hungry and 'need to eat something now!' and I'm not sure what to eat.
Thanks for your support. I'm trying to stay positive and realize that this is the start of a long journey, and hoping that it will get easier with time.
So, my story was told in an earlier post. Seabell told me of the wonderful results she has had with the Acacia Fiber. As I have been at my whits ends I decided to give it a try and looked up Heather's Tummy Care and ordered the pouch of fiber. I received it and started adding it, 1/2 tsp twice a day. I am only on day 3. My question is though...how long before I know I should add more? Side effects of adding the fiber?? I've read and read on the website and my packaging. I am having real bad aches in my lower stomach. Not cramps I don't think. Although painful. I am also having to use the bathroom much more often and with more urgency then before. (not that it wasn't bad in the first place, which is why I am where I am). I feel like things are getting worse not better. I have to go to work tonight and am not sure how that is going to be. I'm usually locked down on a press and can't walk away at liesure for bathroom breaks.
Like I said, it's only been 3 days and I don't want to give up already...but I don't want to continue getting worse either. Any thoughts anyone? Thank you.
The following user gives a hug of support to Bridgett1965: seabell (04-29-2013)
If you are experiencing more pain/gas/loose movements after starting the fiber, my advice is to reduce the amount for a little bit until your system gets used to it. I take mine before I eat, usually at night. It may help to eat foods you know don't irritate your stomach (or the BRAT diet) for a while so your tummy can heal.
I started with a low amount and as I started noticing improvements, I gradually upped it to 2 heaping teaspoons once a day. If my tummy wants to be difficult, I'll increase the amount by a 1/2 tsp or so. Do you take something like imodium too?
I hope you stick with the fiber and that you start seeing an improvement soon. Keep posting please!
Sending hugs,
SB
The Following User Says Thank You to seabell For This Useful Post: Bridgett1965 (04-29-2013)
Hey, Seabell.....I bought gummy's and put them in the fridge waiting for our experiment. And while I've been waiting I made a bowl of Jello for the first time in nine months. I have always enjoyed jello. But maybe not anymore. The four days I spent eating the jello not even the acacia fiber and imodium ad worked at all. Jello has "pectin" in it and is similar to "gummy" type things.
Are these types of things "all" connected as triggers.....as we can now add Rederyn with jelly bellys? I'm sooooo sad!
Best wishes and hope for a better tomorrow! CCW
Hello CCW! How are you my friend? How's the tummy? Do you know that I'm deathly afraid to try Twizzlers? I went to the movies with hubby yesterday and while waiting in line with him for his popcorn, I spotted a package of my favorite red twisty things and almost...almost...picked them up. But I didn't want to chance it.
I had jello a few weeks ago and my tummy did act up the next day. I blamed it on the food I ate... not jello. Isn't jello what our Moms gave us when we didn't feel good?? Hmmm. Why don't you try your gummy bears and let me know what happens? <grin>.
Hi Seabell. I only take 1/2 tsp before breakfast and 1/2 tsp before dinner. You think I should derease that? I bought some imoodium multi symptom to give it a try since I have to go to work. I have spent all weekend with pain in my tummy and running to the bathroom. It took me 4 hours to gain enough courage today to go to the store but I have to get out of the house as I said I have to go to work tonight! I work 7pm till 7am! How will I know if I should increase/decrease the amt of acacia I do use?
Thank you for all your advice and comforting words of wisdom and knowledge. I really do appreciate it! (((Hugs)))
Hello Bridgett... how are you doing? Are you still on the fiber? Have you noticed any improvement? I hope so. What I did that worked for me was take 1 tsp at night before I ate with lots of water. I also took two immodium tablets daily and ate easy to digest foods, or ones that I knew didn't bother my tummy. Pasta with butter and some parm, baked potatoes, bagels. My tummy tolerated carbs and fats, not so much veggies and fruits. No soda, no artificial sweetners, ate little bites, chewed and chewed. It took a few weeks for me to notice a difference but when I did (no running to the bathroom while in the middle of the mall type clue) I did a happy dance.
I'm up to 2 tsps a day now, still at night, unless my stomach feels upset or 'loose'. Then I may take 2 1/2 tsp or 3 tsp, and eat bland foods until my stomach feels better.
Rederyn...how are you doing? I hope you are seeing an improvement too!
Hello Bridgett... how are you doing? Are you still on the fiber? Have you noticed any improvement? I hope so. What I did that worked for me was take 1 tsp at night before I ate with lots of water. I also took two immodium tablets daily and ate easy to digest foods, or ones that I knew didn't bother my tummy. Pasta with butter and some parm, baked potatoes, bagels. My tummy tolerated carbs and fats, not so much veggies and fruits. No soda, no artificial sweetners, ate little bites, chewed and chewed. It took a few weeks for me to notice a difference but when I did (no running to the bathroom while in the middle of the mall type clue) I did a happy dance.
I'm up to 2 tsps a day now, still at night, unless my stomach feels upset or 'loose'. Then I may take 2 1/2 tsp or 3 tsp, and eat bland foods until my stomach feels better.
Rederyn...how are you doing? I hope you are seeing an improvement too!
hugs,
SB
Hi Seabell....I am doing ok. Not perfect but ok. Yes I am still on the fiber. I was taking 1/2 tsp twice a day...in the morning and before dinner. After the initial shock to my system and I could leave the bathroom, I did start noticing an improvement in my tummy after about 5 days. Sat. marked 2 weeks since I started the fiber and I have had 1 "bout" one week and then Saturday I had a crummy day all day and was in the bathroon quite a bit. I decided since I have seen an improvement to increase the fiber another 1/4 tsp twice a day. So now I'm on 3/4 tsp twice a day.
I am having a hard time figuring out what types of food bother my system though. I can eat something one day and be perfectly fine and then another time eat the same thing and be so sick! But I am going to hang in there and see what happens. Thank you so much for asking!!! How are you doing??
Sad to report, that I don't seem to be doing any better. The fodmap diet isn't helping. I had a slew of labs done, and they are all pretty much normal. I'm still waiting on my adrenal test, but that will just explain my tiredness/insomnia, not really the IBS I don't think.
I've been on the fodmap diet for over 3 weeks now with no relief in symptoms. So the next step is to test me for SIBO. I'd like to have the LEAP test for food intolerances done as well, but everything is so pricey.... ugh! I'm at the point where I just want to start eating everything again, why deprive myself of the things I love to eat, if I'm miserable anyways?!
So the plan with my nutritionist is to stop the fodmap diet (I'll go through the end of the week, since I already bought and planned my menu through Friday), get tested for SIBO....
I'm trying to stay positive, but it's hard. So far my attempts at fixing it through elimination diet have failed, so I'm thinking that it must be SIBO or individual food intolerances...
I think both of you could benefit by keeping a food diary and trying to pinpoint what foods are irritating your poor tummies. I remember when I first tried a food diary, I ended up just throwing it across the room because it made no sense to me. But I stuck with it, using a regular calender to scribble down what I ate. The days my stomach would really bother me, I'd mark with a big red X. As I did this month after month, I did start seeing a pattern and started eliminating certain foods from my diet. For instance, I love a big salad for lunch. I'd throw everything in a bowl, lettuce, tomatoes, pasta, cold cuts, cheese, cukes, bacon, and I would eat that every day for lunch. Until I realized that raw veggies, especially lettuce, were a huge trigger for my stomach. My hubby loves SPICY food, will eat buffalo wings by the bucket. I like to nibble on them, wiping my eyes as the steam pours out of my ears...but realized that even the littlest bit set my stomach off.
Food triggers are different for everyone, but some of the more common ones are: dairy (esp. high fat), anything high fiber (like breakfast cereals), veggies and fruit (esp. raw), artificial sweeteners, beans, onions, carbonated beverages.
What I've discovered is that I can eat a salad now, but not 2 days in a row. I maybe can enjoyed fried onions on a hamburger tonight, but if I have them tomorrow on a steak, I may have tummy issues. I can eat a raw apple but only if I peel it. Same with cucumbers, they have to be peeled. But potato skin doesn't bother me.
It's going to be trial and error, and at times frustrating. Believe me, I gave in a lot and just ate what I wanted to. I figured since I didn't feel good no matter what I did, I might as well enjoy that double pepperoni with garlic pizza and choc ice cream for dessert (I think I just made myself sick thinking about that!)
Keep with the fiber, I truly believe it will help you (it was just featured on Dr. Oz show, he called it fairy dust powder for your tummy).
Thanks for the reply. I have been keeping a food diary, and I believe that I am currently in that "this isn't making any sense yet, screw it, I'm just going to eat whatever I want because I'm miserable anyways!!" phase!! I will keep at it though, and will hopefully start seeing some patterns. I am suspecting fruit and veggies though, since that is something that didn't change much with the FODMAP diet trial. (Less fruits, veggies encouraged) and I am still miserable, so maybe that is my issue. Thanks for the encouragement.
Re: IBS 20yr Misery 
