Diet regarding IBS

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi Everyone I'm new to this group and need some info please from you kind people.  Is there a book for dietary needs for IBS, what you should eat and not eat.  I had appointment yesterday with a specialist at the hospital and he has told me to research the foods as he is convinced I have IBS. 

Thank you in advance guys.xx

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    here is a weallth of information on this very site patient.info

    also google NIce which is National Institute of Clinical Evidence

    so google NIce Irritable Bowel Sydrome and Diet

    The most important thing is that its trial and error there are no hard and fast rules not everything works for everyone,

    Oher than diet what else did doctor do, any tests medications

    • Posted

      HI Jon5

      Yes went to hospital to see specialist and he is doing more tests and also is doing an MIR scan so not sure if its just the IBS they are concerned about but has told me to look at my diet as he thinks IBS  as well.

  • Posted

    Hi

    Unfortunately, there is no magic cure to IBS. Everyone is different, and it depends what your triggger is, with a particualr ingredient in a food, or a drink. Most common triggers are Alcohol, Spicy Foods, Chilli and Onions. However, it is largely individual. My advice is to keep a track of your symptoms daily for a month, along with just a note of what you had to eat. You will see a pattern emerging.

    A general guide though, look up FODMAP diets. A great deal of patients have seen vast improvements by following a FODMAP diet, which largely eliminates those foods that typically cause a flare up of IBS. It is based on scientific research, from Australia.

    You can buy books about the FODMAP diet with recipes as well. It is not as restrictive as you may think.

    Improvements when you have a flare up are not immediate, not overnight, but can take a while. So best to keep that diary, as psychologically you will see a week to week improvement, Over 100,000 people in the UK deal with chronic IBS, and many many more in less severe form, so don't get down about it. You may not be able to beat it all together and magically be able to eat whatever you want when you want, but think of it like this....the older you get, the less you are able to do the things you were able to do when you were younger anyway!!!

    I hope this helps.

  • Posted

    IBS varies a lot for each individual.  If your IBS causes you to go back and froth from loose stools to constipation, thats one variation.  Loose to normal (my type) is another. Constipation to normal is a third.  I have gotten mine normalized using probiotics and fiber supplements, and only minor diet restrcitions, but yours may not be as easy to conquer.

    Finding out what your trigger foods are is essential, and stress in your life can also play a role.

    One of the ways to figure out your food issues is to go on the FODMAP diet.  Google it and you'll find a wealth of information.  It's very restrictive.  No gluten, no lactose, and other constraints that will drive you crazy.  But hopefully, you won't need to stay on it forever.  

    Follow the FODMAP rules to the letter for 2 months.  If it eases your IBS then somewhere in there are your trigger foods. While it's best to limit the amount of grain products you eat anyway, since you are on the search for your triggers, start adding back into your diet small sources of gluten to see if it has any negative effect.  If you are still good, then start adding back some lactose foods.  If still good, then add back individual restricted foods that you like, one at a time.  Eventually, you should be able to figure out what effects you the most when and if your IBS returns.

    If FODMAP doesn't help your IBS, then it might be wise to ask your doctor to look for other causes for your digestive distress.   Remember that when medical science labels something as a "syndrome" or "disorder", it generally means that they have no clue about a defined cause and a treatment that will work for everyone.   It's an easy diagnosis to make, but one that cannot be fully trusted unless all other causes are elminated.

    Good luck

  • Posted

    yes tehre absolutely is! check out low fodmap diets and write down what you ate after every meal so you can keep trakc of what makes you sick smile

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