1. Community
  2. Gut, bowel and stomach
  3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS and diet, one persons perspective

Posted , 5 users are following.

fiona51388
fiona51388

I suffer a lot with IBS and its weird really, every day I'm on the same diet, which I consider to be a healthy mix of healthy foods with a bit of what I fancy thrown in which may or may not be considered by "the experts" as the best options, but there is not much variation and certainly not on the rare occasions when I get a "good day".  Now if you speak to people, many people, with IBS, I've noted they all say the same thing, they are aware that diet is important, and different foods suit different people but many like me are struggling as whatever they eat, good bad or indifferent, upsets the delicate digestive balance, so I have come to the conclusion, rightly or wrongly, that as it often makes little difference to the sufferer, why not just basically eat what you want, not suggesting burgers and pizzas all the time, you understand, but I really think these days, after five or six years of suffering this complaint, that eat what you like within reason, if you are going to be ill anyway, why be miserable and miss out on the things you like on top of it, sorry if this differs with what "the professionals" tell us, however I think I am right in this thinking basically.

0 likes, 31 replies

31 Replies

Prev
  • susand1408
    susand1408 fiona51388

    Posted

    I was told by my specialists that the healthier you eat the more you will suffer. The more complex fibres you eat the more you aggravate the stomach lining.

    I use a central frugal juicer. It takes out the complex fibres and leaves the fibre you can digest.

    Also ibs is very much linked to stress so diet won't make a difference if you are stressed.

    Also I have chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. This means the worse my symptoms are the worse my ibs.

    • junieju
      junieju susand1408

      Posted

      Hi

      We are all different, with other health issues and Ibs.

      I do get stressed and do not sleep much.

      It's good to come here and see what others are doing, much more helpful than a doctor that had never had Ibs.

      Junie

  • astrozombie
    astrozombie fiona51388

    Posted

    I have to say I disagree with this one for me personally. Obviously as we all know each person's IBS is different. All I can say is over the 5 years I have had this condition my illness has improved as a direct result of adjustments to my diet. 

    When I first started being ill I was ill 2 - 3 days a week but my diet was terrible wine, whiskey, ready meals, coco pops and processed luncheon meat. I never developed a grown up pallet. Slowly but surely I made alterations to my diet and slowly improved. I have never been cured but I definitely believe the gaps between Illness would have been shorter if I had carried on eating ready meals. I still have a couple of biscuits for afternoon tea, the odd packet of crisps and chocolate bar but in the main I have cut out most pleasurable foods and drink. 

    For me I think this is the best way but if one is ill everyday regardless of what food or drink is consumed I can fully understand you wanting to throw caution to the wind but I would say it would then come down to degrees of illness so for example if you drank wine and ate a ready meal and were ill for most of the day I would prefer to eat a salad if it meant I was only ill for a few hours.

    Only you can decide if this strategy would be beneficial or not but I find it works for me. I also add in 3 hours of walking a week. Everything I do now is to limit illness. In time I may not be able to do this continually I don't know yet but at the moment anything which limits illness is a win win.

    • fiona51388
      fiona51388 astrozombie

      Posted

      Hi, well what I didn't stress is my diet has basically always been pretty good and I have seldom touched alchocol for at least 20 years, and am a committed vegetarian, it's just there are some exceptions to this healthy lifestyle that I found even with illuminating them I was still suffering so felt I may as well have them x
    • astrozombie
      astrozombie fiona51388

      Posted

      Hello Fiona 

      I was just using examples from my life in the hope something may resonate. I honestly was not making any criticisms. I think what I was trying to say was an eat what you like approach may be more detrimental. I like alcohol and not just wine but Galliano, Cointreau, Triple Sec and many more so for me to cut this out is problematic but just to avoid being ill I am doing it and I believe my illness is better for it too.

      I agree treats are good but please do not make yourself worse would be my concern. 

       

  • jan48389
    jan48389 fiona51388

    Posted

    Hi Fiona. Since I was diagnosed with IBS I have been following the Low Fodmap diet and I can honestly say I haven't felt in the least bit deprived. The only foods I used to eat, which I don't now are ready meals, asparagus, mushrooms , and products containing gluten, onions or garlic. There are very acceptable alternatives to onions and garlic, and after a fair bit of trial and error I've found gluten free breads and products such as crisps which I like. There are loads of vegetarian Low Fodmap recipies available. I haven't missed mushrooms or asparagus!!. Whilst my IBS isn't "cured" it is now under control. I had reached the point where, if I was going out, even shopping, I daren't eat in case I needed the loo urgently, and that isn't any way to live. I'm surprised your dietician hasn't given you advice on Fodmaps, as far as I know it the best scientifically researched eating plan for IBS conditions. 

    Everyone is different and we all find what suits us best, but I'd certainly recommend giving the Low Fodmap diet a try.

    Jan

      

    • junieju
      junieju jan48389

      Posted

      Hi Jan

      Did you get the Fodmap book and app,

      Also did you use a diary to record foods etc, I am interested in starting Fodmap, but not sure what to get, I am also vegetarian so hope the book covers that.

      I know there is a lot of Fodmap info and books, but would like to use monash Fodmap .

      Thanks

      Junie

    • fiona51388
      fiona51388 jan48389

      Posted

      It could be because my problem differs and is much more serious in a sense as I have a prolapsed bowel and that needs a different medical approach.  As I was saying earlier, basically I need strong drugs to stop me needing the loo over 20 times a day, in the form of codeine, which "tells" the link between my brain and my bottom not to poo so frequently, it literally cuts my symptoms in half, also peppermint tea helps the accompanying IBS symptoms I experience so basically as I have no food allergies that I can identify, apart from a strong aversion to rocket, which keeps me urging on the loo all day and all night if I am mistakenly given it in a restaurant, I am basically happy with things, I eat plain vegetarian food in the main and know basically what agrees with me and what doesn't, five years of this hell has taught me that if nothing else lol xx
    • jan48389
      jan48389 junieju

      Posted

      Yes Junie. I got both. One of the most useful parts for me was the lists of high, moderate and low fodmap foods. That helped me spot triggers immediately - I hadn't made the connection between eating mushrooms and flare ups but having discovered that mushrooms are high in fodmaps it became pretty obvious. I did use the food diary but soon realised I had to be absolutely meticulous in recording everything I ate. I also have got into the habit of checking ingredients - for example some brands of tomato ketchup contain onions, others don't - and I wouldn't necessarily have picked that up just from a food diary. I've been on Low Fodmap for almost 5 months now and can honestly say I eat a more healthy diet now than I ever did. I've never eaten lots of fruit, so Fruit Fodmap restrictions don't bother me but I eat hardly any processed foods now, most things I make from scatch, like pizza, fish pie, risotto etc. The book does give lots of vegetarian options. 

      Definitely worth a try. 

      Jan

    • junieju
      junieju jan48389

      Posted

      Hi Jan

      Wow did not know about tomato sauce,

      I will get the book and app, I read a lot of blogs and some where saying good suggestions in the book, we're not for the UK,

      Will go look for the book tomorrow, it is the monash one you have ?

      Did you record your food in the book or did you make your own diary.

      Thanks so much, you are very helpful

      Junie

    • fiona51388
      fiona51388 jan48389

      Posted

      Interesting you should say about onion, with a prolapse I get a lot of unpleasant mucus and onion is one of the foods recommended to combat it, so strangely I find it an adversary in some ways.
    • jan48389
      jan48389 junieju

      Posted

      The book I have is by Dr Sue Sheperd and Dr Peter Gibson, called The Complete low Fodmap Diet. I imagine there will be others to choose from but all  the recipies are in UK , rather than USA, quantities and ingredients. 

      The diary in the book is just a sample one, covering 1 week, so I just used that as a guide and made up my own. Best of luck. 

      Jan

    • jan48389
      jan48389 fiona51388

      Posted

      Glad to hear you're happy with things and have sorted out what suits you and what doesn't. 

      Jan

    • junieju
      junieju jan48389

      Posted

      Hi Jan

      That is the book I will go and buy tomorrow,

      I will also get the app, and work out how to do my diary.

      Thanks so much for your help

      Junie

Back to top
Prev

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.