Ibs and weight loss

Posted , 5 users are following.

I know you don’t really have weight loss with ibs. But wouldn’t you have weight loss when you have had a D flare ? I have been in a flare for six weeks. I literally wasn’t consuming more than 500 cals a day though this. Then I decided to go on a paleo diet which has helped drag me out of this flare. I’m still not consuming more than 800 cals a day. Now I’m panicking because of my weight loss. (13lbs) in six weeks. But my logical part of my brain is telling me it’s because I’ve had five weeks of almost starving now one week of super healthy eating with no sugar carbs dairy or gluten. 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Diarrhoea, not eating or dieting can all cause weight loss and so can anxiety.  Persistant anxiety can make me lose half a stone in a week.  Try not to worry.  Anxiety can also cause diarrhoea.  Anxiety in the summer caused me an IBS D flare up.  Imodium really helped me.

    Diarrhoea can be controlled with imodium, codeine or by eating rice or bananas.  This will help you to absorb your food better.  A food diary or the Fodmap diet can also help you to identify food triggers that are causing diarrhoea.

  • Posted

    Hi Kim

    Your account of weight-loss sounds so much like mine,  and it is terrifying.  

    I had no idea of what to eat, or what was causing this horrible pain and weight loss. Hospital visits left me feeling worse than before, both mentally and physically,  My family doctor finally made the diagnosis of IBS,  (this was after going through two years of torture)

     I have been given positive advice to help gain weight, and hopefully reduce flare-ups -  it's slow, but sure -  try to introduce foods very slowly into your diet -  oatmeal, almond milk, soup made from chicken broth sweet potatoes (yams) carrots and one small potato.  Small amounts at various intervals through the day.

    Unfortunately, I still take pain killers and laxatives.

    I hope this may be of sone help,

     this is of some help.  I have heard that medical marijuana helps as well, and think I will look into this,   

    This, along with painkillers seems to be one way of coping with this horrible IBS,  

     

  • Posted

    Thank you. I have health anxiety and anything like weight loss freaks me out. But then my logical brain kicks in and I realise I have gone from eating sweets, cakes, biscuits, Starbucks hot chocolate, to eating super healthy meat veg and fruit cutting out all the above. Then I know why I’m losing weight. But just get scared sometimes. 
    • Posted

      Have you tried distraction techniques such as a hobby or light exercise to help take your mind off your symptoms.
  • Posted

    Yes, I've had tremendous weight loss from my IBS flare ups, which cause nausea and a loss of appetite . I've also recently seen a nutritionist and he has me on a gluten/dairy/refined sugar free diet which has caused me to lose even MORE weight. I know where you're coming from, but the paleo diet definitely limits you. My nutritionist assured me that most people lose a significant amount of weight on this diet. Hope this helps you feel like you're not alone in this!

  • Posted

    I have lost about 15 lb so far. Like you when you have spasms nausea diarrhea it's hard to eat

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