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IBS serious confusion!

Posted , 10 users are following.

Swtz
Swtz

Im in a state of confusion!

IBS sufferer for 15 years now. Feels comforting reading about you all knowing we are all in similiar circumstances... as nobody in my life really KNOWS what IBS sufferers go through!

IBS sufferers- i heard white bread is bad and to switch to wholemeal bread is good.

But then i read that the fibre in wholemeal can overwork an already sensitive bowel of IBS sufferers.

Most cereal have fibre and i always get a tummy ache.

FODMAP- Just thinking and reading about it makes me depressed. How can anyone live content on a fodmap diet?

I know initially FODMAPs only to be used temp to highlight the food we are intolerant to and i really want to try it to see but it seems so difficult to follow... so it would be great to hear from realistic ppl who have exp this.. what alt foods do you substitute with etc..

So i am at a loss and it would mean alot if anyone can shed light xx

3 likes, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • looloo43
    looloo43 Swtz

    Posted

    Hi Swtz. firstly there is no black & white rules for ibs sufferers! I have seen a specialist gastro dietician as I suffer with colitis, ibs-d, fructose malabsorption & bile acid malabsorption - all relatively well controlled with meds, diet adjustment & avoiding becoming overtired with accepting when i need more rest. i take a liquid probiotic which has helped stabalise & minimise ibs symptoms over the last 6mths. the only other thing i have done for ibs improvement is: avoid all fruit (double whammy for me as i also have fructose malabsorption). i can eat small amounts (handful or about 80g at a time) of sauteed mushrooms, parsnips, butternut squash, pumpkin, mashed swede, asda cheese coleslaw!(not others). i cut out fibre as i was told my dietician most people with ibs cant break it down & so it causes symptoms. so i eat white bread no cereal - much better for it. no over spicy rich sauces, not too much chocolate in one go, & limit myself to 2 cups of caffatiere coffee in morning, then decaf tetley tea rest of day or water. all this helped me. it is trial & error. i found the fodmap food lists useless as most things it said i could eat, i couldnt tolerate & vice versa! also if you suffer from nausea with it, & dont feel like eating i found 1% fat milk (the orange cap one) a life saver as i often feel sickly in the morning so my brekkie is often half a pint of milk! but it is a food albeit in liquid form, & naturally soothes the stomach & helps neutralise acid too. hope this helps. xx
    • carolyn32842
      carolyn32842 looloo43

      Posted

      Hi looloo43

      Just read your latest message and like me you have a few things going on.  I was hospitalised 5 times in 2014 (3 times by my GP and twice) by a gatroenterologist) and during this time was in excruciating pain and couldnt eat anything. After numerous tests,  had my gall bladder removed.  I continued to have excruciating pain etc and was given an MRI, colonoscopy, gastroscope, barium flow through and it  was decided my problem was functional. I was referred to a neurogastroenterologist who prescribed "kill the brain, kill the pain meds".  I just couldnt function.  I too bought the liquid probiotics which was quite expensive but if it worked I didnt care.  I took this for 10 weeks but started again with excruciating pain and not being able to eat as I felt full all the time.  Eating any solids made things worse.  Was put on morphine and fortisips and stopped the probiotic.  Anyway I went for a 2nd opinion in December and had an EUS, CT scan, bloods and stool tests.  I am still waiting for the final results but up to date I have been told I have gastritis, non ulcer dyspepsia and probably IBS c/d.  I have been prescribed nortriptyline at night and meberevine 3 x daily but was wondering if I should re start the probiotics.  I have been advised to stop drinking coffee and wondered if decafinated coffee would be ok.  Also what is the best milk substitute.  I have looked at the Fodmap food suggestions but as I have only had fortisips for over 2 months and have continued with my symptoms I am not sure what to elimate as I have not been eating.

      I have bought gluton free 3-seeded bread to try but now wonder whether I shouldnt have the seeds.  I see my GP on Friday who will probably say keep on the meds.

      Can anyone help with my queries.  Looks like we are on our own to find the best way to live with this horrendous condition.

    • Swtz
      Swtz looloo43

      Posted

      Looloo wow you really do seem to have had a completey different exp!

      Its true i guess its not the same for everyone.

      When i actually read ppl can have loooow symptom reductions or even be completely free of symptoms through trial and errir i found it hard to believe as i suffered most of my life so far! But now im excited to see.

      Thanks fr the orange top milk im so going to try and get back to white bread i guess and see how i respond. Fruits... i love fresh fruits but i have always had cramps now i know why!

      Psst! Can you PM me too and tell me more about the liquid probiotic too?

      Thnx!

  • looloo43
    looloo43 Swtz

    Posted

    Hi Swtz. I did find after 3mths on the liquid probiotic that begins with "s" that the moderator wont let me repeat the name of on here gradually helped settle symptoms more as time went on. after the initial 12wk offer, I decided the benefits of it warranted me continuing with it. i found it helped reduce bloating & stomach cramping significantly as time went on when i look back how i was. so i have been on it for 6mths now. you need to make sure you take it about 15mins before any food/drink except water to let it "live" on the way to intestines. i tried mebeverine-made no difference. many people on here swear by buscopan-have you tried that? my dietician wanted me to give up coffee completely but i love my 2 mugs of caffetiere coffee in the morning so i cut out proper tea just have decaf rest of day, but still my coffee in morning. the only difference it made was getting off to sleep easier at night!!(due to decaf tea!!) but i stick with it as good to reduce caffeine intake & i sleep better. i dont really know about milk subs as i can tolerate dairy so i use the 1% fat orange cap one. i did try lactofree i think it was called at one point as my dietician wanted me to try it for a week in case of lactose prob, but no difference. i think there are a few different lactose free milks available another one called alpro. i avoid any seeds as they irritate my stomach/colon. personally, i would restart the probiotic for at least 12wks on the recommended max dose of 60ml per day. ( i still take 50ml per day after the initial 12wks were up) & perhaps try buscopan instead of mebeverine. one other bad thing to eat for me is salad leafs like rocket, watercress, all types of lettuce except iceberg - they come out completely undigested & cause bad stomach pain & diarrea, as do other veg except for what i mentioned in my 1st post. hope this helps xx
    • Shelly54
      Shelly54 looloo43

      Posted

      Where do you get liqiud Probiotics never heard of them
    • looloo43
      looloo43 Shelly54

      Posted

      Hi Shelly i have sent you a private message telling you about the probiotic i use, as the moderators on here dont let you keep repeating the name of a particular product - even if it can help people!!!???
    • carolyn32842
      carolyn32842 looloo43

      Posted

      hi looloo

      Read your message to Swtz.  Think you answered the questions I had asked you re the probiotic.  I think it is worth contacting them again and start taking it again.  I did get 11 weeks of ease but unfortunately my symptoms flared really bad so I stopped and didnt get any more.  Been to my GP this afternoon and he has referred me to a dietician so that might help me with the food situation.  I like my coffee so have just bought defafinated and lactose free milk.  Have to start somewhere.

      I think it must be trial and error as a lot of people can eat things that others cant.

      Here's to the first day of the rest of my life (painfree I hope).

    • looloo43
      looloo43 carolyn32842

      Posted

      Yes sorry Carolyn, I think i should've sent that to you! got mixed up as it was under swtz's orig post. it definately is trial & error. good luck xx
  • Swtz
    Swtz

    Posted

    Guys i just want to say thank yiu so muh fir all the input and info it is helping me enotionally so much you wont believe. I have felt alone and wretched about IBS all my life.

    Xxx

    • looloo43
      looloo43 Swtz

      Posted

      Hi Swtz, I have pm'd you regarding the liquid probiotic i take. try restricting to the veg group i mentioned in my 1st post to you a couple of days ago - my gastro dietician mentioned the "root veg" group & i can tolerate the ones i mentioned in about 80g(small handful) portions at a time. as well as cutting out fruits. maybe try for fortnight & see if it makes a difference to your symptoms at all. so glad you feel better for talking to people. xx
  • amandahc
    amandahc Swtz

    Posted

    Hi Swtz,

    I too hoped this site would help with odd hints etc but it worries me how so many people actually come here for diagnosis which I think is very wrong. Anyway I have had problems since my early twenties thats around 50 years ago. I find bread is my biggest enemy brown or white that is. i can however eat corn bread with no bad effects. Cakes are fine except anything like doughnuts so I think yeast is a prob too. Pizza can be risky too. I avoid anything with fibre it makes me much worse. I do however eat potato and skins and veg to keep fibre up but all things in small amounts and not too many veg in one meal. Cauliflower has to be approached with caution. I do however eat porridge without too much trouble. I found that I ate bread and thought all was well until about a week later when I really had a bad time. All those years ago my specialist told me it was a lazy bowel, they didnt use the term IBS then. He explained that food could remain in the colon and cause gas etc, He once told me bread became like cotton wool and could lay there for months!!!!  So no bread except corn bread. Beware of yeast and certain veg. Eggs, mushrooms onions beans have in recent years caused a problem but I still eat them occasionally. I drink milk and eat cheese without any problem at all. Biggest effect on me has been periods of stress or upset. I take an antispasmodic when I feel the symptoms coming on and this immediately relaxes everything and I can sit on the loo and relieve myself instead of suffering agonizing muscle spasms which dont allow me to pass anything. Stick with your doctor, I have regular checks for bowel cancer but am 72 and so far so good. By all means check what other people do but stick with your doc for diagnosis wink

  • meg29650
    meg29650 Swtz

    Posted

    I agreee - so comforting to read that others sufffer through this.  no answers for me either.  Thank you for your post.
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