To ask if anyone has ‘cured’ their IBS?

[ImaHogg]

I know it’s classed as a life long condition but I’ve been suffering for 22 years and have just about have enough of this horrible condition.
I belong to endless IBS support groups but obviously most of the members are people like me who are still suffering a looking for help and advice. I am assuming that if people do have a grip of their symptoms then they are hardly likely to be on support groups.
I’ve tried endless things over the years from the low fodmap diet to hypnotherapy and CBT. None of which have really helped long term.
Two things I haven’t tried are probiotics (some of the reviews say they can cause diarrhoea which is one of my huge fears with this complaint). I’ve also tried a few antidepressants but I couldn’t get past the awful side effects.
I’m 48 and am starting to think that hormones now play a big part as my symptoms became much worse and virtually daily at the age of 45 and I also can’t lie and say I don’t suffer from anxiety as I really do and I have a very stressful life atm.
Late 2019 I had a colonoscopy, endoscopy and ct scan. At the follow up appointment the gastroenterologist said all was clear. I handed him a list of my symptoms and he asked if I had tried all the standard IBS meds, which I have to no relief. He handed me back my list and told me that he couldn’t help me and to go back to my gp!
So I am just wondering if anyone on here has/had IBS and has found a way of living well with the condition and has minimal or no longer has symptoms?
Any advice is most welcome.

I cured mine by following the FODMAP diet. It can still bubble up occasionally if I argue with my husband or something stressful occurs but generally it’s great now compared to being in agony for about 4 years.

I also had colonic irrigation with prebiotics put up my bum to reseed my gut flora. That’s probably a bit medically dodgy but I was desperate by that point.

I would look at food intolerances. You just give up the food for 2 weeks, then reintroduce it and watch for new symptoms. There are things like milk which although most adults can tolerate some dairy products, they also are more lactose intolerant over the years (we use lactose tolerance from childhood).so you may not need to go dairy free, but find that you can't have milk anymore. That kind of thing. But could be with additives, gluten, wheat, eggs, etc.

My triggers are garlic, onion and milk. Other fruits and vegetables in lesser amounts are fine but I have to be careful.

After years of avoiding dairy, seeing countless people, I have found that eating Greek yogurt everyday has greatly improved my bowels. That made a significant difference.

I also have to avoid bread and eat mainly whole foods, most of my diet is protein and veg although I do eat potatoes.

I also drink fybrogel every day too.

These are the things that have taken me from daily attacks to hardly having to ever think of it.

I forgot to list my symptoms,
Gurgling, rumbling, growling guts which can often wake me through the night and I have this symptom most mornings
Feel worse in the morning and up until around mid day
Bloating and very gassy in the evenings
Awful nausea, especially mid cycle.
Acid and excessive burping which can go on for hours (often this also happens mid cycle)
I am IBS- mixed so can be constipated sometimes (usually a week before period) and the looser other times even though I basically eat the same foods most days.
Acid indigestion
Feeling that I need the loo even after I’ve been
Little appetite especially during flare ups

@Mistlewoeandwhine

I also had colonic irrigation with prebiotics put up my bum to reseed my gut flora. That’s probably a bit medically dodgy but I was desperate by that point.

Did it help?

@Potpourriandpennysweets

I would look at food intolerances. You just give up the food for 2 weeks, then reintroduce it and watch for new symptoms. There are things like milk which although most adults can tolerate some dairy products, they also are more lactose intolerant over the years (we use lactose tolerance from childhood).so you may not need to go dairy free, but find that you can't have milk anymore. That kind of thing. But could be with additives, gluten, wheat, eggs, etc.

I’ve done 2 food intolerance tests, cut out the foods but sadly didn’t get much relief.

@Ilovelove

After years of avoiding dairy, seeing countless people, I have found that eating Greek yogurt everyday has greatly improved my bowels. That made a significant difference.

I also have to avoid bread and eat mainly whole foods, most of my diet is protein and veg although I do eat potatoes.

I also drink fybrogel every day too.

These are the things that have taken me from daily attacks to hardly having to ever think of it.

I haven’t consumed dairy for 15 years but keep reading that yogurt is helpful. Does you yogurt have probiotics? Do you think it’s the probiotics which have helped?

I've looked at colonic irrigation but not tried it. Seen positive and negative opinions.

My IBS is linked to a lactose intolerance. I can have the occasional coffee from a coffee shop with normal milk, but at home I have lactose free products, and I have lactase tablets for when we have something like pizza from a shop with standard cheese on. It took me ages to figure out milk was an issue, sometimes I can cope with more than others, hence it being an intolerance, below a certain threshold it doesn't affect me, but if I have a few lactose heavy days ie, a few coffees from a coffee shop I am very swiftly reminded that I need to lay off or take the lactase tablets first.

Mine is now well managed, as a result of trial and error. I have to avoid quite a lot of foods (and you will know what your trigger foods are), but apart from that I live quite normally. Stress really affects my IBS though and when I'm really stressed it honestly doesn't matter what else I do - it's just bad - so if I were you I'd try to find ways to make my life less stressful.

Just seen your post about dairy, so disregard mine! Coincidentally I do find I can eat Greek yoghurt with the live bacteria without any ill effects. I usually get the collective dairy one.

I have. It was CBT, not official, just by using techniques I’d read about. I was just about to start a FODMAP diet and realised the list of things I could eat was shrinking daily. I had tons of test and nothing structural was found. So I spent time telling myself that while I was grateful my body was able to react to stress, it wasn’t necessary right now and could it please stop. It took about a month. I still get it when stressed, but rarely now and I take myself though my self-talk.

I used to have horrendous IBS, and now my digestion is basically perfect. I have no idea what combination of factors did it, but in the last year I have done the following:

Been vegan and then reintroduced limited animal products (eggs and occasionally a small amount of dairy) into my diet

Had a baby

Had my gallbladder removed

I don’t know what it was - pregnancy hormones? The end of the tyranny of gallstones? But my IBS hasn’t bothered me in months.

I hope you find something that works for you - it’s a horrible condition.

I've not cured it but amitriptyline had made a huge difference.

My food triggers are milk, garlic and lentils (all pretty common I think) and stress always makes it flare up too as does not sleeping.

I take 10mg amitriptyline at night and it really stops the popping and gurgling and general cramps.

I tried pre and probiotics and I've never felt pain like it.

Bloating and very gassy in the evenings
Awful nausea, especially mid cycle.
Acid and excessive burping which can go on for hours (often this also happens mid cycle)

Are you on any treatment for this OP? It sounds like you should be on a PPI for your acid reflux and that could really help with the above symptoms. I had an awful time with acid reflux about 18 months ago and was put on lansoprazole - it's made a huge difference!

EnglishRain lactose is definitely a big trigger for me. I once asked a gp if I could be tested for it but he said no as that was a waste of NHS money and to just drink a big glass of milk and see what the reaction was, gee, thanks!
Zafferana I’m trying yoga and relaxation apps but they aren’t really helping. Sadly my mum has Alzheimer’s and I care for her, the stress of holding it together must go straight to my digestive system!

Have you had coeliac disease ruled out? NICE guidelines are that several tests should be done before diagnosing IBS.

I take medication for my anxiety, I exercise daily, cut out gluten and most dairy and I drink matcha twice a day.
I hardly ever notice the ibs and when I do (if I’ve slacked on any of the above) I’m shocked because I almost forget about it!

Long time sufferer here too ImaHogg so I am also interested in the replies.

I have never been 'cured' but I have better phases and then awful phases. I am in an awful phase right now. Although I know it is partly stress related, I am very food affected. I know I am having a flare up now as I dared to eat something different..... (I got one of the meal kits and ate things i dont normally like chickpeas and spelt).

When I wake up I don't know if I will be having a IBSD or a IBSC day, so I am mixed like you. Over the years I have established what my triggers are, but this is different for everyone. I was awful on the fodmap diet so that doesn't work for all.

Sometimes it is so bad, that I just don't eat. Feeling hungry and weak beats the pain that I have sometimes. It is really not ideal and I can lose 2 - 3 kgs in a week when I get like that.

I think being strict with triggers is key imo. I do take meds for mine ( I am not in UK so not sure if avail to you) I take Librax at night, but try not to take them all the time, Iberogast drops, and Colofac every now and then. I also have some chews that I bought when I was in the USA on holiday, they are just called gas relief . I will check the ingredients later if you like.

I am also hoping someone comes along with a magic cure.

My triggers:
Wheat, dairy, raw onions but now also cooked, tomatoes, bananas, anything flavoured ie crisps, anything with skin on, apples, plums, nectarines, and now spelt and chickpeas as I just never dared to try them before, I wont be again..... There are more but those are ones off the top of my head.

Zafferana I’ve tried various PPIs but they trigger awful migraines. I’m a heart sink patient for my poor gp lol!

Booner, I had a gastroscope late 2019 which took biopsies, one of which was for coeliac, thankfully it was clear.

@Reinventinganna

I take medication for my anxiety, I exercise daily, cut out gluten and most dairy and I drink matcha twice a day. I hardly ever notice the ibs and when I do (if I’ve slacked on any of the above) I’m shocked because I almost forget about it!

Can I ask which med you take? It may be one I haven’t tried! Does the matcha help, I’ve always wanted to try and have read it’s good for anxiety.

Well managed but not cured.

I cannot eat brown bread, particularly seeds, anything really greasy like eg fish and chips, greek yogurt seems to be a new one too.

I get random flare ups for no reason and am very very far on the IBS D side. I take a lot of loperamide.

When it's bad I am scared to leave the house, particularly in lockdown with no pubs etc to dash into and use the loo.

@isthismylifenow

Long time sufferer here too ImaHogg so I am also interested in the replies.

I have never been 'cured' but I have better phases and then awful phases. I am in an awful phase right now. Although I know it is partly stress related, I am very food affected. I know I am having a flare up now as I dared to eat something different..... (I got one of the meal kits and ate things i dont normally like chickpeas and spelt).

When I wake up I don't know if I will be having a IBSD or a IBSC day, so I am mixed like you. Over the years I have established what my triggers are, but this is different for everyone. I was awful on the fodmap diet so that doesn't work for all.

Sometimes it is so bad, that I just don't eat. Feeling hungry and weak beats the pain that I have sometimes. It is really not ideal and I can lose 2 - 3 kgs in a week when I get like that.

I think being strict with triggers is key imo. I do take meds for mine ( I am not in UK so not sure if avail to you) I take Librax at night, but try not to take them all the time, Iberogast drops, and Colofac every now and then. I also have some chews that I bought when I was in the USA on holiday, they are just called gas relief . I will check the ingredients later if you like.

I am also hoping someone comes along with a magic cure.

My triggers:
Wheat, dairy, raw onions but now also cooked, tomatoes, bananas, anything flavoured ie crisps, anything with skin on, apples, plums, nectarines, and now spelt and chickpeas as I just never dared to try them before, I wont be again..... There are more but those are ones off the top of my head.

I had some spelt bread the other day, supposed to be low fodmap, I was awake all night! I’ve read so many great reviews re:- Iberogast, wish it was freely available in the U.K., always a bit apprehensive purchasing meds from Amazon.