Anyone suffer from ibs

[namechangedjustforthis]

I've had it for years but its been especially bad the last few years, so much so I very rarely leave the house unless I really have too. I suffer every day but I go through periods where my body reacts to everything I eat. Even drinking water. So now I don't eat during the day and just eat at night, so I can work during day (work from home) but because I eat at night I suffer cramps during night And have severe diahrea in the morning, once I was so bad and lost so much weight I was admitted to hospital and was on nil by mouth and just on a drip and I still went to loo 30 plus times a day. It's ruining my life. I've tried so many different meds, but nothing works. Have you had anything that works for you? It's not like I can avoid things in my diet as I now eat very little, I'm almost scared to eat, and every time I do I suffer :-(

I suffer from ibs but that sounds really severe to me have you been to the doctors for allergy testing?

My friend in work was very similiar and blamed her ibs until she collapsed from severe diarrhoea and dehydration and she turned out to be lactose intolerant.

I find for me I do have trigger foods and find eating small amounts every 4 hours or so helpful.

The doctor said there's no point as it won't be an allergy as even when I'm not eating and just drinking water I still have a reaction :-( I've been referred back to the hospital but been waiting months for an appointment already x

Anyone else? X

Bumping incase anyone else has advice? X

Sorry to hear you're having such problems. Only advice I could give is cut out ALL dairy and grains (wheat etc) and sugar and stick to meat, fish, veg and eggs. This cleared my IBS and I know it's helped others - there's a thread on MN about it too.

I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs lol I will try anything, where would I find the thread? Do you have a link to it? Thank you so much for your reply, feel so alone with this and no-one really understands how it feels to have your life controlled by the loo unless they've suffered too x

Sorry, can't link from iphone but thread is in this topic, General Health, and entitled Low carbing seems to be curing my IBS.

Forgot to say, I also read a book about a vegetarian who suffered with IBS until he started eating meat. Will try and remember title and let you know.

P.s. I do understand, it's horrid and the doctors dismiss it as nothing.

Thank you so much, will have a look for the thread xx

I used to be veggie and had bad IBS (although not as bad as you describe) with lactose as the main trigger, but lots of other things would set it off too.

I now eat meat and feel better on so many levels, and the IBS has pretty much gone. I can eat pretty much anything now, including moderate amounts of dairy.

I would recommend no wheat or dairy.
More protein.

The book is called The Meat Fix by John Nicholson. Apparently soya can cause big problems for some people.

Would massively recommend a low carb eating plan for curing ibs. I no longer have any symptoms at all.

Ah eating meat isn't an option, I've been a vegetarian all my life, will read up on all the other suggestions xx

Sounds awful name. IBS is a general name for all inflammatory bowel disease for which no cause can be found. Have you had thorough testing to rule out colitis/diverticulitis/crohns etc? Have you seen a specialist?

Once any serious digestive problems are ruled out, I would Google FODMAP. Its an 'anti' IBS diet which cuts out a whole range of foods that seem to trigger IBS symptoms. It was developed in Australia, and is making inroads into the US and the UK. Its recommended that you go and see a dietitian who will help you.

I followed the FODMAP diet for 8 weeks (and it is pretty simple food - along with lactose free dairy, and absolutely no gluten). After 26 years of IBS, I feel sooooo much better. After the 8 weeks, you start to reintroduce foods and so get to know what triggers off your digestive system.

I did get tested for chrons disease, and when I was in hospital I got camera up the bum, and it showed my bowels were inflamed and had sore bits, and they said it was ibs, have been referred back to the hospital but not sure when my appointment will come through, I'm going to send sometime tomorrow reading everything suggested, If I didn't eat I would be fine :-( xx

I think the problem with eating low/no carb when vegetarian is you'll never feel full as it's the meat that fills you up. Carbs do too, but then you suffer a "carb low" when you need more carbs to counteract the lows.

I'm not an expert, so definitely do your own research and seeking the advice of a dietician would be a good idea. However in my experience GPs don't know much about IBS and I was advised to eat more carbs and fibre which made matters much, much worse for me! I have read up a lot and been eating low carb (practically no carb, certainly no refined carbs) for almost a year and it made such a difference to me.

As I think was suggested above, you could cut out gluten first and see if that makes a difference. I guess you've nothing to lose?