How do I get my IBS back on track? :-(

[Suddengeekgirl]

I have had ibs-d for 12 years+. I was managing ok with it.

In the last few months I have been suffering from constipation, I'm not going fully and then I get a properly bad attack and end up camped out in the bathroom with stomach cramps and diarrhea. (Which is where I am now) :(

Help!

How can I get it back on track again?

As an aside I'm seeing the dr for blood tests as I have been having menopausal symptoms (I'm 32!) for the last few months so the two may be linked?

Anyhow, help!

And I spent the evening with a hot water bottle stuffed down my stretchy jogging bottoms!

Stress for me is a major culprit too. And I heartily endorse peppermint tea.

Have any of you tried probiotics? I've ordered some acidophilus tablets from natures best. I got them to try and sort other imbalances but are also supposed to help improve symptoms of IBS.

I am on a wheat free diet and taking acidophilus for 5 days.
I am feeling better today and had the most normal bowel movement for months.Fingers crossed.

I think you have to go with what works for you when you find it. For me, I found that the elimination diet got rid of it. However it does come back now in times of stress. I found that when I eliminated all of the foods recommended I had NO wind and didn't fart for about 4 weeks hence no IBS. When I introduced some potential wind inducing foods back into the diet then of course I started to fart again. (sorry just trying to explain). Removing foods that cause wind often prevents the spasms starting if you suffer from bloating. Wheat is believed to be the biggest culprit and do not eat fibre. In the days of early IBS recognition it used to be recommended that you increase your fibre but now is thought to be the worst thing ever for it as the bowel cant tolerate it.
A sensible low carb diet does help as you tend to not eat foods that cause wind.

You should go onto the FODMAP DIET.

Click on this link and follow the links on the page for more info.

Kings College FODMAP

Your GP should refer you to a FODMAP trained dietician.

You can also download an App- from the App.Store - Monash University Low FODMAP diet app.

Cutting out wheat sounds really restrictive though.

Yes I know it does Sudden but wheat is a major problem with IBS sufferers. Worth a try just to see if it solves your pain though. If it isn't and you have given it a couple of weeks then just go back on wheat and try eliminating something else.

Do you cut out wheat or gluten or both/ all?

You have to find out what if any food, might trigger or make worse your IBS. Too much wheat is not good for me but I tolerate a little. Read up on it and see what is the best way for you. There is so much good information on the web.

DH had IBS for 15 years
bucket loads of medication and dietary "advice"
then in September 2012 we started 5:2
he was very wary, but rapidly a convert.
Its gone, stopped, kaput, no more no medication
if his guts start to play up, a 24 hour liquid fast does the job
and he feels great in between
and even when we relax on holday it does not come back now

cutting out wheat is not really an issue now- I've been wheat free for about 20 years.
There are loads of gluten free breads out there- Genius is a good one- and you can also eat oats, porridge and oat cakes.

I really have no experience of IBS but i wonder if natural yoghurt or plain soya yoghurt would be soothing during/after an attack?

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I think a low wheat diet is a good idea for now and see how I get on. I'm also going to get some probiotics too.

I'm not going to be starting 5:2. I get really light headed and don't cope at all well with not eating 'properly'/ regularly. It just doesn't seem like the right thing for me but great if you've had success with it. :)

whats 5:2 mean? ...is it a kind of diet ? plan ? be interested if is as mine bad at the moment to

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet
come and join the fun

thank you but which thread to pick lol

read the welcome and the tips and hints and then pile into the big thread (33 is it) even if you are not ready to try a full fast
surf the wave od (slightly loopy) support

ok will look now thanks

I fast as well.
As soon as something plays up. Usually helps.

I've heard people say you have to just "eat through it" ie eat normally til your body rights itself. I haven't had the guts (arf arf) to try that yet.

The peppermint tea is more effective than Mebeverine or anything else so I'm riding it out with that. The silver lining is I've lost more than half a stone.

Fennel tea's better.

Just wanted to add my coeliac tests came back negative for 10 years until I was hospitalised with diarrhoea. Got another auto immune disease and realised might be coeliac after all. Had genetic test done which was positive then had biopsies taken which confirmed sero negative coeliac disease. Have been gluten free for just over a year and never felt better. Please consider more tests to rule out coeliac if you don't get better.
I wrongly thought with coeliac that you had to be ill all the time instead of every few months to start with although it ended up being weekly episodes. I'm still lactose intolerant but so much better than before.

I had a lovely GP who, though I tested negative for coeliac, gently reminded me that I was in charge of my own body and if I felt better not eating gluten then I should carry on not eating it. Oh I loved her.

I am lactose intolerant and can't tolerate anything other than small amounts of fats and fibre. At times like this, there's not much I can eat so I just eat very teeny amounts and time it so I'm at home and near a toilet. Can't last much longer, can it?