Has anyone had gut type issues resolved?

[Ilmb]

There is something wrong with my digestive system but I don’t know what. My main problem is severe bloating. By the end of the day I look heavily pregnant. Im not over weight so it literally looks like a baby bump. It feels uncomfortable.

Iv tried low fodmap, had various pills for ‘ibs’ but they didn’t make a difference. I’m not convinced it is ibs. I don’t get constipated and rarely diarrhoea although maybe once or twice a week I will empty my bowels 2 or 3 times a day. I can’t eat masses in one go, although I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem. I know it will be particularly bad with pain and bloating when I eat dairy or wheat heavy meals eg lasagna or pizza. I know that for some reason potatoes really hurt my stomach aswell so try to avoid them. Iv spent time off wheat and dairy in the past but Iv never ever felt ‘good’. If you can understand what I mean? I’m also taking good bacteria tablets. I want to go back to the doctors but will take a few weeks to get one and id like to try all the things they would advise to do before I go? Can anyone help?

Sounds like you need a blood test for Coeliac. Unfortunately, you will have to go through a doctor and you need to keep eating wheat/gluten as otherwise the test can't work.

I don’t think it’s related but the last 6 months Iv struggled with my weight, although I’m not over weight I’m half a stone heavier than my normal and I can’t get it down despite counting calories and being as active as I can?

talbot I don’t have many of the symptoms of that though? I think I was tested for that back when they put me on ibs meds (over 10 years though I think)

Oats make me bloated aswell....

I have IBS and don't have D or C which is normally the main symptom.
I have normal BM but sometimes can go 2-3 times in a day
I have pain and this can come on all of a sudden after eating-usually like you mention,heavy meals or dairy and potatoes.
Think you need to go back to Docs and get some tests run.

Thanks charlie. Interesting. Did you have tests to rulevother things out then? I can’t remember what meds but I definitely had pills for ibs that didn’t help... are there many types?

I have IBS for probably 20 years and it was only last Year that everything seemed to change and I was getting lots of pain,gas and bloating-most days.
I did in the end get tested for lots of things(I became quite anxious wondering what was wrong)
I have had various pills for it over the Years and nothing really helps that much.

Have they sent off a stool sample to check it's 'just' ibs not ibd?

The meds I had that help with my ibs flair ups were Colpermin. It just peppermint oil capsules, but taken properly for a few days/a week did help.
Also Buscopan for the cramps/spasms.

Warm bath would help a bit with the trapped wind too

I think they did a stool sample but a very long time ago. I had colpermin and buscopan. I have buscopan in the cupboard (Iv had a bad pain that looks like a grumbling appendix on top of this) that gp gave me 6 months ago and Iv been taking them and they don’t make any difference at all.

OP you sound like me, though I do suffer from constipation. The one thing I found makes a difference was taking a magnesium supplement. It took a few weeks to start working but my digestive issues really settled down & I started to feel 'good'. Couple of quid for a tub from the supermarket. Could be worth a go?

Yes, although it took a good 50 + years to get to the lovely stable gut I have today.

Over the years I have tried everything and although some things caused temporary relief, they just didn't work long term.

I eat predominantly fruit and vegetables, with a small quantity of fish (2-3 servings) each week and alternative protien sources such a quinoa, lentils etc. I eat cheese, but again only in small quantities and take a daily probiotic drink. I drink 1-2 coffees a day and the rest of the time just have water. I also have a square or two of 85% Chocolate if I want it, but eat no other processed sugar at all.

The breakthrough for me came when I was feeling particularly ill after a bout of gut issues. I did masses of research, read the book 'Gut' and realised that I had to do something to resolve my gut problems. They were beginning to dominate my life.

The first things I eliminated were processed sugar and carbs (bread, cake, biscuits etc) I felt immediately much better. I also stopped getting the constant food cravings I had lived with for years.

I then challenged whether I needed the quantities of protien I was eating at each meal and my overall portion sizes. I also reduced my dairy intake.

Finally I tackled other processed foods and eliminated everything that caused issues. I can eat Pesto, tomato / pepper pastes and things like Marmite, but struggle with Hummus and many canned / jars of sauce etc.

In all it took about two years to get to where I am now. Things like the removal of carbs / sugar had immediate effects, but it took me ages to works out that Hummus and some other processed foods caused me problems.

I am not a food bore, rarely talk about what I have done, doubt if friends even notice when I eat out and use Pinterest as a source of fab recipes if I am entertaining. In my head nothing is off limits, but I just have to accept that if I eat bread or a large ice cream, I will not feel so great the next day.

Friends do comment on how well I look, one side effect has been a gradual reduction in my belly fat, and I have masses of energy. I have also impressed my cardiologist. I have heart issues and have seen a reduction in Cholesterol and blood pressure since I made these changes.

Ohhhh,

Forgot about Magnesium. Like Misshemsworth I also started taking Magnesium every day.

There is a lot of research saying that women are often deficient in Magnesium and it has an important role in both gut and heart health.

I developed ibs during a house move. Developed all the glorious symptoms. The gp gave me some meds and I altered my diet a bit but don't think it made much diffs. It went on about 6 months and then resolved itself. This was about 4 years ago.

Knowing what I do I think it was stress related.

Try Michael Mosley's The Clever Guts Diet.

Baxdale's post makes sense to me.

It could well be stress as without going into detail my adult life has been pretty shit. BUT i cant remove a lot of the sources of my stress (issues with one of my dc) and I do my best to be ‘mindful’ etc...

I used to always take magnesium for my bones/muscles but haven’t taken if for a month or so as I wasn’t sure if it was helping and I struggle to swallow the only large tablets that I can find!

bax I agree with what you have written. I would love to be ‘clean eater’ It’s juat been a struggle of how to cook without cooking 2 seperate meals for me and dc at dinner especially as I’m vegetarian already. I’ve lowered my dairy intake this week although I didn’t have a lot of dairy to begin with, have found I don’t mind oat milk in my tea but oats do bloat me so I’m not convinced that’s helpful!

I’m trying to reduce my sugar and processed food intake, it’s just been hard (as above). bax could you give me an example of a days food intake for you please? I eat quite a bit of quorn but that’s processed... so I don’t know how I would go about not eating that for a whole weeks worth of food? I don’t want lentils every day twice a day

Of course Limb

Yesterday:

Breakfast: Banana & Blueberries. ( I used to eat Porridge but then read a book which suggested that eating only fruit in the morning, helps with the elimination cycle of your digestion). I am much more comfortable now I only eat fruit first thing.

Lunch: an enormous Salad - Leaves, Tomatos, Carrots Avocado, Pomegranate, Super Seeds (seeds, dried peas etc).

Supper: Stir fry - Broccoli, Carrots, Asparagus, baby corn with a small piece of Haloumi.

Later in the evening a coffee, handful of cherries and square of Chocolate.

Today will be:

Breakfast: Bananna and Blueberries

Lunch: Garlic Mushrooms with Lentils. (Fried Mushrooms in Garlic Puree with Lentils, Broccoli & baby Sweetcorn)

Supper: Salad (whatever salad bits are floating in the fridge)

I can honestly say that about 75% of my weekly food spend is now on fruit and veg.

However I also think that an important part of my improved gut health is down to my reduced portions. I look back and realise, that despite the fact that my weight is in the 'normal' BMI range, I was probably overwhelming my gut with the quantities of food I ate. Experimenting I realised I didn't need half the food I was eating and that by giving my gut a rest it was able to operate more comfortably.

Baxdale has given a wonderful primer on gut healthy eating, which is what I was coming here to mention.
Another book well worth reading is The Diet Myth by Tim Spector - don’t be put off by the pop science title, he’s a respected geneticist who studies gut microbes. It’s written in a very accessible way and you’ll learn so much about how the microbes in our gut affect our health - physical and mental. My years of IBS were caused by anxiety and mental illness I now realise.
The book The Healthy Gut Handbook also offers recipes and an idea for a meal plan all aimed around eating for gut health.

A word on dairy too - my body/microbes really don’t like mass produced dairy, cream, dips that sort of thing. But it’s fine with properly made, unpasteurised cheese which is probiotic and healthy (in sensible sized amounts!)

Should mention - having bowel movements 2-3 times a day is actually a good thing and nothing to worry about if they’re normal stools not diarrhoea. It means you’re getting enough fibre.

I've had IBS on and off fo 40 odd years. Not so bad now as I've reduced fructose in my diet but gynecological issues - ovarian cyst, endometriosis and fibroids were missed as when I went to see GPs specialists etc as I was focused on my bowels.

Could your gynecological issues cause bloating OP?

After the ovarian cyst was removed the bloating reduced for a few years.

I'm.no expert but I know quorn can cause terrible stomach issues.

I agree Canwe. Quorn really irritates my gut.

Thanks bax does that breakfast full you up? I have lots of salad already, BUT I do have quorn a lot... can that’s interesting, where have you read quorn can cause stomach issues? If I stopped quorn I would worry what I’d eat instead? These types of meals we have a lot and the kids would be gutted if I stopped:

Bolognase I make with quorn mince
Fajitas I make with quorn pieces, what on earth would a vegetarian eat in it that’s protein? Or maybe I could just have the veg but needs something else?
Enchiladas is another of the kids favourite I make with quorn..
I have quorn cooked fillets in a salad at lunch time whilst it’s hot... (I could swap for lentils etc so a bit easier but still ....)
I also eat quorn bacon once or twice a week
That’s a lot of quorn...
I do cook most things from scratch but cutting the quorn and replacing it would be a problem unless anyone has any other ideas?

I’m currently eating tesco granola super seeds ( something like that) with almond milk but I still get bloated but I like it and the sugar is minimal in it. I think I’ll have a look at the books mentioned thank you.

ghost I don’t have any gyne issues? I’m on cerazette so I don’t have periods, was checked for cysts when I had an abdo scan to check few months back in case the grumbling appendix was a cyst..

You are having a lot of quorn!! If you Google quorn and bloating there's usually reams of stuff. I think it suits you or doesn't. I would be wary of having it more than twice a week. I would try not to build a life around it after the reading I did. I'm veggie too and a useless cook so I do sympathise!!