IBS bloating - any suggestions?

[spongebobsleftsock]

Hi all,

I've been suffering with IBS for several years, and since lockdown I think I've had a generally constant low level flare. I'm not spending half my life in the bathroom like a normal flare up, but I am really bloated and uncomfortable and neither buscopan or peppermint oil capsules seem to be shifting it. I'm quite stressed at the moment, and I know this is the worst thing for my IBS.

I even took a (ok, several) pregnancy test(s) because I got paranoid after the 'not wind but baby' thread, but negative and as I was quite big with my pregnancies, I'm pretty sure it's not that!

Does anyone have any tried and tested remedies for IBS bloating please? I'll literally try anything right now.

Thanks

I have crohn's, I know they are completely different but low resisdue food always helps.

DH swears by 'sleepy' tea with lots of valerian root in it for his IBS and peppermint tea to relieve bloating.

FODMAP or keto diets. Both very effective.

@BusterGonad - what is low residue food? Not heard that term before.

Thanks all - think I might have to give the FODMAP diet another go. Hated it when I did it before and still never identified my trigger apart from stress.

Just feel so uncomfortable!

@blackcat86 - interesting, I might have to give that a go. Can't stand peppermint tea but needs must!!

Try some food pro biotics it's really helped me

that should say "good" probiotics

@icantthinkofmuch - I've been looking at these. Do you have any suggestions for which ones I should try? There are so many!

Low residue is basically simple foods, no nuts, seeds, wholemeal etc. You pick the easiest digestable foods. White bread, white pasta, jelly, smooth jam, bananas, no salad, no crunchy fruit, veg boiled so it's very soft, no fruit or veg skins. It's food that basically gives your bowels a rest and they don't take much effort to digest.

Definitely suggest low FODMAP
I had so many issues, now I have limited my intake to a few key food items, and it’s really hard, but so so worth it.
The thing is you will have to tweak it to suit you. Some things on low fodmap I can’t eat at all even though they are listed, and some things I can - even though I’m not supposed to!

Plus lots of water and regular exercise.

Doing v sit ups has helped me to relieve the gas sometimes. They really push out the gas!

Thanks everyone! Looks like diet is the answer - least with lockdown and wfh I have the time to do this without the extra planning for lunches at work!

Also will try farty sit ups as suggested by @Fleetheart. Might even rediscover my pre c-section stomach muscles.

I was just going to add make sure it is IBS i assume you've been diagnosed? If not make sure you get a whole host of other conditions checked as you maybe treating the wrong condition.

Only adding as endometriosis can display as IBS and if untreated for years which is normally the case it can cause all kinds of issues.

My husband swears by ginger ale when he has IBS, also hot water bottle at night and chamomile tea works as well.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but drink lots and lots of water.

@justkeepmovingon I was diagnosed several years ago, but was more a process of elimination as I understand there's no real test. Interesting about endometriosis- will mention to my doctor but not been picked up previously so assume they'll have ruled that out.

They never rule out endometriosis they just ignore it as they don't know much about it, but given 1 in 10 women have it just check you don't have other symptoms of endo.

IBS Is used to blanket over many other conditions, so just be sure to keep a close eye on other areas of your health as well x

@justkeepmovingon I've just googled, and I'm now wondering if that could be it given the fact I have many of the symptoms. Think that's me going back to the doctor then!

Thank you

I find peppermint tea very helpful but then you've tried the capsules without success so maybe it won't help. I also used to take Buscopan a lot which was also very helpful. My IBS rarely causes me issues nowadays thankfully so I hardly ever take it anymore.

High quality kefir (that you have to buy online, not the supermarket rubbish) and biokult.
I had horrendous problems before and tried everything.