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Original poster

Can anyone help/offer advice with IBS! I'm so fed up with it!

17 replies

Haribosmum · 19/02/2008 19:46

I've had IBS for a few years now. It stared off when I was just nervous, then seemed to go away and then came back just before I was pg with DS2. Went away durning pregnancy and came back a few months ago with just mild stomach cramps in the morning and lots of wind. Generally went away within an hour of waking. The past 3 weeks however it has been hell. I couldn't eat anything without horrible stomach cramps and the runs, so I stopped eating as much (survived on a ham sandwich a day for a week). It got better for 2 days and now is back again (well just the bad stomach cramps and wind for now). I've lost weight over the past 3 weeks (not weighed myself but I would guess 5kg - a very visible weight loss) which has been good to get rid of the excess baby weight but now I'm truely peed off with it. I have 2 pre-schoolers to look after and keep having to run to the loo! I've already tried cutting out greasy food (probably another reason for the weightloss!). Any help would be greatfully recieved!

OP posts:
nutcracker · 19/02/2008 19:53

No help here i'm afraid, but reading your post has just confirmed my suspicions that I have IBS.

I have those exact symptoms nearly every morning, sometimes lasting all day.

KatyMac · 19/02/2008 19:58

Food diary
Symptom diary

Correlate & cut out obvious culprits

For me diahorrea & cramps =fat, green veggies, bran, wholemeal bitty food, lamb
constipation = beef milk/butter/cheese

I am getting very good at balancing it

Littlefish · 19/02/2008 20:01

I take aloe vera gel every day. It has really, really helped to control my symptoms.

KatyMac · 19/02/2008 20:03

Aloe vera is very good

Also I found making my own bread had a massive effect

twinsetandpearls · 19/02/2008 20:09

I was going to post the same as katymac, that is exactly how i keep mine under control. I have a book at home that helped me. Am on the road at the moment but will post details when i get back. Stress is a huge factor for me as was being pregnant. I was admitted into hospital with mine when pregnant as my ibs had not been diagnosed then and noone could get to the problem of my endless pain.

kd73 · 19/02/2008 20:16

My partner swears by a fromage frais a day helps keep his in check!

galletti · 19/02/2008 20:25

At the risk of sounding like an advert, my closest friend who suffered badly with IBS swears by an actimel and an activia yoghurt daily. She has found she can eat foods she had totally discounted since she started this (2 years ago)

bettythebuilder · 19/02/2008 20:42

the problem is IBS can be caused by all sorts of things- I had a hydrogen breath test done on the NHS after years of IBs, which showed I'm lactose intolerant. Yoghurt is no good for me!

Now I totally cut out dairy and am a different person for it

An elimination diet and food diary may help to see if there are foods that are triggering your IBS.

mammyofET · 19/02/2008 20:56

I agree with Katy Mac - food and symptom diary.

For me - white bread, hot cheese, fatty, processed foods and alcohol = stomach cramps.

Stress is my major cause of pain. When I am stressed I make sure that I eat really well.

I also find that drinking boiled water gets rid of the bloating feeling.

KatyMac · 19/02/2008 20:57

I don't cut out much (just raw veg & salad) I just balance everything & have become quite sensative to what my body needs

MegBusset · 19/02/2008 21:03

This book is brilliant -- I had a bad episode of colitis a few years ago and found it very informative.

If your symptoms continue then you might want to get Crohns/colitis ruled out, your GP should be able to refer you for tests.

Original poster
Haribosmum · 19/02/2008 21:25

Thanks for your advice guys. I'm in New Zealand and this morning I've been bad again having to keep running to the loo. It's quite dangerous really because my 3yr old usually keeps an eye on the 1 yr old so he doesn't get into trouble/danger whilst I'm 'otherwise indisposed' ie on the loo. This morning he's at my SIL house and I can be sitting on the loo and hear the baby upto all sorts. The house is quite well 'baby-proofed' but you just never know do you? I tried Aloe Vera juice a while back and it didn't seem to make a difference. I also had some tablets prescribed by my doctor but they just made me feel really sick! I think bubs is ready for his morning nap now so hopefully I'll get to bed as well seeing as I've been up since 3.30am with stomach cramps.

Oh and Bettythebuilder it's interesting you mention the LI because my youngest is LI and we always wondered where it 'came from' iyswim. Maybe I've got a touch of it as well. I alway find my brew in the morning 'gets things moving' which offers some relief but is also rather inconvenient trying to get the boys dressed/brekie etc...

OP posts:
MumRum · 19/02/2008 21:33

I think you should keep a food/symptom diary as well...
My trigger is to much bread or bread products ie, crumpets, pizza,

bettythebuilder · 19/02/2008 21:45

Could you be LI?- tablet often have lactose in as a bulking agent (I can't take any hayfever tablets as they all have it) maybe that's why your prescribed tabs made you sick?

munchkinmum · 19/02/2008 22:46

Hi

Utmost sympathies from a fellow IBS sufferer. I find that peppermint oil capsules and charcoal capsules help when I have a bout.

My triggers seem to be too much alcohol an also cabbage/sprouts.

I'm pregnant at the moment, it was awful in the first few months (my Dr. said that the hormones exacerbated the symptons) but have been relatively OK since then. Will be interesting to see if it gets worse after....

Good luck!

Elsy · 20/02/2008 19:18

I've had chronic IBS for 6 years now and the only thing that got mine under control was a strict diet eliminating wheat, dairy and sugar. Did that for a few months and was then able to eat more normally. Raw fruit/vegetables were always impossible though. Don't think there would be enough bacteria in Actimel to have any effect - I took a high strength acidophilus capsule twice a day, which I'm positive made a difference (Biocare is really good - you can get it from health food shops). My IBS improved greatly during pregnancy but has now begun to creep back as I've been eating whatever I like for the last year. You have my sympathy because I know how impossible it is trying to live a normal happy life when you're constantly worrying about having to run to the loo and what a chore it is having to monitor what you eat so strictly. Good luck though. Think I'll be trying a stricter diet again soon when I can summon up the energy ...

Original poster
Haribosmum · 21/02/2008 22:41

Well DH had the day off work yesterday because I was so bad with it I couldn't look after the kids. It's got so bad I can't even drink without getting stomach cramps etc 10 minutes later. Yesterday I managed to eat 1 small homemade burger on a slice of bread and one digestive biscuit. I had to eat in the end because I was starting to feel light headed. Can't drink cups of tea anymore which usually helps. The only thing I've drank without major pain afterwards is Ribena

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