I've just been told I have IBS, come talk to me about diet

[kit84]

My GP didn't have any leaflets so is going to send me some. I'm trying to avoid google so thought someone here might have some good tips of things to eat/avoid.
I know it can be different for different people, I guess I'm wondering what does it for other people so I can compare myself really I have no idea where to start!

Thanks

Get yourself a copy of

"No More IBS!"by Marion Stewart & Dr Alan Stewart

It is excellent, packed with diet advice depending on your symptoms, it also talks all about why it can affect people, how to deal with it and what can help it to ease.
FWIW I suffered very badly from IBS years ago but have been free of any problems for well over 15 years now.

Thank-you for the tip, I'll ask DH to go to the book shop in his lunch break.

It really is excellent and I have lent it to many a friend who has had problems.
It makes it less of a daunting prospect and sets out clearly an eating regime that can help you identify which foods in particular set off your symptoms.

It is very common to be triggered by stress, so if you are in a stressful job or tend to be someone who worries a lot then the first thing to do is to try and set time for yourself each day to be relaxed. The digestive system can be very sensitive to stress and of course if you then have IBS, that in itself can make you feel anxious about going to the bathroom or being away from home and needing the loo, so make sure you don't rush around without giving yourself time to address your own bodily needs first. Good luck - I think that book will really help. Hope so

I have had IBS for the past ten years and would just like to give you some hope - you can learn how to work out what triggers it -although when you are stressed suddenly (like I am today) then there doesn't seem to be much you can do to prevent it, only deal with the symptoms. I have spent years trying to work out which foods trigger mine off. Spicy food, onions, bread and pasta are foods that I now avoid. It might be different for you but keeping a food/ibs diary for a couple of months will show you if a particular food is doing it. Unfortunately, I love bread and still give in sometimes but always regret it later! I take Colpermin (available over the counter)now as soon as I feel any cramps or bloating and this does help, also Immodium if things have gone too far. Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

Avoid baked beans :O)

Thanks, my GP did give me some Colpermin today.

I know that spicy food & pasta are triggers for me also from what I can figure out, hadn't thought about bread, though I probably eat quite a lot of it without realising, I'm a great one for grabbing a slice of toast on the go...

I'll give the food/ibs diary a go and see what else I can figure out. Thanks!

And noted about avoiding baked beans

Baked beans have never bothered my IBS. I kept a food diary and couldn't work out what causes it. Sometimes I have a bout after eating cottage pie but not other mince dishes. Being pregnant sorted mine out. I haven't needed to go back on the tablets since but I do have the odd bout now and again, nothing like it was before though.

more often than not it it's wheat that's the problem, you can live without it tho

Yea yea yea Nightcat you are right!!

I can relate to you, Coldhands. Mine doesn't seem to be affected by food at all. I've tried so many different things. All seems to be psychological - flaring up when I'm on the tube or similar inconvenient times. Mebeverin has helped me a lot, but it's still an annoyance.

Food intolerance is the trigger for IBS in only a few cases. Overactivity in the nerves or muscles causes discomfort or pain and it's not known exactly why this might be a lot of the time, but stress and emotional upset seem to be factors.
IME stress played a major part and antispasmodics (I had Colofac) before eating helped to ease the pain, as did perppermint tea with a meal - both relax the gut and limit the painful spasms.
Many GPs hesitate to label symptoms as being due to IBS until they have ruled out all the other possibilities first so make sure that your GP has checked for wheat intolerance (coeliac test) and any other pertinent tests relating to your symptoms.

Coldhands - interesting what you say about pregnancy, as my IBS cleared up after the birth of my 1st son. I found pregnancy wonderful at slowing everything down to a normal pace! In my case, I think the IBS was triggered by a bout of giardia I picked up while travelling in India as a teenager and which I didn't get treated for a while. I think it is triggered in some people after a particularly nasty bout of D&V, or by parasitic infections like giardia. (And no, I don't think I had giardia for 10 years, I think it upset the equilibrium of my stomach and bowel for a long time after the initial problem had been cleared!).

I had IBS triggered by anxiety.

I cured it through homeopathy. I am fine now and travel about with no problems, whereas before I could not even leave my home to go down the road. Counselling did not help me though! Only Homeopathy.