TMI thread… anyone suddenly develop IBS later in life?

[Countingdays]

and what have you decided to do about it?

Since having 2nd DC 18 ago I’ve developed IBS. I don’t know if it’s hormonal or what but I’ve noticed a change in bowel movements. I got stool tests to rule out anything sinister so it leaves IBS.

I can’t work out the food triggers - I can eat the same meal several times and be fine, then that one time I’ll be running to the loo.

I’m now having plain lunches at work because it’s so unpredictable, and if I am going out to lunch / dinner with colleagues / friends I will proactively take OTC meds just out of pure fear.

I did consider doing the whole food diary and cutting out obvious triggers but at 35 it is such a daunting exercise to now dramatically change how / what you eat. Like onion and garlic - how can you cook without them?!

So has anyone suddenly developed this and if so what have you done to address it? Do you just accept it or have you actively changed your diet? And if you have, how has that changed your life?

TIA

That’s interesting. I definitely feel it’s not wheat and diary as I can have those no problem. I’ve been doing ok eating ham and cheese toasties on lunch breaks at work even though I’m dying to go back to my usual (non-boring) lunches but I’m just scared. It’s almost always things that have a lot of flavour. Weirdly enough I can cook with onion and garlic at home and be fine, but the moment I have something out it churns my stomach. Starting to think it’s not a particular food but some kind of additive? Honestly no idea. Definitely had to cut down on the spice as that is definitely a trigger, but even with mild food the more flavour the probability increases.

It could be the oil it's cooked in. I can't tolerate rapeseed, it makes me feel unwell and upsets tummy

Op, as a pp suggested, please get a bile malabsorption test. If you are suffering from this then hopefully colesevelam will help you.
It took ages for me to get the diagnosis - until I finally saw an gastroenterologist no other doctor mentioned it - and it has changed my life.

Stress and antibiotics have triggered IBS twice in my life. Twenties and more recently (forties).

"Mainly" clear and managed now, but took about 8 months. Lots of experimenting. Some things worked a lot didn't.

My diet isn't entirely changed but has just got healthier. It wasn't terrible before but not as good as it could have been, I think I let things slide for a few years due to busyness?

Which I'm actually quite grateful for as it's probably better for overall health as well.

Caffeine - coffee and tea were my major triggers. So I switched to boiled water or herbal teas or hot chocolate with ONE caffeine drink in morning.

Ginger was a quick fix life saver. Either ginger tea bags or you can boil slices of ginger in water until it becomes ginger tasting. I couldn't get to sleep some nights without my ginger infusion!

Magnesium solidified my BM - used "British Supplements" they're a great company. British Supplements also do probiotics (I don't have any connection).

Stress - I did need to make some changes and "slow down" a bit.

I can't say exactly what I changed with my diet but I took it as a wake up call and have tried to just improve my overall nutrition. I absolutely can have treats, junk, heat, spice, just not all the time.

If you think of solving it as a gradual process - 8 months not 8 weeks - and introduce some life things to look forward to as well.

It's definitely solvable, but be patient and kind and accept it may take time. See it as an opportunity to try some nice new recipes and improve your overall health for you.

If your body is complaining its a useful early warning sign.

Last summer I was going to the toilet multiple times after a standard plain roast dinner (cries). I thought I was condemned to plain bland food for life!

Impulsively grabbed a delicious extra spicy "samosa chaat" for lunch today and haven't needed a BM today.