Just got diagnosed with IBS

Just got diagnosed with IBS

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Discussion

227bhp

10,203 posts

127 months

Friday 20th July 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
I’ve had it all my life and have only just recently tried Loperamide (anti diarrhoea capsules).

I take a couple before having meals I know cause instant bowel emptying and it’s stopped it in its tracks. It’s going to give me a new lease of life, as I can now eat out worry free if I take them first.

High liquid fat content is my trigger - chicken legs, gravy, mayonnaise. Body just doesn’t seem to want to process it.
High liquid fat content in gravy and chicken legs?

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Friday 20th July 2018
quotequote all
227bhp said:
rossub said:
I’ve had it all my life and have only just recently tried Loperamide (anti diarrhoea capsules).

I take a couple before having meals I know cause instant bowel emptying and it’s stopped it in its tracks. It’s going to give me a new lease of life, as I can now eat out worry free if I take them first.

High liquid fat content is my trigger - chicken legs, gravy, mayonnaise. Body just doesn’t seem to want to process it.
High liquid fat content in gravy and chicken legs?
From KFC? biggrin

I've never been diagnosed with anything but I guess I do get what could be described as a bit of light IBS. Certain foods are almost certain triggers, usually ice cream, actual cream or deserts with it in, coffee but only sometimes, red wine but again not always, & spicy / greasy food i.e. takeaway curries. I also suffer with a bit of acid reflux that again I can often attribute to certain foods e.g. pizza and garlic bread.

Thing is for something else I suffer with I take steroids and as a consequence of that got put on Omeprazole to protect my stomach. It's like I'm now impervious to all foods while on the Omeprazole and can eat whatever I like without the effects. Probably should get it properly looked at one day but it's never been that bad and never any blood in my poo otherwise I would be braking down the doors of the GP to get an appointment.

rossub

4,400 posts

189 months

Friday 20th July 2018
quotequote all
227bhp said:
rossub said:
I’ve had it all my life and have only just recently tried Loperamide (anti diarrhoea capsules).

I take a couple before having meals I know cause instant bowel emptying and it’s stopped it in its tracks. It’s going to give me a new lease of life, as I can now eat out worry free if I take them first.

High liquid fat content is my trigger - chicken legs, gravy, mayonnaise. Body just doesn’t seem to want to process it.
High liquid fat content in gravy and chicken legs?
Have you guys seen the rotisserie chicken from Costco. Absolutely delicious, but when you cut those legs off, there’s a st load of fat smile

Mrs makes gravy with fat off the meat too!

PWeston

157 posts

74 months

Saturday 21st July 2018
quotequote all
halfpenny43 said:
When you say IF - for how long are you fasting and are you only taking in clear liquids to keep hydrated (i.e. water, consomme ?)
Understand the medication won't solve the underlying issue - but it does help fix the immediate symptom - particularly when needing to pop imodium or similar remedy.
Apologies for slow reply. IMO 16 hrs fasted per day is a good start and will alleviate some stress on the gut. During the fast you can drink pretty much any calorie-free drink you want. Lots of water (you can add a slice of lime or a dash of squash) is essential and you can drink tea/black coffee. You might find peppermint tea better on your gut though.

I have never had an IBS diagnosis but did used to suffer from seemingly frequent stomach upsets. I’ve found IF (in various forms over the last 8 years or so) to have been transformational in terms of improving stool quality and reducing general unpleasantness(!).

16hrs/day IF is a good starting point but I suspect that to see a significant improvement in gut health most people beneft from longer fasts. Personally I go at least 1-2 days each week with very little to no food. The longest fast I did was 5 days after which I felt incredible and noticed various positive health effects.

You cannot just jump into long fasts though, it requires a slow process of adaption to allow an adjustment in hunger related hormones like Ghrelin. I went from eating 3 meals a day and snacks to one evening meal and the odd snack. I virtually never eat breakfast and lunch is an unusual indulgence. For a bloke, not eating till evening actually becomes very easy if you build up to it and keep hydrated. If your evening meal is then wholesome and nutritious you’ll feel totally satisfied and your gut stands a much better chance of healing. By doing IF there’s evidence to suggest you’ll also massively cut your cancer risk as well as various other degenerative conditions.

PS can totally understand taking immodium or similar

Edited by PWeston on Saturday 21st July 07:36

Sticks.

8,707 posts

250 months

Monday 23rd July 2018
quotequote all
227bhp said:
High liquid fat content in gravy and chicken legs?
Same here. Gravy anyway, if a pub lunch, say. And olive oil, I just don't.

My symptoms don't sound as bad as yours but when it was persistent I did some thinking around IBS. Everyone's different and IANAD, obviously.

I started at 'what is IBS?'. I know that the normal digestive function is a cyclical/regular thing - ever known someone you could set your watch by their 'daily'? - so IBS is a disruption of this.

So I looked to find what disrupted the rhythm and what I could do to help it return.

As I said, high fats are an antagonist, so I do my best to avoid them. And anything too acidic, like apple juice. Luckily that's pretty well it for me so I avoid them as a rule.

I already generally eat high fibre foods so I started taking extra insoluble fibre, Psyllium (tablets). We take most of our water we need from our digested food, processing it too fast or slow can affect the output. Psyllium retains the right amount of water to pass through the intestine at the right rate. Not only does this make things more predictable, but I found over time it helped the normal rhythm return, so gradually I didn't need it.

Sometimes i lose the balance, so then I start again. If I think I might be having a relatively high fat meal, take some first. If it persists, Buscopan in gradually decreasing dose.

I did speak to a guts consultant on this, who said it made sense. For me that is, anyway. Some people find fibre is the worst thing for them. I had previously tried 'live' yoghurts etc but these are really for people who are a bit constipated. Cask ale for that matter too.

Nothing new there, but maybe some help. I'd say 'what is IBS' is the key to finding the solution which works for you. Always consult a Dr.

Nick



carl926J

108 posts

140 months

Tuesday 24th July 2018
quotequote all
Just anecdotal evidence to add to the data. My father (who had Alzheimers) developed piles and bleeding which both disappeared when we removed wheat from his diet. But we knew he was sensitive to wheat because he'd stopped white flour 20 years before and improved his arthritis. When my brother then also removed wheat, he told me his IBS cleared up.

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Tuesday 24th July 2018
quotequote all
There is also a fair amount of anecdotal evidence for going full carnivore to cure all sorts of auto-immune afflictions from psoriasis to arthritis. The theory is: cereal and plant anti-nutrients aggravating the gut leading to leaky gut syndrome to immune response all over the body. It's certainly the ultimate elimination diet. It may be worth trying, depending on what afflicts you.

halfpenny43

1,015 posts

235 months

Thursday 26th July 2018
quotequote all
PWeston said:
halfpenny43 said:
When you say IF - for how long are you fasting and are you only taking in clear liquids to keep hydrated (i.e. water, consomme ?)
Understand the medication won't solve the underlying issue - but it does help fix the immediate symptom - particularly when needing to pop imodium or similar remedy.
Apologies for slow reply. IMO 16 hrs fasted per day is a good start and will alleviate some stress on the gut. During the fast you can drink pretty much any calorie-free drink you want. Lots of water (you can add a slice of lime or a dash of squash) is essential and you can drink tea/black coffee. You might find peppermint tea better on your gut though.

I have never had an IBS diagnosis but did used to suffer from seemingly frequent stomach upsets. I’ve found IF (in various forms over the last 8 years or so) to have been transformational in terms of improving stool quality and reducing general unpleasantness(!).

16hrs/day IF is a good starting point but I suspect that to see a significant improvement in gut health most people beneft from longer fasts. Personally I go at least 1-2 days each week with very little to no food. The longest fast I did was 5 days after which I felt incredible and noticed various positive health effects.

You cannot just jump into long fasts though, it requires a slow process of adaption to allow an adjustment in hunger related hormones like Ghrelin. I went from eating 3 meals a day and snacks to one evening meal and the odd snack. I virtually never eat breakfast and lunch is an unusual indulgence. For a bloke, not eating till evening actually becomes very easy if you build up to it and keep hydrated. If your evening meal is then wholesome and nutritious you’ll feel totally satisfied and your gut stands a much better chance of healing. By doing IF there’s evidence to suggest you’ll also massively cut your cancer risk as well as various other degenerative conditions.

PS can totally understand taking immodium or similar

Edited by PWeston on Saturday 21st July 07:36
Awesome ! Thanks for the useful information. I may well look into this, particularly on the run up to a long flight !

condor

8,837 posts

247 months

Thursday 26th July 2018
quotequote all
There was an interesting article in Tuesday's Daily Mail about diverticulitis. Having read the article I realised this was the cause of my IBS and was surprised that my GP hadn't even thought of it when I complained about a recurring 'stitch in my left side', stomach cramps, excess wind and heartburn.
I've changed from having a high fibre cereal for breakfast to a fresh fruit salad with natural yoghurt - which seems to help smile

burritoNinja

690 posts

99 months

Thursday 26th July 2018
quotequote all
Vegan diet can cure a lot of your issues. I had higher cholesterol and went vegan near a year ago and cholesterol has gone from 7 to 4 with no effort at all. Countless studies showing vegan can cure IBS or greatly reduce it.

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Thursday 26th July 2018
quotequote all
burritoNinja said:
Vegan diet can cure a lot of your issues. I had higher cholesterol and went vegan near a year ago and cholesterol has gone from 7 to 4 with no effort at all. Countless studies showing vegan can cure IBS or greatly reduce it.
Yeah, right.

http://www.ibsvegan.com/
website said:
Living with chronic IBS is a constant trial, but being vegan makes it even more challenging because numerous plant-based foods are common IBS triggers.
Google "ibs vegan" for many, many more.

rossub

4,400 posts

189 months

Thursday 26th July 2018
quotequote all
Frankly I’d rather continue with my IBS issues than having to suffer being Vegan!!

RC1807

12,482 posts

167 months

Friday 27th July 2018
quotequote all
rossub said:
Frankly I’d rather continue with my IBS issues than having to suffer being Vegan!!
^ THIS!

I've been taking medication for a long time (maybe 6 or 7 years now - Duspatalin, then Spasmomen) for what was diagnosed as IBS. I recently went to my GP and told him I wanted to get to the root / trigger of the issues, rather than trying to mask with meds, which weren't always effective .... embarrassing moment at Spa during the WEC in May frown

I recently had a 2nd colonscopy (without sedative - that's not recommended, trust me!), which was clear, biopsy too. I had breath tests for allergies to fructose (negative) and sucrose (grey area outcome), and am waiting for blood test results on coeliac (sp?).
I've a gastroscopy booked for the end of September (not looking forward to that... but....) and will see what the outcome is.
After my colonoscopy, the internal medicine specialist prescribed a high dose probiotic (taken each morning) and a fibre supplement, like Fibogel (different name here) which both seem to help a lot - let's just say "binding" wink
These 2 additional meds can be quite pricey at around €40-50 / month.

Alcohol's a trigger problem for me, which is bad as I love my beer, so I've cut down a lot. frown

I've seen a dietician, but until all my tests are done, she can't help more, so I'll see her again later in the year.

As aI travel a lot for work, I have to take more care with what I eat, especially on long haul flights. Don't want to be caught out!







RC1807

12,482 posts

167 months

Thursday 11th October 2018
quotequote all
Ha, didn't realise I'd posted in this thread before, having just searched for the topic! wobble


As noted above, I had a colonoscopy a few months ago, and I've had blood tests and allergy tests more recently - bloods mostly for gluten allergy / intolerance, but all negative - cholestorol levels all fine, too.

Most recently I had a gastroscopy, and a biopsy was taken. The Specialist immediately prescribed some antacids, I suppose they are, as he noticed damage caused by acid reflux - recent business trp to NY I suffered for about 4 days, and a pack of Tums eadch day didn't really stop it!

My biopsy results came in on Tue., and I have a "Helicobacter Pylori" infection, for which I'm now taking 1000mg antibiotics, another drug called Heliclar, and something else to protect my stomach from the antibiotics!

The reason I came back to post here is that Helicobacter Pylori is present in a lot of people, but not many suffer from the symptoms, which are VERY similar to those of IBS.
Has anyone else been tested for Helicobacter Pylori?

I have to finish the antibiotics (2 weeks) and will then have another test for Helicobacter Pylori, before my GP and the Specialist decide if I should stop all my other meds: Spasmomen, Fibogel, and a massive pro-biotic - plus the antacid thingy, whatever that's called....

FINGERS CROSSED - and sometimes my legs, too. frown


Z064life

Original Poster:

1,926 posts

247 months

Friday 12th October 2018
quotequote all
So last week I ate lamb, which was not chilly but had some spices in it, not had this in a long time. Stomach felt fine after, maybe minor burning from the spices. But no issue with sleeping or being bloated etc.

Next morning (I was WFH), I had the WORST stomach cramps! My entire bowels and even anus was in a spasm! I went to the loo and all was good after.

My IBS has been very minor. Easy to manage by avoiding a few "trigger" foods I know of from experience, as opposed to formal testing, but I can eat most things. No bloating or pains etc. However, this was unbelievable. I couldn't even sit still. I feel sorry for those with more severe IBS as this episode was pretty life-limiting, even though a one off.

Is it worth telling the doctor this? I don't take meds.

Nickbrapp

5,277 posts

129 months

Friday 12th October 2018
quotequote all
My partner has chrons which is the same kind of thing, the doctor prescribes him 6macapotopurine which is a immune surpressant the same as lukemia suffers have. It’s sorted the chrons out but he has to avoid certain foods which set him off

Dairy
High fibre foods like brown bread and even salad leaves
Anything deep fried like fish and chips
Diet Coke or anything carbonated really
Anything acidic like lime juice or lemonaid
Most spicy foods
Red meat
Processed food like mc Donald’s
Red pepper

The biggest trigger is stress, avoid it as much as you can!

He was really bad for a few years and spent a lot of time in hospital before they got these pills and it came under control

He still has flare ups and has to take steroids when he gets them for 6+ weeks


It’s not the end of the world just take care in your diet and keep it cleanish, so very little mc Donald’s or pre made stuff

Anything stodgy is good for it, think egg fried rice with very little oil but not porrage

Sheepshanks

32,530 posts

118 months

Friday 12th October 2018
quotequote all
RC1807 said:
My biopsy results came in on Tue., and I have a "Helicobacter Pylori" infection, for which I'm now taking 1000mg antibiotics, another drug called Heliclar, and something else to protect my stomach from the antibiotics!

The reason I came back to post here is that Helicobacter Pylori is present in a lot of people, but not many suffer from the symptoms, which are VERY similar to those of IBS.
Has anyone else been tested for Helicobacter Pylori?

I have to finish the antibiotics (2 weeks) and will then have another test for Helicobacter Pylori....
I was recently found to have that from a biopsy. Slightly puzzled as I has to take two antibiotics (as well as my usuallu PPI) but only for a week, then wait two weeks and go back to the specialist for a breath test to check it had gone. When I went she wouldn't do the test and said the protocol is to asume it's worked.

She was was surprised I'd taken the anti-biotics for the whole week - she said many people can't tolerate them. They didn't have any effect on me at all, and I felt just the same at the end of the course as I had at the beginning.

FRG0

453 posts

157 months

Friday 12th October 2018
quotequote all
Nickbrapp said:
My partner has chrons which is the same kind of thing, the doctor prescribes him 6macapotopurine which is a immune surpressant the same as lukemia suffers have. It’s sorted the chrons out but he has to avoid certain foods which set him off

Dairy
High fibre foods like brown bread and even salad leaves
Anything deep fried like fish and chips
Diet Coke or anything carbonated really
Anything acidic like lime juice or lemonaid
Most spicy foods
Red meat
Processed food like mc Donald’s
Red pepper

The biggest trigger is stress, avoid it as much as you can!

He was really bad for a few years and spent a lot of time in hospital before they got these pills and it came under control

He still has flare ups and has to take steroids when he gets them for 6+ weeks


It’s not the end of the world just take care in your diet and keep it cleanish, so very little mc Donald’s or pre made stuff

Anything stodgy is good for it, think egg fried rice with very little oil but not porrage
The list you’ve wrote there is my “avoid if possible” list as I have Crohn’s, I find alcohol plays havoc with it for me as well. I got prescribed Mercaptopurine as soon as the diagnosis was made, it sounds like your partner didn’t?

skilly1

2,700 posts

194 months

Friday 12th October 2018
quotequote all
I have suffered with ibs for years. So much so that I have a phobia of being caught not being able to get to a toilet, which in turn makes me want to go. So I stress when flying, not about the being in a plane but when the seat belt light on - what happens if I need to go, landing and take off stresses me out.

I have been intermittent fasting for a few months now and my ibs has totally stettled down. I only eat once a day, fast for 20hrs (only black coffee, black tea or water in between ) and then eat what I want.

Has worked for me, so worth a go. I follow a Facebook group omad - one meal a day, run by gin stephens. - some amazing results on there.
https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Author/Gin-S...

Nickbrapp

5,277 posts

129 months

Friday 12th October 2018
quotequote all
FRG0 said:
The list you’ve wrote there is my “avoid if possible” list as I have Crohn’s, I find alcohol plays havoc with it for me as well. I got prescribed Mercaptopurine as soon as the diagnosis was made, it sounds like your partner didn’t?
O yeah alcohol is defo in the acidic pile, red wine seems to be the only thing he can get away with, maybe the odd fruit cider

No, at first they thought he was just really ill, then when it was determined as chrons he had some sort of injection regularly which worked but then that gave him awful car sickness and severe skin dryness which he has only just recovered from. About a yeah between diagnosis and getting the pills but 4 years and only 1 flare up after a bit too much birthday cake