Hi all I'm not normally one for forums, however I'm a little out of my depth and will freely admit I need a little advice. My wife has IBS and everything I seem to read seems at one point or another to contradict itself with regards to effective treatments for this condition. So I would be great full if anyone who has found an effective dietary solution to IBS. My wife seems to be worse when she eats any wheat based product but what I could really do with is a definitive list of good and bad food stuffs so I can tailor her diet. And can anyone tell me if the theory regarding pro biotics is reliable or not as the case may be ? Thanks in advance Rob
Hi robert
Wheat can cause problems as i am currently on a wheat free diet for two weeks.
This has been recommended by the doctor. He says to cut out wheat for two weeks the reintroduce if it is wheat then the obvious will happen.
It is easy to do but you have to read all the labels. The best thing to do is google wheat free diet and it will give you a list of all the things not to eat. More easier try gluten free breads cereals etc. Annoyingly they are more expensive but for health reasons i feel it doesnt matter.
Hope that helps a little bit.
Robert.
I thought it was wheat but it turned out to be all diary products. Milk Chesse Eggs Ice cream etc. Milk is in so many things. I can't also drink red wine, much fuzzy, onions and spicy foods. Try a diary plan and good luck.
if only it were that simple. There is no definitive list. It really is a question of trial and error. There is something called the fodmap diet which works by excluding virtually everythinng and then introducing things a bit at a tine and seeing the effects. I have found this Nice guidance helpful http://www.unimed.co.uk/pdfs/Irritable_Bowel_Syndrome.pdf
linseeds very helpful
amd there was an article in todays Guardian about probiotivs
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/30/probiotics-myth-or-miracle-prebiotics
Take one thing out at a time otherwise youll be all over place and overwhelmed with everything.
Hi.
I tried a celiac diet.
Then a lactose free diet.
Best to try only one at a time, and only for a week or so to see whether they have the desired affect.
Having said the above - the only thing that worked for me is EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique, this reduces the stress associated with IBS, and therefore reduces its effects.
I have never blogged until this week - but just realise you are not alone.
Regards.
Hello Robert,
I am very sorry to here your wife is unwell through IBS. I have suffered with this condition for over two years. I would like to point out that there seems to be many forms of IBS and you need to take advice from a medically trained person. I am just a patient but have discovered that wheat, milk, cheese, citrus fruits and coffee cause me to have IBS flare ups. I do not drink but alcohol is also on the list of things you should avoid.
Remember, we all respond differently to varies foods so it is a good idea to keep a food diary so you can check for yourself what your wife responds badly to.
Also remember that most people find stress generates problems with there IBS.
I wish you all the best and hope she feels better very soon.
robert62181
I have to agree here, I on the advice from Keith have started up EFT....although I have only done 2, 20 minute sessions, after the sessions, I feel able.....something I cannot say every day....my IBS has been constant for 1 and a half months, very little relief....I went on a 2 week basic diet, at the end of the 2 weeks, I started to feel stronger and more able...however as soon as I went back to other foods...my body started to react and now I am worse than ever with anxiety...remember a large % of sufferers also suffer from GAD, which is in my opinion on major cause for symptoms to be present all day....this creates stomach issues alone, so add that with IBS and you have a very bad mixture of feelings and emotions.....make sure your wife stays focused on accepting the IBS diagnosis and doesnt do what I have done, focus on "what if"...."what if its something more serious" because the doctors know....if they have diagnosed IBS and blood tests show no reason to worry....don't let your wife stress about it....avoid developing GAD....mine is worse that its been for 12 years and I am now having many anxiety attacks a day, fearing the worst that my symptoms (IBS and GAD) are actually something a lot more serious....
Hi Robert,
Unforntunatly Ibs is a very difficult thing to 'cure'. All the advice already given is really good and i would suggest that your wife take the time to test all of these as triggers. The best method I found to test for triggers was to keep a food diary. Your wife has probably heard this already but keeping a diary makes it alot clearer what a trigger can be because it helps you spot patterns that might otherwise be missed.
Dont change her diet drasically straight away as this can cause more harm because her body wont be used to it and she will lose nutrients and calories her body is used to, draining her of more energy than she probably already has.
Simply start by writing down what she eats/drinks, how much (doesnt have to be majorly exact) and at what time of day. Alongside it, write whether there are any stresses at this time (she she at home or at work for example) and finally how she feels 20mins-hour after food.
Do this for about 2-4 weeks, highlighting any foods that constantly cause issues. (eg. I found out that everytime I had something with tomato I would get cramps and reflux really servere.) Then you can start eliminatly things that way. She may find that all dairy is an issue. Then she can cut that out. But unless you can tell something is harmful to her theres no point drasically changing her diet so much that food becomes boring or a chore or just simply unenjoyable even when shes well.
You may find that, like me, there is not one food or food group that sets it off but a series of stressors and factors related to her menstral cycle. When im having a rough time I stick to the BRATY diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, (bio/natural) yogurt) Try and keep grains white as they are not so taxing on the stomach. If that goes ok, intorduce other easily digestable foods. Porridge, eggs (not fried) chicken broths/soups (not creamy ones) and cracker/plain buiscuits etc. If she enjoys veg make sure its soft and well cooked. Nothing raw. and fruits are best if either cooked or juiced down into a smoothie. Also, dont eat big meals, try little and often, even if that means alot of snacks and not eating fruits/veg for a while. The most important thing is that your wife is able to eat without pain. However, i would get some multivitiams as not eating and not having the right nutrients also will make her feel more run down and some flat energy drinks/detrox tablets because having low sugar and sodium levels in your body can equally make you feel ill and stop your digestive system from working properly when food is introduced.
I hope some of this advice helps and your wife feels better soon. But IBS is trail and error. what works for some may not work fr others, so take it slow. Its taken me about 4 years to get to a point where I feel I have the knowledge to 'control' my condition, and even then i still get issues.
yes I agree with cub22 especiallly the itlaics round ' cure' i When you have an infection and you take a course of antibiotics then you (hopefull) can talk about cure with IBS its about finding a way of managing your syndrome and while there are some good universal guidelnes , its about trial and error
Sorry don't suppose this really helps. I have been looking for the magic pill / bullet for years but in reality there isntr one
Keep well all
its not a 'miracle cure' but Silicol Gel has made an improvement for me. It can ge brought in most health food shops but is a bit pricey as a bottle only lasts around a week. It can be used for up to a month and after that your symptoms have meant to have improved to almost become non exsistant. Im on week 3 now and so far ive only had a few niggles of pain here and there. I havent needed my perscribtion meds neither, just the occasionally over-the counter indestigion tablet. You can take it with other medication but I wanted to see if really does work without other medication and so far im quite pleased. Once the month is up you can apparently use it if and when you need it but not constantly as within this first month so I dont know if i will go back to my perscription medication once I finish the month but ive always said im willing to try anything and I might have just found something that 'works'....
Hi the rob
When i was diognosed with bad ibs i wastold my a speaclist to avoid dairy prodiucts and that and also drink lots of water now if your wife is like me i hate water but i drank brovil or water flavored still water and i eat tons of fish in my menu and plenty of salad and brown rice and one a wekk ill treat myself to a roast and it seems like a mircale happened because from going through terrible stomache cramps which had me in tears and running to the toilet i know only go toilet properly once eevery two days and my severe stomache cramps have gone and in 3 months i havelost 4 stone in weight and they think this is duet=tomy healthy diet however i do suffer from Fibro and heart condtion and chronic arthritis too but i hope this helps a bit
Love and peace
always
Cherl