LISTEN UP FOR SOME GOOD ADVICE
I suffered from IBS for last 12 years.
My problems started around 6 months after of getting food poisoning but this was also a very stressful period in my life, so the exact cause is not known.
Trust me, diet changes are rarely the answer for curing IBS. Eating little but more often is best as the bowel seems to get more distressed when eating more volume of food. Of course a better diet will make you generally feel good over time and eating less processed foods is best anyway.
I can eat a curry and be fine or just a glass of water will set it off. However, some foods may trigger it more often when in a period of IBS and if you notice one in partiular then avoid. If anything boiled potatoes are less reactive. Often it rarely is one food type. When the stomach feels fine you can eat anything and it will not trigger it.
It is a mystery illness that seems to be triggered for no apparent reason.
I believe its basis is in stress related or psychological changes. Some chemicals in the brain related to mood, Seratonin are also present in the gut to regulate function. The spasms or cramps are due to the muscles in the gut not working properly. But the direct cause is not known by the medical profession.
Anxiety, stress or worry will make it worse.
Pain symptons start with cramps in stomach, bloating and enlarged abdomen. You may feel pain, ache and tenderness in the lumber or upper back region. In fact both front and rear of the trunk feels affected by IBS but generally go when the IBS is subdued. You may have problems disgesting food with wind at both ends. Passing wind and emptying the bowels seems to help with cramps. I also notice my saliva is very frothy. Faeces are with muscus and not well formed. You can feel tired and fatigued during bouts.
All of these symptons disappear when IBS is subdued.
Sometimes excercise will also bring on the onset of IBS.
Dont eat much when you have bad IBS. It only triggers the worse symptoms and you lose the nutition through diarrhea. Only problem I have I that I eat only once a day now through habit and have lost weight but feel tired a lot. Psycologically I have no confidence in eating much food.
I have found Meberevine 135mg or trade name Colofac will subside the bloating and cramps and most associated trunk pain. This works very very well! However, you are never far away from the next bout.
Eating less but more often helps and more than likely you can monitor your own triggers and adjust accordingly. It just very worrying when you dont know what it is.....and the doctors piss about diagnosing it. They are USELESS!
**I have been still taking mebrevine but for the last 6 months & IBS free apart from one bout. I have been carefree, going out drinking, eating fast food, staying out late and been fine. So my guess its more stress than anything.