I've had some IBS symptoms (stomach aches, loose bowels, cramping) since around 15 years old. I'd never gone to the doctor for it because it was manageable and because I have a major distrust of doctors. I've also struggled with OCD my entire life and, after a bad flare up last October, decided to try a no dairy no gluten diet to see if that helped my OCD symptoms.
With the new diet, I was eating an increased amount of protein and fiber; which lead to diarrhea. From my research of diet changes, this was normal. The problem was after time, the symptoms kept getting worse, not better. I eventually abandoned my new diet because of worsening nausea and diarrhea, but the symptoms still persist after a few weeks. Nearly two months have passed and all I can eat is white rice and a small amount of yogurt without being nauseated or getting diarrhea shortly after I eat. I feel like I broke my digestive system by eating too much protein and fiber. It sounds dumb, but that's what I feel like.
Has anyone experienced severe symptoms after changing your diet drastically? My doc also did some blood tests and a stool sample then immediately said it was IBS. Should I trust this? She didn't recommend I go to a GI specialist or get a colonoscopy.
Last question, have any of you been tested for SIBO or done a round of antibiotics to see if it helps the symptoms.
It may take sometime for your stomach to settle down after change of diet. Trust your doctor because your symptoms do sound like IBS. If you don’t have bleeding or weight loss, you shouldn’t worry. I wasn’t offered a colonoscopy, a GI specialist or a SIBO test either and I was diagnosed with IBS after a negative ultrasound, stool tests, urine test and celiac test. I was given urinary antibiotics to see if I had a urinary infection even though it was negative. I felt worse on the meds and they didn’t improve my symptoms.
If you have reduced your food intake or are worrying a lot, that would cause weight loss. The only weight loss that would be concerning would be rapid, unexplained weight loss.
I've experienced symptoms that have gotten worse after eliminating all animal produce from my diet.
I pretty much ate a plant based diet, only eating animal produce if I was at a family members/friends house. Eliminating animal produce and replacing it with plants meant that my fibre uptake shot up - this, I think, has caused my IBS symptoms (loose stools, bloating) to get worse.
As much as I don't want to eat animal produce, at the moment it's looking like I'll have to - this will enable me to see if the sudden increase in fibre is the cause.
I definitely would trust the doctors - or at least research possibilities on your symptoms and then speak to your doctor about them.
Hi Inc,you need to see a dietitian I think as you have tried your best but if you're not careful you'll end up ill is my fear! I have had tonnes cut out of my diet through FODMAP but it's now backfiring as I am persistently ill, so back I head to my dietitian - for help yet again! Here we go again.
Planning on seeing a dietitian. Before this, I’ve never heard of an elimination diet making things worse. I’m sorry you are going through it but I’m also glad to hear I’m not alone.
My doctor told me to ease off oranges when he was trying to diagnose me to see if my stomach pain was bring caused by them. Unfortunately, my stomach pain, nausea, and constipation went up by 50%. I went back on them, and my symptoms reduced by 50%. My bowel obviously needed the fibre in order to work properly. So elimination diets can make things worse.