Help For IBS Suffers

Originally posted by pddiary at A cyber lifeline gone haywire

Hi! I wanted to share my IBS experience to see if it might help anyone else. I have suffered from IBS for about 16 years (it hit me around high school).In the past 10 years, as an adult, I have seen at least 2 GIs and had a colonoscopy, endoscopy and the fun test where you drink the barium. I was always told they found nothing, thus IBS. I was given Bentyl (Dicyclomine) as well as amitriptyline - neither of which did much.

I was told to try to mitigate my triggers (such as stress) and ID trigger foods (greasy things, creamy things, etc.) I did as best I could but still had several attacks a month not to mention the general blahness, gas, nausea etc. throughout other days. Finally, at the end of September 2012 I went to a chiropractor who also did applied kinesiology and neuro-emotional techniques. I was going mostly for my migraines due to recommendations my mom had received about how good he was, but it was mentioned he could help with my IBS.

I was skeptical, to say the least. But here's the thing: they were right. He did something so simple, so basic, that I was pissed off none of the other GI doctors had either done this or suggest I do this - food allergy testing. I was annoyed I didn't think of it either on my own but...I was blindly assuming the GIs would be doing everything to help me out.

Back when I had all my tests they ruled out Celiac's Disease. I therefore never gave gluten/wheat another thought. I mean, I didn't have Celiac's so...not an issue, right? Wrong. The new doc tested me on corn, soy, dairy and wheat/gluten. The first three were fine - but that last one showed my body could not tolerate it all. Suddenly it all clicked: all the times I had attacks and thought, All I ate were saltine crackers! All I had was fruit and a roll!! Why am I still getting sick??!!

I started cutting out wheat/gluten from by diet and the results were almost instant. Within a week I felt so much better. A month went by and I hadn't had a cramping-hours-in-the-bathroom attack. I am now 6 months in and I have never felt better. My stomach is still extra sensitive, so sometimes other factors trigger it to feel yucky - but never the constant cramping IBS attacks of the past. I have (on purpose and on accident) eaten a bit of wheat in the 6 months and it confirmed for me it was the culprit all along because I had an attack each time.

At a GF baking class I encountered a woman who had an experience similar to mine - always having attacks, GIs no help, but on her own she started cutting everything out and adding it back in to see what triggered everything. It was wheat/gluten for her too.

TL;DR: If you haven't already, have some food allergy testing done. You might find some trigger foods for your IBS symptoms that way and save yourself a lot of pain and frustration. I know GF diets seem all trendy right now, which is annoying, but it turns out there is a level of gluten sensitivity that is not Celiac's. I hope this helps.

Has anyone ever used papaya enzyme pills for IBS/general digestion health?

Hi,
As I said in my previous post, I had a colonoscopy on Friday to rule out or diagnose IBD. Well, it came back completely normal, so the most likely cause of my tummy trouble is constipation/IBS. I am due to see the gastroenterologist on Aug 16, but am hesitant to go as I don't think he can do anything for me that my GP can't. What are your experiences with GI docs vs. GPs? Is it at all helpful to see a GI doc if you have IBS? Since I may have food intolerances such as for gluten, I'm considering going anyway to request testing for that, but the GI doc I saw in May (the one who ordered the colonoscopy) didn't think I had this, or at least it wasn't the first thing coming to her mind. I feel like a giant hypochondriac, so I'm not really eager to waste the gastro doc's time.

Hi,
I am new to this community. I am not diagnosed with IBS, and in fact am getting a colonoscopy tomorrow (Friday) to check for Crohn's/colitis, but I don't think I should join an LJ comm for that without a diagnosis. I've been suffering from abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea as well as fatigue for five years, but was only referred to a GI doc a few months ago. Please all keep me in your thoughts tomorrow.

Have any of you had any luck going gluten-free or with the specific carbohydrate diet? People keep recommending it to me and I don't know if I believe them.

Good afternoon everyone! I just joined and am so happy to find this community. Just a little background i'm a 28 year old female who was diagnosed with IBS three years ago when my GI doctor couldn't find anything better to diagnose me with. I've been managing things with diet (been on 4 different drugs that haven't helped) and need a bit of help.

I was wondering if any of you have ever had an attack on an empty stomach. I know that might sound odd but lately i've been having terrible terrible pains without eating any food. Is that a normal sort of thing? The pains sent me into the ER on thursday and it's been going on every day or so for a week. The doctors are clueless and ran loads of tests, everything came back fine.

I have a ton of fun reproductive issues as well so sometimes tummy issues have me stumped. I thought before I called in to my OB/GYN I would see if any fellow IBS people have had similar issues with foodless pain attacks.

Thanks so much in advance! I'm very excited to be part of the community and hopefully learn something new :)

Well I guess that'll teach me to eat curry.

I haven't had a reaction that bad since my doctor told me I had IBS and I started being careful. I guess I got complacent - and assumed that my last bad reaction to curry was because I was travelling at the time and that sends everything to hell anyway.

Unless it was just the saag paneer that really did me in - I was thinking paneer would be okay because it looks more like feta and halloumi than other cheeses, and I can eat those fine. Has anyone else had experiences with paneer cheese that made you avoid it?

Today I was diagnosed with having plantar fasciitis (aka inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot), Unfortunately, it was a walk-in clinic doctor who didn't know about me having Crohn's, and it totally slipped my mind.

I now have a prescription of 375mg Mylar-Naproxen (an NSAID) to take 2 times a day for the next 2 weeks, and upon checking the internet, it mentions that those with IBD's shouldn't use it.

Rats.

I'd like to get second opinions. I'm wondering if anyone here has used this particular drug, and what their own experiences/effects were. I'm currently in a 'remission' of sorts, no flare-ups or anything, and as I've had no issues since my resection/diagnosis last year, I'm not on any medications.

I have been reading a bit about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and I am interested in trying it. I purchased an SCD cookbook a long time ago, but never got around to giving this diet a try. I wanted to know if anyone else has tried this diet. If so, did it bring any relief or improve any symptoms?