Irritable Bowel Syndrome

[Oscar's mum]

Any one else here suffer from IBS. Mine was great when I was pg but unfortunately now it has come back full force:thumbsdown: . It used to only be triggered from eating too much breads etc but now the slightest bit of oil and my stomach is in soooooo much pain. What triggers yours, what foods do you avoid etc??

[Puk]

I'm a fellow IBS sufferer! Luckily for me mine isn't too bad. I find having a lot of fatty foods effects me but otherwise it doesn't change much. I always have pains but they're usually pretty mild.

[Oscar's mum]

So do you find anything that helps???

[Puk]

When it gets bad i eat a lot of rice and pasta meals, anything with soluble fibre, and that tends to help!

Here are a couple of links!

http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber1.asp
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs_ez/
http://www.gastro.net.au/diets/irritablebowel.html

Hope they help a little! :)

[pippa]

Hi Oscar's mum,

I too suffer from IBS. Fatty foods, lamb and some vege's trigger me off but then sometimes they don't. At the moment I am pregnant but also taking inner health tablets which seem to be helping. a few yearsa ago i tried aloe vera juice too and that helped.

Good Luck

[SugarBlossom]

I have cealiacs and i find that wheat and dairy triggers it worse than anthing.

Its horrible and nothing can cure it :thumbsdown:

[madvoice]

I had IBS before pregnancy then whilst pregnant it cleared up and has since returned. I also had my gallbladder removed a few months ago too. I find if you can get them, Thompson's Fat Blocker tablets help (must take them an hour before meals). Their main ingredient is Chitosan (ground up shellfish shells) so be sure you're not allergic to shellfish if you wish to take them. These tablets can be sourced through your health food store.

[Worm'sMum]

Madvoice you sound exactly like me...I suffered IBS badly before pregnancy, during preg it cleared up, returned afterwards and I had my gallbladder removed a few months ago too!!! But I guess all that is quite common these days.:rolleyes:

Oscars mum, I also find peppermint tea helps or even black tea. And there are little capsules called mintec you can get from the chemist. I tend to try to stay away from fatty foods and white bread and any other foods that I notice that seem to trigger it.

[reAllytee]

Oh im so glad to hear i wasnt the only one who had their IBS stop while pg !!!
Everyone else seem to think i was a mad pg woman LOL :p
I have found breads as well as stress to be my main culprits but then even certain spicy foods cause a reaction depends on the day it seems.
I have tried being a a "diet" so to speak to help it but that lasted 6wks till my bowel realised what i was doing LOL so it all came back :rolleyes:
I wish i knew the answer !
When i find it i will let you know :D :p

[Oscar's mum]

I tried Mintec and it didn't really do much though unfortunately!

But I wonder what it is that makes it better when you are pregnat! That is weird.

[onabreak]

I have suffered from IBS ever since I have had Giardia (very bad stomach parasite).

I have found that when I eat mushrooms, onions, fresh pineapple or really fatty foods triggers it off. When I get really bad stomach cramps I take Donatab tablets and they really seem to help ease the pain and bloating.

[Mummabear]

Hi girls,

Just wanted to make sure you're all being diagnosed for your IBS by professionals. The reason I say this is because I was told that I had IBS, but nothing seemed to work. I got a second opinon and they ran tests and it was something much, much more sinister. All the signs and symptoms were the same as IBS - so please, if you can't seem to calm it down with usual treatments, go and get a second opinon, don't be afraid to ask for a colonoscopy to confirm things too. I'm glad I did or I wouldn't be here to annoy you all :laughing:.

Now that I've finished ranting to you all - I now have IBS as an 'after effect' and the only thing I've really found that helps is to make sure I drink loads of water every day and maintain a high fibre diet. When I stray from it I pay for it. I take Metamucil every morning along with a tablespoon of Flaxseed oil - it's great for your digestive system, but don't take it if you're preggers.

[Callumsmum]

I had IBS - at least I think that's what it was as it was never diagnosed. I had acupuncture and chinese medicine as well as restricting certain foods. I get a flare up every now and then but generally speaking it's gone. Like others it's triggered by fatty, rich and sometimes spicy foods. The biggest killer is gravy! It always sets me off.

As far as I understand it from the chinese medicine perspective the digestive system is compromised and you need to simplify your diet. Stick to fairly plain, cooked foods. Rice (especially basmati), stews and soups are all good. Keep away from raw food (if you like raw vegies just steam lightly) and I kept away from dairy as well.

It took a lot of time but it seems to have worked. As you get better you can reintroduce some foods and see how you go. I found that the change of seasons tended to bring it back again as well so I'd go back to simplifying again.

Oh, and LOTS of water!:thumbsup:

Happy to chat further.

Best wishes,
Katrina

[madvoice]

I was diagnosed too. They thought I was just having chronic IBS recently when my gallbladder packed it in.

[ElizaDee]

I was diagnosed with it too, mine was caused by drinking a lot when I was a lot younger and going to night clubs (drinking gives me the runs) well I was taking lomatil (I think that it was it is) and that fixed that, however I stoped drinking and got constipated. Ended up not going for two and a bit weeks! :eek:

By the time we fixed that I was diagnosed with IBS and buscopan was what helped. I do have problems and if I need to do a poo I simply go to KFC! As I am alergic to one of the 11 herbs.:laughing:

Now while pg, I have had major constipation issues. I have been taking metamucil and drinking pear juice so I would say at this point in time my IBS is worse.

[Merlion]

I have suffered from IBS since about 5 years ago.

i found uncooked capsicum, not fully cooked onion, too much milk, and def fried fatty food

[sugar n spice]

have you tried buscopan i think that is supposed to help

[MrsScatterbrain]

He he - I am the opposite to everyone! :rolleyes: I had an irritable bowel for the first month of my pregnancy and never again since! (Fingers crossed!)

[Oscar's mum]

I thought that the Dr was supposed to diagnose IBS by ruling out etc, but you know when I went to the Dr many years ago they (more than 1 dr) just said no it is IBS and that we will not investigate further. I was rather annoyed about that and still am as bowel problems run in my family.

[reAllytee]

IBS has to be diagnosed by ruling things out yes but there are also tests that need to be done to prove it also as it has become a big thing for g.p's to use as an easy answer. What a lot of people dont realise is that your meant to swing from diahorrea ( sorry bad spelling tis late ) to constipation so those who have one or the other are often treated for IBS yet dont have it.
It runs in my family both sides so i had no hope :p yet my sisters dont have it grrrr :thumbsdown:

Mummabear - I wont even go into what using Metamucil does for my family LOL isnt very nice but yeah some people swear by it.

[Mummabear]

I thought that the Dr was supposed to diagnose IBS by ruling out etc, but you know when I went to the Dr many years ago they (more than 1 dr) just said no it is IBS and that we will not investigate further. I was rather annoyed about that and still am as bowel problems run in my family.

If bowel problems run in your family and you weren't thoroughly examined prior to diagnosis I would strongly urge you to go and get a second opinion. I'm not trying to put the woolies up you (or anyone else), but if you're not having any luck with IBS treatments, it's worth pursuing until you find the true cause. It could be something as simple as benign pollups in your colon, which are removed when they do the colonoscopy. See if you can get a referal to a gastroenderologist and nut it out once and for all.

[Michele Crocker]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with having IBS after having a colonoscopy done. I have also had my gall bladder out. I am wondering if there is a link between having problems with your gall bladder or having it removed to IBS. It just seems strange a lot of people are having problems with both.

Also wondering if hormones do play a part as well, I found that when I was pregnant I had no symptoms but when I am not pregnant I get the symptoms back again. Also I find my IBS is worse at that time of the month.

I take buscopan for the pain when I get it, but I have also got a vitamin from the health store called IBS which is pacifically for people with IBS. I found it has helped me.

Michele Crocker
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and Ashleigh(4 months this week)

[Jules16]

I have found that my IBS has flared up since my d&c - I have become so sensitive to so many foods. I might try sticking to a simple diet as suggested below. I hope it doesn't last too much longer.

[Mikeswifey]

I have shocking IBS. I have had it since 2000, and have been on medication etc for it.

But now that I am pregnant its SO BAD. Everynight I am unwell from it. Its strange because with my first pregnancy I didnt have one symptom for the whole 9 months which my surgeon thought was very strange, but this time round its opposite.

I find if I have Yakult it helps so much. If I stop the yakult thats it it comes back.

I love my creamy pasta and oily foods, but they are impossible for me to eat with IBS.:gloomy:

[BubbaNoogie]

I also have IBS and it also disappeared whilst I was pregnant ,only to return with a vengence after the birth.
I started to take probiotics, but they had little effect. I have been taking flaxseed tablets for about a month and they seem to be helping alot!

[Jules16]

I have shocking IBS. I have had it since 2000, and have been on medication etc for it.

But now that I am pregnant its SO BAD. Everynight I am unwell from it. Its strange because with my first pregnancy I didnt have one symptom for the whole 9 months which my surgeon thought was very strange, but this time round its opposite.

I find if I have Yakult it helps so much. If I stop the yakult thats it it comes back.

I love my creamy pasta and oily foods, but they are impossible for me to eat with IBS.:gloomy:

Interesting! My GP reckons pregnancy hormones have an effect on it. What medication were you on?

[Amberlea]

Ive been suffering with it for the last 14 years - properly diagnosed 10 years ago.

Mine also abated during pregnancy.

I find that too much caffiene, alcohol, fats, chocolate, white bread and mushrooms trigger mine.
It is nowhere near as bad as it was a few years ago.. because stress is a major trigger for me (Im single now - so no stress lol).

I tried all of the commonly suggested over the counter remedies - buscopan, donnatab, mintec etc etc.. none of them did anything to take the edge of my cramping. I usually ended up at the hospital getting pethadine and liquid anaesthetic (which did nothing of course seeing as it didnt even hit my bowels)..
The one thing I did find that worked almost instantly was Atrobel (over the counter-derived from bella donna), its hard to get a hold of but I swear by it. It settles the bowel motions back to normal and stops the cramping.

[RoarsomeMum]

OMG I want a bub on board even more now that I know my IBS might stop!!!!
Thanks to Puk for the links you posted, they were great!!!

[Zada]

my dh has IBS. He takes psyllium husk with some juice every morning:thumbsup:

[Jules16]

The interesting thing is for me is that it doesn't often affect my movement - is just very painful.

[Merlion]

I sufferred badly from IBS for many years and I also had it lessen during my pregnancy with Jess. This pregnancy it's been playing up all the time

[Trumpet]

OMG, I have been reading all your posts and everything that you guys have said has just dumbfounded me. I have been having this happen to me for years and it went away for both my pregnancies but since having my DD 8wks ago it has come back with avengence with nearly everything I eat. It used to only be with too much fat or pork now it seems like it's everything I eat and I have never been diagnosed with IBS and been for multiple tests this last week because I have lost 15kg since she was born. I am now going to go back to my doctor.

[jaimie]

Just found this thread so thought i would bump it up.My IBS went away during pregnancy too but has flared up again...so bloadted. I look pregnant again. Im going off to the Dr on Wednesday so im sure he wont have much to say but hopefully he might refer me to someone that can help me out....will post again if he says anything worth sharing!:laughing:

[mickey]

I received extremely helpful advice for food for my IBS child from Spencer at "Edible for the Irritable" website.
http://efifoodstore.com.au/

[Oscar's mum]

I received extremely helpful advice for food for my IBS child from Spencer at "Edible for the Irritable" website.
http://efifoodstore.com.au/

Thanks for that Mickey - off to check it out now;)