Heather Van Vorous Tips for IBS!

[icnmgrjill]

We had an awesome guest lecture last night on IBS and IC that provided many many useful tips on managing this frustrating condition. I will post that transcript in a few weeks when it is done. In the meantime, though, I thought that we should list the products that have been found to help.

IBS is a brain gut disorder that gives patients tremendous nerve sensitivity of the gastrocolic reflex. The gastrocolic reflex is what helps move foods along you GI tract. In IBS, however, that gastrocolic reflex becomes hyperreactive... and, instead of having steady soothing contractions throughout the gut, we instead experience violent cramping, diarrhea, spasms that are either to intense or not intense enough. In some patients, it can be sporadic. In others, it can create daily diarrhea.

The key is avoiding those foods that we know trigger the gastrocolic reflex... i.e. heavy fats AND insoluble fibers. Heather Van Vorous's key point was that it's very important that your meals focus first on soluble fibers, which help soothe the gut and maintain water function, rather than stimulate the gut to cause more contractions. If you eat soluble fibers first, you may then be able to tolerate some insoluble fibers... such as salads.

The explains, for me, why I have so many violent cramping and diarrhea episodes after eating salads. Starting a meal with a salad is often doom for IBS patients because the roughage stimulates the cramping, gas, diarrheat, etc. Yes, you may get your entire meal down before you realize there is a problem but, 30 minutes later, the spasms begin and the body is emptied. I had a huge attack about two weeks after eating a salad for lunch here in the office. It was agony and I barely made it home.

The problem for IBS patients is that most of the foods that are recommended for helping constipation (i.e. roughage, heavy bran, whole wheat, psyllium) actually trigger that nerve to start the cramping, etc. In contrast, foods that are soluble fibers (i.e. rice, plain bread, pasta, etc. etc.) are much easier on the gut, don't stimulate the nerve, etc. etc.

You can learn much more about diet on her website.. helpforibs.com.

So, the products that can help:

Peppermint Oil Capsules or Tea: Peppermint oil is a muscle relaxant proven by clinical studies to reduce bowel spasms. Heather reports that if you're starting to have an IBS attack, try drinking a strong hot cut of peppermint tea. It apparently works very well. I found a clinical trial in a major journal that proved that peppermint oil capsules dramatically reduced the spasms that patients experience while having barium enemas.

Fennel Tea: Fennel is very good at reducing bloating and gas.

Acacia Fiber: If you notice that you feel worse while using Metamucil or psyllium, it's because psyllium is 1/3 insoluble fiber and, you guessed it, triggers IBS spasming. Acacia fiber, however, is entirely soluble and when used regularly can help restore normal bowel function... reducing BOTH constipation and diarrhea. It works for both conditions.

She reported that bowel cleansers are very bad for IBS.
Fasting is bad...

That your goal is to help calm the gut with small meals throughout the day high in soluble fiber.

Also... you CAN eat insoluble fibers... such as apples, whole wheat, etc.... when they are balanced with a soluble fiber first. So, for example, spaghetti with veggies on it. Fruit on toast, etc. etc.

As for salads, have them at the end of the meal rather than at the beginning.

Coffees, sodas very bad for IBS due to their stimulatory effects.

Hard chocolates in bar form are bad due to their high fat and caffeine content. However, cocoa powder has the fat and caffeine removed and is tolerated. So, you can still make some great chocolate cakes and cookies!

There were many more suggestions.. that we'll post later.

For the full line of Heather's Tummy Care products, please visit the ICN shop at: http://www.icnshop.com


A very grateful IBS patient,

Jill

[Katrina]

I hadn't noticed this earlier. Thanks for sharing!!
I so needed to know some of this stuff before!

most patients don't know that there are two different kinds of fiber

soluble and insoluble fiber

bran greens kernal corn...is insoluble fiber....which is a huge GI stimulant....so it sends the gastrocolic reflex out of control
triggers spasms, cramps, diarrhea....it can also exacerbate constipation

as my IBS would flare up hugely from fiber (my guess I was taking insoluble fiber) I thought I was doomed. I was avoiding so much food I thought there was nothing I could eat.
(thankfully probiotics have helped bring some things back into my diet)

fennel and peppermint....I am having success with growing fennel...peppermint I think was a failure but I will buy some.....it was already on my list of things I was going to try that I gave to my doctor.

[poetgirl]

Heather's tips have helped me so much -- her site and her advice rocks! When I got diagnosed with IBS, my GI doc said that I needed to eat more fiber -- he didn't say which KIND! So, being diligent, I bought all sorts of high-fiber food and couldn't understand why I didn't feel better. Now I know and I've modulated my diet accordingly, which has definitely helped.

Heather has done for IBS what Jill has done for IC and I am immensely grateful to you both! :kiss:

[plaedes]

THANK YOU so very much for posting the link to the helpforibs site. I've had IBS problems all of my life, but they got 10 x's worse last september following the removal of my gallbladder. reading through this site has explained so much already. i can't wait to see how it really helps in actual practice. I can't thank you enough. you may have just saved my butt...literally (pardon the pun) ;o)

[yvette]

Hmmm the peppermint capsules. Its been a double edged sword for me....as the peppermint does work to help calm my tummy....can't help but feel that CLEAN FRESH MINTY feeling in the nether-regions after peeing...which really isnt all that pleasant...

I'm starting the acacia fiber....so we'lll see how it goes :)

[plaedes]

I was wondering if anyone has had any problems drinking the Fennel Tea? Regular tea is a trigger for my IC and since I am in a flare right now I certainly don't need that. I think I will hold off on trying the Peppermint caps until after my flare is over.

[kadi]

Don't knowm plaedes. I have a box of the fennel tea in my cabinet, but I've been a big chicken & afraid to try it. Hope someone comes along & answers your (ours now!) question!

[mela414]

I just ordered the Acacia, fennel tea and one of her books. I didn't order the peppermint tea as I am one of those that cannot do mint. I was afraid to try the capsules. I am also a little afraid to try the fennel tea. Has anyone had any IC probelms with it. I do hope that it helps without doing a number on my IC. Bloating and cramping are one of my biggest problems. Not moving my bowels regularly is another. I hope pray the Acacia helps.
Most GI drs have given me meds for the IBS...........and most give me headaches (like levsin). Zelnorm can help occassionally but has become problematic recently when using too much or too high of a dose. As for diet..........most drs have not bothered to take the time to work it out with me. I am anxious to get the book but would love some feedback on the fennel tea before I try it.
Thanks,

[mela414]

AS I posted before I ordered some things from Heather and am waiting to get them. I especially anxous to receive the Acacia fiber and pray that it will help.
I read through her site and read that ginger is also good when you are having Irritable Bowel Spasms and pain. I had purchased some ginger caps form Nature's way and decided to try it as a tea. I opened the capsule and poured the contents into my hot water. I immediately felt some relief so a few hours later before bed I had my second cup. Still, no problem and it actually started to calm things down. I also watched what I ate according to her tips. This morning third cup of ginger.....ok. This afternoon, 4th cup of ginger and the IC pain starts. My husband warned me that it sounded like it would be irritating but I was so happy with it helping my IBS and not having any IC pain that I looked forward to drinking it happily! OH well....no I am in pain and am supposed to go out to dinner for my sister's birthday! We haven't been out in months because of my husband's cancer illness and we were both looking forward to getting out....ev en if I played with my food and didn't eat it for fear of triggering more IBS symptoms. Now, I have to go and sit there through the pain. :(
I am trying to flush it out with water but feel like I am going to drown.....and I need to get dressed soon too. ughhhhhhhhh
Has anyone had any experience with ginger.......IC wise?
I am really bummed out over this. I hope the other products I ordered from Heather are IC friendly....like the fennel tea.
Thanks,

[mela414]

I finally got Heathers book and products from the ICN shop. I've been reading the book and applying what I can. Here is the problem I'm having. I think the fennel tea is causing me to flare. I took it a few days and thought I was ok....all of a sudden it started causing me pain. I noticed this starting yesterday and today. Two after after I have the tea the pain starts....I have to drink a lot of water to flush it out but it still doesn't get rid of all the pain. Can it be causing problems a few days after I actually started drinking it?
The other problem I am having is that in order to help the IBS I started eating some white bread and pasta....as per the book. These are things that I normally don't eat in abundance. I actually haven't had pasta in a loooooonnnnnngggg time. Anyway, it was easy on the gut and my bladder wsa happy but after about 10 days of this it caused lots of vag yeast and pain! Yeast is a problem I always have.....probably due to my awful immune system not being able to keep it in check. I upped my probiotiocs and started on vag nystatin..(which I take pretty regularly anyway) which I will probably take for a longer course....daily.
has anyone else had problem with the fennel tea irritating their bladders? ginger did it to me too after about 2 days. I guess I am not a candidate for teas. I seem to be OK with slippery elm or marshmallow root though but I was looking for something for the IBS. Any ideas?

[kepage5]

Thank you for all the advice. I have had IBS since I was a child but have never even really gotten any advice on diet. I've just had to go through trial and error pretty much. My issue now is similar to what Im seeing about the fennel tea: The things that help my ibs flare my ic, and vice versa!! There must be a happy medium, but I am struggling to get enough of the right foods without literally running to the restroom. Maybe I should buy the book.

Has anyone with both IC and IBS found a certain thing that helps the IBS without flaring the IC besides peppermint? Thanks again for all the time spent to help us out there struggling!! This is the only place that I can discuss these things and be understood!

[jsh101321]

Thanks for the tips. My GI just basically said you have IBS and hemroids good luck. I had no idea about what type of foods to avoid or embrace, other than the obvious of coure, Thanks for the helpful advise.

[ellienor]

Can someone tell me what is going on?
I have had lower right tenderness off and on for years, but getting worse now.
It seems to be in the groin at times.. like on top of the pubic bone....but only on the right side.......the soft tissue at the very top and an inch above it. Tender to the touch, and throughout the day, sharp pains that sort of shoot all thru there. ONce 3 years ago I went to the er. That day the shooting pains went all up and down my right side but they found nothing.

So 5 days ago I ate several large raw red seedless grapes. that night at 4 am I felt the sharp pain. Then it left. Then the next day I ate more grapes and some watermelon with some wheat thins for lunch.
Then later that day I simmered some green peppers in water and then drank the water , thinking about all the wonderful nutrients in the water.
The next am I had diareha like crazy from 7 am till 3 pm.
I think it was mostly from the pepper juice, based on past experience with this and beet juice.

Yesterday this pain in my right side really got bad. I had trouble moving and turning over in bed last night. Today it is worse... very very tender to the touch covering the entire right lower quadrent of the abdomin. I called my gastro doctors nurse. She said since my temp is below normal, I am not likely to be having an apendecitis attack.
Is this IBS, or could it be ulcers in the colon? Do you think this could be caused from the overload of fruit and the pepper juice??
It hurts to stand up from sitting and hurts to even walk.
Does this sound possible from the fruit?
This morning I had a just slightly loose movement, not bad at all. NO gas at all for 2 days, so that is not it.
I am in a slight bladder burning flair too, but I am sure this right sided pain is not just my bladder.
Thanks for any info.
ellie

[Katrina]

Common bowel pain is left but your appendix is on your right and I hear Crohns can bother the right.


My question to you is have you had a hydro? do you have ulcerative IC? Sharp pains may be muscle spasms.

Point is I don't think your right side pain is IBS and I think you need to look further into it. The fact that you ate a food I don't think many IC patients would find very tollerable if you do have ulcers in your blader on your right side I think that may explain it.

My pain from what is the portion of my body doing the job of my colon is on my left....that is where most colon pain is. I was an odd Ulcerative Colitis patient and did have ulcers on both ends of my colon which I guess could make the pain be on the right side as well but I hear that isn't as common as bad spot mainly at the end. Is there blood in your stools? Dark color or any odd color to it?
How high is your pain?


It is possible to have two symptoms flare up by the same food an still have two different causes.

Your title was diareha like crazy but I don't see you saying that in your post??

I think IC pain can really beat bowel pain. The only time my bowels have caused me that extreme of pain I definatly had gas! I should bring up though that it not coming out doesn't mean it isn't there!!
I hope you can get some answers and some relief but I think you should seriously consider that this may be IC and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction related. I hope you get relief no matter what!!! :grouphug:

[tdestiny8]

This is the first I have heard of someone having the same sounding pain as me. For a long time I thought it was my right ovary, a cyst. I had to have my left removed a few yrs ago because of this. But it seems like the pain is too low for that. I dont have any answers, just wanted to let you know you are not alone!

[Texas Baby]

I have had that same right sided pain for years and it wasn't until I went to a physical thearpist for pelvic pain that I discovered it was beleive it or not a hip muscle. Mine still bothers me from time to time. In fact I am having problems with it now. About the appendix thing, I had a bad appendix and never ran a fever. Although mine looked normal, after they took it out they discovered the blood supply was being cut off, so nurses don't know everything. My point is if the pain gets bad enough go ahead and see your GI doc anyway just to make sure everything is okay.
Eva

[lisabar36]

Thank you for sharing this. I am in the worst IBS flare that I have had for a LONG time. I look pregnant I am so swelled up. I been having spasms. I haven't had a bad IBS flare for quite some time. I always have problems but not so severe as this now. I am always constipated but I take things to help with that. Reading that I seen bar chocolate is bad, I had a hershey bar because I was feeling good and I wonder if that set off my IBS flare, I don't eat chocolate often at all cause of my IC, but once in a while I will and just so happened I had a hersey bar right before my flare so I am sure that probably contributed to my misery. So thank you for sharing. :)

[rainbowlady]

I have pain on the right as well, today very bad problems with bowels, had right ovary and cyst removed in 07,going for colonoscopy, hope there is answers there. What is it with woman and our abdomens. Thanks for telling your stories, knowing i,m not the only one with so any unanswered health conditions helps me.

[Nonna]

I've dealt with both IC and IBS for years but have never experienced what I've been going through in the past 2-3 weeks...a severe feeling of bloating which is really causing my tummy to hurt and it just won't go away. I've had this kind of thing before but it never lasted for more than 5 or 6 days. I've tried gasX, Mylanta, peppermint capsules, fennel tea and acacia fiber but nothing does anything to make it better. I don't have constipation because I go often, but it never feels like it's complete. I've had all the requisite colonoscopy and other tests to rule out serious disease, and been told I've just got IBS and hemorrhoids, but it's usually something that comes in wves of a few days at a time. Can IC cause this kind of bloating? I find that it makes my bladder symptoms worse also. Anyone else have this kind of bloating for an extended period of time without constipation? and what did you do for it? I'm thinking of getting some of those ginger capsules someone wrote about and not worry about what it does to my IC. I'm feeling like I just want it to go away! Thanks for any advice, Nancy

[Ueskridge]

Hello!

I have not been diagnosed with IBS and I don't think I have it, but I do have IC. I am seeing a connection between having a bowel movement and my IC. A bowel movement actually makes my IC symptom flare up sometimes, not always bad, but mostly a little. On days with no bowel movement I often have no IC symptoms either and I feel fine all day - until the next bowel movement. The therapist at the doctor's said that was because "of the muscle", but what muscle? I feel if I can somehow influence the muscle spasms and the gas I could do better.
I am REALLY looking for help here, anything! I hope this is not too weird of a question. My diet is not really rich in fiber I have to admit, I am trying to stick to the IC diet but I am not really sure if it even helps. I just had Hydrodistention and will see if that helps down the road.
Please help!

[Janette Rass]

Hi fellow Ic'ers, I just had to reply to this thread. I was diagnosed with IC 10 years ago and recently [last couple of years] I have been suffering from IBS, I 've asked my family Dr , but all i get is there is nothing to be done. That's it! No diet advice, no suggestions, nothing. Never mind that I haven't worked in over 4 years, am totally disabled by this IC. No help at all! Don't you just love Dr's & this is a new one I struggled to find after the Pain clinic [I waited 18 months to get into] suggested I find a different family Dr as the one I had for 15+ years would not follow up on what they [the pain clinic] had prescribed, leaving me in severe pain for months while I waited for another appointment with them. Devastating news for me as I had been housebound for months with the pain, seen her many times again & again being told "there is nothing to be done" she didn't even look at their previous report. So here I am having found this new Dr & I feel like here we go again! Do they just go thru medical school & that's it. I realize that I must be an advocate for my own personal health and care, but is it too much to ask that when you go to your Dr that they be knowledgeable, actually care and even go so far as to get some info about their patients medical conditions! or am I asking just too much. I don't get it.:cussing: So anyway enough of my whining I am so glad this forum is here cause I don't know where we would be without it. So finally after two years and two Drs I find out from this forum about the different types of fiber, how it may affect IBS and a few things I may be able to use to help. YEH! Thanks and GREAT BIG HUGS Janette

[SharonA]

I hope you finally get the relief you need. :)

[Brooks34]

I have been on acacia fiber for over a year now. I also have Heathers cookbook, but it doesn't do me much good. My system can't handle leafy greens at all. For the ones who said that the ginger tea was giving them a IC flair, moderation is the word. I found that drinking ginger tea on a daily basis was really bad for the IC. I think you just need to play around with the diet for IBS and find what works for you. If the ginger tea helped with the IBS, but drinking to much flaired the IC, then just try drinking a cup every day. or every other day. I only drink the ginger tea when Im having a IBS flair and it really helps with the crampy, pain, bloating feeling. As for her fiber, sometimes it helps, other times it doesn't. Lately I have been in a horrible IC/IBS flair. I get constipated and can't go for a week, then the IBS flairs up, and the entire time my IC is flairing as well. I have stuck to the IC diet, that does not seem to be helping either. Iam at wits end. I think constipation plays a major role in my IC flairs, if I can just keep things moving smoothly, I dont seem to be in so much pain. The pain is still there, just not in the forefront like it is now. All and all though, the fiber is good and very gentle on the stomach. I make my ginger root tea myself, I buy fresh ginger and thinly slice it and add it to a cup of hot water, a couple slices makes a very weak tea that still helps with the pain of IBS. I don't know much about the fennel tea as I don't like the taste, so I can't be of much help on that one. Sorry.

Jo

[jlynn81]

How do you know if it is IBS or IC that is causing the cramping? I"ve been very strict this last week with the IC diet, but still have extreme bladder pressure, not pain, just pressure and it never really goes away.

[KarenAnne]

jlynn: I would probably call my doctor to determine what is causing the sensation of pressure. He may want to do a urine culture. Have you been diagnosed with IBS along with your IC, or were you just checking an old thread?

[jlynn81]

When I mentioned the Cramping to my first gyno she said that is was probably IBS due to stress. I do have GERD and when I ask my gastro he said that it probably was due to stress (which I have from all of this!) but he didn't really go any further or do any tests and just said that when the stress was gone the IBS should go too. I really don't have diarrea and only get slightly constipated.

[KarenAnne]

So then I would just check with my urologist because the bladder can spasm too. It also takes longer then a week on the IC diet for your bladder to settle down. I noticed relief on the diet after about a month, that's being very strict too.

It's always a good idea to report any new symptoms to the doctor treating your IC, it may be due to new meds, old meds, UTI, etc. Your IC doctor can figure this out for you.

And remember that IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. I've had IBS for 25 years, & it was only after having tests to rule out other things, that I was diagnosed with it. And although IBS is strongly associated with IC, just because you have IC does not mean that you also have IBS. So I would run this by my IC doctor. Feel better soon.

[jlynn81]

I just had my first bladder instil on Friday. It didn't relieve the pressure and actually made my urethra burn and hurt worse than anything I've had so far which lasted 3 days.
My uro/gyno is on vacation this week, which is probably why I'm searching here so much for answers. But she said that if the pain was coming from my bladder the instill should help, if not then it might be my urethra that is causing the urinary frequency feeling. Unfortunately that still doesn't explain the bladder pressure. I am so confused and have no idea what to eat or do!!

[lisabar36]

Hi, my therapist does internal pt, and she was explaining to me muscles and nerves that are all connected and if one spasms you can feel it in other areas, anyway of course I can't even try and explain it the way she does, but I always have the pressure, as well as the pain you describe and I did get one set of instills that were great and helped me alot and the next time around I had pain and they didnt seem to help me much, (the 2nd ones were done at a different doctors office) and for me its all in the size of cath that they use, if they cant get the smallest caths for me, I don't even get them done because then they don't help me at all. But there are nerves and muscles that can affect your urethra as well as your bladder is the way I understand it, my therapist of course can explain it much better to me then the doctor can. Is there a nurse you can speak to at your doctors office? I would report what your feeling. I was told my urethra can be causing the frequency feeling, as well as my bladder because I have IC, I wish I could explain it the way she explains it to me. But I would call the doctor and leave a message. I hope you feel better.

[jlynn81]

I've been following the IC diet very well, mainly bread items and dairy but my symptoms continue to get worse. Could the dairy be causing my pressure? My gastro (I have GERD) already said that I probably have IBS due to stress because of the cramping i've been having for the last few months. If so what am I supposed to eat that is IC and IBS friendly? before I lose Another 10lbs!

[yvette]

Dairy can be a very big trigger with IBS patients, try alternatives, like rice, soy, or items made with nuts (almond milk) Likewise oils and fats like peanut butter, olive oil or crisco. Good fat or bad fat is still fat...and can upset the belly. You won't always have to be so strict with diet, IBS can stablize and you can add foods back in within reason. The bread thing is good, French bread, sourdough and white are great choices. Oatmeal, cream of wheat might be good choices too. But try small amounts and see how you do.

Have you tried any Over-the-Counter meds to help with the bloat and other symptoms? Some can actually help calm your IC too. :)

[jlynn81]

I just bought some Lactaid today on my lunch hour, so I'm going to try it the next time I have dairy. I thought soy and peanuts are bad for IC. It seems everyone says something different. I even was looking at the supplements on this website and there is the one for Cystoprotek and my Dr. even gave me sample of it. But when I look at the label it says it contains SOY!! Which is said to be a big no no. I am so frustrated!!!!!!

That seems to be my problem right now. Anything I can eat with one, I can't with the other and to top it all off my Dr. is on vacation this week!! I just wish I new which one it definately was so that I can eat something. Right now I'm afraid to eat anything.

[yvette]

Have you tried soy? You might be OK with it....just start out with SMALL amounts. :)

[gr24]

I have IBS really bad too. Bloating, cramping, gas, I mean I look like I'm pregnant somedays. I am very thin, and my belly pooches out and swells, I get so much gas. Anyway, it could be eating a lot of bread. I am checking into the gluten sensitivty thing. I don't know much about it. I just know that it can upset the gastro system really bad.

[jlynn81]

Is there anyway to tell if the cramping/pressure is coming from my bowels or from my bladder? It's hard to treat it or know what to eat when you don't know where it is coming from. If it is the bladder than I would use the IC diet which is mostly meat/veg/dairy. But if its the bowels than meat/veg/ dairy would aggrevate it more. I'm so confused....

[nat29]

Dear Jill

I got a question. Its say we can eat Apples ans Pears, But it also say that we have to Skin ALL of our fruits like Apples, Peaches and Pears.

But it it the Fiber in the skin? So how are we suppose to get out fiber?

I use Heather's Tummy Fiber. I eat oatmeal, ezeikal bread and salad at the end of my meal.

But I am constipated now and it hurts!


Do you peel off all the skin all your fruits? Can we have Brown rice and sweet potatoes?

I have IC, IBS AND vv.

Thanks Natalie

[nat29]

Dear Jill,


I got a question, You say that we can have apples right? WEll is that with skin or not with skin, because it says on helpforibs.com that PEEL ALL friut like apples and pears?

Is that true?

Because I am confused on what to to.

It just say that {to peel all fruits because its a insouble fiber and the peels are harder to dijest**

So should I leave the skin on or off?

Thanks Natalie

[Goldfinch]

My daughter has been diagnosed with Post-infection IBS, mainly the result, her docs think, of taking two rather heavy duty antibiotics in a short period of time. Long story short: I would welcome any clarification on IBS.

Here is what has been prescribed, and suggested by both my pcp and by a GI specialist, although neither of them were very clear about the issue of soluble vs insoluble fibre:

10 mg amitriptyline taken in the evening, and possibly work up to higher dose. Prozac in the morning. My daughter is underweight, so she is starting on pretty small doses of both. A bonus side-effect of the Elavil will be if it increases her appetite. Many here take Elavil for IC, and apparently it is very commonly presribed for IBS, especially for the anti-cholinergic effects. She is 21, a senior at college with a heavy load and lots of stress.

The GI doc recommended the following diet changes: no caffeine, high fibre (although he wasn't really clear about the problems with insoluble fibre), eliminate foods that are typically "gassy" such as legumes, broc, caul. Small meals throughout the day, and go easy on dairy products, although he said yogurt and kefir are okay. He also said she should be taking at least 20 billion bacteria probiotics per day. He suggested citrucel for contstipation. Both doctors felt that Beano was a helpful product.

My understanding is that the IBS diet is usually low in fats. Unfortunately my kid needs a fair amount of calories and fat to gain or maintain her weight, so the fat thing is tricky. Also, she finds that sugar doesn't make her feel very good.

So....my questions are:

1) What high fibre foods are best tolerated by most with IBS?
2) What high-calorie foods are best tolerated?
3) Are there any no-brainers I've missed so far?

I get the impression that the IBS diet is far more wacky and individual than the IC diet, if that's possible. She does not have diarrhea, and is only moderately constipated. She's been eating a lot of white bread and rice. Her main symptoms are bloating, some cramping, and a constant feeling of indigestion, especially if she eats large meals. Any suggestions? She's going back up to school at the end of the week, so I would like to help her make some type of clear list or guide to foods that she can use. My sympathy goes out to all who suffer from IBS. Having both IC and IBS must be a roller-coaster ride for sure.

[KarenAnne]

Gold, I'm sorry to hear your daughter has been so sick. I assume the dr.'s ruled out celiac disease? If not, is she having trouble with wheat products? Anyway, I have had IBS for over 25 yrs. Before IC, I pretty much ate a totally normal diet. I just drank Lactaid milk, didn't eat too much cheese or dairy products all at once, didn't eat too big of a salad, & tried to keep my stress down (a big trigger).
Maybe all the white bread & rice are making her gassy. I would suggest switching to brown rice & whole wheat bread. The elavil I take for the IC has helped my IBS. In the past I took an SSRI that helped the IBS. SSRI's are commonly prescribed for IBS, hence the Prozac. There are other options if the Prozac doesn't help.

I hope she feels better soon & gets off to school ok.

[Goldfinch]

Thanks. No one mentioned celiac, but the drugs she was given are notorious for leaving a person vulnerable to the bacterial infection c. difficile, and the antibiotics used to knock out that bacteria (Flagyl) also wreaks havoc with the intestine and bowels, so at least we think we have a handle on the reason for this episode. She never had digestive issues or any allergies before.

I did find the website helpforibs.com and that has comprehensive and for the most part reasonable explanations and suggestions. I'm trying to put together some kind of cheat-sheet that distills the most important parts about the diet so she can have something in hand to refer to.

[plaedes]

Soluble means that it dissolves in water...just like sugar. Insoluble means that it will not dissolve. So some of your best soluble fibers are potatoes, pasta, rice and beans. The skins on the beans are insoluble and can cause problems. Refried beans or any other type of bean with the skins broken open like that will sit better than in tact beans. She will probably want to only eat salads at the END of a meal rather than at the beginning. Cooking veggies will be key now. I find that celery and carrots are totally tolerable in soup or something, but not raw. Don't forget other great grains such as millet, couscous, quinoa, and many others that can be found at some mega marts and health food stores. Although there is a push for healthier choices of breads leaning towards whole wheat or multi grain, she may have trouble with these. I LOVE Arnolds brand potato and Italian bread and french bread, etc. These are going to be better than the average 'white' bread at the grocery because they won't have as much preservatives and the like. Beano works great as long as you take it before your meal. I personally cannot take elivil due to it's sedating effects.
As for fats, well you can get loads of good fats from just cooking with olive oil and eating a lot of nuts. Red meat, especially beef has always been a problem for me. Turkey I find is not really a great substitute when you are looking for ground meat options. I really like ground chicken. I have to add additional spicing in at the beginning while it is still raw for it to really have good flavor, but it doesn't make me go running to the bathroom or double over in pain if I eat the gr. chicken instead of gr. beef. Makes great tacos, etc. Spaghetti and the like will be her friend if she can have the acid. Low fat crackers, i.e. Ritz and Saltines are so much better than reg. anyway. They are crisper. And yeah, take it easy with the dairy unless she wants to live off of cheese and citrucel. I also suggest buying Heather Van Vorous' book; The First Year: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. A lot of this info I have just given you came from her books and have become a part of daily life for me. I really hope your daughter can learn to live with and over come this disorder and live a full, happy life.

Oh, apples are soluble on the inside and insoluble skins. Bananas...soluble. Sadly a lot of the first year or so will be experimenting with what foods have what effect. Some people are more sensitive than others.

[Mothergoose]

My son had problems with what was thought to be IBS for years, he was put on a high fiber diet and antispasmodics, this did not help him but it turned out IBS was not his problem.

But the gastro said the high fiber should be a combo of both soluble and insoluble fiber. My son was small and maybe 12 years old he was told to consume 25grams of fiber a day, which was no easy feat he was down to eating a couple of crackers a day. What we found worked best for him was he eat squirrelly bread it has 5 grams of fiber per slice, with peanut butter on it, because it gave him almost a 1/2 of days worth of fiber in one sandwich.

We did find a heating pad did help the stomach pain from the bloating.

I hope your daughter finds something to help her soon. Good luck MG

[klite]

Is there anyway to tell if the cramping/pressure is coming from my bowels or from my bladder? It's hard to treat it or know what to eat when you don't know where it is coming from. If it is the bladder than I would use the IC diet which is mostly meat/veg/dairy. But if its the bowels than meat/veg/ dairy would aggrevate it more. I'm so confused....


I have the same problem a lot of the time too. One thing that I found helpful in determining what is going on (when it's not obvious) is I gently massage my stomach/lower abdomen. If it's my bladder, than ouch! I know right away from the hard, sore lump that is my irritated bladder.

If it's mostly my IBS acting up, then I can feel the pressure of the gasses in my intestines. If that's the case, I *lightly* massage the my stomach/lower abdomen while laying on my back. I do this when I go to bed, when I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and when I wake up in the morning. I still have to suffer through the bathroom runs, but it does seem to help dispel some of the bloating.

I only started doing this after talking with a family member who is a massage therapist, who practices Maya Abdominal Massage. There aren't a lot of practitioners out there (none where I live at least), but maybe that might be an option in your area.

[JuniperSunshine]

Wow, thanks for that post, Jill! I too have experienced "salad cramps". It seems like when I eat regular, simple foods like muffins or pasta, etc., I feel OK mostly. But when I JUST have raw veggies in particular, my body goes crazy. I eat plenty of veggies normally, so this confused me. That post gave me a total lightbulb moment! Thanks!