I'm not a BEEEOOOOCH anymore...

[jala]

...well most of the time.

I am a new person since I became regular. What a different world I live in now. It's called the world of Peace, aka World Peace for short.

Who knew that constipation could cause such explosions of anger and that diarrhea could leave you so withered? Put the two together in an ongoing cycle and you have experienced the roller coaster of IBS.

It's not like the name doesn't give it away, but after you get over the giggles, you figure out that the name says it all. IRRITABLE bowel syndrome.

I now have a new syndrome - Wonderfully flowing passages and only occasional pleasant bubbles of gas. Jala.

[gypsyjoy]

Please tell how this change came about. I have had IBS for 27 years and it drives me crazy sometimes.
What do you do to help<
JOY

[jala]

I think I had IBS all my life. I had never been regular. I had diarrhea for a whole year straight one time, and constipation the rest of the time.

The first thing I tried was Metamucil (I preferred the pills). This dislodged the blockage and got things moving, but I still was far from regular and the Metamucil seemed to make my bloated belly worse (I have very skinny arms and legs). When I was not regular, my bladder problems got worse.

I knew it was something I was eating, so I did an exclusion diet of homemade baked chicken and organic (not enriched) rice and kept a food diary (I use the one on Dr. Phil's site). When I ate only this, I was regular like clockword with bowel movements every morning - MIRACLE. The funniest thing was that I had a smile on my face for no reason, where I had always unknowingly had a frown before.

I then tried to add in other foods. Every time I ate something different, I could tell by the next day if it was a problem food. If it was a problem, I immediately had a blockage.

It became immediately apparent that I could not pass wheat products. Not the best knews, since I am a cookie and bread junkie. I have since confirmed that I have a wheat (and maybe even gluten) intolerance. The only way to fix it is to change the diet to exclude all wheat products. It was not easy at first, but it changed my life. There are other side benefits - I lost 6 pounds, my protruding gut is gone, I can think clearly, I am no longer tired and my pain has gone.

This may not work for everyone, but it had a huge impact on me. Jala.

[gypsyjoy]

That information is helpful. I have been in the hospital 4 time in the last 18 month for diverticulitis. I also have IBS and have had it since I was really young. I drink fiber everyday and it helps but does cause bloating. I have lost 25 lbs. since the first of this year.
I will be having surgery to resection my bowel sometime very soon.
Maybe it is a wheat thing for me too. I don't eat an refined wheat products but it would be interesting to look in to.hmmm?
Have a good day
JOY

[jala]

I'm sorry to hear you have had such problems. It might be worth asking your Dr. if food intolerance is something that has been considered. I know that it is often very hard to diagnose, except by a celiac specialist. There is info on it at www.celiac.com.

I'm not sure, but I think the fiber supplements, like metamucil, have wheat/gluten. They helped me get things moving, but I still had problems afterwords. Good Luck. Jala.