# I was told fibre is bad for me.... and white bread and chips are good :/ Maybe my bowels will become regular but will the rest of my body be unhealthy



## Snail (Mar 28, 2011)

I've suffered from chronic constipation since I was 10 but have only just been diagnosed with IBS at 23. I think I was embarassed through my teens, I just tried to ignore it. It's quite an embarassing topic when the rest of your teenage friends are running around having fun. But then this past year has been so bad I haven't been able to think properly, colleagues say my eyes looks dead and my weight has fluctuated- and the pain is like daggers.Finally got diagnosed with IBS about a month ago. I was asked what sort of diet I have- I have always tried to be really healthy, infact when I was constipated I would go out and eat loads of prunes and fruit and veg. I've now been told chips are better for me than fruit! Apparently I'm not supposed to eat any fibre- instead of brown bread I should eat the cheapest most processed white bread I can find! I crave healthy food! The pain still hasn't gone away- and I still rely heavily on Movicol sachets. Am I being too hasty to judge this new diet? For some reason when I was diagnosed I thought I would be able to get a quick fix!Is finding out what you are intolerant to just about cutting things out really scientifically? How have other people managed it? And how, if you are supposed to cut all fruit and veg out (apart from carrots) are you suposed to stay healthy everywhere else in your body!!???


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## Snail (Mar 28, 2011)

scarlett21 said:


> was the doctor at manchester whithamsure hospital


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## Snail (Mar 28, 2011)

yes


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## Citrine (Nov 3, 2010)

You should get a second opinion. I suffer from IBS-D, so I admit that I rarely suffer from constipation. Logically, fiber should help ease constipation, though I am not sure if there is some reason why that may not be the case with IBS-C. Something just doesn't feel right about what your doctor said. No doctor in their right mind would tell you to eat only junk food. It also may be beneficial for you to see a dietitian.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Sometimes the insoluble fiber in whole wheat flour products can bother some IBSers and while there isn't much fiber in white flour, what there is tends to be soluble.While fiber can help some people with constipation, it may need to be the right kind. If you need more soluble fiber but want more fiber than in white bread, if you make your own you can add oat bran get a bread with oatmeal in it.White bread won't necessarily kill you, and you may try to add in small amounts of cooked veggies and take a multi vitamin (if you tolerate that) to help with nutrients while you work it out. Spinach is often well tolerated so I don't think it is only carrots and nothing else at all from the fruits or veggies.And sometimes they do a very limited diet to see if that helps then you can start adding other things in once you find a safe diet that works.While fiber can help with mild constipation, there are types of constipation where you have to limit fiber as your body can handle 3 days worth of fiber in the colon, but a week or two will make anyone be in pain.


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## Guest (Mar 29, 2011)

Snail,Ahhh this question plagues my thoughts daily. I don't have IBS but I have colonic inertia, or an extremely slow, malfunctioning colon. After trying millions of "diets" and eating plans, my doctors have also advised me to stick to a low fiber, or low residue diet. I am (well, used to be I guess) a HUGE health nut. I don't even like the idea of eating processed foods or white bread, etc...but the past year or so that is all I have been able to eat. If I eat other foods my symptoms (bloating, gas, constipation, etc) are multiplied and I feel miserable. I long for the days when I could eat a bowl of broccoli, or a sandwich on whole-grain bread...I feel lethargic, and like you - I also have those "dead eyes"...I hear that on a weekly basis, and my weight fluctuates crazily. Some weeks it can go up or down by 7-10lbs, especially when I am feeling really bad. I don't have much of a suggestion for you right now, but I read your post and you were so good at articulating exactly how I have been feeling, so I just had to come and say hello...and to tell you that I also know how it feels to walk past the vegetables and healthy foods in the grocery store with longing eyes.


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## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Snail,I'm the same. I like Ali suffer from slow transit constipation where my colon literally doesn't push food along properly. I was advised by my gastroenterologist not too eat too much fibre either. In a leaflet given to me by my gastroenterologist it said that to get fibre I should eat only soluble fibre (ie: that from fruit or vegetable) and not insoluble fibre found in brown bread, brown rice, etc. Although this has made the bloating much less I have found that the constipation is actually worse because there is nothing in me to push it along - insoluble fibre does this, so it is very much finding a balance between the two. I find I can tolerate the skin on fruit and vegetables which is insoluble fibre but rice, bread and potatoes just bung me up! Its hard because I get really fatigued not eating enough carbohydrate and generally not eating enough but when I do get my appetite back I just end up ridiculously constipated. Even Movicol doesn't work on me anymore, took 3 on Sunday and 8 yesterday and nothing!


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## Snail (Mar 28, 2011)

Thank you all for replying to me! It's is good to know it's not all in my head (some doctors have just tried to tell me I'm not drinking enough water- frustrating!) Has anyone tried hypnotherapy to ease the bowel? It was suggested by my doctor... very intrigued!em_t Yes I sometimes find movicol does nothing. I took two last night and NOTHING today.Ali- I used to eat a plate of raw chopped veg as a snack-- and now I can't. I'm dreading being intolerant to chocolate though- chocolate makes me happy.Kathleen and Citrine- I think I may have been exaggerating when I said I can only eat carrots! I can eat carrots, parnips, potatoes (without the skin). I guess I just have to cut things out slowly and not blame my constipation on the whole food group! I've just finished my first 6 weeks of cutting out cereals/nuts, brown flour etc... so we'll see how it goes.Citrine- my doctor was the second opinion! And what he said made alot of sense to me as when I was constipated I would eat lots and lots of veg because I thought it will help me..... But you are right about the junk food, I definitely don't want to go on a chips and burger binge!Thank you all!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

We have a forum all about hypnotherapy and Cog. Behav. Therapy for IBS. It can work very well for some people that try it.


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