# Frustrated with diets for IBS



## kellybell3838 (Jun 2, 2011)

HI all,I started having issues 6 months ago after a trip to Mexico. I wasn't sick there, but 2 weeks after returning, I started feeling somewhat nauseous, bloated, and felt full quickly when eating (at times). Anyhow, after an array of tests (O and P, pelvic ultrasound, thyroid check, gallbladder scan, H. pylori treatment, endoscopy) I am now being treated with Rifaximin. My Dr. is thinking I have "IBS" and is trying Rifaximin. I am on day 8 of 14, and though the last 3 days seemed better, I woke up today bloated like "normal". This is so frustrating! I also am so frustrated with trying diets for IBS. I almost think I am better off just completely not thinking about what I eat and enjoying life as much as I can. I have tried so many diets, it's crazy. I have tried eliminating lactose, eliminating gluten, avoiding sugar, eating mostly lean protein and veggies, I have also tried Heather's IBS diet. I can't seem to link any specific foods with symptoms. The only thing I know is that if I eat a huge meal I will not feel well after. Also, how come my Gastro Dr. doesn't advise any diet? I would think he of all people would advise a specific diet if there was one with evidence of benefits for IBS sufferers. Don't get me wrong, I am willing to try ANYTHING to make me get better. I am just frustrated right now with the determination it takes to stick with a diet and then weeks or months later there is no apparent benefit to this paranoid way of eating. Sorry, just had to vent.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

For a lot of people diet makes no difference with IBS symptoms, that is why doctors often don't have a specific diet they hand out. It can help some people, but if you mostly get symptoms after a larger meal then you probably react to the ACT of eating rather than any particular food.Limiting foods that cause a lot of gas for you, or can cause diarrhea in anyone in large amounts (unless you need to loosen your stools) may be reasonable, but many people find a more general eat smaller meals, more frequently and stick to lower fat foods (so grilled rather than deep fat fried, etc) is all that really matters.


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## ziggy7 (Oct 24, 2009)

Why not try my high fat diet? I don't suffer from my IBS/IBD at all when on it.I know in the past i could not eat any fat or broccoli at all with out geting problems so i thought they were bad. It turned out that the pasta i was eating was the sole reason making them bad. It whent from just one bite of them giving me horrible gas all day long too eating as much as i want with absolutely zero stomach problems.Heres a link where i posted my safe foods.http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/140537-help/A human mothers breast milk is 50 to 57% calories from fat. A chicken egg is 61% fat. Eskimos eat a diet of up to 80% fat and there culture has zero heart disease, zero type 2 diabetes, zero obesity.That link explains how to cook my safe foods and such but il post them again here in a easier to read list.Cold pressed olive oilCold pressed coconut oil - (I never had a chance yet to try Cold pressed coconut oil but i believe it's good)Unsalted butterAll meats except for pork.CucumberBell peppers - (none of the fibery texture in the middle of them)Broccoli - (cut most of the stem off and just eat the top flower parts)Organ meats - (avoid adult cow organs unless they were pasture raised & never eat pork organs)Beef fat - (preferably from grass fed but not a must)Chicken,Turkey skinEggsAsparagusOnly mostly hard firmness types of cheese like feta cheese.Don't overcook any of your foods. And don't eat anything els thats not on the list including vitamins/meds.If you need to take a certain med then im not sure.Your stomach will slowly heal and become healthy. A thing you can expect right away is far less gas like 1/10 as much. The only gas that will be remaining is almost oderless spazmatic intestine gas which will go away once your stomach is healthy. And thus eventually zero gas.A reason it is odorless is because there is no food sitting and fermenting in your stomach.Another thing you can expect on this diet is zero bloating.Remember this is a high fat, low carb diet. Your diet should be around 65-75% fat, 24-30% protein, 1-5% carbohydrates. www.fitday.com can help you with the %. But also the % doesn't need to be spot on just something to aim for.Limmit your carbohydrates to 20 grams per day not counting fiber but try and eat low fiber as well. then after 2 weeks you can eat 30 grams of carbohydrates per day. The reason you cant eat 30 at the start is because it may slow down your adaptation to the diet.Now the only downside to this diet is the start of the diet. If you have never been a fat burning metabolism before and ketosis and such then you will feel a little sick,weak,dizzy,headach and such for the first 4-7 days untill your body adapts. And if you cheat on the diet immediately you will feel better but the adaptation will then take longer.Even further down the road when your body has fully adapted this way of eating will make you feel great.This diet will also take you to a healthy weight if you are not at one currently.You can thank man made foods such as bread, pasta, refined grains, refined sugar and such for making most people have glucose burning metabolisms and there for mostly never experiencing a fat burning metabolism & ketosis before.Edit:6 Months down the road when your stomach is fully healed you can try adding more foods into your diet. Foods like more vegetables, raspberries, blueberries, avocados, i find are somewhat ok to eat now. But i rarely eat them or not a lot of them because they effect my physical activity a little. Also you may want to substitute cheese for a few spoonfuls of a liquid calcium supplement drink thing if you have candida. This vitamin/supplement is generally ok because unlike non liquid dry pills it does not have any magnesium stearate in it.


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## canada (Mar 27, 2011)

I understand your frustration with doctors looking for a medical cause, to no avail. I came across the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by myself and it was the answer to my issues. In simple terms, some foods are harder to digest and once I eliminated these foods (all grains, lactose, sugar, and starch) I was able to enjoy my life again. Information regarding the SCD is readily available on the web and there are cookbooks specifically for SCD meal ideas.


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## catarific (Oct 6, 2010)

IBS can be triggered by a number of things - especially food. I used to be IBS-C but after a bout of either food poisoning or gastrointestinal flu, I became IBS-D. Some foods work great for some - but not for others if you are dealing with IBS. An example is high fat food - which causes me great distress as does high fructose and dairy foods (if they have a high fat content). I can use skim milk (low fat) but cannot use regular milk or eat ice cream anymore. I no longer can use the flavored coffee creamer and I no longer can eat junk foods (potatoe chips, pretzels, taco chips). Many high fructose foods are a trigger for flare-ups for me. I can eat a cookie now and then and maybe a piece of chocolate one time a week. Now my IBS-D has turned into IBS-A. So if I have IBS-C for a few days - I will intentionally eat a little of the foods I cannot tolerate and that relieves the constipation. Trying to define a diet for IBS is difficult - because as some can attest to - one day foods are tolerated but on other days the same foods may not be. I have tried keeping a food diary - but I find this is unreliable because for whatever reason - I will check to see what I can tolerate and find on a particular day that might not be the case.It is all hunt and guess. If you know that certain foods repeatedly cause flare-ups - definitely stay away from those foods. If you know eating certain foods are constipating - stay away from those foods. The most reliable way to deal with IBS is to eat wholesome foods - stay away from junk foods and do not eat a lot at one sitting. Limit how much you consume - that can cause you distress and instead of 3 big meals - divide the meals into maybe 5 small ones.


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