# help need info on ibs!!



## Lexi06 (Mar 22, 2004)

hey everybody! iam new here. and i need some help w/ my ibs. ive had it for about 8 years now, and it seems to be getting worse by the week. it comes and goes too. what kinda meds would you recomend that would work.. or any methods i could try to make this better.thanks


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## simon2004 (Jan 23, 2004)

Relief & TreatmentIt's not surprising that no "cure" has been found for IBS since it seems to be a collection of syndromes with a number of contributing causes. The first step in treating IBS may be close monitoring of the symptoms, your daily habits, and any other factors that may affect gastrointestinal function. It is strongly advised to work closely with a health care provider though many sufferers simply endure the symptoms because of embarrassment. A variety of symptom related treatments and therapies are available and they can be utilized and combined to effectively reduce the pain and intestinal distress and to effectively "manage" IBS. Dietary modification People with IBS commonly describe food intolerances and, for many people, careful eating reduces IBS symptoms. Before changing your diet, the systematic elimination of particular foods can be helpful to determine the relationship between the food and symptoms. Keeping a record of food intake and discomfort can help you make effective changes to your diet. The danger in eliminating foods in a nonsystematic way is that it can erroneously lead people to eliminate important sources of nutrition from their diet. In addition, unnecessary dietary restrictions can further worsen the quality of life in patients who already have enough to cope with. Many doctors recommend the temporary elimination of dairy products since lactose intolerance is common and can cause symptoms similar to IBS or aggravate IBS. People who avoid lactose should take dietary calcium supplements. Several foods are only partially digested in the intestines. When they reach the colon, further digestion takes place by bacteria, which produce gas as a byproduct of their digestion. As a result, these foods can cause gas and cramps. The most common are the legumes (such as beans) and cruciferous vegetables (i.e., vegetables that have a cross at their base) such as cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. In addition, some patients have trouble with onions, celery, carrots, raisins, bananas, apricots, prunes, sprouts, and wheat. An effective plant-based digestive enzyme supplement can help with the first stages of digestion and probiotics can insure the bacterial balance necessary to complete digestion. High-fiber diets keep the colon mildly distended, which may help prevent spasms. Some forms of fiber also keep water in the stool, thereby preventing hard stools that are difficult to pass. Doctors usually recommend a diet with enough fiber to produce soft, painless bowel movements. High-fiber diets may cause gas and bloating, but these symptoms often go away within a few weeks as your body adjusts. Whole grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables are good sources of fiber but are not always convenient. Fiber supplements and high fiber meal replacers can be used in these cases. Drinking six to eight glasses of plain water a day is important, especially if you have diarrhea. Drinking carbonated beverages, such as sodas, may result in gas and cause discomfort. Chewing gum and eating too quickly can lead to swallowing air, which again leads to gas. Also, large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea so eating smaller meals more often or eating smaller portions should help IBS symptoms. It may also help if your meals are low in fat and high in vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads and cereals. Stress managementWorry, anxiety and other mental stress are major components in many IBS attacks. If possible, identify and avoid stressors that make your IBS symptoms worse. Making time to relax and spend quiet time alone can be therapeutic and rejuvenating. Yoga and meditation have been used for thousands of years to reduce stress. It is important to prioritize your daily tasks and not to overload your schedule. Besides improving your overall health, regular exercise can provide benefits that are especially valuable to people with IBS. It can help decrease feelings of stress and may help simulate rhythmic contractions of your intestines. http://betterdigestion.4all.cc


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## Lexi06 (Mar 22, 2004)

thanks for the tips. so what do you guys go through with it.. and how do YOU cope, with that and everyday life.. i find it extreamly difficult when iam having a really bad episode.. any comments??? iam open to read.


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## samantha145 (Apr 21, 2004)

With me, its constipation, bloating, and major pains in my stomach. for a stress reliever i have a therapist i go to about every 2-4 weeks or so (depends on my schedule). i also have a diary and one good friend of mine knows about me having IBS. Any time that its REALLY REALLY bugging me i talk to him about it and he lets me rant and stuff to him. of course he doesnt live in my state or anything like that so he cant really tell anyone about it anyways because we dont know any of the same people. every morning i take fiber supplements to help keep me regular though some i found work at first, then tend to stop working shortly after. eating cherrios and other foods with fiber at meals definetly helps also. thats about it- i havent totally been diagnosed with IBS so there arent any major meds that i take or anything. oh and also for tummy aches i heard peppermint works (still gotta try that one) and drinking tea with a hot waterbottle or heating pad helps with the cramping.


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