# IBS and pregnancy



## Cee17 (Mar 15, 2010)

Hi All,I need help! I don't know whether it's just natural that IBS gets worse during pregnancy or there's some food that i just can no longer tolerate. I don't know which IBS type i belong to, but my symptoms are majorly dominated by cramping pain, feeling bloated and defacation (but not diarrhea). I am currently 3.5 months pregnant (first pregnancy) and i feel like whatever food goes into my mouth (even in as little as 5-10 mins after meals), it instantly triggers the cramping pain and a sensation of incomplete evacuation which i cannot 'let it go' despite several trips to the bathroom trying to strain and it feels like there is something i have to evacuate. I have been experiencing this every single day in the past week. A few months before i discovered i was pregnant, i learned well how to manage my symptoms by eating plenty of fruits and vegs and most importantly to avoid gluten products such as cereals, wheat, bread, pasta, flour, cakes, etc. However, being pregnant now (currently also taking pregnancy vitamins and folic acid), i notice that my IBS symptomps are so uncontrollable this week especially after eating breakfast! After eating an uncooked apple for breakfast this morning, my stomach started to cramp and gave me the sensation that i needed to vacate. I went to the bathroom three times this morning and i felt i had the sensation of constipation (I am not constipated though!) ie, not being able to evacuate. WHy does this happen?I eat heaps of salads and fresh fruits, drinking lots of water everyday and i usually have no trouble having a bowel movement every morning, it's just that the culplrit starts to appear as soon as i start eating something and the pain can last for a day till i go to bed. Sometimes the cramps start ease a little bit but other days it's just like having labour contractions, it's on and off. Does this because:1. I am pregnant and the uterus starts to grow therefore it gives the pressure to the bowel, also I heard it's natural that your digestive system slows down to assure that the food can be absorbed by the baby?2. Should i alter my diet? Why would a piece of apple trigger an IBS symptom this bad? and if it's only a fruit, shouldn't it make my stool softer therefore i am able to relieve this incomplete evacuation sensation instead of making it feel like i have hard stool? What happens if i try to eat any other food? I am afraid of the fact that i need to go thru trial and error in such a stressful time like this.3. I am taking pregnancy vitamins at present and consuming LOTS of green vegetables such as spinach, does this cause too much iron in my body? I heard that Iron supplements can cause constipation. I am not constipated, but i cannot seem to evacuate this stuff (whether its there or not) in my bottom. 3. Could stress be the cause of it? I am having hectic moments at work lately and often think about it day and night.. however I exercise daily by walking to and from work for 30 mins each each way and do yoga in between. 4. I keep my fiber intake high each day by eating lots of fruits and vegs, once in a while I also take metamucil/benefiber to ensure that i'll have a smooth bowel movement. I drink gallons of water as well, but this does not seem to help with the current cramping pain and incomplete evacuation that i am experiencing at the moment. 5. Would acidophilus or probiotic drinks help?The only day that i felt relieved was yesterday it was because i had a mild diarrhea because i was eating a combination of spicy and sour meal, which seemed to have laxative effect on my gut and to be honest i felt so glad i was able to vacate it instead of feeling 'constipated' like this. However i will not try this kind of method to relieve myself, I rather prevent the symptoms from appearing and having it controlled throughout the pregnancy.Any help or suggestions really appreciated!


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## TanaG (Jul 11, 2009)

You know...all women experience weird symptoms during their pregnancy. They might get a food intolerance or feel the need to eat the same food all the time and so on. Huge body changes occur. I heard women saying their feet grew with one size or their hair changed color and became from straight curly or vice-versa. So I think you should first discuss the way you feel with your gynecologist and ask for an opinion. But anything you decide to do, do not go on and medicate yourself, cause pills can harm the baby so a doctor should be the one telling you exactly what you can and cannot take/do during your pregnancy.Good luck!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

I would expect things to be a bit "off" from what you are used to while you are pregnant.Did you see the thread with an article up there thumbtacked to the top of the page about "IBS & Hormones".Hormones or a flux in hormones are IBS triggers for many women. Sometimnes nothing helps and sometimes... folks find they need to take Calcium Carbonate supplements. But whatever you decide to use to help yourself.. understand that it may just be how your gut responds to pregnancy. And it will calm down once again after you deliver.BUT please remember it is very important to run ANYthing you decide you would like to try to manage your symptoms by your OB/GYN or your Midwife etc. They will know what is safe and/or when something is safe to take.For some women IBS'ers pregnancy can aggravate their symptoms and other women seem to go into IBS remission until giving birth. And with some people (like me) it varies from pregnancy to pregnancy. I seemed to go into remission with my 1st and had a horrendous flare up with the 2nd. It is just the way it can be unfortunately.But rest assured the baby takes _whatever_ it needs from you & your reserves. So just make sure you are getting enough calories in for you to feel as good as possible.You are doing some great things... the exercise, the yoga etc.. You just may find you need to up be a bit more careful with what you eat.. how much you eat at a time & when you eat.. etc (smaller meals more often are better.. but make sure they are smaller).If you know wheat bothers you... I would avoid it. Just understand that your gut might be hypersensitive right now because you are pregnant .. so you will "pay" MORE for eating known trouble foods.Congratulations! And I hope you feel better soon.


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## Cee17 (Mar 15, 2010)

Thank you for all your replies!In the past three days my IBS has calmed down a lot because i was very careful with what i ate, how much i ate and how i ate! However i am currently having an episode of the attack again without realising it, what happened was, this morning i woke up late as i was completely knocked out last nite because i had such a busy long day yesterday. This morning as soon as i woke up i had a bm, then drank a glass of water, chopped up some papayas and ate them while i was standing up in the kitchen and but I ate them quickly( shoved a few big pieces and chewed them quickly as i only had 5 mins for breakfast!) and at the same time washing it down with a glass of rice milk ( i just had to eat something before i got out of the door each morning). Guess what, i started to have cramps after that and my stomach demanded me to 'defecate' it but i sat in the toilet and nothing came out and i felt like i had incomplete evacuation... I guess the food must have still stuck somewhere because it was still not properly digested! RIght now i am still feeling bloated and having this incomplete evacuation feeling and also feeling quite gassy... what can i do to relieve it for the time being? I am sure it will still be like this until i wake up tomorrow morning for my next bm. I will have to be EXTREMELY careful next time, i didn't realise not being relaxed whilst eating could also trigger IBS symptoms.


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