# Gluten-Free? Paleo? Vegetarian? Helpful?



## Victoria F (Jan 7, 2014)

I have IBS-D as well as mild lactose-intolerance. I am very dependent on my prescription (Lotronex), but am curious to try out special diets to see if maybe any have a positive impact on my IBS.

Has anyone tried a special diet, like Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Paleo, Vegetarian, that they have seen HELPED their symptoms?! Or maybe, have you tried one that has actually made your symptoms WORSE?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

You might look at the Low FODMAP diet as it removes things based on what actually tends to bother IBSers (foods that increase gas or cause diarrhea).


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## Destinie (Oct 15, 2013)

I was diagnosed with Clinical Gluten Intolerance (and recently found out that 30% of people who have IBS have a gluten intolerance). As such, I've been on a strict gluten-free diet and semi-Paleo diet (We eat a lot of rice). It has helped some but has not cured me entirely. If anything, it's worth it to try and find out what foods trigger your symptoms or make them worse.


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## PD85 (Aug 19, 2010)

If you have IBS, diet should be the first thing you address. Fixing all of your problems could be as simple as not having that cup of coffee you've had every morning for the past 10 years and couldn't imagine life without. Or that glass of milk with lunch, etc.


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## chlorophyll (Jul 31, 2013)

Getting more green into me has only brought me good things, and the ability to eat foods that previously made me ill.


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## tummyrumbles (Aug 14, 2005)

Yes to all those but I'm still not sure about the gluten. My diet is a mix taken from the best aspects of all diets. I have a problem with constipation from white flours, rice and starches as well as irritability from certain high FODMAPs. Pizza bases are out for me, even wholemeal, and I think it's the condensed nature of the starch that's the problem. I eat wholemeal bread but a particular type from a baker here called "Baker's Delight" which is an airy, tall wholemeal loaf. Oddly enough, my fastest evacuation time so far was the day after eating 6 slices of this bread, so I don't think I'm gluten intolerant but more starch intolerant. Starches are what fill me up so finding the optimum diet isn't easy. No diet will work if you're always hungry. At the moment I'm having porridge and egg for breakfast, salad and cheese for lunch and a small amount of meat/fish with low FODMAP veges and banana and yoghurt for dinner. This is a very good diet for me, but leaves me hungry if I don't eat some wholemeal bread along the way.


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