# IBS and Eating Disorder



## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Hey everyone,

Has anyone developed an eating disorder due to their IBS. I am pretty sure I have headed down that path. I am not eating enough and I am continuously losing weight because of it. I just hate eating and I guess I found it easier to not eat. I didn't even realize it at first, but I have a problem. Can anyone help with this?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It may not have all the same features of a eating disorder for other reasons (like you may not have the body dysmorphic features where you believe you are overweight when your BMI indicates you are severely underweight)...

But people with IBS can get disordered eating patterns by trying to use starvation or restricted eating as a way to avoid IBS symptoms. Unfortunately over time the more disordered the eating the more it may irritate the IBS as the GI tract does respond in ways to long periods of starvation that may cause more severe IBS symptoms than regular eating on a regular schedule would have caused. It can be a vicious cycle. The more you avoid eating the worse it is when you do eat so you avoid eating even more which makes the symptoms even worse when you finally do eat...and so on.

Fear of eating does happen, and it can be hard for some people to make themselves eat, and you may need various kinds of support to return to regular eating patterns (even the 6 small meals a day that many IBSers find works better than 3 big ones. You can get enough calories in 6 small meals to maintain weight and get adequate nutrition)

If you find you are not eating enough to maintain a healthy weight and adequate nutrition I would talk to the doctor to see if meeting with nutritionists or an eating disorder specialist may be helpful in addition to anything that may medically control the IBS so you don't need to starve to avoid symptoms.


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## thickthighs1 (Apr 12, 2013)

I only eat one or two meals a day...my Dr said I could drink ensure..gonna get some.

Im 5'3' and 138 pounds,eat lots of rice and turkey and cereal.Im scared the smell will come back,so that's about all I eat


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Thanks so much Kathleen. I never thought about it like that. I will try the 6 smaller meals a day and see if that helps. You are really good at giving information and advice. I really appreciate it!


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## Frustrated-gut (Aug 9, 2013)

Ensure is drink loaded with supplements but a lot of other words I can not pronounce. I have found that a lot of processed food contain things my body reacts too, Ensure can sit on a shelf for months before going bad, that has to be a warning sign that there are chemicals in there that are not the best for you. Stay away from processed food and instead either take supplements or get the nutrition from real foods. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, that's where the veggies, bread, dairy, and meat are. Only go into the center for things like cereal, or pasta. I have gone so far as to, if I'm craving sweets or desert, I have to make it myself as most of those things are loaded with junk.

Veggies to eat would be carrots, parsnips, string beans - I live on these cooked. Raw veggies are hard on the system and cauliflower, broccoli cabbage all cause gas.

Rice, rice noodles, pasta noodles, couscous, Quinoa are good too, you can make some nice sauces with olive oil and spices and herbs,

White breads, sourdough, etc - some people are gluten intolerant so be mindful that breads might not work for everyone, but toast and peanut butter has been my staple

Eating smaller meals helps to not overload your system, even if you have to graze though out the day, keep eating. I found a Vegetable based smoothie powder that does not contain Whey (milk product) I found drinking this though out the day gave me an energy stabilizer, nutrition, and helped to keep me hydrated.

To find all your triggers is the key. My last piece of the puzzle was my morning coffee, I have been off coffee and all caffeine for 4 weeks now and with my strict eating, and addition of a probiotic, have been able to add small amounts of salad back into my diet.

Keep eating but be mindful of what makes your tummy act up and cut it out, stay hydrated, keep active - this helps your mind and body, Find supplements like Vit D , calcium, Potassium, these help with digestion, Probiotics are good too, Try to take vitamins at a time that they will be in your system for a while, like before bed, if you take them with food and you have D than it hasn't stayed in your system long enough to be absorbed.

With IBS there is no right or wrong, there is only what works for you. So you have to do everything as trial and error, it sucks, but as much advise as anyone gives IBS is so different from person to person that triggers vary greatly. Do what works for you, these are just hints of things to try.

Good luck


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## windemere (Sep 25, 2011)

I just spoke to my dr about this exact problem today. Im 5'2 and down to 106lbs because im terrified to eat since i never know what its going to do to me. Im trying to see a nutritionist but without insurance its hard to get the money saved up. I may try the 6 small meals myself. I tried before but would stop after a flare up. According to my chart at the dr since 2011 my highest weight was 113lbs but ive been a pretty constant 106-108lbs. Hopefully we can both eat healthier and put on some weight.


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## Feathers_McGraw (Aug 28, 2013)

A few months ago, I eliminated almost everything from my diet to try to figure out what was irritating my stomach. It was not a good idea.

I'm 6' and I was eating barely over 500 calories a day. I was always nauseous, cold, and shaking. I was losing several pounds a day for a total loss of almost 50lbs. Even though I was eating almost no food, I was still having 5+ BMs a day. Eventually, the symptoms of starvation became worse than the symptoms of IBS and I'm now back to a much healthier diet. My nausea is gone and my weight has almost stabilized. My IBS is much worse because my body isn't used to so much more food, but I'm hoping it will calm down over the next week.

Eating very small meals throughout the day is the best way to go, imho. It's a pain, so I don't do great, but I keep trying to improve. I used to eat 2 large meals a day. I'm now up to 4 medium meals. My goal is to get to 6 small meals a day.

Moral of the story: starving yourself won't help IBS!


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## Frustrated-gut (Aug 9, 2013)

Try taking Imodium regularly, start with the recommended 2 pills, then one if needed as directed on the package. I take 1/2 tab Imodium before dinner every day for the last two months or so and it really helps. Others on here say to take 1/2 tab morning and 1/2 tab at night regularly. It really works if you have identified your trigger foods and keep them out or very limited. This helps to slow down your gut and then when you do eat or take vitamins you can absorb the nutience.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2013)

I know what you mean. If I have to go out I won't eat until i'm home for the rest of the day because it can really stop diarrhea. Sometimes I don't eat until 8pm. It's because I continuously took anti-diarrhoea tablets and then they became ineffective. To make them effective again I had to not take them... So I had to find other ways. IBS-D is ruining my life. I hate not knowing when i'm going to get diarrhoea. I don't have a job because i'm too terrified. I'm 20 years old. I don't know what to do anymore. Can anyone help?  X


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## Kmaloney316 (Sep 20, 2013)

I only ate one or two meals as well when I first had it and I was 190 and dropped 120 within a few months.. Rice and chicken were my meals.. It was horrible and it gave me the worst anxiety ever. After many of years figuring out what helped and taking different probiotics I found that going gluten free cured my ibs..


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## Kmaloney316 (Sep 20, 2013)

I only ate one or two meals as well when I first had it and I was 190 and dropped 120 within a few months.. Rice and chicken were my meals.. It was horrible and it gave me the worst anxiety ever. After many of years figuring out what helped and taking different probiotics I found that going gluten free cured my ibs..


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## Kate1966 (Sep 25, 2013)

I am going through the same thing right now....i think i am starving myself. However, i do it simply b/c i cannot stand the thought of crapping anymore. I start to eat, when i can, and after a few bites, i'm "full"...and have to stop. 2 years ago i was hospitalized from being so low on potassium, magnesium, and calcium i could have died. I had severe watery diarehea for 7 straights days, and my hands and feet were drawing up and tingling so bad. It was the most scared i have been in years. So, i was there for four days before i could come home. I hope that never happens again, but as i type my feet still are falling asleep and my hands still draw up alittle bit. I know i need to try real hard to eat. I ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast, and about 7 bites of ramen noodle soup around 4 this afternoon, that's it, all day. Im starving, but don't want food. It's a vicious cycle......so sad.


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