# My Battle With IBS, Was It Dairy/Egg?



## AngelMary (Apr 19, 2012)

First off, thank you for being here and allowing me to share my story. I respect all that have dealt with IBS and the strength that you have is amazing. All the stories are that of pain and suffering, as well as strength and survival. I find that coming together like this and sharing stories is a great way to show understanding, support and common equality. I need that, we need that. So as I said, thank you!!!

My story begins at a very young age. I am 53, have raised 5 children and have 10 grand children. All are my pride and joy, and through their support I also find more strength. So lets back up some. When I was about in my teens, 14, 15 years of age, I had a lot of tummy problems on and off. Ok, wait, Let me go even further back, and think back to age 4 when I was diagnosed with asthma and with multiple and severe environmental allergies. My nights were difficult, I suffered from asthma attacks as well as constipation my entire childhood. Would wake up in the night with cramps, sided by wheezing, and coughing. Such difficult times as I sat up with my father trying to find comfort from all that bothered me. He would often sit up with me in the middle of the night with my cramps, and asthma attacks, we tried everything to help me feel better. I had allergy tests, was found to be allergic to many things. With all of the environmental allergies I suffered from, I was never able to find out exactly what foods I was allergic to or what bothered me. Strange as it seems, my intolerance to dairy and eggs go back very far. Unfortunately, nothing was ever done to find out what it was or if it was. I was always told to eat more fiber, or given meds that rarely worked. Later I tried the fiber, the stool softeners, I tried it all. And just kept having constipation, and always having the extremely loose stools. I hated it, but lived with it for years.








Now here I am 53 years old. I went to the doctor, last week, (Jan 21st to be exact), and found out some things that I needed to do. My doc really helped me as we spent a very long time reviewing tests, and treatments, meds taking or taken, and history of everything involved. Between the tummy and the bowels, and before last week I really felt as if there was no hope. Now, I am beginning to find hope, at least I hope I have found Hope, LOL. Does that make sense?








Anyway,







now that hope I believe I found is real for me.







We/I discovered that eggs go right through, me, well I knew this but still ate them, don't know why. I guess maybe I thought it wasn't the eggs, hoping for some other issue. So my dr decided that it would be best for me to cut out all dairy and eggs for 3 months. Now I have been on other diets, had surgery on a Hiatal Hernia, soft food diet for like 6 mo, and I was also hospitalized for 5 days due to severe gastritis, had a tube in my belly draining it. After all of that, and up to last week, I had lost hope actually, very well thought that I would never feel better again. I must say that, I was wrong. Obviously, I should of figured all of this out sooner but, I did not.

*Now, I have been on an egg/dairy fee diet for the last week. I discovered so much about myself that I did not know, and found out even more about labels on foods. That is all I have been consumed with for the last week. I have researched and dug into web sites to find any and all recipes and foods that I can eat with no dairy, milk or eggs in them. Very hard to find just bout anything, so much has milk in it, it's shocking. As it is now, I have not had the multiple trips to the bathroom with diarrhea, and constipation. Have had a few minor belly aches, but for the most part my stomach has never felt better. *








I read every label, eat no dairy or eggs, at all whatsoever. And WOW, what a difference.







I feel so much better not eating those foods. Yes it has been hard. I love cheese and ice cream, and pizza and yogurt and many other dairy products that I ate daily. Now, I have cut that all out. Mind you, I miss it all so much and it is very hard to even do this diet. Does not help my depression at all. But my asthma has improved as well as my tummy. Knowing some of this is related, I am glad to find comfort, ever so little, it is hope.









My research has been extensive in nature and the sites, and recipes are endless. I have found a number of ways to substitute eggs and I drink Silk Soy Milk, which took some getting used to, but I did and it is all good now. So no dairy at all, and now, I will continue to see if that is has been what my problem has been. I will not assume all is well, but I do feel better and that is important. As I am not on the dairy, egg or mile for 3 mo, I may at doctors orders be able to try other dairy items one item at a time. But right now, I am just happy to know that the cramping, nausea, numerous trips to the bathroom, constipation have all decreased. Better yet stopped, I still have an occasional tummy ache, not sure what that is about. But all in all I do feel almost 100% better. And am hoping soon that I will be feeling not close to but at 100% better. Until then, I will continue this diet and eventually, and hopefully get there. Right now, I am thankful for finding comfort in any way I can, and from the over night trips to the bathroom and the pain that accompanied it. I surely do not miss any of it.

That's my story, as it is, it is still going on and has yet to end. I will keep you posted as I experiment with non dairy/egg foods. Any support would also be great. Are you on a dairy/egg free diet? If so, we can help eachother. That's it for now. Hope it was not to long. And thanks for the opportunity to vent and tell my story. Peace to all.


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