# IBS-D for 20 years, now have been cured for over 1 year.



## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

Just so you know when I say cured it means every day is a normal bowel movement. It is not good for a week and then a bad day. It means not having to rush to the bathroom ever. It means a regular bowel movement each morning, and once in a while an additional movement later in the day, but most days just my one daily bowel movement in the morning.

I tried everything during those 20 years, but I never really got off my trigger foods, so nothing worked.

Once I removed my trigger foods, I was better. In addition I take Citrucel 3 times per day, before each meal, which keeps me regular. Metamucil makes me feel bloated, but Citrucel works great.

My trigger food are Gluten, Soy, Corn, Lactose, and Vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar is fine, I take it 3 times a day with my Citrucel for other health benefits, but food that just says vinegar on the label is an issue for me. I believe that generic vinegar is made from corn or wheat, so that is why I have an issue with it.

For many years I stayed away from dairy, not understanding it is lactose and not dairy. Now I enjoy cheddar cheese 1 to 3 times per day now, I drink Keifer every day, and I enjoy Gluten Free Pizza with cheese on it.

I know you are saying I can't remove all those things from my diet. Well, I can tell you once you get used to what you can eat, your diet is varied and delicious and nothing beats being cured. If you try this you might try eating a little bit of the trigger foods. For example, I know I can have a little bit of corn, but if I have too much I get sick, so I just eliminated it as it is not worth pushing it for me. You will find a lot of packaged junk food are no longer available to you, as many of these products contain one or more of my trigger foods. I think having to eliminated all those packaged junk foods is a healthy side effect.

One other issue I had was a really sore and itchy anal area, even after I was cured. I tried a bunch of different things without much success, but once I tried Purell Hand Sanitizer, it was gone within days and has never come back. It stung a little at first because my skin was so raw, but once the alcohol in the Purell killed off the bacteria/fungus causing the problem, my skin returned to normal and it does not sting anymore, just gives a warming sensation.

I hope this helps someone. I understand the pain of IBS-D after suffering with it for 20 years, and I am glad to finally be rid of it.


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## rmiller1985 (Sep 13, 2011)

KailuaBeach said:


> I know you are saying I can't remove all those things from my diet. Well, I can tell you once you get used to what you can eat, your diet is varied and delicious and nothing beats being cured.


Hi KailuaBeach,

I agree with this 100%. I felt that way about many, many things when I started on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I used to eat chips, hummus, and chocolate on a daily basis, and I put off starting the diet for many months because I couldn't imagine not being able to eat them (not to mention the fact that I'd been a vegetarian for over 20 years, and I would have to start eating meat again). But nothing beats feeling better. Occasionally I miss my old favorite foods, but mostly, I don't.

Cheers,

Rich


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

I have to update this post. I found that Apple Cider Vinegar taken on an empty stomach with no Citrucel fiber mixed in will trigger a problem for me.

I believe that too much acid triggers the issue, and that is why I have a problem with vinegar or too much fruit.

I just returned from another vacation with no issues.

For someone that always had issues with IBS when travelling (not fun on a plane) not having IBS is really a nice way to live.

I also want to emphasize I tried all the "cures" listed on this forum for IBS and none worked for me. It was not until I removed the foods that bothered me that I found I was cured.


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## Ashley.French (May 29, 2014)

How did you discover what your trigger foods are? I find I am fine eating something one time but not another so it's very difficult to pin it down to certain foods. I wish I could.


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

I would start off by removing all the things I mention above so you feel good. Once you feel good it is easier to add things back in to your diet and see how they do. If you are fine for one month, then you take something with vinegar in it and get sick, and that is the only change to your diet, then you know it was the vinegar that got you sick.

If you are sick frequently (like I used to be) it becomes impossible to know what the cause is. It is only when you are healthy all the time that you can easily spot the occasional sickness because you tried something new.

I wasted years with IBS attacks trying various things, but the problem was I never removed ALL of the things, so I kept getting sick.

I know it sounds like you are eliminating a lot, and yes most junk food is going to be off your menu, but I can eat all meats, all vegetables, rice and some other grains, all lactose free dairy products, fruits in moderation, etc.

There are still a lot of things I can eat even being off all those things, and not being sick is priceless, much more important to me than snacking on some junky packaged foods.


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

One more update to this post, I am now on Citrucel just one time per day and doing great. I might get off of it completely, or just stick to one time in the morning.

My approach to getting rid of IBS was all wrong for many years.

I kept eating the same things and trying every cure to see if I could get better.

Once I stopped eating the things that made me sick I don't need cures anymore, because I am no longer sick.


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## mr120 (Sep 1, 2013)

Really glad you've found a solution!
Googling citrucel says it's for constipation, a laxative. Does it work the opposite for D, bulking it up etc?

Thanks


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

It does bulk it up and make it easy. I tried Metamucil and it gave me horrible gas pains and things went in and out too fast still.

That being said, once you have eliminated the food that is triggering your IBS, you can just eat healthy food and I believe you will be fine. I will update if I go off my once per day Citrucel, which I am considering doing.

The 3 times per day Citrucel means you are bulked up, but you might go more often because of the amount of fiber. The good thing is it is never an emergency, it is never urgent, it is always comfortable even though you have to go.

Also with Citrucel there was no gas.


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## mr120 (Sep 1, 2013)

My IBSD I had always thought was purely in my head and not food related AT ALL until I did the FODMAP diet, when the stool firmed up - i was shocked.

I've been doing the diet around 5 weeks now.

However I still have urgent feelings - such as anything I feel is going to be an unpleasant experience if I have to run around looking for a toilet - or constantly excuse myself to nip off to the loo.. will get me stuck on the loo trying to be empty.

Did you have anything like this - and can food/diet in time conquer this, did it do this for you?

Thanks


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

I knew it was not in my head because I got sick even at home when there was no stress and I was sitting there as comfortable as I could possibly be. Yes, stress can make it worse, but it is the food that starts the problem and then the stress makes the symptoms worse. Even people without IBS can have the urge to go when they are under a lot of stress.

After so many years being sick, I am slowly recovering from the psychological damage that IBS has done. Each time I go out or take a vacation and have no issues, I am gaining my confidence back.

I have to admit I still have some psychological issues, even after being OK for about 1 year. The issues don't cause me to run to the bathroom. Sometimes I will try to go before leaving the house, not sure if it is just an old habit or nerves, but the good thing is it is never urgent. I always feel like I could wait for hours if needed.

The psychological issues that linger because I was sick for so long cause me to think about where we are going and where the bathrooms are. I am still a little hesitant with situations where there is no bathroom available for hours or a good part of the day.

You mentioned "I still have urgent feelings" so perhaps there is still some food that is bothering you, less so than prior to your FODMAP diet, but something still making things move a bit faster than they should. For me other than in the morning when I hold it for a while, I never have an urgent feeling during the day, even if I do end up using the bathroom again later that day.


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## manders7 (Oct 3, 2010)

I know this is an older post, but I have to comment on the apple cider vinegar topic. I started drinking 1 tbsp in 8 oz water with a spoonful of honey, first thing in the morning. I tried it 2 days in a row and on the 2nd day I developed really bad gas and diarrhea. I was disappointed because many homeopathics and naturopaths said it would help gas and bloating. I was also told it would help detox the body, however I didn't think detox meant diarrhea. I peed a lot too. I think the acidity of the vinegar, coffee I drank, and lemon water was too much for my body. Normally coffee and lemon water doesn't bother me at all. I don't think ACV should be recommended for IBS sufferers because it can trigger an IBS attack. I knew I wasnt sufferng from GI bug because I was still functional, not nauseated, and wanted to eat. I'm going off the ACV to see how I feel, not worth the IBS attack. I have been managing it with diet and probiotics for a while now, and only took ACV to boost immunity and to treat gas. Well, should have just stuck with fennel tea.


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

Thanks, just an update.

I do not take Apple Cider Vinegar anymore. I found too much will trigger an IBS attack, so I stopped it. So now all vinegar is off my safe to eat list.

I also found I have to be careful with all types of oils, so process junk food is off my safe to eat list. I still cook with a small amount of Olive Oil, but no chips and other processed junk that always has oil in it.

I replaced the junk snack food with nuts, rice cakes, cheese, and fruit.

Also I only take a 1/2 serving of Citrucel now in the morning. I could probably stop taking it at this point, but things are working well, still so I continue to take it.

One other thing I added to my list of problem foods is too much fructose from certain fruits. I still enjoy fruit once or twice each day, but I stay away from eating large Fuji apples, or other high fructose fruits.

I am still IBS free 2 years later now, as my original post was over 1 year ago.

After 2 years I have a lot of confidence that I can go some where and be fine. After being sick for so long, I still appreciate going out and not getting sick.


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## atomb (Nov 26, 2014)

i too have finslly after so mamy years have changed my diet. I got rid of dairy and gluten i eat low fat. .. Egg whutes ni yolks avocadoes nuts quinoa and so on. i eat salads with spinach snd chicken or tuna. I alsoo take some caltrate and.drink only warm water or tea. I have been doing this since Thsnksgiving and thimpngs sre much better. I really eould love tofigyre out exactly whst the mechanism behind my ibs is. Hopefully in this decade. CURED NO but i havent had a of my friend the D since so. I have lost weight but it was all belly fat


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## KailuaBeach (Feb 14, 2012)

atomb, glad things are much better.

Regarding dairy I found it was the lactose and not just all dairy products. I eat cheddar cheese that has very little if any lactose, and I eat it sometimes 3 to 4 times per day and am fine. If I eat something like Ice Cream, I will have a negative reaction within 1 hour, so I am very sensitive to dairy, yet the sharp cheddar cheese is fine. There are other lactose free products such as Yogurt and I can eat those too, although they are not a regular part of my diet.

I agree it would be nice to know what causes IBS so I could eat bread and other things without having to worry, but right now going out and not worrying about being sick is a nice blessing.


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