# My story of conquering IBS-D



## melissa33 (Jul 11, 2013)

I have to say I feel like a total idiot. A completely ignorant, stubborn, whiny idiot. That's me.

After 1 month of a restricted diet consuming only whole foods I have cleared my ibs symptoms. They in fact cleared after a week. I have been hiking, traveling out of my apartment for more than an hour and even taking a 2 hour highway road trip. I could most definitely have a flare-up down the road but my life is dramatically different and I know I am on the correct path.

My story started when I was 16 when I noticed I started to feel sick while I was eating. What a sad experience. It carried on thru my 20's and worsened severely when I was about 26. I was having D 2-3 times a day and felt nauseous, drained and sad all the time. At that point I put myself on an un-prescribed diet. For 6 months I cut out meat, dairy, caffeine, alcohol and even some leafy vegetables. I pretty much consumed fruit, bread and cake and it worked, well not entirely, but my system did heal and I was back on a wobbly and unstable track. My symptoms worsened over the next 7 years including my anxiety. I felt like a crazy person, like most of you, I am still scared of elevators, planes, highways, traffic of any sort, subways, bridges, tunnels, etc... anywhere there is a possibility to be cut off from a bathroom and left in close proximity with others. One thing I always tried to keep in mind was that this anxiety had a tangible source. It did not develop from some suppressed memory, it came from my reality of everyday sickness and rushing to the bathroom for a painful, embarrassing experience. I struggled to keep in mind this anxiety was warranted! Yes, my symptoms worsened with the anxiety but I knew that my anxiety was NOT the cause of my IBS. Don't let all those books out there make you feel like an unstable person. My goodness, the source is obviously your gut or the food! I knew this but it was so very confusing and frustrating because a food that seemingly was fine for me to eat would sometimes make me sick or I could eat the same thing for 3 days and then all of a sudden get sick on the third day! What was up with that? What I have learned is respect MODERATION in everything.

My IBS came to another horrible crescendo about 6 months ago. I am now 33. I had seen doctors through the years with dismissing attitudes and disappointing results. I finally decided to actively push my doctor for testing so out came the blood tests, ultrasound and stool tests. I had H Pylori but once that cleared my IBS was worse than ever after the ridiculous dose of antibiotics. I was cleared of having intestinal inflammation and cleared of celiac. I tried Align with no results. I was prescribed Dicetel which I took for 2 weeks with no results. I started reading lots and lots of books until I found one that sounded simple (Fodmaps sounded overly complicated and oddly specific). I knew that fat, carb and preservative intake was somehow a factor in my IBS. It's like there was a bar where no matter if I ate all "safe" foods if that fat, carb or preservative intake went over the bar, that's it, I was hooped. I ended up using the book "What your doctor may not tell you about IBS". Yes, its old but I liked its simplistic approach, especially in the diet.

The diet in the book is fairly strict but not the worst I have seen. For the first 2 weeks you eat low -sugar/carb fresh fruits, low-sugar/carb fresh veggies (no corn or potatoes) and lean grilled, roasted or poached meat (cut out any fat or gristle). No sugars, no honey, no dried fruit, no dairy, no gluten and no grains. I also reduced my use of olive oil (no canola or vegetable) when cooking. It's essentially a whole food diet with a few more restrictions.

Let me tell you, psychologically, this diet sucks! I am still a non-stop pity party however the carb and sugar cravings have curbed. Slightly.

You see, being a skinny girl with a crazy metabolism I would down entire cakes, loaves of bread and giant bowls of ice cream without gaining a pound. These were not my trigger foods so I took advantage! The triggers I knew were caffeine, spice, the occasional meats and deep fried anything.

Even thou refined sugars and simple carbs are not triggers for me I have no doubt they have a harmful cumulative effect in my digestive system. The book describes it as an overabundance of yeast in the system that is fed by carbs/sugars. I'm a little skeptical of this explanation but all I know is I feel much better. Hello! Balance and moderation! These are two mottos I respect in most areas of my life. Why didn't I respect them in my diet? Because I am a stubborn pain who didn't want to.

Another book talked about keeping variety in your diet and eating too much of one thing can create an intolerance. It is important to keep switching up your vegetables, meats and grains.

I have entered the part of the diet were I am isolating and introducing individual foods. I have confirmed I am not gluten intolerant but I do have a degree of lactose intolerance.

I will continue to drastically reduce my consumption of refined sugars and switch to hippie-dippie coconut palm sugars and raw honey. I will reduce my gluten consumption and never again buy white bread even if it has sesames on top. When I do wander into the forbidden middle aisles of a grocery store I will be that annoying lady who reads labels looking for the shortest list of ingredients, least amount of preservatives and sugar.

I will likely spend about 1/4 more on my groceries than I did a month ago but I will spend less on takeout as the only safe food at restaurants is an oil & vinegar salad with the goat cheese picked off. If I can't see everything I am consuming, even if its just seasoning, I should not eat it or I will accept the consequences.

If your library doesn't have this book. Here ya go. Give it a go.

*The "Core Diet" for 2 weeks:*

(to be returned to if any flare-up occurs)

Meat

All fish, shellfish, fowl (chicken, turkey, goose & duck), red meat are allowed

Note: Canned meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, sausages and pork are not permitted

Dairy

Eggs, tiny amounts of unsalted butter, goat's milk are allowed

Note: Cow's milk and other dairy products should be avoided

Nuts and seeds

Brazil, pumpkin, sesame, almonds, walnuts, pecans, toasted soybeans, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts are allowed.

Note: Peanuts are not permitted

Vegetables

(You may have unlimited quantities of the lowest sugar and lower sugar vegetables; limit the quantity of low-sugar veggies to 1/2 cup per day.)

Lowest -sugar veggies (3% carb): Bean sprouts, beet greens, celery, chicory, chinese cabbage, chives, cucumbers, endive, escarole, fennel, lettuce, olives, parsley, dill and sour pickles, poke, radishes, rhubarb (raw), watercress are allowed.

Lower-sugar veggies (6% carb): Asparagus, bamboo shoots, broccoli, cabbage (raw), cauliflower, chard, collard greens (raw), dandelion greens, eggplant, kale, leeks, mustard greens, okra, green onions, peppers, rhubarb (cooked), sauerkraut, spinach, turnips, turnip greens, water chestnuts, zucchini are allowed.

Lower-sugar veggies (10% carb): Artichokes, green beans, carrots, celeriac, cabbage (cooked), brussel sprouts, collard greens (cooked), chervil, garden cress, kohlrabi, onion (raw) rutabaga, tomato are allowed in 1/2 cup quantities.

Note: Corn, potatoes, sweet pickles, sweet potatoes and yams are not permitted.

Grains

(Grains should be eliminated for 1 week unless you are a vegetarian then you may eat the first three on the list. For carni's introduce grains one at a time after 1 week following the order.)

Brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, oatmeal, rye, buckwheat, millet, wheat, barley, flaxseed, rice are allowed.

Note: White bread, crackers, macaroni, spaghetti, pancakes, rolls, waffles, and products made with refined flour are not permitted.

Fruits

(You may have unlimited quantities of the lowest-sugar and lower-sugar fruits; limit the quantity of low-sugar fruits to 1 serving per day.

Lowest -sugar fruits (7% carb): Avocado, watermelon, rhubarb are allowed

Lower-sugar fruits (10% carb): Boysenberries, cantaloupe, casaba melon, coconut (fresh), cranberries (raw), gooseberries, honeydew melon, lemon, lime, muskmelon, strawberries are allowed

Low-sugar fruits (15% carb): Apples (1 small), apricots (1 small), blackberries (1/2 cup), cherries (1/2 cup), dewberries (1/2 cup), elderberries (1/2 cup), grapefruit (1/2 large), loganberries (1/2 cup), oranges (1 small), orange juice (1/2 cup). peaches (1 small), pears (1 average), pineapple (2 slices), plums (2 small), raspberries (1/2 cup), tangerines (1 average), youngberries (1/2 cup) are allowed.

Note: Bananas, grapes, mangos, dried fruits, canned fruits are not permitted.

Beverages

Spring water, herbal teas are allowed.

After two weeks of these and only these foods start adding back fruits and veggies not on the list into your diet while testing for reactions. Remember to isolate ingredients and wait 2 days for any symptoms between introductions.

I'm sure this type of thing is posted on this forum all the time. If you have IBS and you think you are eating a "normal" healthy diet seriously consider eating a super healthy restricted diet. I believe it is our IBS-free reality. If this gets through or even cracks the surface of another persons thoughts I will be very happy.

Take care,

Melissa


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