Help for IBS Diet
IBS Tales

women conquering constipation - page eight

The tale of...Kristi

I recently saw an ear, nose and throat specialist for chronic sinus issues, and he declared it was allergies. So I went for all of the tests and lo and behold, I am allergic to wheat. My first thought was, no way can I cut that out. But I decided to truly try it after my last sinus infection, and I was amazed. I have suffered from acne my whole life, and my skin cleared, my sinuses were the best they have ever been, and my bowel movements were back to normal after being constipated for years...I truly felt good.

Deciding one night I didn't care, I wanted a cheeseburger no matter the costs (and it came on a wholewheat bun!) I ate it, enjoyed every bite, couldn't breath by the time I got home, had skin like a teenager again within 24 hours, and a stomach ache that lasted a day. Wheat affects so many things for me that it is well worth not touching!

E-mail Kristi: kristi-ymci[at]pasty.net

The tale of...Jo

I wrote in recently with a sad tale and IBS symptoms that I felt would never ease. I was given time off work to 'get my head together' as the anxiety issues accompanying the IBS were becoming too much.

I decided to visit the library and scoured the health section. I found a miracle! A book called No More IBS! from the Women's Nutritional Advisory Service by Maryon Stewart. I read it and it describes every symptom of IBS that I have experienced and those of the poor sufferers who have written in with their IBS tales.

It describes a diet that is essentially a detox for two weeks where you stop eating all major food groups such as potatoes, sweets, wheat/gluten, yeast, citrus fruit and dairy. Not much fun I know but after one week of this diet I noticed a calming of the stomach and more regular bowel movements. I am in my third week and I am introducing potatoes and corn into my diet, next week it will be citrus, then dairy, and so on.

I have not been rigid with this diet and in the interests of science I 'cheated' last week and ate a cake containing rye gluten - the result was horrendous, my symptoms returned and I felt terrible and very depressed, but at least I now know that I cannot tolerate that form of gluten, therefore I will never eat foods with rye again. I am continuing with the diet now and although I know the IBS is with me for life at least I know I will be able to control my it.

An update on Jo...

I have now managed to trace the source of my symptoms and have got rid of most of the really problematic symptoms. I no longer bloat unless I eat a recognised trigger (in my case, wheat/ gluten, nuts of any kind and rye) and cramps only come on when I eat said foods or over-eat. I know the trigger of pretty much every symptom. I have also started eating an Activia yoghurt daily and I am as regular as I expect I ever will be which means usually every day or sometimes every other day (good enough for me!). On occasion I eat a 'bad' food but I know full well how my body will react and am prepared.

It sounds perfect but I must say I am restricted because I still struggle to eat out as I am a nervous character and this also has an effect on my tummy, but if I can control symptoms by eating correctly then I have won half the battle. I am dreading Christmas as over-eating is another trigger but with a little careful planning and not too much buying in of all those lovely party foods I know I can handle it. I hope this will help other sufferers and they can know some relief, like me, in the near future.

E-mail Jo: jobuttle[at]yahoo.co.uk

The tale of...Myra

My bad constipation began due to stress about eight years ago when I was made redundant from work and I split up with my boyfriend - all at the same time. I spent all my time at home sitting at the computer, worrying and searching the net for a cure, but at that time there were no blogs and not much useful info online.

I have not been lucky with any GP. One told me that constipation was only 'hard stools' and that was nothing to worry about. No comment! I would sometimes go for eight days without visiting the toilet for number two, and I was very bloated and in a lot of pain. On a very few occasions I would have a mildly loose stomach, but I would mainly be horribly constipated, pained and confused. A colleague of mine seriously asked me if I was pregnant once, as my waistline was getting visibly bigger. I was becoming apple-shaped and really embarrassed.

Knowing that I could get dependent on laxatives made me not want to use any for some time, but eventually I started using them. I would usually take them Friday evening and be able to empty my stomach on the weekend after a whole week of constipation. Eventually I had to take more of them and become dependent.

I have been prescribed many different cures in turn - Lactulose, a high fiber diet, mebeverine, various stool softeners, and possibly other things that I cannot now remember. The fibers only made me bloat up more than I was already, and gave me much embarrassing wind. I once came to this website, a long time ago, and read the happy stories and kept searching for a cure. I had a rectoscopy and colonoscopy done - these were unpleasant but happily did not reveal any bad problems.

I spent lots of time researching, tried yoga exercises for constipation - just search on google for these. Tried aloe vera juice. All these worked to a certain extent...until I started organising my wedding. I was worried that I had lost my slim waistline and decided to exercise at least three times a week. This worked WONDERS! Please everyone, listen to me and have the will to try it.

I hired a personal trainer to put me into shape for my wedding, and the incredible side effect was that after about 10 to 14 days of regular exercise I started going to the toilet regularly. This was accompanied by other little things that I did, which helped, but had not worked 100% by themselves until exercise came into the picture.

Here is what I did:

In six weeks I lost about 3 or 4 kilos, mainly off my waist, and thought I looked great on the wedding day. My dress had to be taken in twice - at the hips and mainly at the waist. After the wedding we travelled for 10 days and I managed it without bad constipation although I could not exercise regularly.

I have not exercised much this winter, but will start in the srping. Currently I miss a day occasionally. If I miss two days in a row I take an aloe vera tablet at night (colon cleanse - the pink-purple ones). Even if I do not go to the gym regularly now, I still never constipate as badly as before. I remembered about this site the other day and thought I should come back here to write.

Please try cardio exercise, make it a part of your lifestyle. It's the best thing for your body. Provided you are not allergic and cannot determine what's causing your constipation, I am pretty sure that exercise is the best thing you can do for yourself and combined with natural remedies, it just works! Good luck!

E-mail Myra: mailmiracle[at]gmail.com

The tale of...Anny

I've suffered from constipation basically my entire life. My mom used to use rectal suppositories on me as a baby and had to make me drink diluted prune juice to help me go. As I got older the problem got worse. No matter how healthily I ate I could not go for days. In retrospect, I think it's because I wasn't drinking enough water or eating enough fiber.

Even up to a month ago I'd struggle on the toilet, straining until I felt like throwing up. I even tried a gluten-free diet in the summer which helped a lot but I ended up losing weight and nutrients because I wasn't actually gluten intolerant.

I finally found a few methods that work for me. I no longer take laxatives or stool softeners as they don't do anything for me. Basically, every day I have one or two cups of black coffee (and I hate coffee!). I eat a bowl of fiber One cereal which really does work. I drink lots of water, both warm and cold. I've also noticed that spicy food and drinking warm water with lemon has helped a lot. I also eat as many fruits and vegetables as I can and limit myself to one or two cups of tea a day.

Every day I've been having massive soft BMs. It does not hurt anymore to go to the bathroom. My clothes fit a lot better. I am starting to conquer this.

E-mail Anny: aeberry86[at]yahoo.ca

The tale of...Lisa

I suffer mainly from constipation IBS but sometimes it switches. I noticed that some sufferers on this site were particularly worried about sharing bathrooms at home or university, and about lovers staying over. I was diagnosed at 15 and almost didn't go to uni because of it. In the end I did go, as I didn't want it to control my life and I'm glad I did as I've made great friends and have had good fun. However, I'm now 20 and still suffer from IBS, finding it particularly interferes with my romantic life. I try and make light of it but I actually cried reading this website as it was the first time I didn't feel like an utter freak. Thank you so much.

In return, I'd like to share some tips that I swear by in managing my IBS as I've found these help manage my fears, if not the illness itself.

For out and about: carry a small bottle of perfume at all times. I find that it gives me the confidence to leave the house as I know that if I have to go when I'm out that I can at least cover the smell. If your IBS is bad from nerves and stress, carrying Rescue Remedy with you can help to calm you down.I also carry Imodium just in case for peace of mind as well as Similase tablets which are digestive enzymes and can help you if you're eating out.

For your bathroom/uni bathroom: stating the obvious here: if there's a window, open it. If not, keep a washbag in the bathroom that contains perfume or body sprays for when you have to go. Air freshener and matches can be good too but they are obvious as to what you were doing, so with a body spray you can say you were just 'freshening up'.

Keep a radio in the bathroom and/or run the taps or shower to cover the noise. The steam from hot water can also help eradicate the smell but remember you have to pay the gas and water bills! (I should also mention wasting water and the environment but let's be honest - when trying to cover up a spasmodic noise as you poo with people waiting outside, the last thing you care about is if you are wasting water, no offence to being green.)

Keep batteries for the radio in your wash bag in case it runs out. I also find having music from the radio on can calm you down or distract you from the embarrassment and can also be a great reason for not replying to impatient housemates who are knocking on the door unable to understand what you are doing for so long. You can't reply if you can't hear them!

This next one depends on how bad your IBS is, but I find timing toilet trips with showers, baths, moisturising, brushing teeth, reapplying or removing make-up, cleaning the bathroom etc can also be good as it gives you a reason to be in there so long. Citrus bleach is quite good for covering up the smell and for keeping the toilet clean of course. Make sure you keep toilet wipes and a loo brush at hand too and offer to take the bathroom cleaning job on the rota.

Keep a small towel, flannel and spare pair of undies/sexy undies in your washbag so you can have a quick wash should you have to do a number two when there is a lover staying over. IBS continuously reeks havoc on my sex life as I'm so embarrassed I smell all the time from the constant bloating and irregular toilet trips. I find the perfume helps here also.

In the bedroom: light candles to help you relax with said lover and to help dissolve any smells. Incense is also great. Duvets can trap the smell quite well if you are bloated, so just say you're cold. (Although I normally avoid sexy time when feeling this way.) Dim the lights and go for underwear or nightwear that makes you feel comfortable and also sexy and that doesn't in any way make you feel like an IBS sufferer. If you really aren't comfortable consider if you should send them home and wait for someone you do feel comfortable with.

I have to be honest though and say that although I feel extremely comfortable with my boyfriend and have told him about my IBS, I can never really bring myself to explain all the embarrassing ins and outs of it. However, he is great as he never makes any comment when I go to the bathroom for half an hour when I said I just wanted to pee and knows to leave me alone when it's needed. He is actually one of my housemates and although living with a boyfriend, three other student housemates and IBS all at once is scary, these little tricks help me get by.

Staying away from home: this is the thing I dread the most in life as my stomach is worse at morning and night. Normally this is OK as once you are in the privacy of your own home you can let it all out and relax. But what do you do when you're staying at someone else's?

I take a small washbag with spare undies, flannel, towel, shower gel, perfume, spray and my trusty pocket radio and batteries. If questioned I normally say 'Oh I was in such a rush packing I even grabbed the bathroom radio! What a nutter I am! Oh well, I may as well use it as it's here!' Or you could try 'You said to make myself at home!'. I run taps and try and time toilet trips with a shower. So when I feel the need to go, I might say to the host: 'Do you mind if I have a shower or bath? I know I had one earlier but I feel like after all that sightseeing/partying/walking I need another or it would be nice to unwind'.

Try and be honest about what you can't eat even if it will hurt the host's feelings as it will hurt your gut a lot more if you have an intolerance. If worst comes to the worst, fake feeling faint or something and say you can't eat, or that you'd like to cook up something as a thank you to them.

Tips in general: I find peppermint tea is great for digestion, particularly the Twinings brand with fennel. I take Similase tablets (mentioned above) with most meals to help me digest my food. Crystals, hot water bottles, heat patches and hot water can also help quite a lot for cramps and constipation and particularly for period pains which seem to link to IBS and vice versa.

Hypnosis can help if you are open to it. It's cured my fear of flying so I might try it for IBS. I've found holistic therapy immensely helpful as crystals, massages, reflexology etc relax me and it's someone I can talk to about how I am feeling.

Lying: I've also found that in the back of your mind somewhere you need to have a stack of white lies that you can pull out at a second's notice - ie: when a non-sufferer is being nosy - to cover what you were doing for so long, where you have been, why you're late, why you want to leave, why you changed your appearance etc...I am unfortunately a master at lying now but it goes hand-in-hand with covering up this embarrassing illness.

Try: 'I had to make a phone call, was freshening up, there was a long queue, my brother just rang, I was stuck in traffic, I slept through the alarm, I couldn't find my keys, I had to re-apply make-up, I've got a headache, I've got work to do' etc...

My biggest problems now are bad sweating and insomnia which I fear may be linked to my IBS or a food intolerance, and sleep deprivation seems to make my IBS worse. Also, the fact that my fear of IBS is 10 times worse than the illness itself. I've become quite reclusive again recently which is a shame as I was doing quite well. I am very anxious when I have to leave the house and worry about getting a job when I finish my degree in July. My fear is more disabling than my symptoms now. In my case, I think a fair amount of it may actually be in my head simply because sometimes I feel great but then I only have to think/worry for one second about having an attack and within minutes I appear pregnant and ready for an attack. It's like I have the power to bloat my own stomach just by thinking it. It's not the superpower I wanted!

It's great to know I'm not the only person who is dealing with all this. I hope these tips will help someone else like me. Now all I have to do is to try and explain to my boyfriend's crazy outdoorsy family that no I can't go camping and hiking with them on the beaches and mountains of south Wales, but if they'd like to put me up nearby in an en-suite hotel room while they do, that would be just fine!

E-mail Lisa: lisaliveson[at]yahoo.co.uk

The tale of...Vickie

I don't understand how IBS can be happy but hey...My mother told me that she pulled her hair out managing me as a baby and the IBS started right up, either diarrhea or constipation and exploding gas. I remember being in third grade, eight years old and sitting at my desk and suddenly getting the urge, and it was horrendous. I raised my hand to go to the bathroom and the teacher said no...she said your mom says you go to the bathroom too much, so that tells me you are playing in there instead of going to the bathroom.

When she said that I didn't even care who heard it, I was in so much pain I cannot tell you. I began to shake all over, then sweat, then start to cry uncontrollably. She then looked up when she heard me make a sound and her eyes got really huge. She said 'Oh my gosh, OK Vickie you can go to the bathroom this one time'. I ran so fast and when I got there, explosion to the nth degree. But I had to sit for a while, you never ever ever just do your thing and get right up like everyone else, you sit for a while because more is in there tucked away, waiting for you to leave and sit back down only to have to go again.

I also remember as a six year-old at my grandma's house with the constipation part. It was so bad that when I tried to have a movement it was too large and it split my rectum causing pretty good bleeding. When my mom came across me in the semi-private bathroom she saw my pain and got the old-fashioned douche bag out with a tube and put water in it to wash me out. What a relief...I don't have one of those things as I was told that it was not healthy for women to use them as they only cause infections, but hey, for flushing out the constipated bowel...oh man...relief in sight...

I had this all the time through school. Then at 24 I was told I had IBS. I kept complaining about pain in the upper right quadrant of my stomach, under the ribs there. It could have been my gallbladder as a few years ago it was taken out and I was told it was so huge and full of cholesterol stones.

I never watched what I ate, but it never seemed to matter. If you think about it, when you're eating well you still get it, or when you're upset sometimes you don't get it...I do think it has a mind of its own. I was told to take some psyllium, and I was told it would help both diarrhea and constipation, but it didn't. It swelled up in me and totally blocked me so bad I nearly had to go in to get unplugged. Never did that again.

I do realize though looking back (I'm now 57 years old with five kids) I learned to live with it. When I was busy I hardly noticed it as I was too concerned with my kids. Sistraction is a great tool. I did have to have a bathroom or know where the bathrooms were everywhere I went. I do ask about that today, when someone says let's go for a walk in the forest I go 'Let's take some toilet paper'.

One time I didn't go to the bathroom for a while and I knew it was the constipation. I was hurting so bad I went in and an x-ray was done. The doctor says 'Oh no, you're blocked, impacted'. So he immediately gave me some Miralax or something like that. I went home and took some and it did clear me out, and I was told to take it daily, but after three days I had constant diarrhea.

E-mail Vickie: vickiec51[at]hotmail.com

The tale of...Shan

After 56 years of trying everything, including psyllium, bran cereals, and laxatives occasionally, I am cured! This past spring I saw a nutritionist for weight loss. One of her recommendations is a high fiber cereal (14 grams per serving). No surprise there. As well, when discussing fruit and antioxidants, she told me that prunes have the highest antioxidant value. So I tossed 3 to 4 prunes in my cereal and voila! Along with a healthy diet including several fruits and veg daily I am cured of constipation. Along with irritable bowel I have a 'lazy esophagus', which made my digestion very slow.As long as I eat this daily I am fine. No gas, no more bloating, and efficient bowels. What a relief! I just add or subtract a prune or two when necessary.

E-mail Shan: frazzlednow[at]hotmail.com

The tale of...Rebecca

I submitted a sad tale in the summer when I was going through a particularly low point, and although I am still unable to work (I've been off work for all of 2008 so far) I wanted to let people know that if you stamp your feet hard enough, doctors will help you! I've undergone every test known to man for bowel problems, and the result was that there was nothing 'wrong', so I was diagnosed with IBS. But I was very ill (the pain was more of a problem than any 'toilet' symptoms - some days, I didn't get out of bed!) so asked for help to get some of my life back.

I've since been referred to a pain management specialist, who changed my medication to help control the pain and improve the constipation, and he referred me on to a psychiatrist. So far, the psychiatrist has given me more help than anyone else! I'm on anti-depressants and anti-epilepsy medication now, thanks to him, which sounds very odd, but it is working to control the pain...I'm having hypnotherapy (fabulous - I'd recommend it to anyone even without IBS - it's incredibly relaxing!), cognitive behavioural therapy and micro-current therapy, which heals on a cellular level. There is help out there if you look hard enough for it and have doctors who can open the right doors for you.

An update on Rebecca...

I thought I'd give you an update on my progress and let you all know that I've discovered something incredibly simple that's an amazing help! After 15 months off work due to IBS, I'm finally back at work in a new job (I couldn't think of much worse than being on my feet in a lab all day!) working in regulatory affairs in a pharmaceutical company. I'm just at the end of my sixth week of full-time working, although I have been back at work for several months now.

One of the things that has helped me most with sitting at a desk all day is a foam wedge...it's just a wedge-shaped cushion to put on your chair (or car seat, or wherever) which encourages you to sit straight...and as a result, you don't hunch over and sqaush your tummy. I hadn't realised how much the wedge had helped until I lent it to a pregnant friend, and suffered serious IBS pain and bloating on the days I didn't have it.

I wouldn't be without it now - it has really changed the way I cope with being at work, and I'd recommend it to anyone who suffers with IBS bloating and pain. I hope this discovery helps other people as much as it has helped me. I'd also like to add a voice of praise for the IBS audio program 100 - it is fantastic! Thanks for running this website - it's great to have a forum to share hints and tips for coping!

E-mail Rebecca: deanrebecca[at]btinternet.com

The tale of...Ashley

Boy was I relieved to find this site and read all of your stories. I finally know that I am not crazy and I am not alone! IBS hit me hard about six months ago. I am a 25 year-old Navy wife and mother of two. My family and I are currently stationed in Sasebo, Japan. This is a small base and we do not have 'real' doctors out here. I swear they all got their degrees out of a cracker-jack box! I have seen every doctor we have here only to have each one tell me I had everything from a virus to an ulcer. Finally on my last visit I brought up IBS and the doc said that might be a possibility and put me on Miralax. It has helped with the constipation.

I suffer from once a week cramping, nauseating stomach ache during which I have terrible diarrhea. My stomach swells to the point where I look like I'm six months pregnant every time I eat anything at all. I have this burning/numbing type of pain/sensation in my abdomen at least a few times a week. I have found several of you going through the exact same things. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I have been so stressed out over the IBS and it has been causing bouts of depression. I feel like I can finally start to take control of my life again though.

I know the things I can't eat and what I can. I've had to stop drinking coffee. I can't eat pizza or anything with the slightest bit of tomato sauce on it. I can no longer enjoy our vast wine collection from Italy. Yes, it has taken away several things that I used to enjoy in life, but I am learning to cope with it day by day. I just hope some day there is a cure for IBS. To all of you out there suffering from this horrible disorder, I wish you the best!

E-mail Ashley: ashley[at]rockenhaus.com

The tale of...Claudia

I found out about Digestive Advantage by chance about two months ago when I walked out of the emergency room, frustrated, after waiting for over an hour with a severe IBS attack, realizing they would simply send me home with the same diagnosis: IBS, a condition with no cure, no treatment and no specific causes.

I have been suffering from this since about age seven, and the frequency and the symptoms have increased with time. I have tried keeping a journal in order to identify the possible triggers, to no avail. The bloating and excruciating pain have forced me to stay home from work or leave work early. Lately, the bloating was so severe, my regular clothes would not fit and I went almost instantly from a fit size eight to looking five months pregnant! Even after the attack, the pain lingered for about three more days.

I have been taking Digestive Advantage since my last bout of IBS and I still cannot believe it! The symptoms are gone! Unfortunately I still get constipated, but exercise, water, and a healthy diet help. In addition to my daily Digestive Advantage capsule, I take L-Glutamine (500 mg) every morning along with one cup of water with the juice of half a lemon plus another glass of water. I take all of these first thing in the morning.

Before Digestive Advantage I would simply ride the IBS storm with sleep, a heating pad, and wonton soup. Go figure! I was terrified of eating after each attack. IBS was always the price to pay after over-indulging. And sometimes it would simply happen if I went for long periods of time (eg: six hours) without any food at all. I told a friend about Digestive Advantage and it also worked for her.

E-mail Claudia: cvillalba[at]cfl.rr.com

The tale of...Malena

I suffered from extreme constipation for the past five years, along with bloating and pain. I tried everything. Zelnorm. fiber. Stool softener. Nothing worked. I became dependent on glycerin enemas. A month ago, I saw a new gastroenterologist who prescribed Celexa, an anti-depressant. It's changed my entire life. I have normal bowel movements and feel amazing. Now I can eat without pain.

E-mail Malena: Malenanovember[at]gmail.com

The tale of...Jessica

I was diagnosed with irritable bowel about a year ago but I suffered the symptoms for much longer. At first I didn't believe the diagnosis, as each time I went into a doctor's office describing my symptoms I received no tests yet they were quite happy to tell me I had IBS. The doctors gave me no hope, pointing out it was related to stress, with several adamantly telling me that my diet would not contribute to my symptoms.

I would go from suffering constipation and not passing anything for up to a week, sometimes longer, to finally when the gates opened suffering from diarrhea. Worst of all was the gas, flatulence and belching. The middle of the night and mornings were the worst, until I would regularly set my alarm for 5am so I could try to belch and fart out all of my gas, which would abate the cramps, before I went to work.

Later I decided to get fit and slim down as I had gained weight from working full time. I started going to the gym every day. I stopped eating fast food. I limited how much meat I ate. I cut out of my diet completely all oily and fried food and only cooked using extra virgin olive oil, if any oil was used. I cut out almost all dairy as it carries a lot of calories, and I started taking supplements. I also stopped drinking soft drinks and fruit juice as these contributed to a lot of my daily calorie intake.

Miraculously the symptoms of my IBS disappeared! Through trial and error with my diet I have been able to pinpoint my symptoms down to a few things...

Animal fats and large quantities of animal meat: animal fats will certainly make me feel a bit cramped and bloated but even large amounts of meat will set me off. I just don't eat steaks that much anymore, horrible when living in an Australian family where the traditional meal is a steak with mash potatoes. What I mean by not much is that I would be lucky to eat a steak once every two months. If I was to eat meat often it'd be in a stir fry with lots of veggies, lean and in small amounts.

Dairy is still a part of my diet in small, small amounts but again it contains animal fats, especially cheese, and makes me generally suffer gas and cramps. Unlike most sufferers bread doesn’t set me off so I find that if I get that oily heavy feeling in my stomach eating some bread to soak it up seems to lessen my feelings of nausea.

Oils for some reason also affect my stomach. I can't really describe it except for the feeling of heaviness in the stomach. I just know that my bowels respond to anything oily, especially if the oils are separated from the food. If I was to eat something with oil dripping off of it I would have a stronger reaction than if the oils were mixed into the food such as in a cake.

Soft drinks can also set it off. I don't know if it is the sugar (though I still eat sweets with no problems), or if it is because it is carbonated. All I know is if I have two glasses my tummy will make me pay with a vengeance.

Recently I had to add another item to the list, which I had a horrible reaction to: cabbage. I had a salad which I made with mainly cabbage and in the morning had quite a violent reaction to it. The first I have had in quite a long time since I have been on my low-calorie diet.

To this date I have had no problem with wheat items, though I do like to eat 'brown' carbohydrates or low GI equivalents. So I eat basmati rice instead of jasmine rice, brown/wholegrain bread instead of white, and pasta is relatively low GI. Though rice does have a lot of carbohydrates in it.

I guess I’ll plan out what I eat for my meals now so perhaps if you are suffering the same symptoms you can try it out. These are very low-calorie options. I tend to keep an eye on my calorie count as although these healthy options stopped my IBS I don't want to starve either. I tend to jack up the calorie count to healthy levels by snacking on a lot of fruit during the day. Bananas are really good as they are about 100 calories each and tend to feel 'light' on the tummy.

I tend to categorise everything into 'light' and 'heavy'. 'Heavy' foods I try to eat in moderation and/or cut out of my diet as they tend to set off my IBS. Generally 'heavy' foods give you the feeling you have after eating McDonald's, where it was nice going in but afterwards you get the urrggh feeling, then suddenly you are in the bathroom retching, and the cramps, bloating and IBS have struck again.

Breakfast: fruit. This will generally be several servings of fruit, a banana, an apple and a pear. Generally I like breakfast to be light and I will stagger it out over a period of a few hours as most of my symptoms are in the morning. Generally I just like to limit what is in the tummy as I find that if there is too much food in there it will kick up my IBS anyway. Also if it has flared up I don’t want to put too much ammunition into my stomach in case I do feel the compulsion to vomit.

Lunch: homemade pumpkin soup or a large salad or both. I tend to make the pumpkin soup with very little vegetable stock and no milk. I want it to be thick rather than creamy and watery because it is more filling that way and I don’t want to starve. I tend to boil the pumpkin in just enough water to cover it. Pour out just a touch of the water, mash it, blend it. Add a tiny touch of stock and there you go. To pack in some flavour I will cook chickpeas on the side and add them into the blend and then put in some Moroccan spices. This makes it taste like a wonderful curry and I’ll have that with two slices of bread. I don’t tend to pack too much soup as again if I eat until I am bursting rather than satisfied it sets off the IBS.

Snack: more fruit. Or if you go to an Asian grocer they sell a product called 'Pocky', read the back labels but their chocolate-covered sticks are generally around 420 kilojoules which is about 100 calories. This is definitely good if you like chocolate but find the milk fats in the chocolate bars tend to set off your IBS. I find the worse thing for encouraging my symptoms is getting a chocolate craving. I think to myself 'Well I haven’t had symptoms in a while, I want my comfort food, and I have been eating well and a little won’t hurt'. Then I spend the night in the bathroom suffering cold chills, hugging the toilet.

Dinner: simple stir fry with a lot of vegetables. I find Asian greens are quite nice on my stomach as well as cucumber. If we’re having steak then I have about enough meat to fit the palm of my hand, this is discounting fingers! I usually chop it up and get rid of all visible fat. I then eat it with a lot of helpings of veggies or salad. I find if I eat meat in one big lump it feels worse on the tummy instead of eating it in small slices broken up by mouthfuls of veggies.

I know it seems a bit much to outline what I eat but I find if I deviate from this too much my IBS flares up and truthfully I am tired of taking sick days from work because I can’t seem to pry myself away from the toilet.

I can’t stress enough that the best way to minimise my reactions to eating was to slow down the eating process. I make my meals last for as long as possible, that way some food has already passed through the stomach by the time I have finished eating. Generally I like to think if something is going to set off my tummy it is better that it is sliding through your stomach and bowels in small amounts rather than in one big lump where your body is just going to react and spasm.

Finally I found that if I really felt terrible, like I needed to puke, that eating something acidic would help. I have been told that when your stomach is irritated the gallbladder releases bile into the stomach. The bile is what makes you feel terrible. I would usually drink some lemon juice in water or even sip some vinegar. It doesn’t sound that appetising but something highly acidic can break down some of the bile that your body is releasing.

I hope this helps other people because I found the doctors were no help whatsoever. I have to admit that I haven’t completely gotten rid of my symptoms as I still have constipation, but now I can resume a normal life, not have to plan where the bathroom is, or organise time before work where I could lock myself in a bathroom because I was going through periods of continually being sick. I don’t have to carry a toothbrush with me anymore in case something sets off my stomach and I get physically ill.

Most of all I hated the uncertainty where I would feel terrible before work and call in sick only to recover during the day. Other times I would feel terrible before work and go in anyway, only to spend large amounts of time walking back and forth to the toilet feeling queasy, not sure if I was going to have diarrhea, puke or possibly both.

Doctors are good and helpful don’t get me wrong, but at the same time nutrition is not a course that is emphasised in the medical profession. I find that a lot of doctors are happy to give you pills but aren’t happy to discuss the effects of diet on the symptoms of IBS. Perhaps even the process of making yourself feel like you are in control by limiting your diet helps alleviate the stress that causes IBS. Either way if you don’t feel like you are getting the right answers from your doctors do some additional research or ask for a second opinion. Try to find a medical professional who has actually done some in-depth study into IBS.

E-mail Jessica: angelfire000001[at]hotmail.com

The tale of...Connie

I am 68 years old and I have suffered from IBS with constipation for most of my life, but I was only diagnosed a few years ago. Besides the bloating and constipation, I was often nauseated, and it got worse the older I became. I used (on the advice of my family doctor) Zelnorm and then Amitiza. They were minimally effective.

But when I finally went to a specialist, he told me to take Miralax. For a week nothing happened. I called my specialist and he said to give it at least two weeks. I'm glad I did, because a few days after speaking to him I began having regular bowel movements every day! I buy the Miralax at Costco and it is cheaper there. I don't care how much it costs, I have gotten my life back and I am not nauseated and constipated! I still get bloated (especially if I take calcium pills, or eat dairy products), but I am happy! I now take half the recommended dose once a day, in the morning, stirred in my coffee.

The tale of...W

I've chosen to put my story in the happy tales section even though I am far from happy. However, I have recently been taking magnesium supplements and have found that it has helped a bit. I suffer from constipation-dominated IBS with extreme bloating, pain and wind. I've been taking magnesium for about three weeks now and I have found that it is a little easier to go in the mornings.

Before, I had to drink lots of warm water and slowly eat cereal with warm soya milk, then sit on the toilet for 45 minutes straining. Now I find that when I try going in the morning it's a teeny weeny bit easier. I go without straining at first but it stops suddenly mid-bowel movement, then I return to feeling awfully constipated. But at least I manage to get some of the waste out which helps towards me feeling less (excuse the pun) crap through the day.

I'm going to try 'cleaning' up my diet too as I found that cutting out wheat, dairy, and processed or fried foods helped me a little before. I reckon if I stop being so greedy and do the diet in combination with taking the magnesium I may feel a whole lot better.

The tale of...Carol

I’m a 61 year-old grandmother, and I have lived with IBS since my early teenage years. I have been misdiagnosed, including with a grumbling appendix which was removed needlessly. Until early 2000 I was diarrhea-predominant, at which time I became constipated and have remained so ever since. At that time I at first blamed a change of diet, having visited relatives in the US (I live in Ireland), but after five weeks of 'no-go', the penny finally dropped - the IBS I had known had decided to mutate!

Like many other sufferers, I had spent many years trying to have my IBS recognised, and since I live in a small town with a limited choice of hospital consultants for referral, I gave up trying for a while. Sometimes the insults were overt, other times more blatant, and as you all know the misery is bad enough without that. One consultant actually said 'If IBS existed, I would be a sufferer...it’s supposed to be caused by stress, isn’t it, and who could be more stressed than me'.

After many more tests I was eventually diagnosed about 10 years ago, basically told there was no cure, given Imodium, anti-spasmodics and Valium and sent on my way. I’m trying to make this as brief as I can, so I’ll skip now to 2005, when I finally took the advice of one of my sons, who works in the health service and had described my condition to a consultant friend of his, who also has an interest in allergies and food intolerance.

Knowing my reluctance to visit yet another doctor, he kindly allowed me to write to him, and via my son asked if I would be willing to try a wheat-free diet. He said he did not think I had an allergy to gluten, more likely an intolerance, which was aggravating my IBS symptoms. Of course I was willing to try anything to alleviate the pain, bloating, cramping, straining etc so I gave it a try.

Within two weeks my pain had decreased by about 50%, the bloating had all but gone, and I had only occasional cramps. However, cutting out wheat did not cure my constipation, but when this consultant heard of the partial relief I had obtained, he also suggested that I try a few remedies which had helped some of his other (less dubious?) patients.

I was to add to my diet: dates (the large, expensive kind, can’t remember the name just now), figs, a good probiotic drink, and a daily helping of Manuka honey. The dates and figs must be packed without the addition of sulphur, which is apparently added routinely to most brands, and the honey must be active 10+ to 20+ Manuka.

I followed his advice, and whilst I cannot truthfully say I am no longer constipated, I have gone from not having a bowel movement for anything up to five weeks, to going every few days. Sometimes it is almost natural, others it’s still the old strain and push routine, but to me it is such a transformation. The only regression since starting this regime has been whilst on holiday, eating all the wrong foods, which I know will make me suffer!

I still use my trusty heat pad at night, and am by no means cured of IBS - is there a cure? And by the way, this same consultant, on hearing how my diarrhea changed to constipation after two eight-hour flights, put forward the theory that travelling long-haul in a pressurised aeroplane can cause constipation, even in non-IBS sufferers.

Here’s hoping this might be of help to someone, and that my condition will remain at its present, much more bearable, level! Now if someone out there could give me a cure for all the problems of old age...

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