For Heather
#17221 - 08/13/03 06:30 PM
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Judithg
Reged: 07/14/03
Posts: 157
Loc: California
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Hi, Heather--I posted some questions to you on 8/12, but I'm afraid you may have missed them. The post is listed on the BB right above another question I posted to you that you had already answered, so it's easy to miss. It's a little long--I may be asking too much! But if you have a moment and can respond, I'd be so grateful. I'm really having a hard time getting stabilized.
Thanks!!
Judith
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Hi Judith - I can't seem to see that past post - can you reply to this post and put a link to the previous post in your reply? Sorry, I feel like an idiot...
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Heather--Please don't feel bad at all. It was hard to see because it was right next to another post I had done with similar subject line--and there have been tons of posts since then!!
Anyway, I wasn't sure how to do a link, so I just cut & paste to this reply:
>>Hi. I hate to bother you with this, but I'm wondering if you can see if I'm doing something wrong here. I am still feeling so awful--more than a month now. I am going through various medical tests, but it takes a while scheduling and getting results back, so nothing definitive yet. I am to the point now where I feel sick all day and have a lot of D or near D or feel like I'm going to even if I don't (I'm normally C). I've been pretty strict about the diet for a month. Is it "normal" for it to take this long to stabilize? Is it possible to have a such a hard time adjusting to the diet change and increase in soluble fiber? Before, I was eating a lot more raw vegetables and fruits, but I also ate a lot of dairy and fat. I actually thought the raw stuff was what triggered this latest bout.
Now I'm basically eating rice (brown and white), applesauce, bananas, very cooked carrots, broccoli, spinach, rice cereal, gluten-free pasta, potatoes, chicken, fish, tons of peppermint and fennel, including enteric peppermint with fennel in it. Was using soy products (milk, tofu), but I'm cutting them out this week to see if they are contributing to the problem.
I had a big problem with Citrucel, so I switched to Benefiber. I've been taking about 1/2 tsp/day--afraid to increase it since I've felt so much worse this past week or so (about same length of time on the Benefiber).
I'm walking after bm and exercising regularly. Feel like I'm doing all the right things, but still losing ground.
Should I go to a BRAT type diet for a few days? I don't see my doc again till next week and meanwhile I'm starting a very heavy school schedule on Monday.
Also wondering if I should try going to a nutritionist. I have multiple problems (fibromyalgia, IBS, gluten intolerance and other food allergies). But I'm overwhelmed with how to find one who would understand all the issues.
Any help you can give me would be soooo appreciated!
Thanks for all that you do here. We all really appreciate you.
Judithg
(Heather--since I posted this, I'm still not doing too well--a little bit better since I'm eating very restricted diet, but still way off track.)
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Hey there sweetie - I'm so sorry things are still so rough. It normally takes just a few days for diarrhea to resolve with diet changes (constipation can take a few weeks). A BRAT diet for a few days, or the "breaking the cycle" diet, web page would be a good idea. Since you're gluten intolerant, stick to white rice, rice noodles, rice cereals, etc. Avoid the broccoli and spinach completely for those several days, and avoid the soy too just in case. And stop the supplement - there are some folks who just cannot tolerate them and have to rely on soluble fiber foods alone.
If you go to nothing but soluble fiber foods for several days, and you still have the diarrhea, I would check with your doc or try to find a nutritionist as this would make me question that it's just IBS.
If you start to stabilize with just the soluble fiber foods, add the Benefiber back in (or try Equalactin or FiberChoice). If that goes okay, increase the Benefiber gradually. That's when you can start adding back in fresh fruits/veggies (cooked and blended) as well.
The only other thing I'm wondering is if you've introduced something new that is problematic (as you know you're prone to food allergies). Were you using fennel or peppermint before? If not, eliminate them, and if you know you're okay with anise seed, chamomile, oregano, or caraway seed, start brewing them as teas instead.
Please let me know how things go. I've got my fingers crossed for you.
Hugs,
H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Heather,
Thanks so much for the help and encouragement. Food allergies may be the culprit here. There seem to be foods that I can tolerate in small amounts, but not in big doses. Maybe peppermint is one of those.
For the past two days I have stuck pretty much to rice products, a little potato (including sweet potato--is that okay?), applesauce, and bananas. I stopped the Benefiber a couple of days ago. I felt a little better yesterday--a little on the C side, but not so much pain and discomfort. I even had a little energy for a change.
I had started suspecting the peppermint tea, so I stopped that as of yesterday. I'd taken enteric peppermint during IBS bouts in the past with no problems, but I never took it for more than a few days.
I may be one of those people who can't tolerate the supplements. In the past I've taken them intermittently when c gets bad, and I do okay, but maybe everyday just doesn't work.
I'll add cooked veggies and blended fruits back in slowly. Which veggies are best to start with? I may be trying too hard too soon to get greens like spinach and broccoli.
One thing that I think can happen: Since I was diagnosed with IBS some time ago, any time these symptoms arise the doctor just thinks it's IBS. I tend to think that way too. I had to push the doctor this time to do some testing to see if it's something else masquerading as IBS--or exacerbating IBS. I should get test results soon.
Thanks for helping me through this process. You, the bulletin board, and book have been really helpful. It's really nice to know there are other people who experience this stuff and to have a place to discuss it.
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Hi - Sounds like a good plan! Sweet potatoes are great. All root veggies are - steam, microwave or roast and have with rice. Bananas, applesauce, peeled peaches, mangoes are good fruits. Do avoid greens for a bit unless you can puree them completely into a sauce or soup (this actually works really well, and makes things quite safe). Try adding in Beano - it will help you and can't hurt, which is always nice. 
I think you're smart to follow up with the doc at this point too.
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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