Hi everyone (another new person, currently bent over in pain)
#20435 - 09/11/03 11:47 PM
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m1khaela
Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 15
Loc: Brooklyn, NY
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Hi everyone,
I've only been reading this board since yesterday but it has been SOOOOO helpful that I thought I'd say hi and share my own little IBS story so far. I'm currently in some serious pain with bloating/gas which I have just discovered from these boards is probably from the Metamucil I just took in an attempt to deal with constipation.
I was diagnosed with IBS a few months ago after weeks of horrible, painful and humiliating tests that I'm sure many/most of you have been through... they thought maybe it was gallstones, but it wasn't in the right place, the x-rays and spectrascopy and air contrast enema, all negative. And in the end, the only thing left was IBS (and the symptoms definitely fit).
I think I've had it for a long time--I used to spend HOURS in the bathroom in high school, with alternating diarrhea and constipation, and lately (I'm just out of college and in my first job) mostly constipation. I was diagnosed as lactose intolerant in high school (and I definitely am lactose intolerant) but it was just so frustrating since stopping the dairy didn't stop all of the pain. And lately the pain was getting so bad I had trouble walking and was calling in sick to work way too often... And even when I'm not in serious pain, I just feel awful and bloated and yucky and miserable and my normally loose pants feel tight and I just want to crawl into a corner and hide!
Also, I love food and have a strong appetite but food has become such a miserable thing lately, every time I want to eat I have no idea what to make, how to find time to make it, and I just worry that no matter what I'm going to feel sick. I'm starting the diet today (just did my grocery shopping) but I have to say I'm nervous about sticking to it... the idea of eating white bread instead of whole wheat just sounds scary, but I'll do whatever I have to do to feel better. I worry that I won't get enough vegetables (which I basically already stopped eating because of the awful pain every time I had a salad). I feel like a lot of people I know have been pretty unsympathetic to how big of a deal food and food restrictions can become and I'm embarassed to explain why I can't eat this or that or why I can't drink at a bar, etc.
Anyway, thanks for all the helpful messages... and Heather, thank you so much for the advice in your book (I bought the First Year book), it makes me feel like I'm not doomed to dread every meal and spend half my life in the bathroom.
best
Mikhaela (in Brooklyn, NY)
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Hi and welcome to the boards!
Yes, definitely try switching from Metamucil. Everyone has their own personal favorite, and it's usually not Metamucil.
Don't worry about sticking to the diet. At first it is kind of hard, because it feels like so much to remember, but after awhile it just becomes natural. And don't stop with the veggies. People become afraid of them, but they really are very important to not give up. Just eat them with your soluble fiber and have the veggies peeled/cooked/chopped/pureed into sauces and soups. Or you can even have a small amount steamed on the side. And you know, not all veggies are insoluble, like squash and carrots for example. And, I think the more you eat, you can actually build up a tolerance eventually to eat more. So, don't give them up, just eat them carefully.
And, it does get easier to let people know. I haven't shouted it out to the world or anything, but I have told a few close friends and some family. So far, I've been lucky and they are very understanding.
Good luck starting the diet! Let us know how you make out. 
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You are absolutely in the right place! This board has tons of great info on any subject related to IBS and IBD. Start by running some searches. You will find a wealth of information and very practical advice. I have found that, along with following Heather's diet, the single thing that has helped me most with constipation is adding a soluble fiber supplement. I use Benefiber, it is fabulous- no bloating or gas. So, get busy reading. If you don't find an answer by running a search, just post. There are many caring friends here to help you. artist 
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We're glad you found us! I'm sorry you have been in so much pain. Believe me, I have been there, done that, and felt that same way! It does get better. First thing I would suggest is dumping that Metamucil. It can cause horrible bloating and gas. (don't know why they even make that stuff.) Buy you a big can of Citrucel and drink some in water before each meal. Between meals, drink lots of water, then more water, and more water because that will make the Citrucel work. See how easy this is! Gradually increase your dose. Don't be afraid to take too much. You may need to take Heather's recommended daily maximum for it to work.
(If I don't use 3 T. a day, I have problems.)
As for the diet, you will get used to it. In the beginning, I would cut out salads completely. Too much raw roughage on your tummy. Later, when you are stabliized, you may can eat them at the end of a meal. Right now, concentrate on having some insoluble fiber with the soluble fiber (you must have both kinds for IBS-C), cut out any fried foods, dairy (which you already have), and drink your herbal teas. I also down several peppermint Altoids whole after each meal and that helps me.
I will tell you that a lot of us IBS-C people got worse at first because we were afraid to eat any insoluble fiber. You CANNOT just eat the soluble stuff (white bread, oatmeal, pasta, rice) or you really will be doubled over in pain. Just combine the two fibers, drink your Citrucel and you should be much better soon! Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.
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Hi Mikhaela,
Welcome to the board and so glad you have found it helpful.
I'm also IBS-C and I feel so much better and actually going two to three times a week.
You got a lot of great advice, so I won't write much. As for the white bread buy it fresh. I don't do well with the bread on the shelf - think there is too much addivitives.  Fresh sourdough bread is the best and fresh french bread is also yummy.
Add the veggies slowly once you are stable. I do eat fresh salads almost everyday now. It is the one thing I refuse to give up. I buy only Romaine lettuce and still do not eat uncooked cauliflower and broccoli - I cook those well and mash.
I also don't eat plain oatmeal anymore. I add wheat germ or flaxseed to it for the insoluble and oatbran hot cereal is really good.
Make sure you are stable before adding insoluble to your diet.
Take care and hope you are feeling better.
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Quote:
Also, I love food and have a strong appetite but food has become such a miserable thing lately, every time I want to eat I have no idea what to make, how to find time to make it, and I just worry that no matter what I'm going to feel sick. I'm starting the diet today (just did my grocery shopping) but I have to say I'm nervous about sticking to it...
I know exactly where you are coming from with this...don't worry - I had a VIP card at BK before I discovered Heather's diet. We were a meat and pototoes family and the thought of me implementing soy and taking out beef was beyond my belief.
I am guessing you aren't a huge cook either. Don't feel bad because I NEVER COOKED because I worked so much and so did my husband.
I would suggest working into it slowly start with easy recipes which the recipe board is excellent for because they are very simple. Heather has some wonderful recipes in her book too, but they had alot of spices I had never even heard of.
Don't stress - just try to stick to the same foods as you eat now - just alter them slightly - like if you normally eat sandwiches for lunch. Take a white bread sandwich with no butter with chicken breast maybe.
Slowly you will get more adventurous and actually bored of the simple foods and WANT to try something more complex.
Good luck, I completely understand what you are going through. Don't worry!
Feel free to email me (my address is in my profile) if you want to talk further.
Take care,
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Lana_Marie
Proud Mommy to Bentley Taylor
Born May 12, 2004 9lbs, 3oz
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Thanks so much for all the helpful comments so far! It's really nice to know I'm not alone and that other people are dealing with this every day.
One question I have is how have people figured out what specific foods are OK and not OK for them, as there seems to be a lot of variation? I've noticed that some people say they can't eat oatmeal, some people say they can eat brown rice, some say they actually eat some fresh vegetables, etc.
When I was first diagnosed with IBS my doctor gave me a list of foods that were OK/NOT OK for people with IBS (he also told me to take lots of Metamucil but that's another story). One of the OK foods listed was dried fruit. So I was eating a lot of raisins and prunes because they help SOOOO much with constipation, but my suspicion now is that maybe they are also causing pain. Do people find that it's OK to mix raisins in with Cheerios or oatmeal in the morning, or is that just too much?
I also stopped drinking soy milk and switched to rice milk, but I can't tell if that is also hurting me (certainly not as much as real milk was before I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance, but...). It just seems really difficult when my belly hurts every day and I'm always bloated to figure out which specific foods are and are not causing the bloating.
And then sometimes it doesn't even seem to be related to food at all, I just wake up with the pain and bloating or it seems to come out of nowhere after I've eaten really careful and bland foods.
Oh, one other thing: I know that Heather recommends mixing soluble and insoluble fiber--does that mean it's OK to eat whole-wheat blend foods (like whole-wheat blend pasta?) or bread that has some whole-wheat flour?
best, and thanks
Mikhaela
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Hi there Mikhaela!
I am new as well and I am so happy to have found this! I'm sorry your in so much pain. Don't worry about the bread. About a week or so (before I found this info) I decided to eat lots of salads and only whole wheat bread. LOTS of fiber is what I was thinking! I didn't know the 2 kinds of fiber! I was in the worst pain ever I could hardly walk. Thankfully I found eating for IBS. It is great!!! I hope you feel better soon. Good luck!
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Quote:
About a week or so (before I found this info) I decided to eat lots of salads and only whole wheat bread. LOTS of fiber is what I was thinking! I didn't know the 2 kinds of fiber! I was in the worst pain ever I could hardly walk.
Yes, I was doing the exact same thing. I was just like: ok, I have constipation, therefore I need LOTS of fiber. I way overdid the whole wheat bread and vegetables to disastrous results.
I'm having trouble figuring out which soluble fiber foods to eat, though, since so many brands of white rice seem to have no or almost no dietary fiber listed. I saw a post by Heather earlier saying that fiber labels are confusing because they list less than one gram as nothing at all, but I'm still confused. How could I possibly get all my daily RDA of fiber from these foods? Maybe I'll put a separate post about this...
best
Mikhaela
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Hi Mikhaela, welcome!
I'm sorry you're in so much pain. This is the best place to be. You mentioned how hard it is dealing with IBS and other people. Boy, do I hear you. When I first started telling people I had IBS, the first thing they told me was "eat more fiber and you'll be fine." It's not easy, especially at work, when co-workers insist on asking you day after day to eat Taco Bell and Pizza and think you're being unsociable when you don't join them. I think I've said no enough times, however, that they've stopped asking me.  (And then I think about how much healthier I am!) Once you get used to the diet, it does gets easier. I never thought I'd be able to give up Wendy's cheeseburgers or Pepsi or greasy Pizza, but I did and now, I don't even miss it (well, most of the time )
At first I was reluctant to the diet. I'm a very simple eater, and seeing the exotic recipes in the IBS books seemed so foreign to me (and like a LOT of work). But...I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. I actually enjoy cooking now, and the health benefits from the diet are tremendous.
If I don't take Citrucel *every* day, I'm in trouble. The herbal teas will help a lot, too.
Nice to have you on board!
Kristine
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