vicious cycle broken
#334740 - 08/17/08 11:38 PM
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monfam
Reged: 08/17/08
Posts: 1
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just wondering if any of you have heard of the book breaking the vicious cycle by Elaine Gottschall. I have had gut wrenching cycles of IBS that have truly torn my life apart. since finding and begining the eating plan in her book, i have truly been symptom free, and haven't required any soluble fiber supplements to maintain regularity. i urge anyone to check it out before subscribing to a diet high in grains and starches. it offers more than just a daily management of symptoms, it offers a cure.
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Question,please...
Were you IBS -D, C, or A??? I find if I am in my "D" cycle the SF like small amount of bagels/applesauce help tremendously. BUT, when in "C" cycle the SF intensifies the symptoms, with, as you said, "gut-wrenching" severity. That's why it is now 3:39 AM where I live and I've been up since 1:14 AM!  By the way, yes I have heard of her and have read some of her information/studies.... Thanks for the insight.
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"I Will Survive! :-)... I shall live and not die and declare the works of The Lord..."
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wow her diet is exactly the opppostie of this EFI diet. I am so lost and confused what do the rest of you think.
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IBS-C Gas and constant Bloating
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Personally, I do not think there is a one size fits all solution. We all have IBS for different reasons and are affected by it in many different ways. I've heard phenomenal reports about the SCD, however it simply would not work for me. No matter what my lactose intolerance test showed, I cannot tolerate dairy. Period. I also cannot tolerate whole nuts, raw veggies (except maybe carrots) or many legumes, etc. EFI is not a perfect solution for me, and I'm definitely still struggling. But it's the best thing I've found to help with my symptoms.
The important thing to remember as you seek solutions is to give each one a fair shot. I've done quite a bit of bouncing around and then it's impossible to tell what's working and what's not. Whatever you do try, give it a fair shake!
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IBS-C
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how long have you been doing it? what's a quick summary of the approach, I haven't heard of it.
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Fen
#334752 - 08/18/08 08:54 AM
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IBSrunner
Reged: 07/25/08
Posts: 78
Loc: California
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how long have you been on the EFI diet? I am going to start eating just soluble foods again and then adding on gradually and I was just wondering how someone with the same symptoms as me is doing.
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IBS-C Gas and constant Bloating
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Search the boards for Specific Carbohydrate Diet, SCD or vicious cycle. You will find a number of postings that have been made over the years. Also, check the article on SCD on the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America web site titled The Specific Carbohydrate Diet: Does it work?.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Re: Fen
#334755 - 08/18/08 09:03 AM
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Fen
Reged: 03/01/08
Posts: 574
Loc: Central NY
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I've gone back and forth and back and forth for more than a year. The struggle is in finding the right balance between SF and IF - as a C'er, we clearly need more IF than a D'er.
In the past, I would eat more SF and feel better and less bloated. Then I would gradually get more and more constipated, which would trigger the bloating and discomfort all over again. Then I would binge on high IF foods (salads, Kashi cereal, etc) to help with the C and would feel even worse! Sometimes I thought I would literally bloat beyond my capacity - like my skin would actually pop!
The biggest trick I've found is that most soluble fiber supplements make me more bloated. The only one I've found to actually help with my C is Fibercon. I'm currently taking 2 each night, and plan to work up to taking more throughout the day as well. I also take a good probiotic - Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus happens to be the one that works best for me, but this can be pretty individualized as well. If I take my probiotic in the am before I eat anything, it helps me have a better BM.
Good luck on your journey and keep in touch! It seems there are way more D'ers than C'ers on this board, so I always love comparing notes with someone who struggles with the same things I do!
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IBS-C
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Re: Fen
#334759 - 08/18/08 10:11 AM
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IBSrunner
Reged: 07/25/08
Posts: 78
Loc: California
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I am on acacia fiber now have you tried that? I havent decided if it has made my c worse or basically kept it the same.It definitly helped with my bloating for a while until I got really stressed and then that ruined everything. Are there any foods that you have found particularly helpful?
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IBS-C Gas and constant Bloating
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IBSrunner
#334761 - 08/18/08 10:53 AM
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Fen
Reged: 03/01/08
Posts: 574
Loc: Central NY
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I'm probably not the best person to be answering these questions - like I said, I've gone back and forth a number of times about what's really best for my body. I think the absolute hardest thing for me is that I'm fairly well read and very interested in nutrition, so I know what is recommended to eat to be "healthy." While I also know that most of those foods do not agree with me, I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I need to eat white bread, not whole grain bread, and that I need to cook the crap (and vitamins!) out of my veggies, that I can't eat them raw. Plus, for instance, I think brown rice is way tastier than white, but I don't always handle it so well.
Anyway, that being said, there are a few foods I eat on a daily basis. I eat blueberries almost every day, usually in a bowl of cornflakes. I discovered that they agree with me sort of accidentally, as they are one of the only IC-safe fruits (very low acid). I eat a bit of avocado almost every day as well. Generally speaking I can not tolerate foods with any significant amount of fat in them - they make me more bloated than anything else. However, I also need a little bit of fat in order to have a BM! Avocados are super healthy and actually one of my favorite foods, so I eat a bit almost every day. I eat applesauce as a snack almost every day, and I eat bananas almost every day. I don't eat a lot of meat, but I do eat organic sliced deli chicken sometimes in sandwiches (can't eat lettuce on them!). I eat a lot of hummus and crackers - the artichoke hummus recipe on the recipe exchange index is my favorite!
I don't tolerate soy well, but I'm not sure if this is bowel or bladder related - it can often be a bladder trigger, so you may do better with it. It's a shame, because I actually prefer soy milk to almond milk and I really like soy yogurt.
I hope that helped - I may have given you more questions than answers! Ask away if you have any other questions!
-Alyson
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IBS-C
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