Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Thanks for the info

Hi, Max, and welcome to the Boards. I think you've got short-term and long-term issues, so I'll address them separately.

Short-term, you need to get through your exams. Since you're concerned about needing to use the restroom in the middle of your exams, I'm assuming you're IBS-D. If so, you might consider taking Immodium before your exams. Since you're only 15, you should talk to your parents about this - I'm pretty sure Immodium is safe for someone your age, but check with them to be sure it's OK.

Deciding not to eat before your exams isn't stupid - there are people with IBS a lot older than you who do the same thing - or did, before they got some help from this diet. It may not be the best idea, though, if you need to be alert for your exams. Take a look at these two special diets and see if you think either one will work for you during exam time:

Break The Cycle Diet - this is a short-term (3 days max) diet of all soluble fiber foods; it should be soothing to your gut

What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything Diet - This is pretty much a subset of the foods in the Break The Cycle diet (with some safe prepared foods, like angel cake, thrown in); based on what I remember from high school biology, these are all foods that are really, really easy to digest

I'd also suggest you take a look at How To Eat. It will explain the concept of eating soluble fiber foods before anything else - this is super important.

If you feel you have to have protein, you can add some to the special diets - it's not quite as safe, but you can give it a try. For me, the simplest and easiest to digest protein is just a baked chicken breast: take a boneless, skinless chicken breast, wrap it in aluminum foil, put it on a baking dish (in case it leaks), and bake it at 375 degrees for at least 45 minutes. If you want a little flavor, sprinkle some tarragon on it before you wrap it up. If you have access to some refrigeration at school - chill pack, maybe - you can take some of the baked chicken and some plain bread for lunch. Just be sure to eat soluble fiber - like bread - BEFORE you eat the chicken.

Herbal teas - peppermint, fennel, ginger, chamomile can help, too. If you have a hot water source at school, you can take your own teabags and make these yourself.

As for eating at Subway, I don't, so I can't help you directly. However, if you Search on "Subway" (don't use the quotes), on the Diet Board, All Posts, I'm pretty sure it's come up before and you can see what people have to say about whether the bread is safe and what you can eat there. Do NOT get mayonnaise and, while your major concern is stability, skip the lettuce and tomatoes.

Okay, that's short-term. Long-term - after your exams are over - you need to see a good GI so you can get the tests done to be sure what you have is IBS. You should get hold of a copy of Heather's book, "The First Year - IBS" and read it. You might be able to find it at your local library. You can also order it from this Website and from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. The first part of it is on-line here. This well tell you what other conditions your GI guy should consider and what tests you need to be definitively diagnosed with IBS. I think you should get your parents to take a look at this info, too - they're in a better position to insist that your GI guy take a look at everything.

You don't say where you are, but here is a list of good IBS doctors - dig through it and see if there's one in your area. If not, you can try posting where you are (start a new post for this) and see if anyone on the Board can recommend a good doctor in your area.

Last, but certainly not least, you need to take a close look at Heather's diet. A lot of what you think about it is wrong. Reading "The First Year" will help with this, but just to clear up some stuff:

Heather absolutely DOES recommend taking fiber supplements. They're a crucial part of her program.
Prunes are very harsh IF - I don't recommend them. As for fruits, you absolutely need to eat them, but most of them are IF and need to be eaten carefully.
Wheat is NOT a trigger, unless your doctor determines you're sensitive to it. Whole Wheat is a trigger, but not just wheat, so most white breads, rolls, etc., should be okay. (Some have dairy or HFCS, but that should be marked in the ingredient list.)
Giving up red meat, dairy, and egg yolks is a great idea. Egg whites are fine and a good source of protein.
Lettuce may always be too much of a trigger for you, but you absolutely need green vegetables. You have to learn to eat them carefully.

If you hate bananas, try applesauce. It comes in little 1/2-cup sized plastic cups that don't need refrigeration. I buy Mott Brand Natural - it's just apples and water, with a little ascorbic acid.

It's not just kids who can't live without ice cream - I can't either. There are soy and rice ice creams that are quite good. Soy Dream Mocha Fudge is yummy. They're all high in fat, though, so again you have to learn how to eat them carefully.

The Boards are always quiet on the weekends and seem even quieter this weekend, so if you don't get a lot of responses, be patient - things should pick up tomorrow. (Of course, it's taken me so long to get this response written in between doing other stuff that you could have 20 responses already. I certainly hope so.)

HTH. Good luck with your exams.

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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]

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