I've suffered from tummy trouble for years that I suspect is IBS with constipation and terrible gas. In the last 3 years or so, I've been alternating, triggered by stress and my diet I think. Though I found Heather's website a couple years ago when I was going through a particularly bad few months and I tried some of her recommendations, I didn't feel better right away and I found it difficult to stick to the dietary restrictions. On and off I've used the acacia fiber powder and peppermint supplements as well as fennel tea. I use to drink peppermint tea but it causes pretty bad heartburn (my doctor suspects I have GERD). Bottom line, I've half halfheartedly tried lots of things over the years. My health felt more manageable when I had chronic constipation (though that was unpleasant), but now sometimes unpredictably getting diarrhea has really made me desperate to find relief.
After my most recent bout this past weekend, I decided to make a commitment to follow Heather's diet to a T, even if I don't feel relief right away. The rest of Saturday and all day Sunday I ate only plain rice, pasta, bread, and potatoes, and drank fennel tea. By Sunday night, my gut was feeling much more stable. The problem is, I also have issues with my blood sugar. I need to eat a relatively high protein diet to keep from getting blood sugar crashes. If I eat nothing but carbs all day, by the end of it, I feel really weak. I find it difficult to find high protein options without dairy and most meat, and certainly when eating low fat. I also don't tolerate beans very well, so that leaves chicken breasts and fish. I can only eat so much of that stuff. Anyhow, I woke up Monday morning feeling weak, but my gut felt reasonably stable. I decided I could begin to expand my diet to include recipes Heather recommends. By mid afternoon yesterday, my gut was back to feeling gassy, bloated and uncomfortable. For lunch I had Amy's not Chicken noodle soup with two slices of plain sourdough bread. For a snack i had a handful of corn pops and a banana.
Later in the evening I made Heather's BBQ chicken pizza, which I enjoyed. But right after eating I felt incredibly weak for the next few hours. I also made her peppermint fudge cake and had a slice of it for dessert (delicious). As it got later in the evening, I began experiencing a lot of movement in my gut. I'd almost call it gentle spasms, if there is a such a thing. I went to bed, but woke up an hour later feeling incredibly uncomfortable. I tried to go to the bathroom, but couldn't. (Last time I had a bowel movement was Saturday when I had diarrhea). I laid down and dozed for a bit, then woke up still feeling uncomfortable, so I tried to go to the bathroom again, but still nothing. Finally slept a few more hours and when I woke up still feeling the same, I ate a bowl of oatmeal, then was able to have a bowel movement. I felt kind of sick before and felt some relief after. The stool itself had some form but was not normal looking either. I'm still feeling uncomfortable (gassy?) sensations all over the map in my intestines.
Sorry for the long story, but my question is this: I figured if I followed Heather's directions, my gut would stay stablized, but it hasn't. Could I be triggered by something other than the "normal" triggers for IBS sufferers? If so, what are the most likely candidates? (I suspect onions which were in the soup or some additive to the cereal Corn Pops).Or do I just need to stick to the diet a while longer to feel the results? I just feel so lost - nothing I try seems to make me feel better. Thanks for your help!
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could i have other triggers?
