[Cat1107]

Hi, I'm new on here and am welcome to any suggestions. I've had Ibs for over 13 years now. I've been tested for celiac disease, lactose, ect.. had colonoscopies, all kinds of tests. It seems as I can't figure out what diet works best. I've tried different things and it's confusing when some books say eat foods such as bland-breads, and such because they help diarrhea.. However, others say you have to stay away from carbs and go gluten free. Has anyone tried the Great taste no pain diet? I am open to any suggestions.. I know what doesn't work for me- fast food and spicy foods but it's hard to determine what I can without feeling sick. I am IBS-D, only get IBS-C if I take too many anti d pills. Also, for those who do not have celiac diseas, has going gluten free still helped?Thank you!!

 

[big sis]

I joined just a few days ahead of you, and I share your confusion. I've kept food diaries but they give me very few clues as to what might contribute to my IBS-D problems. Last week, for heaven's sake, I had a plate of spicy chilli and was absolutely fine! The only things I've definitely pinpointed are bran-based cereals, though other wholegrain products are usually OK, and tomatoes - sometimes but not always. I've just started seeing my GP to work on this, and she's decided to start by tackling the anxiety that's built up after years of unpredictable diarrhoea. I know that's a major factor, but not the only one, because the diarrhoea can hit out of the blue when I'm relaxed and not giving it a thought.Looking forward to learning a lot on this forum!

 

[Millie56]

Hello,I have had ibs-d for the last six years or so. My symptoms were not very severe, but diarrhea would just hit me out of the blue. It was worse if I was anxious. My friend talked to me about gluten free diet. I was tested for celiac disease (negative) and although blood tests may be unreliable, I know that I do not have this disease. After being on a gluten free diet for one week, I noticed a big difference. I stopped having diarrhea bouts (even when I would get anxiety). I did a little research and found out that gluten intolerance may be the cause of my problems. There is not much reserach on this topic, but I want to tell everyone with ibs how it has made a difference in my life. When I eat wheat products, I don't get stomach problems right away, but if I keep eating them for couple days in a row, I begin to have my old symptoms. I am not 100% back to normal but I try to stick to this diet. I do cheat on weekends and it seems to be alright if I do not overdue it. I thought that eating whole wheat products would provide fiber and it would help me control my ibs-d symptoms, but it never helped. I never realized that wheat may have been the cause of my symptoms. First time within the last six years, I was able to go dierrhea free with the gluten free diet. This probably won't solve everyone's problems, but it may help some people. If anyone out there shares the same experience, please reply. I would love to hear about your story. Thank you.

 

[Kathleen M.]

There is acute vs chronic diarrhea.Most of the BRAT diet (all bland all starch all the time) is just part of the transition from severe watery diarrhea back to regular food as your GI tract settles down from a virus or bacterial infection.That being said, the high soluble fiber type of diet without a lot of things that can trigger diarrhea in anyone (like deep fat fried stuff) does work for some people with IBS-D.However, doesn't work for everyone.Some people with IBS-D do much better on a low starch diet. Now you happen to cut out a lot of starch when you stop eating gluten, but the main thing seems to be limiting the starch (so don't take out bread and pasta but replace it with lots of potatoes and rice, but with protein and cooked veggies).

 

[zeohealth]

We are actually giving away a free book on how to control diarrhea from chronic conditions like IBS-D. Just email [email protected] for a free copy.