Hi - I got diagnosed a few months ago and I have received no sympathy or help from my doctor's whatsoever so I feel your pain! I suffer from constipation but the worst bit is the enormous stomach bloating - i constantly look like I'm pregnant. I have been putting flaxseed in my cereal for a while now and I find that if I wake up and spend a while getting out of bed - stretching, making my bed etc. and drink a LOT of water - like a pint or more when i first get up, I do have a relieving BM! When that happens the bloating definitely gets better even though its considerably worse again by the end of the day, but I wasnt feeling any pain which was good. Also, I found that going to bed on an empty stomach helps - I would eat a light dinner of veggies, some quorn and some fruit and yoghurt for pudding at about 5 or 6 and then not eat again till the next morning. I stayed away from stodgy food too like potatoes and bread and pasta, but I have to have a break from the fasting every now and again because a girl needs stodge! Ive been eating a lot of potato and bread recently and all the pain is back so I'm going to have a go at giving it up again for a bit and see if it helps.I think what a lot of people don't realise is that stress is a big factor in IBS - the fact we even have to cope with it at all will cause us stress that noone else has to cope with - I have found having a routine to my day makes me feel more relaxed and i guess my body gets into a rhythm too - I always make sure I spend a half hour in bed at night, first writing in a notebook what I have eaten today (for no particular purpose, I just find writing it down calms me a bit) and then anything thats worrying me, things I have to get done, and if I have a lot to do I will write a timetable for the next day and fit everything in just so I know everything is going to be ok and I know what Im doing - it puts your mind at ease and your digestive system I guess will have better rest and work better - and I always read a few pages of a book just to take my mind off everything and make my eyes tired so I dont lie in bed for ages trying to get to sleep and worrying about how constipated or bloated or uncomfortable I am.Ive also started having Yakult in the morning before breakfast which (even if its just psychological!) seems to help.So my advice is flaxseed (maybe I'll start grinding them up like suggested), yakult, light meals and not eating before bed, and taking time to relax before going to sleep.Maybe I'll start following my own advice and get better soon!
