Well I have lurked these forums from time to time searching for help and I have always hoped that I could eventually come here and say I've gotten better, and be able to post something that may help somebody else. For the most part it seems I am back to normal and I am confident I will stay this way. I'm 29 years old and I've had IBS-C for nearly 4 years now. I've tried and tried to find a way to get better. There were times where I felt that I did not want to live anymore and my hopes of improving were shot. But when I realized I would continue to live, I told myself I have to keep trying and there is no other option.I've tried many different things...probiotics and digestive enzymes never seemed to help me. Cutting out meats like beef and pork did help greatly, as well as eliminating dairy or any food with preservatives. I have had a diet of mainly veggies, chicken, some lamb(not too much), beans, grains, and fruits. I rarely eat out and am always cooking at home. In the past, green tea used to seem to make my stomach nervous, but in the past six months I have started to drink coffee and that actually seemed to help, though it may be detrimental to you. Other things I've been taking daily with my meals in recent months that I think may have helped include fish oil, flax oil, rutin, boswellia, garlic oil, vitamin-d3, psyllium husk, quercetin, aloe vera juice, alive-whole food energizer and triphala. I've never been willing to take or never have tried prescription medication for my illness. I've just focused mainly on exercise, diet and the supplements I take. And this has all helped a great deal compared to when my symptoms first occured and my digestive system was a wreck. I had the usual symptoms...thin or abnormal stools. Very gassy. Belching. A gurgly stomach. I couldn't lay on my stomach in bed. It would agitate the symptoms.But only in the past couple of weeks have I become really normal. This I attribute not only to my diet and lifestyle, but a trip to the doctor. He gave me some advice that I probably read here ten times before and disregarded. "Pay attention to when you eat, and do not eat too soon before you go to sleep." I have a job where I work until 9:30p.m. and I would like to cook after I got home. Before I got IBS, eating late never harmed me. I didn't think it could be a significant factor. So in short, I changed this and now I do not eat after 6:30p.m. By the time I go to bed, I am somewhat hungry but not enough to keep me up. I usually have some herbal tea with honey before bed and that holds me over. I basically have my bigger meal for lunch before work and a smaller one for dinner on my break at work around 5:30p.m. or so. Then I don't eat anything the rest of the night. For breakfast it is organic cereal, organic soy milk and banana and nuts mixed in.My stools have become perfectly normal. This morning I left one in the bowl so big and dense it would not flush. I still have a bit of gas now and then. But it is nothing compared to what it used to be and it doesn't have the strong odor when I do have it. I still have a bit of belching too. But I think these symptoms may only improve.I've also tried eating some of the things I had eliminated from my diet for so long. Last week I made a pizza with fresh mozzarella. I had a hamburger. I had a few slices of mortadella for my dinner the last couple days. After my lunch, I have been enjoying some roquefort(a sort of bleu cheese like gorgonzola)or some aged cheese and honey. I have faced no repercussions from these. I have been going to the bathroom with a normal complete evacuation after every meal.If anyone wants to ask something more specific that you may think I can help with, feel free to ask. I hope this helps somebody.
Edit: I should also mention my deep breathing exercises. They certainly seemed to help as well and I believe they helped me go to the bathroom and relieve anxiety.