[Ugh]

Hi, I have a question for the people who have found success by eliminating wheat, or other foods from their diet. I'm curious as to how your IBS started. Did it come on gradually? Was it a sudden thing, after being on medications, etc? I'm very curious about the ways someones IBS begins and it's relationship to any intolerances. So thanks for any responses.

 

[lou026]

This is a very interesting question. I often wondered why for years I could eat anything I wanted and then all of a sudden I wake up one day and I can't eat any dairy or anything with wheat in it. What is that about? I wonder if through the years our bodies more subtly told us that they dont't tolerate these things very well and then suddenly after it has had enough then the IBS really kicks in to let us know that we have to pay more attention to our diet. Who knows but it is really a life changer!!

 

[bonniei]

my major symptom is gas and that started gradually. However when I started drinking high fructose corn syrup laden sodas It did become much worse all of a sudden. It so happened I was in a stressful situation too around the same time so I put down my excessive gas to the stress having never heard of fructose intolerance then.

 

[lilymaid]

I seem to remember being about 15 1/2 or 16 years old, and feeling sick after I ate a snack at break or some lunch at school. I wouldn't want to eat sometimes at school (even when I packed my lunch). And I'd get constipated easily. Then, when I was 18, I started feeling nauseous all the time and started eating only rice and chicken broth. At the same time, a couple of things happened that triggered panic and anxiety problems for me. After a dropped about 10 lbs. I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with IBS. I watched what I ate and reduced stress. When I was about 23, it got worse-- swinging C to D with lots of stomach and intestinal pains, gas, nausea, etc. I narrowed my diet even more and began to take Citrucil and imipramine (instead of donnatal), and went to psychotherapy for people with IBS and/or anxiety and/or life coping problems. Last fall, it got even worse-- D every day and really bad nausea every day, in addition to all the pain, etc. I was already dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, legume-free, red meat-free, low-sugar, low-salt, low-fat and could barely consume any veggies or fruit. I lived on chicken, turkey, potatoes, rice products, and bananas with a smidge of fruit (cooked) here and there. (And I stopped the Citrucil.) That's when, at Thanksgiving, I went wheat-free. I've learned to bake with rice quite successfully since then. Finally, in the last few weeks, I've noticed a big difference. In the last two months, I've been able to exercise 35 min. day/5 days per week, eat a healthier diet (at least 1/2 c. veggies or fruit per day, as compared to none), have more energy, sleep better, and not have a huge poofest every day. That was one hell of a flare. But I'm starting to feel better. Now I'm back to "regular IBS"-- sometimes C, D when I eat something naughty or have a test or presentation, barely any nausea, some gas pains or stomach pains that are rectified (no pun intended) by peppermint tea and/or a hot water bottle. AND I'm continuing all that exercise (and not eating wheat)... a "side effect" is that besides my IBS tapering off, my body looks better than ever!Regards, Lilymaid