Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ibs

I don't want diarrhea on my wedding day

PuppetMcSockerson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:14:23 -0800

I have been having major stomach issues that I need to solve. Really uncomfortable bloating and belching minutes after eating, nausea, cramps, etc. I'm getting checked out by a doctor, but I suspect it is my old friend IBS coming back after a 6+ year absence. I NEED to get this under control and back to rights ASAP but so far nothing is working. HELP! My doctor is testing me for Celiac disease, gall stones, among other things, but in all likelihood it is my IBS flaring up again. I've had two other major flare ups in the past (one 2002 and the other in 2007) but I struggle with my stomach in minor ways fairly consistently. This flare up is by far the worst I have ever had, and is hitting at an incredibly inconvenient time since I'm getting married in less than 3 months. Almost every meal these days earns me a stomach ache and bloating and belching and feeling like hell, including when we went to the tasting of our wedding meal. I do NOT want to be a disgusting pile of gas and awfulness on my wedding day, so I need to find a way to shut this thing down NOW.

What can I do to get my stomach back to normal? So far I have cut out caffiene, cut out gluten, and am limiting alcohol. Are there any magic pills or foods or diets out there that will calm my stomach and put an end to this flare up? Anything I can do/take when a bad attack hits?

ps - I know that my IBS is triggered, at least in part, by stress and I am doing what I can to address that side of things. The problem is that my stomach problems are causing me more stress than anything else right now. I am getting more and more stressed out the closer I get to my wedding day with my stomach still being an issue. I am scared I am going to spend my wedding day feeling awful and having diarrhea.

Help me interpret my elimination(ish) diet results

Vatican Cameos — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:30:33 -0800

I suspect my diet is causing me chronic health problems. How can I confirm this and fix it without health insurance? Semi-elimination diet results inside - please help me interpret my observations. In essence, I inadvertantly had great results with a month on a semi-elimination diet. I recently spent a month living and working in a place with shared meals prepared by cafeteria staff. This was in a Central American country, and the food provided included a ton of rice and beans, a few veggies, plenty of meat, not a lot of spices/onions/garlic, and a fair amount of dairy and gluten. There wasn't much salt in the food, but there was a decent amount of processed wheat flour & sugar (in desserts, daily PB&J's for lunch, crackers, cookies, etc). I didn't drink as much water as I should have, but I did drink a ton of beer, tea, and coffee.

After a month on this diet, I felt better than I've ever felt before, and a number of chronic health issues that had been plaguing me had suddenly vanished. I was also doing a ton of exercise during this time, but I have mostly continued the exercise after returning home and the symptoms have all come back after about 2 weeks. My diet at home is fairly terrible and I know that there are plenty of things I can change (lots of processed/salty foods, high-fat, too many carbs, not enough vegetables).

However, I will have a lot more energy to cook and overhaul my overall diet once I have eliminated the ongoing health issues, so I want to focus on the specific health problems that improved as a first step. Those issues are:

Lower abdominal pain, painful gas, and bloating 1/2-3 hours after eating, often such that I can't stand up for ~1/2 hour during an attack.
Gross distension of the lower abdomen during attacks - makes me look super pregnant.
Skin problems: excema on sides of nose, seborrheic dermatitis, breakouts on neck/chin
Water retention / water weight, which makes me look puffy all the time. It gets worse around my period but is pretty annoying all the time. The amount of water weight seems to fluctuate fairly quickly, too - one day my clothes will fit fine, the next day they're too tight all over, and a couple of days later things will fit again. Other people have even commented on how labile my weight seems.
Low energy, sleeping a lot
Brain fog
Depression & anxiety

For the first few symptoms, I think I've been eating too much fructose/sugar and that this is the cause of the serious post-prandial pain - I'm having fructose malabsorption problems. Since returning home, I've noticed that when I consume no fructose and try to limit my daily load of fructans (from tons of onion & garlic mostly), I don't have attacks and I feel generally fine, though the water weight has definitely still stuck around.

The water weight is still a mystery to me, though. Here are my hypotheses - could anybody help me narrow this list down based on my observations? Anything I can watch for to narrow it own further? Things I haven't thought of?

Sodium-potassium balance - at home, I tend to eat very salty foods and eat very few foods that are high in potassium. I ate a lot less salt and a lot more potassium on the good diet.
Dehydration - I know that I rarely drink enough water at home, and I've heard that this can cause your body to hold on to excess water. It's entirely possible that my increased intake of coffee and beer on the diet still shifted my fluid balance toward the positive, even with its diuretic tendencies - seriously, I drank a lot of coffee and beer. Does it make sense that water consumption could be making such a big difference?
Fructose malabsorption side effect - I've read that the high concentration of solutes in the small intestine caused fructose malabsorption can cause water retention because it changes the osmotic balance. I'm not sure how this would affect my entire body at once, though - does this seem plausible?
Carb overload - I'm not sure about this, because I actually ate a fair amount of carbs there. I had two PB&J's for breakfast/lunch and plenty of rice/beans/potatoes with dinner, often followed by a bready dessert. I also had plenty of carbs in the beer (though it was a fairly light beer). I have had decent results with low-carb diets in the past, though.
Some sort of exercise effect - while I've been keeping up most of the exercise, I haven't been working myself quite as hard or as regularly as I did down there. Would it make sense that exercise would have such an immediate and drastic effect on the amount of water weight I'm carrying?

Does anyone have any insight? Which of these hypotheses seems most plausible? Cheers and thanks.

Is "hypochlorhydria" scientifically sound or natural-health quackery?

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:58:58 -0800

Is "hypochlorhydria" (low stomach acid) a scientifically sound problem or some natural-health quackery? I've had some mild-to-moderate GI issues for the past couple years that doctors have diagnosed as GERD and IBS - heartburn, bloating, gas, nausea, stomach pain, frequent #2 visits, feeling very full after meals etc. Generally they fall under the "minor annoyance" category and I'm already on an acid blocker for the heartburn so I figured I just gotta suck up the rest of the symptoms. (I've experimented with a ton of diets and nothing has helped me much, BTW, though I have not yet done the gluten-free thing. I have also been tested and do not have H. Pylori.)

However, I've been reading a lot of articles lately online about "hypochlorhydria" or low stomach acid (see: http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/06/hypochlorhydria-3-common-signs-of-low-stomach-acid/) which seems to encompass all of my health problems and is easily cured with stomach acid supplements. However, most of them seem to come from natural/alternative health websites which raise my bullshit alarm. I'd go ahead and try it, but taking an HCL supplement seems counter productive to all the acid blockers I've been taking and likely to upset my stomach further.

Does anyone have any experience with hypochlorhydria or taking HCL supplements? Is it natural health bullshit is or there some sound science behind this theory?

YANMD, but do I have IBS?

uncannyslacks — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:06:48 -0800

YANMD, but do I have IBS? How do I cope? I am wondering if my symptoms are simply IBS or perhaps something else. Essentially, I go through periods of being able to eat normal amounts of food at meals and then periods of not being able to eat very much without getting nauseous. During these times, I will often just switch to crackers, cereal, and other mild foods.

I spoke to the doctor about these things and got a blood test. The doctor basically told me that I probably have IBS.

I've started taking probiotics, and I've stopped drinking coffee. Both of those things seemed to do me good in the short term, although I'm not sure how much they help now. I still drink alcohol, but even that in small amounts now seems to bother me. I used to be able to drink lots of coffee, alcohol, and eat regularly in college. I took a relatively stressful job 1000 miles away from home 2.5 years ago, and these symptoms started appearing around that time, although overtime they have become more pronounced.

My cousin has IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), my other cousin had Chron's which made it difficult for him to eat at times, my mom can't eat when she is stressed, and several of my family members have celiac disease (can't eat gluten). Needless to say, digestive issues run in my family.

Basically, all signs seem to indicate IBS, but I'm not sure how to cope. Do I have IBS? Were you diagnosed with IBS? How were you diagnosed? How have you learned to cope?

Why is suck

chaiminda — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:46:34 -0800

Always hungry, except when I eat meat - then I want to throw up. What is wrong with me? About ten months ago I had such terrible nausea/diarrhea that I went into urgent care. They did blood tests and had no idea what was causing any of that, but did diagnose me with pre-diabetes as a result of the blood tests. I did lots more GI tests and was eventually given a blanket "probably" diagnosis of IBS (I was also treated for a parasite, but I feel no different after the treatment). The strength of the GI symptoms comes and goes, but I do almost always feel nauseous while/after eating meat and other high-protein/fat things, like cheese.

Between controlling my blood sugar (I have to eat really, really low carb) and the nausea whenever I eat high-protein stuff, I am pretty miserable a lot of the time. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Is there something I should have my doctor check for? Would a nutritionist be any help?

Painful digestive condition, round 2

Seeking Direction — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:24:52 -0800

It's not parasites, IBD/Crohn's, or celiac - but the doctors have found no other explanation for this severe intestinal pain and chronic constipation than "IBS". Low HDL, metabolic syndrome. Gluten still seems to be a culprit - is this even possible? I posted a previous question regarding this. 21, male. Newly diagnosed with low HDL and "metabolic syndrome". I'm starting a new exercise program and trying to cut out carbs, especially gluten-containing ones (yeah, sure - "no celiac" but SOMETHING very common makes my intestines burn, gives me embarrassing gas, and leaves me unable to fall asleep). Last year, I had a full colonoscopy/endoscopy, and several blood tests since. Nothing of interest found! Any advice?

Also diagnosed with ADHD and OCD/"general anxiety disorder", if that matters. Once again, I don't know if this is just a placebo effect, but the less gluten, the better I feel.

Are these things connected?

One of the doctors blames everything, including the digestive system, on "nerves", but I REALLY don't want to start with SSRI's.

I'm in a lot of pain and want to know why.

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:58:45 -0800

About two years ago I started having various health issues, and since then, it's all gone downhill. It's also become clear that I need to switch doctors, so I'm asking you, Metafilter, to help me prepare for the new doctor. What's wrong with me? You are obviously not my doctor! Me: female, mid-twenties, childless. Around two years ago, I started to have IBS-type symptoms (bloating, cramps, irregular BMs, heartburn, gas, etc) as well as frequent yeast and urinary tract infections. Then I started getting painful, achey joints (hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, hands and feet; all day, but especially after the gym, after sitting in a certain position for a while, and upon waking up) and killer back pain. Even more recently, I've had facial (jaw, eye, and even overly sensitive teeth), painful cramps/"charlie horses" that radiate from my hip, down my leg, and to my foot/toes in my left leg only. And within the last few months, I've started getting pretty extreme vertigo (I think that's the right term for it) when walking down stairs.

Also probably not related but noteworthy:

1. I'm klutzy; I frequently walk into doorways, cabinets, tables, etc. I drop things frequently. This goes way beyond normal klutziness, though. I've walked down a straight hallway and hit the wall. I just have terrible balance and coordination.

2. My periods are NIGHTMARES, especially emotionally. I recently took out my NuvaRing and was in tears for NO REASON less than three hours later. This is common for me at PMS time even without birth control.

3. Talking is exhausting. This is a weird one, but I can't see you get out more than a "paragraph" without being winded, especially if I'm doing other things like walking around or cooking (nothing particularly extreme, here). Today I was merely sitting in a chair giving someone instructions and I was almost immediately out of breath!

4. I'm very weak. I ride my bike to work everyday on the same route for about a mile each way, and have been doing so for 5+ years. It's still really tiring and challenging for me. I joined a gym and, although I think my cardiovascular health is fairly good (I can do the elliptical for 45 minutes and "run" about 5 miles), the next day I am WRECKED. Like, I can barely get out of bed due to muscle and joint pains. I'm not doing anything other than the elliptical, and sometimes I do it for as little as 30 minutes. It gets worse if I go back to the gym the next day or the day after, and it gradually gets back to normal (to joint paint and weakness, not so much muscle pain) if I stop going altogether.

Problems I know I have or have had for as long as I can remember:

1. Vitamin b12 deficiency (diagnosed)

2. Very low blood pressure/heart rate, which has resulted in fainting on several occasions. I still get dizzy and light-headed, but I've been able to control the fainting for a few years. (diagnosed)

3. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (occasional episodes of rapid heart beat). I've been to a cardiologist as a teenager, but only wore a monitor for a day. My younger sister wore one for a month and they figured out that she has Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which was corrected via catheter ablation. I'm 99% certain I have this, but it's not been diagnosed. (FWIW, this sister is 6 years younger than me, and I was complaining of these symptoms well before she could talk.)

4. I've also had variations in my thyroid, from hypothyroidism (medicated with Synthroid) to hyperthyroidism.

I'm switching doctors for a number of reasons. I think she is way, way too busy (she's ALWAYS on vacation and it's impossible to get an appointment with her), and because I also think that she is quick to dismiss some of my issues. She will often shrug something off (like yeast infection symptoms, complaints of joint pains and cramping, facial pain) and say something like "I'm not sure why that would be happening. You've stumped me." It's really quite astonishing. I've stopped taking new issues to her because I'm not sure how seriously she even takes me anymore.

And on that note, I suppose my symptoms could be psychosomatic, but I haven't noticed a correlation between my symptoms and the stress in my life. In fact, other than feeling like crap all the time, my life has gotten monumentally better in the last few years as far as personal relationships and my career are concerned. I really have no troubles, and I have tons of wonderful people around me. And I find being in the hospital, getting blood work done, and talking to near-strangers about my issues all pretty humiliating, so I'm not exactly in this for kicks or attention.

My goal is go to a new doctor with some ideas. I'm hoping that I don't have anything serious going on and that I can get to the bottom of this and start feeling better. When looking at my stupidly extensive list of woes, does anything stick out to you? Again, I know you aren't my doctor, and I have an appointment to see a doctor to discuss all this with her. But I nee help collecting my thoughts, because googling endless lists of symptoms with no focus or knowledge is pretty useless. My symptoms have begun to make daily things really exhausting, and even getting into work feels monumental. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's hard. Thanks for your help! ouchithurtsdoc [at] gmail [dot] com

Tapas for Tweens

Andrhia — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:58:22 -0800

What can I send for a kid's school lunch that doesn't need heating or refrigeration, has a super-fast prep time, and doesn't contain gluten, peanuts, or dairy? My poor peanut-allergic fourth grader has been diagnosed with IBS, and we need to try her on a gluten-free diet for at least the next few weeks to see if that's the cause of her ongoing stomach aches. Help the two of us figure out what she can bring for lunches that meet her criteria:

* OK stored at room temperature for up to five hours
* Easily portable
* Does NOT contain peanuts, gluten, or dairy (other nuts are... iffy)
* Does not require reheating, as in a microwave
* Suits a fourth-grader's kind of picky palate
* And for me: Not a massive prep time. I'd really prefer things that don't need heating up and putting into a thermos. This is probably the one criteria most likely to go, sigh.

Before this, she's been eating the school lunches. She does not have access to a refrigerator or microwave at school.

Things we've tried:
* Sandwiches on gluten-free bread. She hates all of the gluten-free sandwich breads we've found (I can't blame her).
* Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables: berries, apples, raw bell pepper, baby carrots, even frozen mixed vegetables (they thaw by lunch, and she likes 'em cold). She likes these quite a bit, but it's not enough for a whole lunch.
* Roll-ups of sliced turkey or bologna. She likes this... kind of, but not a lot, and not for every day. We need other options.
* We've nervously let her eat almond crackers. She's fine with them and loves them. Might plan on sending almond thins and sliced turkey pepperoni as a lunch, with some red bell pepper.

Things we haven't tried, and the reasons why:
* Tuna, egg, chicken salads. She dislikes mayonnaise-based salads intensely.
* GF pasta or rice salads. She might or might not like them, and either way, they require a whole lot of advance preparation.
* Hard-boiled eggs. She dislikes eggs of all kinds.
* Hummus. She doesn't like this, either.
* Nuts. She's recently OK with foods containing almonds, but she has a strong aversion to most things that have a nut flavoring, much less any outright nuts. She also doesn't like sunbutter.

The child in question is very smart and responsible, and she will be reading this thread, so you're welcome to make a case directly to her for trying new things, or giving a fresh chance to something she has tried before but didn't like at the time.

Whew. Help, help! I don't want my poor kid to have to eat nothing but cold lunchmeat for the rest of her school career!

Recommendations for NYC therapist to treat IBS and anxiety?

doodletoo — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:59:19 -0800

I've been suffering from increasing anxiety for the last year, and much to my embarrassment, my fear manifests itself by making me run to the bathroom! I'd like to see a nice therapist and nip this problem in the bud (or, butt). More details below. I saw a therapist for a few months and it helped a little...but she was a bit cold and she didn't seem to understand that anxiety causes my irritable bowel syndrome (which of course leads to more anxiety and avoidant behavior, which leads to more psychosomatic digestive issues, blah blah)! I never really felt comfortable with her.

I've ruled out food allergies, I've had this problem off-and-on ever since I was young, and my symptoms correspond directly with social anxiety, agoraphobia, and my bad habit of bottling-up tough emotions.

I'm highly motivated to change, and I'd like to find someone more understanding about these issues. I like therapists who are warm and personable, and who can prompt me with questions (otherwise I tend to sit there silently and waste time).
Any recs for a pro I can talk to in Brooklyn or Manhattan? I don't have insurance so sliding scale fees are preferable, but not a deal breaker!

You can email me at doodletoo317@gmail.com, I'd deeply appreciate any responses at all! : )

Help me make my lunch more delicious.

two lights above the sea — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 07:40:04 -0800

As a pescetarian who is pretty much on the FODMAP diet, what can I eat for lunch? After some (continuing) experimentation, I've figured out that I can't eat a lot of the things on the FODMAP diet. I'm waiting to go back to the doc for a confirmed diagnosis, but she thinks I have IBS. I've found that most dairy products are fine, and I definitely eat avocado still with no issues. Other than that, I'm not eating the rest. Also, as stated above the fold, I only eat fish and no other forms of meat.

Finding good lunches are really making me suffer. Pretty much all I'd ever eat for lunch was a sandwich, maybe some bean soup, or a burrito. I've found that things without beans and especially wheat are a lot harder to buy for lunch. I'd prefer to make lunch at home, but I don't even know where to START! I've never been a huge fan of salad at lunch, so that one is immediately out. Also, I've seen a trillion "save my salads" askmes and we don't need another.

Can you recommend some good lunch-friendly meals with my restrictions? I have access to a fridge, microwave, and toaster oven at work, but due to my schedule, I can't spend a lot of time at work fixing my lunch. I'd be happy making things in advance at home. If you have any good resources other than recipes, that'd be great, too. Thanks!

My partner has both Sinus and Digestive issues... could they be linked?

informity — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:57:37 -0800

My partner has problems with IBS, her bladder and her sinus. Could they all be linked? Slightly worried it could be something very serious. My partner has been suffering with IBS for years. After being diagnosed she was given the wrong medication for years things got really bad. She was admitted into hospital as they thought it might be endometriosis - lucky after an investigatory operation it proved that it was not. They mentioned that her bowl was full. So I did a little research and found this book which I would recommend to anyone with IBS, and she started to self medicate and things have become a lot better, although still far from normal.

She has been diagnosed as having an under active bladder as well. She has asked if this is linked but as that diagnosis was done privately the NHS doctors seem to ignore it (although I am not sure there is anything that can be done).

Another odd symptom she has is that she struggles to breathe through her nose, is very phlegm-y (always can feel it down the back of her throat) and her nose runs a lot. This could be nothing but a few people have said that it sounds like a sinus problem which could indicate something else.

We have a few friends with auto immune diseases and they have show quite a lot of concern over her symptoms, which has made me worry.

My experience with the NHS has always been great, but she has really had bad doctors who will not listen.

She is Jewish, doesn’t eat red meat, is tired lots, is very anxious (I think that is because of all her problems), fairly active, slim (as in not over weight) and really very lovely.

If anyone has any advice or thoughts I would be really grateful!

Picky person looking for the perfect exercise activity.

midnightmoonlight — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:50:40 -0800

I'm having trouble finding exercises that will work for me in the long term. Perhaps you know someone who has been in a similar situation. Inside: Health issues and personality to take into account. + BMI : 26.7
+ Female... tomboy... thingy... if it matters.
+ Extremely clumsy.
+ Get bored easily. And I don't like movies or TV at all, is there anything else to distract me? Listening to music sometimes helps... but not for long.

+ Anti-social :-D so I don't want to exercise with others.
+ Victim of IBS D-: so I don't want to exercise with others.

I really like pilates and yoga, but seeing those bimbo toothpick or bodybuilder models in DVD / fitness video-games / gym has always put me in a really bad mood for days... If you have exercise videos with "normal", average people, please do send them my way!

Have Hyperthyroidism which means:
- intolerance to heat, very high and irregular heart beat,
- bone weakness, and sometimes bone pain throughout the day (weight-lifting is good for bone density, right?)

At home, I have:
+ a stationary bike - I like it a lot, but like I said, I get bored easily.
+ 2 lb, 5 lb weights - ok, but what do I do with them? :P
+ Exercise mats
There's no public transport here so I can't go to the gym.

I'm not interested in diet tips, because I've always eaten healthy meals.
I don't want to run.

Do know know any exercises that would work for me?
Really thank you for advice and encouragement given :)

Temporary Ouch-Fixer?

chara — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:24:37 -0800

I have many of the symptoms of appendicitis, but the doctors say that nothing is wrong with me. I'd like to see a GI doctor, but I'm going out of town for Christmas on Thursday. What's the best way to manage these symptoms so that I can enjoy my holiday? I'm a petite female in my mid-twenties. I've been dealing with severe abdominal cramps, nausea, and lack of appetite since Sunday evening. Went to urgent care on Monday evening, they gave me a pain shot and sent me to the ER. At the ER, they did CT scans, drew blood and tested my urine (3 times), yet they found nothing wrong with me.

Now that the pain shot has worn off, the nausea and lack of appetite have returned, along with some slight cramping (feels a bit like gas, but all throughout my upper and lower abdomen). I haven't had a bowel movement since early Monday morning (probably because I haven't really eaten anything substantial, a few kid-sized portions of food). No vomiting, no more diarrhea.

I know you're not my doctor, but maybe you can recommend some over-the-counter remedies to handle the symptoms until I can get some professional advice.

Bowel problems -- I'm really jonsen for some of that doxycycline, man.

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:02:42 -0800

SFW but probably TMI question about a change in bowel movements. Is there something wrong with my diet or is it something else? For the past couple of years, I've had bowel movements that I wasn't particularly happy with. They'd have a frequency of two or three times a day, and would often be soft (quite a bit of wiping) and foul-smelling. They didn't seem to change much with fiber intake or changes to the quality of my diet. Several months ago I had a case of non-STD epididymitis and was given doxycycline in case E. coli was the culprit. Within a couple of days, my bowel movements had gone from their previous quality to being once a day, firm, and without odor.

All was good for about five months. Then, suddenly, I had cramping and pain and my bowel movements had regressed to their previous quality. Now the cramping and pain are gone, but I can't get back to normal otherwise. To give you an idea of my diet, I typically eat:

Breakfast:
Carb: Steel cut oats, whole wheat toast, or corn tortillas
Protein/Fat: Two eggs, occasionally bacon
Seasonal fruit and tea.

Lunch:
If I bring it, some sort of sandwich (pastrami, tuna, ham/turkey with avocado and lettuce) on whole wheat or rye. Fruit, if I'm at home or I've remembered to bring it.
If I'm eating out, it'll be Korean take-out, a burrito sans-cheese from Qdoba, or a chicken sandwich from Wendy's or Chic-Fil-A.

Dinner:
Some variation of meat/veg/starch. Chicken marbella with pasta and grilled zucchini; Salmon, potatoes, and asparagus; steak with cornbread and salad.

Snack: Cereal or soup I've made (usually lentil or chili)

I usually drink water with every meal. It occasionally gets swapped out with tea or beer. I don't consume dairy products as I'm pretty severely lactose intolerant.

My mother has been dealing with moderate IBS for a while now, if that's of any concern. Demographically, I'm a mid-twenties male who's otherwise healthy.

I'm beginning to think it may be bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, mostly because of the way it suddenly disappeared after the course of antibiotics I had. I'm looking for possible things to research so I can have an intelligent conversation with my doctor next time I talk to him about this or for someone to point out if I'm missing something obvious here. Are there other chronic gastroenterological conditions that are suddenly but not permanently rendered better by antibiotics? Or maybe I should just get a script for an antibiotic every couple of months?

Mmm, iron-y!

rachaelfaith — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:25:36 -0800

What are some ways I can fit more iron into my diet without resorting to iron supplements? Following a long period of constant dizziness/nausea/weakness, I finally went for some blood work. My doctor told me my iron was low, as well as my Vitamin D and B12 levels.

He recommended 300 units of D, and to come in for a B12 shot if I felt particularly weak. My multivitamin (which I am very bad at taking daily and have now set an alarm to remind myself) seems to cover the D and B12. It also says it has 100% of my iron, but my doctor did recommend taking another iron supplement to boost things.

I hear that iron isn't the most gentle on the gastrointestinal side of things, and I'd like to avoid irritating my IBS. Thus, I'd like to increase my iron intake in terms of food instead.

I don't eat much meat, save for some chicken or turkey on occasion. I know that red meat is high in iron, but that's not an option for me. I also dislike salmon and most non-white-flesh fish. What can I eat that will give me lots of iron to ward off this crappy anemic feeling? I am trying to keep a low-calorie, low-fat diet as well, but for the sake of my health and sanity, I will deviate for yummy iron-rich foods. Thanks!

How to gain weight without carbohydrates?

sdis — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:31:50 -0800

LowCarbDietFilter: How do you GAIN weight on a low carb diet? I'm on a low carb diet for health reasons, but was already fairly skinny before I started, and now I'm having a tough time maintaining my weight. Any good resources that aren't all about weight loss? Background for those who care: I've had many years of GI symptoms similar but not the same as IBS, as well as chronic canker sores (25-28 days/month or so) that didn't respond to, well, anything. After reading Gary Taubes' book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, I decided to stop eating carbs over the summer, in part to help my father lose weight. Well, within a week, I stopped getting canker sores altogether (and my father lost plenty of weight). At this point, I have a good baseline diet of various meats and green vegetables, lunchmeat "sandwiches" on lettuce, and lots and lots of eggs.

As a sidenote, I am experimenting with adding in various foods and seeing if the canker sores return (I'm trying out potatoes for the next 2 months). However, since that's just an experiment, and since it may well be that I will be stuck with an entirely low-carb diet as long as I wish to be rid of my canker sores, I'd like info really geared towards low-carb type diets.

PS: I am totally uninterested in comments discussing how unhealthy this diet is. Please make those comments elsewhere.

Diabetes 2 & IBS (lucky me)

mickbw — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:15 -0800

I have Diabetes II and probably IBS. Is it unusual that I have higher blood sugar levels when the IBS symptoms are at their worst. If that is the case it would seem logical to get the IBS symptoms under control and then the blood sugar rate will drop with my continued diet changes. A problem seems to be that some of the suggested IBS foods hinder the goal of dropping the blood sugar level.

I have seriously reduced the amount of food I eat (especially the carbs) but
my blood sugar levels never go below 120 on Glucophage 1000 mg. a day and usually end up in the bathroom at least 10 times a day. Even with a sleep med I average about 3-4 hours of broken sleep a night.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Help with an IBS flare-up.

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:15:33 -0800

How do I deal with a IBS flare-up? (kind of gross) I'm about 95% sure I have IBS. I know YANAD or MD and I have an appointment for a visit with a gastroenterologist, but that's not for several weeks. This is after a visit with my PCP.

Essentialy, what happens is that I will wake up one morning with an upset stomach and have diarrhea several times in a day. If I eat ANYTHING, bam, I have to run to the bathroom. These attacks usually last two to three days. I thought at first I was lactose intolerant, and I don't think dairy helps, but on Thanksgiving I ate food made with milk products and I was fine until today.

I have read older threads about how to prevent flare-ups and I will definitely put that information to use, but what do I do now, when I'm in the middle of one? I'm in a challenging grad program and of course the next few weeks are the most stressful time. I have a day job on top of that and, while it's the cause of a fair amount of stress, the pay and the atmosphere can't be beat in this economy. Yet I cannot spend the next three hours, let alone the next three weeks, on the toilet. I've even had to run out of class, which was embarrassing and could be detrimental to my progress in my program.

My stomach was absolutely fine from Wednesday through the time I woke up this morning. I wouldn't say I overindulged on Thanksgiving but I definitely ate food I'm not used to (the dairy). I was back to normal eating by Friday. I've spent most of today camped out in the bathroom or asleep. This doesn't help my stress level, as my homework won't do itself. I don't know what to do now.

What can I eat? How can I make an IBS attack less severe, so I can at least be functional? I am a woman in my early thirties and otherwise my health is pretty good.

Thanks for any help. I'm sorry if this sounds disjointed.

Throwaway email: ohgodmystomach@hotmail.com

Digestive flora for fauna with poor digestion

subbes — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:55:29 -0800

Best probiotic supplement for an allergic cat? OR: Probiotic/digestive supplements with short ingredient lists. Backstory: At the vet's today, we decided it's time to begin treating our cat Torgo's IBD/IBS/general digestive issues more aggressively. As well as a short course of Flagyl and regular Prednisone, the vet recommended probiotic supplements with the prescription food he's been on for over a year now (Hill's z/d).

He did say that it may be difficult to find a probiotic, because of Torgo's food sensitivities. We haven't done extensive tests to determine what he's most sensitive to, because I don't want to put him through the discomfort of a reaction.

Does anyone know of any good probiotics that have limited other ingredients? The fewer ingredients there are, I'm hoping the less chance he will have a reaction, and the more I know of with limited ingrdinets, the more we can try.

Ugh. Make it stop!

missuswayne — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:05:47 -0800

How do I heal my gut? I have a history of IBS, and years ago I had an H. Pylori infection. After the infection was taken care of my gut was good for several years, no real issues to speak of. Since I had my kids a few years ago, my tummy's been on a bit of a rollercoaster, especially in the last year. Recurrent gas, terrible sharp pains an hour or two after eating, alternating diarrhea and constipation. Thought it was gluten (nope), dairy (nope), coffee (nope).

Coincidentally (or not?) I've been on antibiotics several times in the last 4 or 5 years, and I've had about 7 or 8 courses in just the last two years. I have severe allergies and have taken the antibiotics for recurrent sinus infections.

I now suspect that perhaps the antibiotics have obliterated the good bacteria in my gut. I eat yogurt (Stonyfield) most days, and I'm trying to increase my exercise (to get my intestines moving regularly and normally) but I'm looking for guidance as to what other things I can do to heal my gut from the antibiotic assault.

(I know you're not my dr, I've got an appt with a gastro coming up. Just looking to get a jump on things.)

I shouldn't have had the cheap instant pasta for lunch

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:06:25 -0800

How do you deal with occurrences of a chronic, non-contagious illness at work? I have been diagnosed with IBS. I have had unpredictable stomachaches and diarrhea that led to calling in sick, and subsequent doctor visits on my part. I work in a small firm, and everyone has been very good about my going to the doctor or not feeling well. (I have avoided explaining this in detail, of course, just that I "have health issues" to do with my stomach, and that they can see doctor's documentation if they want.)

I feel fine almost all of the time now, but I do catch cramps. I can avoid times like this by paying good attention to my diet, and generally I do, but they're not totally predictable and it looks like they're just going to happen every six weeks or so.

One recent afternoon, I caught an extreme cramp in my stomach of the type that a. made me absolutely unable to get up from my chair and b. threatened diarrhea. I had a prescription medicine for pain on these occasions, and took it. But it took some time to take effect, and I was just sitting there hurting. Afterwards, I was exhausted. I gave into myself, made my excuses, went home and slept for several hours. But I felt guilty. What if it had happened on 10 am on a Monday? Worse, what if someone had come in and wanted to discuss an issue while I was obviously in pain?

How do professionals deal with episodes of being unwell when they're part of life? I'm particularly looking to avoid explaining anything more about this to anyone, ever. I am not an excuse-maker and do not want to be seen as one. Do you know what it's like to deal with something like this?

Private emails can be sent to thethingandthehurtingandthe@hushmail.com.

I fell in love with Sweetie McFartsalot

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:38:05 -0800

The SO and I are shacking up. We have a very good relationship and we love each other. However, there is a problem in the bedroom. No, not that kind of problem. See, my girlfriend has really bad, eye-watering, stomach-turning gas. Yes, she's seen a doctor. Not because of the gas, but because she has stomach problems in general. She's been diagnosed with IBS which, as I understand it, means they don't really know what the problem is or how to treat it. Meanwhile, the gas continues. There are times at night when it wakes me up. Seriously, it's really bad, and it's beginning to affect my quality of sleep.

My question is in two parts:

1) How do I bring this up in a sensitive way? I'd like to explain that yes, I notice, and yes, it's kind of gross. My hope is that we can come up with some sort of work-around. (Like, if she's having a bad night with her stomach, make more trips to the bathroom instead of farting into the sheets? Or, maybe she can pay attention to trigger foods, and we can go from there? I don't know. Something like that.) Tips, please, on how to approach and initiate the conversation.

2) Does anyone have any experience with remedies for gas that I could suggest to her? Suggestions for over-the-counter or natural remedies are welcome, as are prescription drugs. She has an internist, and currently takes something for abdominal cramping, so if there's an Rx that's effective, maybe it's one we could check out.

Answers I am NOT looking for:

a) Suck it up.
b) Deal with it.
c) Love is...

I know relationships are full of compromise, and I've lived with partners before. I also know that farting is a natural function of the human body. I'm not judging her for smelly farts any more than I'd judge her for having bowlegs. I sincerely feel bad for any sort of discomfort she feels, and I'd like to help her. I'd also like to fall asleep without worrying if I'm going to wake up feeling like I'm being gassed by a cruel, cruel dictator.

In summary, this isn't a "Should I" question, it's a "How do I" question. Many thanks.

How do I get my panic attacks in a car under control?

wolftrouble — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:28:06 -0800

How do I get panic attacks, triggered by the threat of a real physiological condition, under control? Warning: Somewhat gross discussion inside. Obviously this question is a bit embarrassing, and I've been holding off for months asking it in any forum at all. But I have to admit that the situation has gotten beyond my control and I don't know what to do.

I've always had what you could call a nervous stomach or, more clinically, IBS. The short version of the symptoms is that it's difficult for me to remain 'regular', and when I do need to have a bowel movement, it's an immediate thing - I go from feeling a twinge, to a painful ache in my intestines, to needing a bathroom in the space of about ten minutes.

Nervousness has always been a kind of trigger for it, but for a long time I had the situation under pretty good control - With fiber supplements and a careful diet I could manage a pretty normal once-daily cycle, with only the occasional emergency outside my normal time if I was really anxious about something.

At some point, starting about a year ago, I started getting nervous when I was in my car. My commute in the morning and evening is very, very congested - 17 miles takes me about 45 minutes to an hour during rush hour. It may have been because a couple of times I found myself stuck on the highway when my body decided it was time to 'go', but that's happened before, so I don't know if that's what precipitated it. But whatever the reason, I've gone from being a little anxious when stuck in traffic to on the verge of a panic attack ANYTIME I'm in my car at all.

Even if there's no bad traffic, or maybe just the threat of bad traffic, there's this pit of fear in my stomach I can't get rid of. If there IS traffic, or if I'm in a situation where I know I won't be able to quickly get to a bathroom (long bridges for example), I spend the whole drive in what I assume must be a full-on panic attack - I don't know, I've never felt anything like them before, but I figure that's what it is. I'm sweating, terrified, my stomach starts hurting something fierce, and I can't think of anything else. And that triggers at least what feels like my body needing to have a bowel movement, which makes it something of a vicious cycle.

I don't think my physiological condition has changed, this seems to be mental - I don't really have to have a bowel movement until I start panicking and the nervousness makes my intestines clench up. Even right now, writing this post, I'm squirming in my chair and my stomach's making sad noises at me, just because I'm thinking about it.

I don't know what to do. Long car rides are a near-impossibility for me now, I can't go on recreational motorcycle rides like I used to, and in a few months I'm going on a driving tour through Europe that I have no idea how I'm going to cope with. I'm not exaggerating when I say this happens every time I get in the car now, it's become an absolute trigger - I feel fine, I get behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of a friend's car, and that knot forms in my gut. I live in California, so driving a lot is a requirement for my life.

Anyone had this or similar problems they could offer advice on?

Has anyone taken oral immunoglobulins?

bitterkitten — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:06:26 -0800

Has anyone taken oral immunoglobulins (capsules, etc)? What for? Did you benefit noticeably? Any other opinions on them? One of my doctors suggested Xymogen's Igg 2000, for IBS & celiac symptoms (although I adhere to a strict diet that usually keeps these away).

Gracias, hive mind.

My problem is not in my head, it's in my guts. Help me figure out what it is.

fuzzbean — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:47:51 -0800

Help me make my next doctor's appointment more productive than my last one. This is about GI stuff. It is long. It is gross. You are warned. For about the last six months, I've had intermittent but ongoing issues with reflux, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea (but no vomiting). It comes and goes - I'll have a week that's all diarrhea all the time, and then one that's fine. Bad stomach cramps one day, nothing the next.

Over the course of about two months I got progressively worse reflux and heartburn; possibly related I've had abortive burps that feel like cramps in my esophogus. The reflux gets especially bad during exercise and often makes me stop.

I've been woken up in the morning by stomach cramps and needing to poo, I've eaten things and had them go through me in four hours (and yes, I'm sure it was the same thing coming out that just went in), I've had sudden and nearly-irresistible urges to use the bathroom NOW RIGHT NOW. There are a few areas of pain / discomfort (more discomfort than pain), including one near the crest of my right hip, another few inches under my right rib cage, and a third on my left side adjacent to my belly button.

This comes after a lifetime of having an absolutely cast-iron stomach, never nauseous, no diarrhea unless I ate something absurdly unwise, etc. This is very, very weird for me.

My GP gave me Aciphex, which helped with the reflux but not the diarrhea and nausea. A GI doc blew me off with a diagnosis of IBS caused by stress (I have an absurdly low-stress life, for real, but he wouldn't listen to that) and gave me a prescription for Librax, which I didn't fill after finding out that Librax includes a benzo (I have existing issues with depression and can't even take Zyrtec regularly because it makes me too dopey, but I didn't get the chance to discuss it with him - his nurse gave me the scrip after he'd already left.)

I have another appointment with a different GI doc coming up in November, but I'd like some input on what tests I should be pushing for and what this could possibly be. I know you're not doctors and this isn't medical advice. But I really don't want to spend another $60 to be told that it's all in my head.

Other stuff: I eat a fairly healthy diet and mostly cook for myself, whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies. 5'9", 140 lbs. Female. My maternal relatives have a history of gall bladder problems - both aunts and my grandmother. I've been tested for celiac, h. pylori, and intestinal parasites (all negative), and my GP also checked my hepatic function, amylase, and lipase levels and they were normal too.