Ibs Anyone???

[Faye]

I have IBS-C, I was wondering if anyone else has it and if they have found any treatment that helped. I have been on fiber and mirlax for several months and last two months on a med to help with the spams. The med for the spams does help them as in they are not as painful as often but they are still there and still have issues with constipation....

I drink plenty of fluid and get my fiber in....not sure if anyone has had any success with this. My Gi dr thinks my IBS is related to POTs, but said he can just try and help with the spams and constipation....

[fitnesskelly]

I have IBS in the other direction. I think that no matter what, probiotics help.

Also, I used to be pretty chronically constipated until I eliminated gluten. If you eat gluten, you should try stopping for a while and see if that helps.

[ks42]

Right before and after I was diagnosed with POTS, I developed severe constipation and that spasm-type abdominal pain that was diagnosed at the time as IBS-C. Fiber and laxatives didn't help; in fact, I think the fiber actually made it worse to a degree.

I eventually saw a GI specialist who told me IBS is one of those things that very often has an underlying cause. In some people, there is no known cause and you wind up having to treat the IBS itself. In other people, it can be caused by conditions like gastroparesis (really common in dysautonomia / POTS, and there are meds that specifically treat this), SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), other forms of dysbiosis, GI infections, Celiac disease, and food allergies. I'm assuming if you've been diagnosed with IBS-C, you've probably been tested for most of these, but if you haven't, you might want to consider looking into some of these tests, as there are specific treatments for these conditions that can help reduce IBS symptoms or eliminate them all together.

I got tested for all of these, and wound up positive for gastroparesis and SIBO. I also had a comprehensive digestive analysis, so I was able to modify my supplements and diet around what was going on in my GI. This was immensely helpful. After getting treated with antibiotics for SIBO and various dietary / supplement modifications, I no longer have IBS, and oddly, I no longer have gastroparesis either (although it could have originally been a false positive, or my ANS could have healed in that area).

What helped me immensely, even before I had any testing done to determine the cause of my IBS:

1) I cut out bread/flour/simple carbs. Breads, pastas, rice, etc are hugely constipating, even if you don't have gluten issues. This also really helped my POTS too.

2) Ate about 5-6 servings veggies a day (1 serving = 1/2 cup). The fiber in veggies was much more helpful for me than the type of fiber you find in a supplement.

3) Cut out sugar, as that also promotes constipation (again, this also helped my POTS).

3) Took probiotics specifically designed for IBS-C (as per my doctor, every time I finished a bottle, I'd switch to a new brand/strain). Needs to be at least 50 billion CFU, and I had to work up to taking 3-4 pills per day.

4) Added more oils (healthy ones!!) into my diet. Per my doctor and naturopath, I took 2tsp toasted sesame oil per day, and eventually added in some flax & fish oil

5) Castor oil packs (these relieve constipation and spasms pretty much overnight, and for me, work much better than miralax). I would do these every night for about 5-7 days, take a few days' break, then do it again if needed.

6) Took OTC stool softeners (without added laxatives) for a short period of time while I gave the above things time to work

7) Took digestive enzymes (specifically Pure Encapsulations brand, as it worked best for me at the time).

I also agree with the above comment about eliminating gluten; some people have nothing but constipation as the main symptom of a gluten intolerance, allergy, or Celiac's disease.

I think if I had to suggest only one thing, I'd say probiotics. They are amazing for digestive issues.

I hope some of these suggestions help!

[Faye]

Thanks for the input! We are a gluten,dairy, and sugar free house.....my daughter has GI issues and helped to make that change...been tested for just about everything....was on xifaxan few time to no avail......I am a grazer and eat 6 meAls a day and 30 mg fiber, but my Gi seems to have a mind of its own;( can't do fish or flax oil( allergic) probiotics made me sick to my tummy;(

Been at different diet plans but it seems as tho, somethings work for a while and then back to square one.....I do have to avoid take out food, and treats.....and small meals are a must or I will really be sorry....sigh.....

Apperictae the feedback very much...