IBS-New to this Which Foods do you avoid

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2006
IBS-New to this Which Foods do you avoid
17
Wed, 10-11-2006 - 4:47pm

Hi,


I am new to this and have been suffering from IBS for about 6 months.I have flare ups about once a month then it is okay until next time.I suffer from the D.I have not gotten so far as to figure out which foods seem to aggravate it.It seems more of a stress issue with me.I am just curious if any of you who suffer have certain types or foods that you seem worse with.When I have my flare- ups I don't want to eat because I know what will happen.Thanks for the help!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Thu, 10-12-2006 - 8:09am

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Glad you found us Leigh!


I have flare ups about once a month then it is okay until next time.


Have you noticed that your symptoms seem to get worse around your time of month? Mine always did and I got to the point where I expected it to happen and just accepted it. Not necessarily the best way to treat the problem, but the way I looked at it, my body was either constipated or I had diarrhea so it all evened out eventually.


Have you tried keeping a food journal/diary to see if certain foods trigger the most problems? You may begin to see a pattern and can then adjust your diet, especially if this happens around the same time of month. Not eating isn't a good option, but understandable. The food diary will help you find foods that you can still eat during your 'flare-ups'.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2006
Thu, 10-12-2006 - 9:35am
Thanks for the advice, I will start keeping a journal and try to find out what affects me the most.Yes for me it varies, stress seems to really aggravate it.Sometimes I can go several months with no big problem then it starts back usually it lasts about one week then it will sort of get better.It upsets me because I never know when a flare up will come.Last 2 days have been problem, husband out of town for work and I have been trying to help daughter get all her paperwork in for her graduation from college in December.Like I said stress seems to really play a role and I find if I am able to take a little time and have a walk each day it seems to real me and I have less problems.Thanks for the help.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Thu, 10-12-2006 - 5:39pm

I am happy to help, that's what I am here for!


There is no avoiding stress, but how we react to it can make all the difference, as you already know. Those walks, along with some time to yourself to just daydream and gather your thoughts is probably helping more than you realize!


Please feel free to visit often and I'll be waiting to hear if the food journaling is beneficial for you too. There are many food diary/journals online; just do a search for them and pick what works best for your situation.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 6:04pm
Hi Leigh.....I found that any, like ANY spaghetti sauce in a jar will set me off, also LETTUCE.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 6:24pm

Welcome, almost didn't see you sneak in! LOL


Do you have the same issue with spaghetti sauce that you make yourself?


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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 6:43pm
Hi elise.....haven't tried making my own....I found a deli who makes it and although I have to pay $5.99 a pint.....I get it because it agrees with me...It's a marinara sauce. they use these enormous cans of sauce from Italy and they dont come in small cans so I cant get it and make it myself. but, when I get a taste for spaghetti I usually go for a couple of pints of it and splurge on myself. Isn't it hard to eat out? I hardly ever go out to eat. When we do it's only to one place. It's a little family owned Amish restaurant and the food it very plain. I sure loved Italian food, but that's all gone now with this dreaded cursed problem. Oh well, I guess it could be lots worse.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 9:49pm

Thank goodness you at least found a sauce that you can eat, right? Would the deli give you an empty can, or at least the label so you can check out the ingredient list? Maybe you can check online for the company that produces the sauce and see if they have smaller cans that you can buy...just a thought!


I also L O V E Italian food and guess what causes me the absolute worst problems? Parmesan cheese! All it takes is a single mouthful and I know immediately if there is parmesan in something. Many places add it to sauces and use it as a garnish on a finished meal...I cannot tell you how many times I've had to send food back, to be remade. It drives me crazy when my dh pours olive oil on his bread plate, sprinkles parmesan in and dunks chunks of bread. Yumm-O and I can't have it! LOL


In the bigger scheme of life, things could be much worse, but how ironic to love Italian food and not be able to cover everything with parmesan, eh?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2006
Sun, 11-12-2006 - 2:25pm

Hi Leigh
I've just joined this message board as well, primarily because I'm on the latter end of a very bad bout with IBS this week.

I find that eating raw vegetables, mixed with stress, always creates the perfect storm for a bad episode. So eating a salad during a stressful business lunch was NOT a good idea this past week.

I try to stay away from:
raw vegetables - you couldn't pay me enough to eat raw spinach!!!
diary, especially milk and cheese
any kind of carbonation

Also, not eating late at night (although I love snacking before bed) REALLY helps!
Hope this helps!
Good Luck
Terri

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Sun, 11-12-2006 - 4:55pm

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Thanks for sharing Terri!


I try to stay away from:
raw vegetables - you couldn't pay me enough to eat raw spinach!!!
diary, especially milk and cheese
any kind of carbonation


Even in moderation, raw veggies cause too much disruption?


Are you lactose intolerant? Have you tried taking a lactose enzyme before eating dairy products? Certain dairy products cause more problems than others for me. I use lactose free milk and am able to eat some cheeses, thank goodness.


I am not much of a soda pop drinker, so maybe it doesn't cause me too much discomfort to notice? I prefer water and drink a lot of it.


BTW, welcome and hope to see you here often!


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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2006
Mon, 11-13-2006 - 10:00pm

Hi Elise
Thank you for your reply! Yes, I do eat raw vegetables in MODERATION. If I have any indication of bloat or gas, I stay away from raw vegetables all together. However, I have discovered that steamed vegetables are just fine. So I typically try to eat steamed veggies for lunch or dinner every day, without episode.

Regarding dairy...I typically drink soy milk and stay away from cheesecake, ice cream and other rich cheese or cheese sauces. I've never been "diagnosed" with lactose intolerance, but, I've had problems with cheese for many years. Can you recommend a good lactose-intolerance OTC?

Appreciate your advice!
Terri

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