IBS suffering.......what helps you?

[Pickle165]

had ibs now for a few years but is gone up and down over time. at the moment its effecting me leaving the house cos when i panic the first thing i want is a toilet.......ive developed toilet phobia over it and wont go anywhere there is not a toilet and wont go out untill ive been (pooped) any advise would be great? xxxxxx

[Hidden]

hi sam i couldnt belive it when i read your question as i suffer the exact same thing and thought it was just me, as i have also developed a toilet phobia and become obsessed about were the nearest one may be when i go anywere, fortunatley i work in a hotel were there are plenty of them but i dont like going on long journeys because of it. i have recentley cut down on certain foods i heard can trigger it milk, onions, garlic too much red meat and caffeine, and to eat more starchy foods, bananas and blueberrys i also follow every meal with a peppermint tea which helps digestion and i have found an improvement in my ibs stomach cramps etc. marie x

[tash21]

Hi i suffer from ibs. A relative of mine suggested bimuno prebiotic powder which i have every morning mixed with my hot chocolate. And i have found it helps me loads dont know how i done with out it. The first time i used it i was on the toilet loads but think it was my body getting used to it. i too have cut down on certain foods as i have always found beef triggers my ibs off.

[coeliacchic]

i have has a severe phobia of toilets my whole life, i also have ibs and coeliac disease, if you have been diagnosed with ibs i highly advise getting tested for coeliac disease as it is often mis-diagnosed, i was told for 6 years i had ibs only when i finally got a real answer, so thats my main advice as i have always had issues with going to the toilet but going gluten free has helped a bit.

hope this helps

[Pickle165 in reply to coeliacchic]

Hi thanks for your relpy, im going to sound really daft now but what is coeliac disease and what are the symptoms. x

[Pickle165]

thank you all for your advice. xxxxx

[Hidden]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that Anxiety UK will hopefully soon be holding a live webchat with experts in nutrition and mental health - keep your eyes on our website for details as I think they might be able to provide you with some excellent advice for what you're experiencing - though it sounds like you all have some brilliant ideas of your own which have worked well for you.

We also have a great DVD and booklet on toilet phobia in our shop, which would give you a bit more information and advice on what it is and how you can overcome it! We're always here with lots of information and advice so just give us a call or drop us an email and we'll be glad to help.

All the best! Emma, Services Coordinator at Anxiety UK

[petethetrigger]

Hi Sam, I suffered with IBS, and have found that cleaning up my diet and training regularly have eliminated the symptoms completely.

removing refined foods and highly processed foods was a big improvement, and avoiding trans or hydrogenated fats is vital.

As a result of the great diet and exercise my mental health improved no end too!

I now work as a personal trainer in the Leicester area and continue to practice what I preach.

[Pickle165 in reply to petethetrigger]

can you advise me more on what i should be eating and what exercise helps? x

[petethetrigger]

Hi Sam,

Some great things to be eating are, fish (both white and oily) lean meat, eggs.

Green veg and salad, especially dark leafy things like spinach and kale.

All kinds of fruit.

Oh and drink lots of water!

Generally speaking, the more tampered with or processed the food is, the worse it is for you.

Tip... Ask yourself, would your great great grandmother recognise this as food? If the answer is no, then think twice about eating it.

(I doubt she would recognise a pringle, or fanta for example)

Being active and getting exercise is super helpful too. You may even find that regular exercise can help your anxiety symptoms and improve self esteem too...Bonus!

This answer is assuming that your IBS is aggravated by your anxiety. If you have food intolerances, you may still want to avoid your trigger foods.

Hope that helps x