I'm having a bad flare up after 12 good months and I despair at what to do next. I'm in so much discomfort and don't know which way to turn.

[Bibabunny]

I have been managing my ibs with fodmaps, I am fructose intolerant and recognised that I could eat limited amounts of fructose. When I overdid this, I restricted my diet and all got it back under control. In extreme circumstances I did the hardcombe diet (cutting out sugar, carbs, salt, processed food, caffine) and this sort of reset my tummy. This diet is said to help those with food intolerances and candida in the gut and I found it useful to gain control. This time around, none of this is working. I am so bloated and constipated, I can barely move. I manage my constipation with flaxseeds, but I'm struggling to get them down, they seem to get stuck In my upper digestive tract and I feel like I can't breathe. I've had some stress at work, and felt like I was drowning, things eased a bit from January on, but I caught a viral infection and was floored. I took a week off work, but went back even though I wasn't much better. I was ill for 6 weeks, and the virus went into to my chest and I had to get 3 different antibiotics, one after the other and then steroids. I knew this would upset my gut, but there was no alternative. Then my youngest child caught a cold, and so did I, it went straight to my chest and I was feeling lowsy again. I was given more steroids, but my chest does not feel much better. My gp thinks I have late onset asthma. I realise that I am run down, 4 months of working 7 days a week, often 12 hour days, takes its toll. But now I am bloated, wheezing, sore, contpstipated and can't get control back. I realise that I have to put my health first and work pressure has eased till September, but I'm at a loss of what to do. I turn to you, fellow ibsers, as this is where I get my best advice. The consultant I see around once every 18 months has no advice, but to offer biofeedback training, which would help to train my lower digestive tract. I'm not sure she understands my condition at all. The dietician told me to do the fodmap elimination stage 3 times, even though I had already identified I was fructose intolerant. This would have meant that I stayed in the elimination stage for 10 months. The colonoscopy found polyps that were removed, but nothing else. What should I do next?

[denvajade]

Hi there are you gluten and lactose free? even though you may not be coeliac your stomach may not cope with these, i recently got put on mebervine tablets half an hour before eating and it helps relax the stomach. I understand your despair with not being able to sort it, i wish you well.

[Bibabunny in reply to denvajade]

Hello denvajade, thanks for your response. I am neither gluten or lactose free just now although I have been both previously on a number of occaissions. I did not find that either helped my symptoms. What do you mean by relax the stomach? Do you mean cramps? Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

[denvajade in reply to Bibabunny]

everytime I ate i would get pain and huge bloating, now this does not happen, and going really gluten free and lactose free has stopped the bowel issues cheers

[PatV]

Do you grind your own flaxseeds? You don't eat them unground, I hope. Do you take probiotics especially after antibiotics? My sister swears by Natren Trinity. I rely on kefir! Good luck. Hope you get some rest soojn.

[Bibabunny in reply to PatV]

Hello PatV, no I don't should I? My dietician or consultant or nurse have not expressed that I should and they all know what kind a eat. Still, nothing they have suggested has worked so far!! I have bought some ground ones since reading this and will use those. I have also bought some probiotics since reading your post, hopefully both will improve my symptoms. Thanks for your advice.

[PatV in reply to Bibabunny]

Every thing I read and everyone I speak to says flaxseeds should be ground, preferably right before eating. I've never been able to accomplish this. The ground flaxseeds apparently don't keep very well. I have found that freshly ground flaxseeds were a little too stimulating. But whole flaxseeds are indigestible and pass through whole. I'm also trying flaxseed oil.

[Bibabunny in reply to PatV]

Yes, the ground flaxseeds appear to more stimulating! How are you getting in with the oil? I found it good for my nails and hair, but not my bowels.

[Hidden]

Hi bibabunny how did you find out you were fructose intolerant ?

[Bibabunny in reply to Hidden]

Hello Gemini71. I found out when I did the fodmap elimination diet, I should have said fructan rather than fructose intolerant. The elimination diet was really useful in identifying what sets me off, I am going to go back to this again next week to see if there are any changes in my tolerance levels. I saw your post about the Yorke tests, I did not do this myself, but used the elimination diet. All the best in finding your intolerance.