I have just returned from a holiday abroad and since back have suffered a flare up. This is something that I have noticed in the past . For some reason , ibs starts up upon returning home. Anyway , this situation just started me thinking about my IBS in general as suffered this condition for over 50 years now.
I have noticed that there is a major difference in how this strikes as opposed to years ago. When I worked , my symptoms were like many posts that I read , where it would start early morning with multiple visits to loo , pre going to work. Sometimes continue most of the day and I often thought this was totally stress related. Since retiring ,some years ago, I have noticed that this morning IBS D does not occur very often . Mainly , if it does ,it is when having to go somewhere, an appointment for example.
Now my IBS tends to occur after my main meal of the day , in the evening. When an attack occurs now , it can be anything from lots of gas pain to full on D. It can be immediately after eating or anything from one to seven hours later. Sometimes during the night. Also often only one, or at most two visits with big clear out. Feels like system wants to reject something and when it gets rid of the problem I am usually ok , although sometimes a bit of nausea and discomfort.
So there seems to be a change in symptoms , with a move from a more stress related IBS ,to one where food is the more predominant cause. Sometimes I think it does not matter what I eat , if a flare up occurs it happens no matter the food type. Possibly eat too much at one time in the evening. One minute I feel fine, then bang it becomes a strong urge and a need to dash. Sometimes I think it is after something sweet at the end of the meal. Anyway as it can still occur with stress as well it is confusing.
This connection between it being stress and or food is I think very strange.
I wonder if any other long term sufferers, older members probably, who have retired from work and maybe less stress, have noticed anything similar , with a shift in triggers , less from stress but more connected to eating.
Will1234
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Will1234
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Hi there, I too have had IBS for over 40 years. I had a very stressful job and I always felt my problems related to this. Early morning tummy pains and having to be off work. Since retiring My IBS also changed much like you but I was found to be wheat intolerant as well. I have to follow a very different eating pattern and never eat big meals or puddings. My meals are smaller with less carbohydrates and more protein and some vegetables or salad. I eat a good breakfast with gluten free oats and blueberries which works well for IBS. Have a look at the fodmap diet and try and include some of it in your eating. Mainly my advice is to try smaller meals and eat slowly and enjoy. Good luck! Ruthy. X
Thanks for replying . Interesting ! Maybe big meals are a trigger.
You probably have not read my post on Fodmap ! Not a fan.
Thanks
Will1234
Hello Will,
We tend to digest better at lunchtime because we are more active during the day (and even ancient Ayurvedic principles support this).
My suggestion would be to try having your main meal at lunchtime for a few days, and a home-made soup for supper - and see what effect that has.
I would then also try removing the "something sweet" at the end of your meal for a further few days and see how you get on.
By experimenting you will get clearer signals of what is working for you.
As for stress, our reaction to stress interferes with digestion - at any time of day. Using this simple technique can get your digestion going again if you feel this is an issue: sickofibs.com/well-being/a-...
I was recently told I have a fast transit reflex where I eat a meal and the message to bowels says “ make room food coming” so I can dash to loo fairly quickly after eating.
I was also told to eat more fibre which helps bulk out bowel movements so not d.
Since stopping acid reflux meds lanzaprozol my d has dramatically reduced so much so now it’s not daily either first thing in morning or middle of night and only when I have eaten anything I know is a real trigger!
How did they diagnose the fast transit reflex ? I have often wondered about that but it does not happen with me all the time. I know Emeprosol and lansoprosal etc can give a dose of D. I now get Ranitidine which seems to be tolerated better. I also take Fybogel for fibre when the D turns to period of C. It seems to act like a laxitive. Does that change if you take it regularly ?
Interesting , as not too many on the forum have mentioned the fast transit situation.
Thanks again for info. So not Fybogel but natural fibre which I assume would be soluble fibre. Agreed Fybogel can be very quick to pass through. I have occasionally taken it at bedtime if not been getting to loo, then even before going to sleep , maybe 30mins it works and all passes through.
This fast transit thing seems a likely thing for me too.
Actually the fibre I’m eating is things like skin off jacket potato and bran bread and mushrooms - things I was told to avoid in my 20’s when first diagnosed with ibs d. I’ve been diagnosed incorrectly as gluten intolerant but do know I have a limit! I’m not lactose intolerant but been told I may have been as a child and now simply have an allergy to dairy.
I do have diviticular issues that I thought only constipated people would have which can also cause d! And a huge percentage of people will have it by their 60’s and most will have by 70’s I’m in 50’s and mine is due to all the years with d and the cramps and squeezing my bowels have done because I lived daily with d!!
I think while some of us have common things which make us ill for example certain trigger foods, stress etc we are all individual in what’s going on in our bodies!
The specialist told me basically just eating no matter what it is can just cause this in me!
I won’t say I’ve cured myself but am down to once or twice a week having d! I’m even eating things ( one at a time) I’ve not eaten due to medical advise or from reading about diets that help with ibs d. I do know 100% garlic spices onion too much fat etc causes a flare up!
For years and years I reduced my diet to actually become quite unhealthy as I ate no fruit only a few basic veg as little fibre as I could and while being a couple stone over weight I wasn’t eating a nutritionally balanced diet.
And it didn’t work for me, hence desperate and in need was sent to see a specialist, had lots of tests and from the advice given to me have now actually made a marked improvement in my symptoms .
I was also told “ don’t believe everything you read on the internet instead listen to your body! “
I have found that mine changed pretty quick, mine was always stress or nerve related but over last year it has become intolerances to food after a bout of antibiotics.
I had very strong antibiotics and became very ill after couldnt eat anything without being doubled up in pain.
I went to see a man who specialises in nutrition and alergies and found out i had candida( leaky gut syndrome) and had become intolerant to gluten and dairy?
It had happened coz the antibiotics had stripped my gut of good bacteria and it couldnt work properly it couldnt digest. I had to give up yeast, gluten, dairy and sugar as this all feeds candida. Take probiotics, digestive enzymes, candida tablets and peppermint oil caps 3x a day before food. I could eat within 4 days and
After a week i noticed i was evacuating candida ( in poo, not nice) and after two weeks i felt good! I am now 6 months down line and i have chosen to stay gluten and dairy free as i feel healthier and my ibs is under control without it.
So you can become intolerant to food quite easily, ur body will just get to point where it has had enough of u forcing something it dont like and let u know by trying to get rid of it as soon as u eat it.. that why most ibs sufferers get ibs d, it gets rid of the food u have eaten it doesnt like.
Google it and look at the pictures of it in poop... it like a white sticky fungus ...
it is a overgrowth of bad bacteria in ur intestines, it usually comes from a overuse of antibiotics as it kills all ur gut bacteria. Can come from to much sugar! To much yeast in diet ie breads, cakes, doughs.
Mine was from antibiotics.. it can make u feel very ill, can give u ibs symtoms. Also can give u food intolerances as your gut cant cope with digesting food. Symtoms include, thrush, itchy skin, fatigue, stomach pain, upset stomach, smelly gas, wind.
Have a look at candida on google.. look at symtoms if u think there any chance u have it best thing is u have to starve it of sugar and yeast...
plus put good gut flora back into stomach a good probiotic, good digestive enzyme, peppermint oil cap and a candida killing supplement
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