Low Carb to greatly reduce Reflux+Some IBS+SIB... - IBS Network

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Low Carb to greatly reduce Reflux+Some IBS+SIBO symptoms

alwayshope111 profile image
21 Replies

Like a woman gone mad I have been non-stop researching and documenting my symptoms the past few days because I am determined to find the causes and treat them in order to vanish my symptoms. I have come across a great article about treating Reflux, SIBO and some gas-associated IBS symptoms. Turns out eating a low carb diet will reduce the amount of gases produced as the bacteria in our gut won't have hardly any of it to ferment and as a result will stop producing useless, painful gases as a consequence. And it turns out you can eat some carbs, as long as they have "Low Fermentation Potential". Some similarity to FODMAPS, except this has restrictions on complex carbs (oats, brown rice, some potatoes etc).

proteinpower.com/drmike/201...

It goes more in depth, full details are in the link. I hope this helps those of you who are suffering from too much gas, I know how awful it can be and the wide variety of symptoms it causes.

EDIT: Here is a PDF for low fermentable carbohydrates:

hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/w...

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21 Replies
janke profile image
janke

I agree that a diet like this would probably reduce gas production but I suspect that for many IBS sufferers it would also cause serious constipation issues

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to janke

I thought so too at first but I did some calculations and you'd get around 28g of fibre a day on this diet, both soluble and insoluble, which is above the recommended. And I know too much fibre can be a problem, too, so perhaps having more healthy fats in place of the fibre foods would help. You could also take a probiotic and eat small amounts of prebiotics to feed them (too much and there'll be a lot of gas again). You'd be getting a lot of fat which stimulates the bowel, and that may be a problem for IBS-D so I suppose you'd have more protein and less fat in that case.

nomoreibsc profile image
nomoreibsc in reply to janke

Yes I have been on the low carb diet and the constipation has been severe. Hard to find fats that don't trigger the reflux....Going back to the drawing board on this one.

scottlayton35 profile image
scottlayton35

I agree that for a lot of us diet holds the key and is responsible for our symptoms. I've always maintained my symptoms come first that leads to anxiety and not the other way round.

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to scottlayton35

I feel the same, I get this horrible feeling of dread and anxiety during a flare-up but whenever I have a moment of relief in my abdomen, I immediately feel more peaceful. Might be to do with the fact that people with IBS tend to have their brains activate the anxiety centres of their brain instead of calm, pain relieving centres when they get a bit of wind or cramping. Not to mention we have a lot of hormones in our guts. Hopefully if I reduce gas, I can reduce many symptoms and be more comfortable.

246bindy profile image
246bindy

In the article it mentions Dr. Robillard and links to the Fast Tract diet. If you read the book it explains it really well. I've been on the Fast Tract Diet for over a year and it has changed my life. I still get symptom flare ups but I know what caused them and what to do to get rid of them. There's an app which is really helpful to begin with but which I hardly use now as I know what I'm doing. I would highly recommend. Good luck if you try it.

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to 246bindy

I'm so glad it helped you. Thank you, I'll do my best with it.

Eastbourne11 profile image
Eastbourne11

Hi i have gas IMMEDIATELY i have eaten cream or associated food. This does not cause my IBS though. I despire sometimes but thanks for the website i will have a look at it. My feeling at present is to eat as little as possible so there is not much feses to come out. I suffer from PTS caused by feses pouring out of me in a public toilet. I did read that it happrned to a Professor in a college corridor! That at least made me feel a little better. Thanks

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to Eastbourne11

I know how you feel, I kind of wish i could just drink and never have to poop while wondering what's gonna happen this time. Ohh I'm sorry you're suffering from that, it's true that it does happen to many of us, have you had any therapy for the PTS?

denvajade profile image
denvajade

Hi that article sounds interesting, I have a condition called Dysbiosis. Sounds like you may have it. No more bloating and eating a high fat low carbs diet, I feel the best ever after five years.specialist told me bad bacterial live off carbohydrates.

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to denvajade

Yes, I've been considering that's what might be my problem lately. I had a short course of antibiotics recently for an infection and it might have messed up my balance, not to mention it might have already been messed up in the first place from my high carb diet. I'm really glad the diet helped you. If you don't mind my asking, what caused your dysbiosis?

Stace30 profile image
Stace30 in reply to denvajade

How do you know if you have dysbiosis? I have ibs, sibo, bleeding gums, candida, fatigue, gerd, acid reflux, i feel like everythings related but all i am being told is the fodmap diet; it does help but not completely and its not an ideal lifestyle 🤗

denvajade profile image
denvajade in reply to Stace30

Please ask to see a specialist for a diagnosis of Dysbiosis. It certainly sounds like it. In the meantime cut out ALL carbohydrates as these feed the bad bacteria in your gut.

Does your stomach bloat and have a burning sensation after eating. . Do not lie down after eating for at least 3 hoursthis will help the acid reflux. Cutting out all carbs will help the Candida. Try to find garlic tablets and have two a day and the strongest probiotic you can buy. All this will ease it but not cure it. You need to see a specialist and ask about Dysbiosis. So I eat eggs, no root Veges, easy digestible meat, cheeses, fermented Veges are great for it. Look up the keto diet as it is no carbs and great ideas as to what to eat. Wishing you well but you won’t get better on this alone. 😘

Stace30 profile image
Stace30 in reply to denvajade

Hey denvajade

Yes it does actually!! 😮

I have been doing fodmap and symptoms lessened but i always found some issues and pain and bloating even when I wasn’t eating anything i should and my belly has never gone down!

Thank you for your reply

Hopefully i can mention it when i see the gastro specialist that ive been seeing about ibs.

My kidney/urologist specialist tell me to drink lots of water but for some reason it comes back up :/ and makes me feel sick.

I also get a pain well two, off and on, for years on the lower left and right sides diagonally of my belly button :/ 🤗

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111

Thanks, I got excited when I saw this list because apart from dairy, I can eat almost all of this stuff, it's as if someone tailored it to me personally lol. Day 2 and everything seems okay, I'm going to increase carbs until I find a problem amount, then just stick to the amount I can comfortably have.

denvajade profile image
denvajade

I had been taking methotrexate for 8 years and had had a number of antibiotics over that time for pneumonia. Hope you improve. Go online to find some delicious keto goodies. 🤗

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to denvajade

Ohh gosh, that is quite a lot of medication, I hope your health carers are considering your gut health throughout your treatment, if not you definitely have the power yourself and the help of us here. Thanks, I looked up some dessert recipes, even if I'm eating less I don't want to miss out on taste.

Lumidna .. Thank you very much for the two links you posted, I found them very helpful, and the Low Fermentable diet sheet was really interesting..

A lot of the foods I found I Could and Shouldn't eat , were very similar to what I had tried through trial and error over the years, and now I can see a few adjustments I can try as well now, Thank you again for posting that..

I am 73 and don't really know where to look for these type of things myself :)

alwayshope111 profile image
alwayshope111 in reply to

I'm so glad it was helpful to you, I hope this information can give you further relief from your symptoms.

Thank you..

Desanthony profile image
Desanthony

Read your post and the information about diet as my Doc has suggested a low fibre, low carb diet for me because of some problems I have that he can't get to the "bottom of" Sorry didn't realise that would be a bit funny until just before I wrote it, thought I shouldn't write it then but went ahead because it made me laugh! I have not been diagnosed with anything yet but have had bad problems since a sigmoidoscopy just over a year ago which was carried out to rule out internal bleeding causing low blood count. My problems actually started the evening after the sigmoidoscopy and since then have had what I can only term as frequent explosive bowel movements, explosive wind - from both ends which I cannot control - very embarassing. I do not get pain, don't really get diarrohea (spelling?) or constipation and about 3/4 times a week bleeding from my bottom - sometimes this can happen 3 times in one day. MY Dad and sister had/have colitis (even my sister's dog had it - weird) I would imagine that the CT colongram (graph), sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy would have found colitis if I had it so now onto even more tests - a special blood test and another special CT scan that can only be done at 1 particular hospital in my area and I will have to wait a year to get. These tests did show a few teeny polyps which were removed and found to be clear and a gastroscopy showed a teeny ulcer which cleared up with medication. Although these could have caused bleeding nothing changed other than the fact that my blood count had gone up before I even had the tests, and on looking at the iron tablets I had left when my blood test showed all well I had only taken 3 weeks worth of tablets as had to come off them for all the tests. Communication from the hospital has been appalling which caused lots of delays. I took Viomixx for months - very expensive and didn't change anything. had a course of antibiotics in case it was over production of bacteria causing the problems but no change. I had prostate cancer 18 months ago and kept being told my symptoms could have been caused by radiation proctitis but cancer centre said this was unlikely looking at my history and treatment and endoscopy unit said it could possibly have been caused by the sigmoidoscopy. Though I have met two people who had problems from a sigmoidoscopy for a year or so afterwards and would not go back for further tests or treatment because like me they were fine before the tests but not after. I needed the polyps and ulcer treated so that I could continue with blood thinners - though it turned out that the gastro consultant did not think that I needed to come off the blood thinners because everything was so teeny. Anyway, endoscopy Doc has put me on another course of antibiotics and suggested this diet while waiting for these tests. Worried about diet as have heart problems so asked to be referred to a dietician but am trying to do some things about these symptoms. Sorry about long post. Just glad to have found a post about this type of diet.

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