I just wrote a reply to someone but thought I would post it as well, I have had IBS for 25 years and have tried every probiotic, tea, medication etc etc my main symptom is bloating to the point where I am so uncomfortable it takes over my life. The one thing I have done which has made a massive difference is give up breakfast ! It took a bit of getting used to but now I am not hungry in the mornings and don’t think about food until late morning, I think my stomach regularly having a fast or rest from my last meal in the evening until usually around midday the next day, which usually equates to around 18 hours has worked wonders for me. I do still get some bloating but it lasts for a few hours whereas previously once I got the dreaded bloat it would be 3 or 4 days before my stomach was anywhere near flat or comfortable again. It may not be for everyone but it has made such a difference I thought it worth sharing. There has been lots of research on how beneficial to the digestive system and gut fasting can be and it does make sense to give a sensitive gut a bit of time to rest, I know general advice for ibs is to keep eating but this is working for me so I am sticking to it for now.
Giving up Breakfast to help with bloating. - IBS Network
Giving up Breakfast to help with bloating.
I tried to 16 hour fast and I totally felt way better. But I went off that and now I’m feeling so crappy again that I’m going back on that regime totally works for me as well.
Yes, I kind of do something like this as well. It's been a gradual process but now I don't generally eat until after 4pm. This would probably be at least 16 hours since my last food. I eat generally between 4pm and 6pm, this would be a kind of lunch ie small sandwich and maybe a cake, (when I have finished all the necessary things I need to do that day). Then I have my evening meal sometime between 8pm to 10pm or even as late as midnight. This seems to be helping me get through the day now where as before I felt I was just keep going to the loo eating and going to the loo. It's not a perfect fix by any means but I don't believe there is one (for me anyway - had this nearly 35 years now). Sometimes if I feel good enough to venture out the house, I don't bother with the lunch, I just leave well alone and then eat in the evening when I get home from wherever I happened to venture out to. I found an interesting video on Youtube about this the other day, if I can find it again, I will put a link on.
Found it, hope this works.
youtube.com/watch?v=PKfR6bA...
Thanks for this. Very interesting. Not sure I could manage on one meal a day but certainly feel better since I have gone down to two per day.
You can fit 2 in easily fasting over night till lunchtime
It would be waiting til 4 before I ate I would find difficult but I guess it’s like the breakfast thing, your body adjusts, however I never eat past 6 pm as go to sleep quite early and my body would struggle to digest a late meal. I guess the way I do it suits me and I am going 18 hours without food. It’s all trial and error. I originally did it to cut down on calories and because I had read it was good for the system, the improvement in my ibs was a happy accident.
If you eat your last meal at 6 you could maybe eat your first meal earlier to try and get 2 in a day? You could still have an 18hr fasting period
Hi Sue. That is what I do. Last meal around 5.30 and then don’t eat until about 12 the next day. Off to find no breakfast guy on insta now ! Have a good day.
I was told that one of the worst things you can do when you have IBS is to skip a meal?
Yes I have read this too but in my experience it has been very beneficial to give up breakfast so I can only speak as I find, modern research is very much in favour of fasting so maybe things will change
Very interesting! I’d definitely give it a try if it helped my symptoms! Funny how things change, was just going by what I’d been told, I will have to research it more
Since following thenobreakfastguy on Instagram and fasting in the morning I'm improved and have lost weight too. Rarely feel hungry in morning
25 years! Find a specialist who truly understands IBS would be my best advice.
That’s a very sweeping statement, and a lot easier said than done. I think you will find most people on this forum have been living with the condition for many years, I have gone down the medical route until it has been exhausted, if it was as simple as your comment suggests life would be much simpler. Back in the real world I just thought I would share what works for me with others.
I am very sorry, I did not mean to offend you.
The trouble with the written word is it only conveys 5-10% of a normal conversion and you would not have sensed my sympathy in the comment.
All the best
No problem. Take care.
Not found one yet in 30yrs
I could recommend the gastroenterologist I have found after 5 years of dealing with incompetence.
He specialises in IBS/IBD/SIBO. He works in tandem with a great nutritionist too. I consult privately because I live out of Torquay where they work both practice privately and in the NHS. PM me for details if you like...
I am always sore and feel very unwell in the mornings so I just can't manage eating anything. A year ago I would run 10k 5 times a week at 6am then be hungry and eat all day without problems. Now I can't run and can't even look at food until 3pm. I have a small yoghurt with a biscuit if I get hungry, then for dinner about 6pm I might have something really plain like chicken and rice or a sandwich.
Yesterday morning I had my usual water when I woke up and it felt like my stomach was blocked and I had so much pain. Miserable.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
severe bloating & antidepressant help?
Bloating and excess wind help?
Bloating and Snacking
WAKING UP BLOATED?!
Severe bloating (without eating food)
I am severely bloated EVERYDAY because of IBS...Please help!!!
help bloating help help
Fed up with bloating. 
IBS- bloating & gurgling stomach
Giving up caffeine for my IBS-D has made management harder.
