My symptoms seem to ease if I eat mainly carbs... - IBS Network

IBS Network

47,548 members15,587 posts

My symptoms seem to ease if I eat mainly carbs - Does anyone else experience this?

Briggsy0304 profile image
25 Replies

Just seems odd to me. If I eat carbs, carbs, carbs then the management of my IBS is so much easier to tolerate (still a lot of problems, but not as bad).

I just don't get it, fruits, veg, nuts, most meats cause me a lot of problems but give me rice & bread and my symptoms aren't as bad.

Does anyone else manage their IBS with a high carb diet?

Written by
Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
25 Replies

Hi Briggsy0304. I found that with my IBS, any healthy foods gave me terrible stomach cramps. All I could eat was pasta, rice, bread and cake! I am sorry you are experiencing this too.

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to

Same with me, it's really frustrating as I want to live a healthy life, but to get through the week I have to live mostly on rice & bread.

in reply to Briggsy0304

I really do sympathise. It is awful when you want to eat healthily but cannot. I am sorry you are going through this. Could you ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician and maybe they can help you come up with meals you can tolerate?

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to

I've spent a long time with dietitians & nutritionists, but nothing has really helped. I've been sick for many years so tried a lot of different diets. At the moment I'm trying a functional medicine approach, but pretty much everything on the allowed list causes me flare ups :(

in reply to Briggsy0304

That sounds awful. I am so sorry. IBS is such a puzzle as it seems to be triggered differently by everybody.

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to

I still stay positive. I've got a lot of good people supporting me. One day I'll beat this!

in reply to Briggsy0304

Good for you! I cannot wait for your thread when you say you will beat this. :)

weegmack profile image
weegmack in reply to

Same!

FRreedman profile image
FRreedman

I remember, many years ago, after an operation, my surgeon told her to now go and eat everything you were told you ,shouldn't, Maccy Ds, sweets, chocolate anything you want. I didn't know why, then and I don't know why now, but it worked. ( for about 18 years).

tiredmum profile image
tiredmum

Hi there,

When I have an acid stomach, reflux, cramps or the runs I find bread, currant buns , mash and rice the best things to eat. They seem to magically soak up all the acid.

I can not eat a healthy diet at all, fruit and veg make me so much worse.

It really doesn’t help with maintaining weight though, I have developed a muffin top which I can not shift however much I cut back on the calories.

If it works stick to it though because coping with the acid and nausea is awful.

Good luck

Nic

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to tiredmum

Exactly the same thing with me! nausea is my worst symptom and as you save, carbs seem to magically reduce the symptoms.

Whenever I try & reintroduce any kind of fruits of vegetables, the nausea is back and I'm bed bound, even small dosages :(

It's really annoying, as I feel the high carb diet causes me to feel really fatigued.

weegmack profile image
weegmack in reply to Briggsy0304

Totally understand - whenever I try to follow a really healthy diet, I feel absolutely terrible! So, like you, I eat a lot of carbs. I get so worked up about it, because of all the news reports about us all having to eat more fruit and veg for protection against various horrible diseases. And I’m like, but I can’t eat those things!

tiredmum profile image
tiredmum in reply to Briggsy0304

I get anti sickness tablets from my doctor. They don’t stop the nausea but do enable you to nibble on a cracker or some toast which also helps.

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to tiredmum

I take amitriptyline for my IBS & it helps with my nausea enormously

Fergie53 profile image
Fergie53 in reply to tiredmum

Yes, I’m the same, meat, veg, too much fruit, whole meal bread all make my IBS worse! I think our guts are too sensitive so plain food and for me white bread is better!

Maureen1958 profile image
Maureen1958

Yes, I find the same, carbs are often quite dry foods, and as tiredmum says they seems to soak things up.

Sylvie200 profile image
Sylvie200

Yes, I'm the same. It's because carbs are mostly soluble fibre which is gentle on the stomach. Insoluble fibre and fatty foods are the worst. When I'm bad I eat white bread, white rice and pasta, potatoes etc. Unfortunately not very healthy in other ways but it gets me through. Plain fish and chicken are ok though and ripe bananas. It's bland but, whatever works.

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to Sylvie200

I'm the same, totally bland foods. I can tolerate some meats like chicken & turkey, plus a handful of berries, but apart from that it's all carbs.

Maybe I'll look into soluble fibre supplements.

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304

The weight is really annoying isn't it. don't weigh a lot, but as I can't tolerate protein I have very low muscle mass & spare type look.

Having a good body isn't a big deal to me, I'm more concerned with my health then my look, but it's still desirable & eating loads of carbs doesn't really help.

Pig2 profile image
Pig2

Interesting as I have been trying to go gluten free as find if I have bread, pasta etc have flare up, generally!

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to Pig2

Oh I don't eat gluten at all, but there are plenty of gluten free alternatives :)

Pig2 profile image
Pig2 in reply to Briggsy0304

Do you think it helps? keeping food diary and seems to be only thing I can pinpoint really! Sometimes spicy food ok, other times it isn't! So difficult to know whether food is a factor. Stress certainly is and stressing about travelling definitely makes it worse!

Briggsy0304 profile image
Briggsy0304 in reply to Pig2

Personally, I have found that giving up gluten has made no difference at all, but there is certainly no harm in trying it. Some Functional medicine doctors suggests that everyone should avoid Gluten & health benefits will come in the long term, where as other doctors believe that only people coeliac will benefit.

I'm not a doctor, but from what I've read, we aren't intended or designed to digest gluten, so giving it up shouldn't cause any harm & could possibly help. It hasn't helped me but I'm going to stick with it anyway, as it may just take a long time of avoiding to see improvements.

If you've pinpointed Gluten & spicy food, then I'd say give them up for a while & see how you get on, you never know, you may be much better & after your digestive system has been given a rest, you may be able to re-introduce :)

Pig2 profile image
Pig2

Thanks, yes I don't think people realise how much ibs can take over your life do they?! I seem to go from ibs c to ibs d constantly atm! Nightmare. Hope you stay stable 🙂

IBSNetwork profile image
IBSNetworkPartnerIBS Network

Hi, information on diet and IBS is available here theibsnetwork.org/diet/

You may also like...

Does anyone else have a problem with rice and/or oats?

diarrhoea) if I eat rice or oats no matter how they're served. I mentioned the rice problem to...

Anyone else with similar symptoms?

I was diagnosed with IBS last year, I just want to see if anyone’s had similar experiences to me.. I

Does anyone else experience bloating and gas before they’ve eeven eaten anything?

I now seem to be getting gas and bloating before I’ve even had breakfast - is that part of Ibs and...

Mystery Symptoms - Anyone Else?

various elimination diets to no avail. The low FODMAP diet helped with other symptoms like...

Does anyone know if prebiotics are OK for IBS symptoms?

to the FODMAPs diet contain all the things you shouldn't eat. Anyone had any problems with...