Lost will to live

[marshamclean]

I have been suffering IBS for 9 yrs. At this point I eat only raspberries, grilled cheese sandwiches, potato chips. I seem to do okay for a while then I have abdominal pain. I use Miralax or equivalent. I drilnk water and some chocolate almond milk. Too sick to cook The other day I tried salted peanuts and butterscotch candies,🤪. Sick since so back to before. I have medications that help some. Just too tired and sick today. Sorry, just to let somebody know how I feel.

[bburzycki]

If I ate what you are my symptoms would be a nightmare. Is that the diet / food plan that was recommended to you?

[Moggiedee in reply to bburzycki]

I was about to write exactly what you have said. Cooked cheese i.e on toast or in an omelette is a killer for me although I can eat it in its natural state.

[marshamclean in reply to bburzycki]

It is the diet plan that works best for me as I cannot cook much. These are low fodmap and are easy.

[bburzycki in reply to marshamclean]

Yet you are not healthy and something is not working. I have been through all of this - 20 plus years of chronic gut issues with no answers. 100's of foods and meal plans, 1000's in medical "advice". Trial and error and yet we are all different. I have found the most important thing is do not give up and keep trying, but balance that with not be over concerned with anything if nothing is working as that can usually point to it being more than diet. Are you exercising? I have found as much as that sucks it can help. Are stress levels high above and beyond the gut related issues? Stress and anxiety is a snowball that will grow uncontrollable with gut issues at its core symptoms.

Have you already rules out all other factors with a good GI doc and your general care person?

[marshamclean in reply to bburzycki]

Thank you so much for your concern. Been through this for years.

[Kazzacrazy]

I too would be sick eating what you are such bad food for anyone....have you tried the fodmap diet? Have you been seen by a doctor?

[marshamclean in reply to Kazzacrazy]

I am on fodmap. Seen 10 doctors and see on e once a month

[Kazzacrazy in reply to marshamclean]

Sorry I can't offer any other advice but hope you find some answers to your issues.

[marshamclean in reply to Kazzacrazy]

I do appreciate your efforts! Just feeling frustrated and in severe continuous pain. Thanks, not looking for advice just a bit of understanding.

[pump321]

I also suffer from IBS and would not consider the foods you are eating to be suitable for your IBS. I eat foods that are softer on the stomach and easy to digest.

[Bluehair101]

I agree with the other replies above. I don’t eat dairy keep gluten minimal and keep to the foods that are ok within FODMAP diet. I cook most things myself. I take good probiotics daily. However if I feel stressed then my ibs d will be bad. I could not eat what you are eating. I would be very unwell. It’s hard work but better than being unwell all the time. I hope you find a way forward to improve your health. Best wishes x

[marshamclean in reply to Bluehair101]

Hard cheeses and sourdough bread are low fod map. So is buyter

[Fencinggirl]

While I would also have trouble eating what marshamclean is eating, I would like to remind everyone who has commented that we are all different and that the low fodmap diet doesn't help everyone. In my case, it made me feel a lot worse. Just something to keep in mind x

[Barney100 in reply to Fencinggirl]

I agree with you. The FODMAP diet is highly restrictive and did very little for me. It also made me feel much more depressed as I couldnt really eat what I wanted. The best doctors don't seem to know the cures to our ailments so only you know what is best for your body. I also tend to stay away from meds as these too have generally had a negative effect. Hot water is the only thing I can recommend safely.

[Bassem1979 in reply to Barney100]

Hi I agree, I think that’s one of the reasons am few depressed it’s because of how much am restricting my diet.

I love salted peanut but am to scared to eat them.

Am not even 100% sure if my IBS is related to diet or stress, I have a very stressful job, I have health anxiety so make my self stressed worrying about elements not just for me but for other people too.

I ve been on medication for anxiety but side effects not that good.

I just wanted to say the same as others, everyone is different and everyone reacts different in every situation. All I ever hear or read is FOODMAP diet but it may not be all diet related.

[marshamclean in reply to Fencinggirl]

Thank you very much.

[ling in reply to Fencinggirl]

Wise words indeed : )

[Frasina]

Please go back and see a doctor; you need to eat more of a balance (ideally) and a doctor will either help you directly or ensure you speak to a dietician who can...it is trial and error and although you have had IBS for 9 years it may well be that things you could not tolerate at the beginning may be okay now. In your shoes I would speak to the medical profession asap. Good luck x

[marshamclean in reply to Frasina]

Balanced diet is not part of IBS

[Frasina in reply to marshamclean]

Sorry that you feel some of us (myself included) were not being helpful. We do want to help - really we do! We would not post otherwise.... for what it is worth, I (asides having IBS 20 years plus) also have IBD so I do know how awful the gut can get and how painful and distressing it can be....when you feel bad you are at your wits end but please believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. People on here are just worried when they see a post with 'lost will to live' as the heading, that's all. I really hope you feel better soon x

[marshamclean in reply to Frasina]

Thank you so very much. Been to one of best and he says not much more he can do, really. Just feeling frustrated and pretty hopeless right now. Thanks so much

[Maureen1958]

Sorry to hear your tummy didn't like the peanuts or candies. Ignore all these know-alls on here! You know best what suits you and I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to tell somebody else what they should and shouldn't eat! So much for giving support to each other!

I do hope you start to feel a bit better soon. ❤️

[Sunshineonmyshoulder in reply to Maureen1958]

I think the point that marshamclean is making is that she/he does NOT know what best suits them. She/he is suffering and at wit's end, but unfortunately, the foods they are settling on are part of the problem. The bread, the cheese, the fried chips, the sugar (in chocolate milk and candy) are all possibly irritants. Marshamclean, as other posters have said, ask your doctor for guidance regarding your diet. I feel so bad for you, and I hope you can feel better soon.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Sunshineonmyshoulder]

It's not always about food! I didn't get the impression she wanted to know what to eat, she was just looking for some kind words but everyone come on here belittling her which I didn't think was very nice!

[marshamclean in reply to Maureen1958]

Thank you Maureen! I have suffered this disease long enough. I just wanted a couple of taste good foods. Just saying those two did me under. Do not even dare ask me to ask doctors ! Rude! Others truly suffering this disease know. No worries I am away from this site!!!

[Maureen1958 in reply to marshamclean]

Please don't leave the site, don't let them win!

[marshamclean in reply to Maureen1958]

I am really too sick to use the site. I never know where my replies are going🤪. I am sorry , really. It is too complicated for my brain. I say this with a smile on my face. Thanks Maureen

[Maureen1958 in reply to marshamclean]

I wish you well for the future. I have also sent you a message on Chat.

[marshamclean in reply to Sunshineonmyshoulder]

I do know! Those are the things that don’t bother me that I can cook myself. I am too sick to cook. Live by myself. Just no will to live!

[marshamclean in reply to Sunshineonmyshoulder]

Sunshine, thanks, hopefully you can tell I reply in all the wrong places.🤪

[Sunshineonmyshoulder in reply to marshamclean]

I'm so sorry for being insensitive. Like others have said, I was trying to help but I ended up sounding like a jerk. Please don't give up hope. Maybe something you read on here will resonate with you and will end up being the key to your recovery.

[marshamclean in reply to Sunshineonmyshoulder]

Thanks for your concern. I was truly at my wits end! I live alone and have no other outlet for my frustrations.

[Maureen1958]

To all the know-alls on here, perhaps you would like to take a look at this little video!

youtube.com/watch?v=9fYngTU...(Not working as expected?)

[Nothing_but_books in reply to Maureen1958]

I love Thumper. Thank you for reminding us all of his Daddy's instructions.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Nothing_but_books]

I always thought the Disney films were good at getting things like that across to kids.

[Sparrow58]

Being a long term sufferer of IBS it involves a lot of trial and errors to see you you can and cannot eat. A lot of the time it is just food, one week you can eat something the next week it can upset you. You need to try and get help with your diet to make sure you are getting vitamins etc. When I first had it I thought it would go away like a stomach bug. Unfortunately for me that was not the case, it is a syndrome and needs to be managed. All the best and take care of yourself.

[marshamclean in reply to Sparrow58]

You do not take vitamin supplements with severe IBS.

[marshamclean in reply to marshamclean]

Sorry this is to go to next replies. Just trying to let others know not just to try supplements. They can be very disastrous

[Sparrow58 in reply to marshamclean]

I did not mean supplements. I meant vitamins from food

[marshamclean in reply to Sparrow58]

I know! I am never sure where my replies are going! Sorry! My eyes are just not too good.

[Kitten-whiskers]

I am so sorry your feeling like this, I can certainly relate to that very much. The low fodmap does not work for everyone and certainly did not work for me. I just wondered if you thought about keeping a food diary - see if you can hunt out the foods that are making you so poorly. Also on such a restricted diet - like we all are - are you keeping your vitamins/minerals topped up?

I really hope you feel better soon and find some comfort in the fact you are not alone

Best wishes

Debs

[marshamclean in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

The fofmap works for me mostly. Somethings on there kill, as most of sufferers know

[marshamclean]

Everything I eat IS low fodmap!

[Iesgobdafydd]

I don't know if you're still reading replies or not, but I really feel for you so I'm going to try replying anyhow. For quite a while (I think a year or two?), I was down to a very limited range of foods I would eat over and over - sprouted buckwheat pancakes with butter, boiled rice with spinach and red peppers and grated cheese mixed in. Maybe a few other things, but not a lot. So boring - I never realized till I couldn't eat whatever I wanted how much pleasure food gave me. Being tired and uncomfortable all the time, it's not much of a life is it, and I wasn't even trying to work like you are, so I could just lie in bed and distract myself with films or things most of the time. I don't know if you are trying any other approaches to getting better other than just downing Miralax and hoping things will improve? You might have tried lots of ideas already in 9 years, but my experience of my website is that you were very unfortunate with the replies you got, and usually people here are very supportive also there are so many good ideas to try out. Even if you don't want to post here again, you can still search the website for information and suggestions made to other people in the past, and might find some helpful ideas that way. You have to judge ideas for yourself, some things people have said sometimes have sounded like quack medicine to me, but there are also posts that sound like the author has done an awful lot of research and really knew what they were talking about.

[marshamclean in reply to Iesgobdafydd]

"Thank you for your reply. I did just quit reading replies until I thought I could handle them. I know most of you know I was just expressing feelings at the time. I guess it is important to let new people know the extent of frustration we go through and the importance of support from those experiencing similar frustrations.❤️

[MyGutIsMysterio]

I can try to give my input on how I would see that diet. I personally cannot do chocolate of any kind, I notice it just makes me feel awful, for a sandwich I get the gluten free white bread from Aldi (it's a good size bread) cause cannot do gluten at all (which is in regular breads, pastas, flour, etc). The raspberries are questionable, I've had some before but I think going over a certain amount starts to make me feel weird. Sorry I can't be of any help other than giving my own experience.

[marshamclean in reply to MyGutIsMysterio]

Thank you so for your effort help me in my frustration!

[Mush83]

I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time.

IBS is so frustrating in that you end up on such a restrictive diet to try and live a normal life then bam your ‘safe foods’ upset your stomach too and you’re back to square one.

I’ve no decent advise other than that we understand and pls keep going with whatever works for you.

[marshamclean in reply to Mush83]

Thanks all I need to know is that there are others out there frustrated as I am ❤️

[NobodyYouKnow]

I found considerable relief from IBS-D when I cut all sugar/starch from my diet (low carb/keto/ketovore) and I think there is definitely a link between sugars & starch (starch metabolizes into sugar) and the sufferers of IBS.

I also learned that I have to LIMIT fiber, especially non-soluble fiber, it is just too irritating to the colon. Soluble fiber seems to have the most benefit but still needs to be kept to a low level and that is where the Ketovore way of eating is being very beneficial. FYI - Ketovore is a meat dominant diet ( I include a few low starch veggies) that is extremely low carb.

I actually feel the best on days when I eat meat/eggs/butter only (Carnivore) - it seems that combination causes the least amount of irritation - probably because it is pretty much zero carb.

FYI - Do not mix eating carnivore with ANY starchy/sugary foods. This results in terrible gas and boating. The sugars ferment the meat in your digestive tract and the result is horrific.

That said I still have gut issues which I think are tied in with aging and a more sedentary lifestyle but it is nowhere as bad as it used to be.

PS - There are lots of good Keto / Carnivore groups on Facebook that have many good suggestions on what to eat and how to prepare it. I recommend Steak & Butter Gal if you want to go full on Carnivore and for women - facebook.com/groups/Ketogen... for one as she has developed some incredible recipes that allow us to once again have breads and noodles (all made with eggs / protein sources).

[marshamclean in reply to NobodyYouKnow]

Thanks for info. Will review a bit more when pain subsides🙏

[winfong]

IBS can be terrible. I've had it for all my adult life (40+ years). I find, though, that it fluctuates. Right now, it's pretty tolerable. There have been times, however, where it was really unbearable.

Apart from diet issues, I'm just curious what else you've tried. Sounds like you've been to more than your share of docs. What meds are you on? Supplements? Ever done any therapy?

I'm not even sure what kind of IBS you have though. Are you C, D, or a combo?

[marshamclean in reply to winfong]

I use a fentanyl patch for stomach pain. It helps on my average days, I use Miralax substitute for constipation, I use oxycodone for extra pain control. Stress certainly brings on extreme bouts and I do use therapy. I have quit my cheese and potato chips like was suggested here. It has helped some. Any form of loose bowel really .aggravates my pain and sets off a whole litany of problems. I try and stay this side of constipation, not difficult with the pain meds I take. Without the pain meds I am in constant pain.

[winfong in reply to marshamclean]

Wow, those are some pretty serious drugs

[marshamclean in reply to winfong]

so is the pain