Minefield diet Rubbish doctor and quite anxious

[Arpin]

Hi all Just diagnosed with IBS but probably had it for years Diagnosed first by gastroscopy with gastritis now progressed to IBS - docs words He's prescribed Pantoprazole 40mg daily Not doing much to help I'm taking Gaviscon by the glugful Diet is a joke it's trial and error My stools are rock hard in tiny pieces Pains and cramps on a bad day finds me in bed trying to relax by meditating and the world passes me by Not what I want Feel just a mess Any ideas how I approach this invasive thing I am keeping positive although this doesn't sound like it at all

[Luisa22]

I have the opposite to you, not constipation most of the time anyway. But I agree that the diet is trial and error. I went on the low fodmap diet and it helped somewhat but even then it was a minefield because even when I ate low fodmap I still could get flare ups. I guess I expected the diet to cure ibs within a few weeks.

I don't know if you could get to see a functional medicine doctor.Maybe not what with the cost and all, but that kind of doc. might have a better angle on your gut problems. GPs just prescribe drugs. I had GERD for 4 months last winter and wouldn't go near PPI prescriptions. I used herbal bitters minus the senna they put in Swedish bitters so I avoided those. And calcium citrate, DGL licorice, elevated the head of my bed...and all that. I was lucky because it went away of its own accord last year and hasn't come back yet.

While I had the GERD I also noticed I had firm normal stools. No diarrhea. When the GERD went away the loose guts came back.

I worked out that it's about digestive speed. The slower gut works, the more likely upper stomach problems and reflux as well as constipation.

The faster it works, the less likely stomach problems, and the more likely loose stools.

So a motility drug rather than a PPI might help? I don't know. Can you change your doctor and then ask them about that?

[Arpin in reply to Luisa22]

thanks Lisa Today finds me 3 days into a nasty flare up due to stress It's a vicious circle I've found a new drink Kéfir it tastes foul but seems to settle me Also Flax or linseed If I bought everything suggested I would need a bank loan Changed my doc last year to an even worse one so with this site I will try hard to cope cos the winning line is just a little too far out of reach... for now Stay as well as you can today 🧡

[Arpin in reply to Arpin]

sorry got your name wrong Luisa