Advice

[Bassem1979]

Hi

I wanted to asked some advice about how I have been over last few days.

Do all this stated for me end of November 2021, I have tried to eliminate certain foods and I thought it may be wheat. I have therefore been eating a gluten free diet for a week now and OMG I have had the worst weekend.

My diet from Friday morning.

Gluten free cereal, lunch gluten free pasta with a plain sauce and ham. Tea gluten free bread with cheese.

Saturday.. gluten free bread with egg and some gluten free crackers.

Today porridge with strawberries.

My BM diary Friday morning small BM type 4 then at 12.30 at night diarrhoea type 6.

Saturday X2 BM through the day type 4

Today 1 small BM type 4 and then ran to the toilet with a large type 7

I have also had constant stomach cramps been taking buscopan will little effect.

Am getting to the point where I don’t want to eat anything as am scared.

Please can anyone help.

[Luisa22]

I know it's a real head trip, all this food and label reading etc. But check there aren't additives in some of the products. There might be. And check if some things use sugar or artificial sweeteners like sorbitol mannitol and the like. because sorbitol, xylitol, (and probably mannitol too) act as a laxative.

Nowadays with the sugar hate everywhere, these sweeteners are being put in foods instead. I would much prefer sugar, refined and white or not.

It sounds boring but I found that the simplest foods and low fibre foods are the best for calming my gut. I mean boring like hard boiled eggs with just salt, white rice with just salt, white toast, half a greenish banana (a whole one is too much and too much fibre) Then steamed veggies, steamed pretty soft, and plain grilled fish, potatoes peeled, plain biscuits (check the label for artificial sweeteners and additives)and that sort of thing.

It could be the gluten free bread and pasta could have something in that doesn't agree with you. That might be an additive or too much fibre.

I get scared too now over food. It makes me cry. Some days I can hardly eat one vegetable, and I used to live on them and loved my food.

The cramps are awful. I got them yesterday when I had a bad flare since Friday morning. I held the teapot against my tummy very low down while the tea was brewing. It helped.

[Bassem1979 in reply to Luisa22]

Thanks for the advice Why is nothing simple, not so long back i was really constipated and taking loads of laxative to make me go. Now am the other way, am really get to the point where I can’t take anymore. It’s been every day since 27th November 2021, I really can’t remember last time I had a normal day.

I read every label then thought I would not have too with the gluten stuff.

[Luisa22 in reply to Bassem1979]

Yeah, sorry you're going through this. It's horrible I know. It gets me down. I think what hurts most is doing all the right things and finding out what suits and what doesn't and getting a grip on it finally. Then looking as if I'm winning, for weeks on end. But suddenly a massive flare up anyway out of nowhere. There's a hopeless feeling like being taken over by some alien force that can torture me whenever it likes and having no control no matter what I discover and what I do. Even though it looks like I'm getting the edge on it sometimes.

[Fodmapfella]

Whilst the advise as above is great, you've not mentioned any medical input & investigations and this is worrying. We can all try all sorts of diets, medications, stress relief strategies etc etc (And many of us do) but, speaking for myself, I didn't know that what I was suffering from, was actually IBS until investigated & anything else ruled out. Self & group help is fab, but please get yourself checked out professionally first. Best wishes.

[Bassem1979 in reply to Fodmapfella]

Hi I have the GP on speed dial, since this all started in November I have been to the GP 4 times and only had a routine blood test.

I tell them my symptoms and all the say is it’s 99.9% IBS I just don’t know what to do to get further test.

People on her get referred for colonoscopy, blood test etc. it’s like cause I have been they think am making it up so I get nervous phoning, because I do have health anxiety too. But regardless of health anxiety I can’t make up my BM’s as it’s what’s happening. Am the pain and discomfort in my gut is horrendous.

[Frasina]

Hi, I think firstly you need to get checked properly for coeliac as you may actually be fine with gluten and your IBS may not be a gluten intolerance at all. You seem to have mixed IBS as you said now D but the other way a while ago. Ask GP for blood test for coeliac and in meantime you must go onto a low fibre diet for a couple of weeks or so. Go online and see if you can find the low fibre diet from the royal free trust as this is what I followed when I had a flare up for a number of weeks a few months ago. And write down everything you eat but you have to eat so 'white' foods are best for now!

[Luisa22]

From my own experience I have to agree with the white foods idea. That's what I always have to eat to calm my gut over a flare. It's easier for the gut to deal with I think. Low residue or whatever the name is. I find foods help me like white toast, white rice, eggs, plain cooked fish, or meat like grilled chicken if you eat meat.

I have to be careful with any veggies, and there is only one or maybe two I can include a small amount of. and they have to be well steamed softer than usual.

I have heard it said that fibre helps loose stool! Nope. For me it doesn't help one bit and makes me worse. Any roughage is hard for the gut to cope with in a flare up I think.

Even soluble fibre doesn't help me.

I have to wait until my gut has calmed down and bm's are steadier again for a few days, then slowly start to introduce veggies and more healthy stuff.

[Justbreathe55]

I found alot of Gluten free stuff was full of sugar which doesn't help if you are sensitive to it....it's a minefield 🥲

[Bassem1979]

I think I need to cut the gluten free food out as like I said it’s made me so bad and also my piles too. You think you doing the right thing and then u find out it’s worst for you.

To be honest am scared of any food at the min, I know I have to eat and I use to eat like a pig loved my food. I ve never been overweight last October was 72kg now 64kg so losing weight. I know people on here have lost a lot more and a friend of mine lost 2 stone when she had a bad flare up of IBS which she was happy with.

Because am constantly losing weight that also worries me.

Well for my tea I think it’s boiled egg on toast , which I have missed a nice slice of toast cutting the wheat out so I will hopefully enjoy that tonight.

So I previously said how my BM’s were back end of last week and weekend and now not been for 2 days am bloody obsessed with pooing ha ha. Got to laugh or I would be constantly crying.

The only thing that drags me out of bed in a morning is that I have to go to work.

Thanks everyone x