IBS-D and grains

[Junkjournal1]

Hi I haven’t posted on here for a while but am still suffering with diarrhoea I avoid gluten and fructans wherever possible and have a long list of other foods that I am unable to tolerate. After three years of being diagnosed with IBS I feel that I am still fighting a losing battle. So yesterday I had some gluten free cornflakes which I haven’t had in years and today I’ve visited the bathroom numerous times. I was just wondering if it’s possible to be intolerant of all grains. I’m at my wits end with all this can and can’t eat stuff even with avoiding foods I know will cause havoc I am still suffering bad bouts of diarrhoea. Thinking of all you fellow sufferers it’s madness.

[Blearyeyed]

It is possible to be intolerant to all grains or just some.Many people can tolerate gluten but not wheat.

Many people suffer with intolerance to corn and corn products and even if they don't have IBS-D , as corn also contains insoluble fibre it can make people run to the loo the next day.

And of course , it may not just be the corn , it could be the sugar content as this is the prime suspect for all things poo, or other ingredients like sweeteners that cause the diarrhea too.

Many people with IBS - D can't tolerate the insoluble fibre in whole grains and they can irritate the intestinal wall or cause pain and bloating as they pass through but they are ok with softer products or flours made from the same grain . Some people find the same issue with nuts , whole or chopped can cause pain and poops but nut flours or smooth nut butter is alright.

Unfortunately, it does take a lot of trial and error to get the balance right , and then occasionally if you are under the weather or have added stress the foods that are usually fine for you can still give you a bad day.

At least we don't have to suffer in silence anymore as we have each other to talk to. Take care , Bee

[xjrs]

Sometimes when you try something that you haven't had for a while and you have it in normal portion amounts, your body isn't used to handling it so rejects it. When trying something new again, it is a good idea to start with a smaller amount e.g. 1/4 or 1/3 of a normal portion size for a couple of days and then increment by another 1/4 or a 1/3 if you don't have symptoms. You can always cut back to a previous amount for longer before incrementing again.

I was intolerant to grains before I started on Alflorex probiotic. I can now eat many more grains including wholewheat bread which contains fructans. Have you given that a go? it has been scientifically studied for IBS.

[Superzob in reply to xjrs]

Never thought of that, and it ties in with the work being done by the Zoe Health team at Kings College under Prof. Tim Spector. He advocates eating 30 different foods a week, because the variety improves the breadth of gut flora, which helps digestion. Therefore, I suppose you could argue that, if you haven't eaten a particular foodstuff for a while, the microbes which help digest it are no longer present; however, they would start to repopulate the gut after you've eaten enough of the food to enable the microbe to re-establish itself. Could write a paper on this!

[Luisa22]

Maybe it's not the gluten. It could be an ingredient in the gluten free cornflakes that really doesn't suit you. What are they made from? Just because they're gluten free doesn't mean you can tolerate any of the other ingredients.

Plus, what did you have them with? Milk? Milk doesn't help diarrhea even in people with normal digestion. Is it possible you're lactose intolerant?

But IBS goes through these bad times when nothing seems to suit. Two of my 'safe foods' are white basmati rice and hard boiled eggs. I usually eat those with no problems, and they often steady out my gut. But a couple of times when I was having bad flare ups even those were giving me diarrhea. In fact, everything I put in my mouth was. It's not always about food intolerances. It can just be that IBS is flaring up for no rhyme or reason often.

The flare ups can sometimes settle down for a while.

Is there anything you can take to maybe stop the diarrhea. Perhaps Imodium might help. Not enough to make you constipated but enough to slow things down a bit? You could experiment with the dosage.

I have a BMA medical book at home, and it says that Imodium is a very safe drug to take when needed and non-addictive. It just slows down the gut a bit depending on dose.

[kenta in reply to Luisa22]

IBS sufferer here among other things. I now am gluten free cereal and lactose free milk in the morning and one codeine tablet at night. So far so good!