IBS struggle

[JadeDrane]

Hi. I've been struggling with IBS for a few years now. I am also allergic to dairy products. I try and have a healthy diet but it is very difficult. I eat low FODMAP dinners most days and have low FODMAP lunches when I'm at work. I take biomel powder in my banana and peanut butter smoothie twice a day. I am on alverine citrate twice a day, but I just constantly feel bloated, constipated, gassy and just fat in general. My stomach is always rock hard and occasionally hurts. I feel like it's affecting my mental wellbeing as I just don't feel attractive (even though my boyfriend has reassured me that's not the case). Is there any suggestions for me to try and lose all of this gas trapped in my stomach from my IBS.

[xjrs]

I'm just wondering about your reason for taking alverine citrate when you say you are constipated. Alverine citrate is an anti-spasmodic, so it can slow your digestion down. If you are constipated, this means that food is retained for longer, allowing gases to build up.

Additionally being very low FODMAP for too long can be counterproductive. It will reduce feed for the microbiome (much of stool is made up of bacteria) and reduce fibre, which won't help constipation.

I have some general advice about what to try for IBS in a previous post of mine:

healthunlocked.com/theibsne...

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

Alverine citrate and low FODMAP diet is what my doctor told me to do

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

I do take probiotics every morning and the biomel powder I take has loads of good gut bacteria in it

[xjrs in reply to JadeDrane]

Not all probiotics are the same. Not all probiotics have been studied for IBS or whether they reach the gut. If you are experiencing issues, you might want to go back to the doctor to explain. Unfortunately, even GPs are not experts in IBS - there is still lots to be learned about the condition. From what you are saying your doctor's advice isn't working for you.

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

What medication do you suggest would work ?

[xjrs in reply to JadeDrane]

It depends on what your overall symptoms are and what specific symptoms you are trying to treat. Symptoms range can come in the class of stool consistency (see Bristol stool scale here: medicalnewstoday.com/articl..., stool frequency, pain and timing of pain, gas, bloating (the latter two you've already mentioned). Everyone's IBS is different.

i.e. what symptoms caused you to go low FODMAP and take alverine citrate in the first place?

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

So my stool consistency and quantity, the bloating. Gas. Pain in my bowels at any time during the day, don't even have to have food and I get pain (stabbing pain). The doctors first put me on omperazole and that did nothing so they moved me onto alverine

[xjrs in reply to JadeDrane]

Do you have IBS-D (diarrhoea dominant) or IBS-C (constipation dominant)? The Bristol stool scale link shows you which is which. When you say quantity, do you mean too much or too little? Some people have mixed (IBS-M), but in some instances this is actually constipation with overflow diarrhoea (where liquid food passes around impacted stool), so the issue is actually constipation.

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

I'm mainly constipated so probably IBS-C. I do on occasion have the runs which is coupled with a lot of pain, hot sweats, chills and feeling sick

[xjrs in reply to JadeDrane]

If you've mainly constipation and you also had constipation prior to starting the alverine citrate talk to your doctor about stopping the alverine citrate - this is likely to make constipation worse. Your doctor has probably prescribed this since you have pain and to stop the intestinal spams that are causing pain. However, intestinal muscle contractions are also needed to move waste through your system.

Once agreed to stop the alverine citrate, also stop the biomel and try Alflorex on its own on a 3 month trial instead. Your pain may be due to over sensitisation of nerves in the gut by a dominance of bad bugs. I've found Alflorex the best for this (and tried many probiotics over the years), plus it has been scientifically studied for IBS. After the 3 month trial see if the Alflorex reduces the pain and makes you more tolerant to foods. Try to increase fibre very gradually to help the constipation (I have separate advice about this, but I didn't want to overload you at this point). Plus try to reintroduce some foods - again very slowly starting with 1/4 to 1/3 of a normal portion size on day 1 and gradually increase - keep a food diary.

If Alflorex doesn't help you entirely and you are still constipated even after increasing fibre and/or still have some pain, ask your GP about Linaclotide. It works on both the pain and constipation. I take both Alflorex and Linaclotide for IBS-C. The Linaclotide takes 10 weeks to reach full pain effects. At 10 weeks this reduced my pain by 50%-60%. When I added in Alforex my pain reduced to zero and only comes back if I am particularly challenging with foods that I am still intolerant to. I mention things in this order since it best to try with natural products first and then move to medication if needed. Because I took the Linaclotide first, I don't know if the Alforex would have sorted me out on its own, which is why I recommend that you try this first.

Hopefully if you can go more and empty your system more regularly, the gas and bloating with die down too.

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

I was reading through your post you added. I am allergic to dairy so I cannot eat a lot of foods due to this. It does eliminate a lot of foods as I do like to eat meat and I'm not on a fully vegan diet

[xjrs in reply to JadeDrane]

I can't have dairy either, since it blocks me up. There is a lot that you can eat that is dairy free. The probiotic I mention is a capsule and completely dairy free. I eat meat and fish, especially oily fish too. The Mediterranean diet, which is good for the microbiome, includes oily fish, lean meats, pulses, nuts, seeds and olive oil and wholegrains. Fibre and wholegrains are great for the microbiome and IBS. It's a case of finding something that makes you more tolerant to these, whether through specific probiotic or medications. Though finding the right combination of each that improves food tolerance is down to trial and error.

I was low FODMAP for years and, although initially it helped, in the end it made my IBS worse due to the impact on the microbiome. Only by improving food tolerance, my situation started to improve, though I still have some intolerances - that's because I still have IBS and there is no 'cure' for it.

[XDjames in reply to JadeDrane]

As xjrs says, GPs are not IBS experts -unless you get very lucky- and not even gastrointestinal specialists know a lot. This network may be you best hope for info, but whatever medications and remedies you want to use check them out on somewhere like Google Scholar to see if there is reliable evidence that they are beneficial -rather than harmful.

As for wind, I get floods of it too. I can’t control what my guts generate and I have little control over expelling it so I am often in excruciating discomfort/pain.

[JadeDrane in reply to xjrs]

I have reduced my alverine down to 1 a day instead of 2 (can take up to 3 if needed). And I have an appointment with my doctor on Friday

[Edgar77]

I can only tell you what works for me, as a celiac I Have to be gluten free, but my dietician advised to try dairy free. Which also helped. Then I discovered my bone density was very low so the dietician said to try lactose free instead as you still get all the goodness of milk and in most cases it is the lactose that causes the problem. I was OK with that. I also have half a sache of fibogel after my main meal of the day. Don't ask me the science but my Doc says it helps both constipation and diarrhoea. I also have yakult which after a few weeks began to help too, it is a reasonable price and found in most supermarkets. Gluten and dairy free. As I said this helps me but its not perfect. We are all different. Maybe some of this will help. I hope so.

[JadeDrane in reply to Edgar77]

I tried lactose free before I went fully dairy free but I will still having the same reaction I had when I had lactose. I have not yet been to a dietician as my doctors never referred me. As my blood tests and stool samples came back clear, she just said I have IBS. Said to continue on alverine and that was that

[FoodforLife]

I had same problems for years then my daughter convinced me to take kombucha. After two weeks taking kombucha, I feel so good about myself. Now I am taking kombucha every day because I love it so much. Good luck to you

[JadeDrane in reply to FoodforLife]

Glad you found something that helps. I'm not the biggest fan of tea, never liked the taste and have tried all the herbal and fruity teas as well

[Billybong]

Have you tried Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with mother. I started taking it about 20min before each meal. I was blowing up like a balloon before starting it. I take one table spoon in a full glass of water about 20 min three times a day before meals.When you start it tastes vile,I didn't think I would continue but after about a week you just chuck it down. My extra triggers are peanut butter, all brown: bread pasta rice flour all the healthy ingredients I just can't eat now. Good luck hope the Vinegar works for you, I buy mine from Aldi.

[Gizmo6]

Have you tried any alternatives. I take slippery elm which helps acid reflux I find it helps ibs very slightly. This ibs is just awful it effects so many people i myself have had this for 30 plus years. I started with acid reflux along with dairy intolerance about 5 years ago. I find i can't tolerate sweeteners. Its so hard finding foods that are dairy free, sweetener free or contains anything that could annoy my acid reflux. I believe these are all connected. My gp told me ibs and acid reflux tend to go together so I suppose it's normal to have lactose intolerance as well. I'm not too bad with dairy I can have a drop in a brew but I can't have it on my morning cereal so small amounts are ok. I can't have most spices. Drives me crackers which then upsets the digestion. Crazy these doctors can't find us more help.

Forgot to add i drink liquorice and peppermint tea i find it helpful on flare ups. Sometimes I'll add chamomile to the tea. Use honey as sweetner.

[JadeDrane in reply to Gizmo6]

Yeah. I can't have any dairy at all. I once had it in my cereal near the start of me going dairy free and I was bed bound for the rest of the day as my stomach was so sore and bloated. If I smell anything with cream in it I go white and feel very sick. I just can't handle dairy at all

[Gizmo6 in reply to JadeDrane]

So sorry to hear this I'm thankful I can tolerate small amounts. Look in to slippery elm I feel it has reduced some symptoms.

mountsinai.org/health-libra...