On going problems

[OldTimer74]

OK, I posted about a week ago re my IBS. When I get up and have maybe a couple of slices of toast which I had no problems with in the past. About half an hr after eating I get a pain lower down in mid region, it can last from half an hr to several hrs and is quite painful. Sometimes I pass wind and it helps. Today it lasted about 6 hrs, couldn`t pass wind at all. I just couldn`t get my system going. I take cosmocol every day (one sachet lasts me all day with the final drink from it before bed.) I used to have lots of wind but that seems to have shut down. I normally go to the toilet when I get up, it`s always soft due to the cosmocol but generally ends with a blast. BTW I take cosmocol because I have an inguinal hernia that I am waiting to have surgery, I`ve had that hernia for 9 years and it has gotten worse. Anyway today was struggle to go and no blast at the end. I managed to go to the toilet again this afternoon but it was just like water ( maybe because I took more cosmocol than normal. ) It gets to the point where I am frightened to eat breakfast because I know I will have the belly ache. The last time I had a FIT test was in April and all was clear. BTW I`m 79 now. I have managed the IBS for many many years but it has changed, I take tablets for anxiety due to the way the world is now and money is getting tighter. For years I would always have an explosion after my lunch which as you all know can be very awkward depending where you are working. I had so much wind at times in the past that I recorded it and called the disk "farting along with Dave" Anyway, am I telling you something that you have heard before or should I be more worried? People don`t understand that IBS and it`s class mates is one of the worst health problems we have with millions all over the world suffering. I have also been drinking lots of bottled water this year because in the heat I easily get dehydrated and wondered if the many ingredients in the bottled water might be having an adverse effect?

Thank you for reading and any replies.

[FrostGyre]

Isn't there just one ingredient in water?

Toast/bread (still) isn't food! Get some bacon and scrambled eggs down you. 🙂

And yes, millions are suffering because they're eating "healthy food" that isn't healthy.

[Maggysav in reply to FrostGyre]

IBS isn’t always caused by diet even the medical professionals don’t know what causes it.

[OldTimer74 in reply to Maggysav]

Yeh, I agree and tend to think that anxiety plays a major roll.

[FrostGyre in reply to Maggysav]

Ah yes, the experts, who continually miss the obvious.

And what usually causes the anxiety? It's not knowing what's going to happen when you eat or drink something.

It has to start with diet. All we need is meat (preferably beef), fat, and water. It's the simplest thing to do, but not the easiest as it goes against what we've been told we need to eat to be healthy. It amazes me what people will go through; the different foods and "foods" they try; and the poisons provided by medical professionals.

Keep it simple. It costs me less than £35 per week to feed myself; and I eat mostly beef and eggs. One day a week I don't eat or drink anything for 24 hours.

No more bloating after eating, say, porridge. No stomach noises after eating bread and beetroot. I used to have these red areas on my hands that were painful and itchy. For months I thought it was bed bugs! It was actually caused by wheat even though I'd eaten bread and cereal for decades. Why was it happening now? Most likely my body telling me it had had enough of this difficult-to-digest fake food.

I don't consume fibre yet I'm completely regular. That's due to my body absorbing almost everything; and it's fat that should keep us regular not fibre. A diet with lots of variety is not a good thing, in my opinion.

I know what I'm saying will fall on deaf ears. 🙂 I wish you well!

[penelope2 in reply to FrostGyre]

I agree with you, had ibs all my adult life, in my late 60s now and found out it was gluten. No medical professionals had thought of this! They have not lived with ibs!!Even more so now we have to be responsible for our own health!!!

[Fergie53 in reply to Maggysav]

Yes that’s true, my IBS often caused by stress, generally the brain/gut reaction

[bigbunbun3]

Hi, sorry to hear about your struggles. Yes, IBS is deliberating. This site is good because we can all relate even though our symptoms are different along with the causes. I have a problem with bottled water, especially sparkling, so I don’t drink it now. I’m going to buy a water filter of some kind and just use water from home. I hope you get your surgery very soon and feel a lot better 😊

[OldTimer74 in reply to bigbunbun3]

Thank you, I just wonder about bottled water, do they add the ingreediants are is it natural???

[bigbunbun3 in reply to OldTimer74]

The water I purchased was natural with no added ingredients. I think one of the elements in it doesn’t agree with me.

[Ishallwearmidnight in reply to bigbunbun3]

Spring water has minerals - including salt - at a higher concentration than in tap water. The minerals are very specific to the geology of the area where the spring is. So the minerals are not added, but if you have difficulty with it, it could be that the minerals are too concentrated for you?

[bigbunbun3 in reply to Ishallwearmidnight]

Thank you Ishallwearmidnight, I thought as much

[dordle]

Perhaps the toast is now too heavy for your stomach first thing. I have a bowl of porridge every day (with about a third of a banana mashed into the bowl first), then a small slice of toast. That seems to work. I don't have experience of Cosmocol, but take one sachet of Fybogel in the recommended amout of water, 10 mins after I have eaten my evening meal (usually have Fybogel around 7.10 - 7.20 pm). I do hope you manage to establish a reasonable pattern soon. I just stick to tap water.

[OldTimer74 in reply to dordle]

I tried corn flakes this morning and no belly ache ( only a few) so we shall see. With regards to tap water, I am always a bit wary and tend to boil it but that probably destroys any good ness. Thanks for coming back to me.

[Lupin1587]

Have you tried other breakfast options? Plain toast is all I can have some days especially if I need to go out early. Croissants or pastries are usually o.k. Porridge or cereals only if I'm home. Bacon and egg et c usually ok. I would try different breakfast options and see how it goes. I have a lot of wind now especially at night. Maybe my aging? People do seem to get windier it seems. I've had IBS since my 20s it's definitely anxiety driven with me.

[OldTimer74 in reply to Lupin1587]

Yeh, I agree with you. I have had more anxiety of late worrying about things I probably can`t change but that seems to be the way of the world now. I go through stages of severe wind as well as I get older. I have suffered with bowel problems for most of my life, it was easier to live with in the early days but it does knock you for six sometimes as you get old. If I drink much water I have to pee quite a lot so have to spread it out more if we are going out. Not so bad the area were we live ( countryside) have to stop and get behind a hedge at times. Anyway, thanks for coming back to me, it means a lot knowing that your not alone.

[BabblingBrooks in reply to OldTimer74]

You’re definitely not alone, it’s good such a supportive network like this exists.

A life saver.

[OldTimer74 in reply to BabblingBrooks]

Amen

[Lupin1587 in reply to OldTimer74]

No worries. You're never alone with these things. More people suffer but of course not many talk about it. It can be embarrassing but we're all human after all

[OldTimer74 in reply to Lupin1587]

I have only heard one other man speak about having anxiety, I tell it how it is. They are normally in the water smiling away and paddling like hell under the water to keep afloat. Thanks for your reply.