Healthy changes, some progress

[Letsfixit1]

Hi, I know my IBSd is fortunately not as severe as many others, inconvenient but thankfully not painful. It affects my quality of life though. After cutting out so many foods, gluten, lactose etc without any improvement, and getting an osteoporosis diagnosis, I began to question whether I was depriving my body of essential nutrients.

I have cut out nearly all cakes and biscuits as I began to wonder whether there was a fat absorption problem. Hardly any alcohol. And tried to increase fruit and vegetables and good quality protein, milk, meat, fish and eggs. Lots of natural yoghurt. And gut powered immune tablets from Holland and Barrett.

And my stomach is much better! I don't feel any healthier, and I would have liked to lose some weight, but mentally I feel more positive in that my body is getting more nourishment. My bowels are much calmer and the diarrhea is less frequent. I am trying to eat a wider variety of foods in much smaller quantities to improve the gut bacteria. I could never pinpoint the trigger foods anyway. I take 1 loperamide when the stools become too loose and soft and I've read that it also tightens the canal sphincter which is reassuring!

[Pinkpop21]

Hi, that’s great you’re feeling better with these changes. What did you use from Holland & Barrett?

I too struggle with my IBS - urgency and frequency. I try to avoid certain foods but not really got to the bottom of it all. Tried FODMAP twice. I tried Alforex but it didn’t make much difference. It’s positive to hear the changes you made have helped. Yep it really does affect daily life. I don’t eat much when out or travelling.

Thank you,

[Letsfixit1 in reply to Pinkpop21]

They're called Gut Powered Immune tablets, I don't really think its the tablets that makes the difference. I've found smaller portions of everything and more variety of food seems to work better. I avoid onions and spicy food obviously, and high fat foods like cheese seem to be a problem. Less processed food, just a healthier diet really. I've just travelled 47 hours over 2 days to Canada, living on plane food and snacks, so I think I will pay for that! But I'm taking it easy, staying near my hotel for a couple of days, and just being sensible.