5 to 13 bowel movements a day.

[IBSsufferer_26]

Will I have to live the rest of my life having between 5 and 13 bowel movements a day.

[b1b1b1]

No you won't, not if you see a gastroenterologist, start the FODMAP diet (very strictly), take probiotics and peppermint pills.

[rozwalts]

The FODMAP diet caused me more problems than it solved. Some food on the FODMAP diet it says I can have, but I know I can't. Other foods it says not to have, yet I find they don't cause me any problems.

I would say go back to basics, as in a low residue diet, check out the Internet. Stay on this for a week, then gradually add other foods so you end up with a low fibre diet. There are several of these on the Internet.

I usually give each new food two or three chances before I decide if they are going to cause me a problem or not. If they do, then I erase them completely from my diet. If they appear to be ok, I am still a bit vary, so don't over indulge, maybe just having them a couple of times a week until I am sure.

Basically it is trial and error. What suits one, will not always suit somebody else. Keep a list of what you eat, then what causes you problems. I find that seeds and/or skins leave me in a great deal of pain. Yet many of the foods on the FODMAP diet actually recommend fruits and vegetables with seeds in them.

I also find that all leafy vegetables have an equally bad effect, ditto cucumber, tomatoes (seeds and skin) peppers, etc. I cannot eat unripe bananas, although I do mash up a ripe banana and have it with live yogurt virtually every day. This week I have had strawberries twice, both times without any ill effects, though I will probably give them a rest for a couple of weeks.

I can only eat white bread unfortunately. I was a tad miffed about that as I do so enjoy the Weight Watches Malted.

[sweetsusie]

No..you will NOT. I had chronic diarrhea for years and finally found a doctor who put me on a drug called "Welchol." It stops diarrhea in it's tracks. It's very expensive in the States, so he put me on another one called "Colestipol." It works just as well. I take 3 tablets, twice a day w/meals. Ask your doctor to let you try one or the other of these..they will change your life. Your doctor will tell you they are prescribed for high cholesterol and type II diabetes, but they are also used for bile acid problems in the intestines, which can happen if you've had your gallbladder out or other reasons. My doctor didn't know anything about these...I'm the one that researched these and suggested to my doctor that he let me try them. Changed my life! I can now leave the house without having to come home to change clothes..what a relief.

[kipper1958]

Hi, I had the same problem which drove me mad. For years I thought I had IBS, but 3 years ago I had a CT scan as the toilet trips had gotten out of hand. The scan showed that my guts were healthy, so what was causing this. Well, it turned out that I had a sensitivity to gluten, nuts and seeds and this would trigger a type of IBS D attack. Once I realised this I changed my diet, Forever Aloe Vera juice and eating a probiotic yoghurt has also made a huge difference. Is a sensitivity the same as IBS? All I know is my life is under control most of the time, but eating out can still be a nightmare, even when you say what you can not have sometimes they do not get it right.I wish you a brighter future and hope that you too can find an end to your problem as everyone is unique.