what works best

Hi Red_40,
Welcome to Healing Well :)
What symptoms do you suffer most with your IBS (constipation or diarrhea)? Depending on the type of IBS you have would depend on how you treat it. Fiber is a constant that works for both. Takes some time for your body to adjust to it but it does make your symptoms better. Calcium works well with IBS-D, there is a post by lnape that goes into detail about calcium therapy. Natural foods like prunes work well for IBS-C. Probiotics helps both by stabilizing the flora in your intestines with good bacteria. I would also suggest keeping a food diary so you can identify your own personal triggers. Although most people have common triggers, they are not the same for everyone. The foods most likely to cause trouble are meats, dairy, nuts. Hope this helps a little. Please tell us more about yourself :)

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My IBS started 6 years ago during a very stressful time in my life. I've had it since then, although not nearly as severe. However, the fact that I have it at all makes it very inconvenient. I have been attending community college and will graduate in May. After that I will transfer to a 4 year university pursuing an elementary teaching degree. So far, I have been fortunate in that I can manage fairly well. My main symptoms are abdominal pain (bouts of constipation, followed by sometimes explosive diarrhea that lasts for hours as in 12 trips to the bathroom per episode, cold sweats, and extreme fatigue afterward) When my pain is at it's worst, it hurts to walk, or move, sitting upright hurts, and no one better touch me no matter how gentle. This is when sitting in a class gets interesting. So I guess I have both C & D intermittently. I already know to avoid caffeine, soda, dairy products, large meals (have had gallbladder removed) fried foods, fast food, (probably the fat content) and I am allergic to raw fruits and vegetables so I never ate them in the first place. This limited food choice makes keeping at a desirable weight very challenging. I also have hypothyroidism, and diabetes is very prevelant in my family. I want to keep my weight down to try to avoid diabetes, but it's very hard with these digestive choices. Also, to feed a large family on a limited budget, I have to do the best I can with what I have and this isn't always what's best for my IBS. As you all know, this is a very frustrating condition to try to live with! I welcome any helpful information.