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What type of IBS do you have: constipation (C), diarrhea (D) or do you alternate between the two (A)? There are several natural things that you can try, but what you take depends on which type you have. People with diarrhea don't want to take prune juice while people with constipation don't want to take calcium.

Hi Timshun,
Welcome to HealingWell!

You can try taking Probiotics. Probiotics help stabalize your intestinal flora which should help with D. Aside from that, it is important to add "good bacteria" in your diet for general health.

You can also try taking Calcium for your D.

Take care.

Yes, gurgles, rumbles, flutterings, spasms and all sorts of other noises and movements. Just last night my gut was fluttering just above my belly button for no particular reason. Well, except that I set it off this past week on vacation from eating too much greasy food, I think, and it's still not recovered yet. But I was feeling fine other than feeling like I had a small bird trapped in my transverse colon.

Calcium helps bind up excess water in your stools and soothes irritated intesinal linings that can be caused by a number of things. It's helped me before. Probiotics help if your IBS is caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteria/yeast. I would recommend you start with a cup of yogurt everyday for a couple of weeks before moving on to a supplement (pill); probiotics can cause gassiness initially, so you need to start slow and work yourself up.

Also, some people have some luck with taking fiber to help bulk up their stools. Like the probiotics, too much all at once can cause gas and cramping, so add it in slowly.

Many people here do food diaries. Basically you right down every single thing that passes your lips (indlucing medicines) and when you consumed it and what your bowel movements were like and when you had them and any other side affects--like rumblings, smelly farts, excessive belching, etc.--and when those occurred. After a couple of weeks you may see a pattern of things you eat causing you problems. Apples and their by-products, I think, are the number 1 problem food for IBSers. A lot of people can't handle fat, some can't handle raw fruits or vegetables, some can't handle dairy, some can't handle wheat. If you suspect a food, try eliminating it from your diet completely for two weeks or more and see if you improve. You can also go to an allergist to see if you are allergic to anything. Just because you are not allergic to something, however, doesn't mean that you can digest it. I'm not allergic to apples, but boy, they sure can make me gassy.

Oh, I have found that dehydrated banana chips--not regular, fresh bananas, but the chips--are the best constipating substance known to man and a handful of those will fix me right up. I love them so I have to be careful not to eat the whole bag at once, lest I end up on the other end of the spectrum: constipated.

My last piece of advice is to never, ever eat any sugar-free product (including gum and mints) as they will give gas, cramps and diarrhea to perfectly normal people. They are just shy of being deadly for IBSers. 1 gram will lay me up in bed for two days straight. Most cookies have 7 grams or more of sugar alcohols in one serving and I've seen candy bars topping out at 18 grams or more.

Softy, do you have a lot of nausea? I have more than what the others seem to have and take the ginger as well. I know it is from gas as it goes away after I release some gas but returns right away. I have IBS-C though. By the way, you are right BC is beautiful and when I come back in my next life I am going to live in Victoria.

Yes Canyopnbabe, at times with no rhyme or reason I suffer a horrible amount of nausea. I used to grate fresh ginger into tea until I found the ginger capsules and they really work well. I also have IBS-C.

On a side note, there is a show on TV called "Mythbusters" and they checked out various remedies for motion sickness and ginger capsules were proven to work as well as prescription medications but without the drowsiness they sometimes cause.

Thanks Des for mentioning you can have reflux without heartburn. I learnt something new today