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What Not To Eat..?

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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brunette06
New Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 8
Posted 2/24/2007 10:45 AM (GMT -7)

Hey everyone!


Just to tell you my background..I have IBS associated with C. I'm taking these medicines: Zelnorm, Metoclopramide(for acid reflux), high doses of Glyco-lax & Ex-lax, and i just started taking Amitiza today. Even though I have C, when the Glyco-Lax & Ex-lax kick in, i have very loose stool & i end up having to rush to the bathroom more than once.

I just wanted to know.. what foods should a person with my conditions stay away from? Also, I've heard I should eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of three larger meals a day. What kind of smaller meals should I eat? I just need examples because I don't really understand that. confused

It is hard dealing with IBS every day (not to mention the self-conciousness, cramps, unpredictable bowel movements, friends not understanding it, etc...) but ever since I've found this message board I feel better knowing I'm not alone. It gives me encouragement to see what you guys write on here so, thanks!

Any help or responses would be appreciated :-)

God Bless!

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7Lil
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 3269
Posted 2/24/2007 12:44 PM (GMT -7)
Hi brunette,
Welcome to HealingWell! :-)
So how are all your meds working for you... Are you "regular" or still C? First and foremost I would suggest you take a probiotic if you're not already. Yogurt can also help you get "good bacteria" in there while keeping you regular. Dannon Activia has done wonders for a lot of us here on the boards. I have IBS-A (Alternating = fluctuating from C to D), and I keep it under control with probiotics, Activia, and a pretty healthy diet. I used to be on Zelnorm but that lost its effectiveness after a few months. Then I would stop it for a couple weeks and then go back on. I yo-yoed with it because it was the only way to keep it working for me.
Have you looked into natural laxatives like aloe vera. If you can find a good balance with it, it may be all you need for regularity. I tried the juice/gel once and it was just horrid. The consistency of it was disgusting, here on the boards we've been known to call it sludge. It's like snot. Anyway, it seems the aloe vera pills are the best. You can find them online or at most nutrition stores.
Digestive Advantage works great for some of us as well. It's pretty much a combination of good bacteria and fiber. You can find it anywhere really, most drug stores have it.
If you are prone to C then you might want to stay away from taking too much Calcium. Lots of people with IBS-D take calcium to help control their D. You might also want to stay away from bananas and dried fruits. Canned, fermented and processed foods can also cause constipation. You also need to make sure to drink plenty of water.
Eating several small meals a day means cutting back on portions. Instead of having a monster breakfast you might want to try some toast, or a bagel, oatmeal, or just eggs. Whatever you can handle in the morning that isn't going to stuff you. Then add snacks before lunch. Same goes for lunch... portion control. Eating 1 cup of food should be enough. Again, add snacks before dinner if you get hungry. I'm like a bird at work. I usually have some type of cracker just sitting out on my desk. I like pickles and yogurt too (not together!). But those are the things I snack on.
I hope that helps you some. I'm sure others will be along to give their input as well.
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brunette06
New Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 8
Posted 2/24/2007 2:09 PM (GMT -7)
Lil,
Thanks for writing back!

My Zelnorm is about like yours, I don't really know if it is doing much.
The Metoclopramide doesn't stop my acid reflux or keep air from coming up (which I don't know if thats even what it's supposed to do :] ) But I have a feeling it is working so still take it before meals.
For the C, Ex-Lax and Glyco-Lax pretty much work together to make me somewhat regular. I still go some days dealing with C, which is frustrating. Because personally I'd rather be going & going then not being able to go at all. But also after drinking 5 cups of water with Glyco-lax powder mixed in I feel extra bloated until it kicks in. So it's uncomfortable until it decides to work.
But I have tried Activa in the past. It helped a little, so I guess I should probably try it again & for longer this time.
I've never heard of aloe vera. Maybe I can look into that.
Thanks for the food advice. It definatly helps! I understand it better now. It's not necessarily 5 different meals, just snacks in between smaller meals.

I'm only 17 and kindof new to having IBS (I've been dealing with it for about a year). My doctor has been helping but I thought I would get as much advice from here as I could so I can get this under control while im still young. :]

Oh, and there hasn't been an actual "cure" found for IBS, has there? Just diet and medication? Just wondering :]

Thanks again for your help!

God Bless!
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Canyonbabe711
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2006
Posts : 1451
Posted 2/24/2007 10:21 PM (GMT -7)
You have to experiment. Almost everything the previous poster said they can eat I cannot. Most the artificial sweetners are not good for people with IBS. Many people cannot handle fresh fruits and veggies. As for the difference between Prevacid and Nexium they react differently with different people so unfortunately this is all experimental. Strawaberries to me are very acid producing. Split pea soup almost hospitalized me because of the split peas. For me I am stable with white stuff as opposed to wheat things so introduce things carefully.
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7Lil
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 3269
Posted 2/25/2007 12:51 AM (GMT -7)

I'm with you, Canyon... I can't handle too many raw fruits and veggies.  Usually when I eat veggies I cook them until they're practically mush.  As for fruits, they are reserved for special occasions when I'm feeling 100%.  Aloe vera for me was great... it has an anti-inflammatory effect and is a natural laxative.  BUT, one should not take it if they are taking any other laxative (as mentioned on the Mayo site).  The Mayo Clinic website clearly gives aloe vera an "A" for relieving constipation: Aloe (Aloe vera)  

If I remember correctly there is new research showing that long term use of PPI's are not recommended.  Here, I was able to dig up Keri's post about it: New Study Released on Acid Reducers and Bone Loss

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brunette06
New Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 8
Posted 2/25/2007 7:39 AM (GMT -7)
Thanks for all of your replies! I'm just going to have to figure out what works for me.

But what are PPI's? I see everybody talking about them but i dont know what they are...?
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TexasJen
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2006
Posts : 649
Posted 2/25/2007 10:24 AM (GMT -7)
PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitor. It's a med that prevents acid formation in the stomach. One over-the-counter PPI is Prilosec. Other prescription PPI meds are aciphex, nexium, and protonix.

The metoclopromadine you are taking is known by the brand name Reglan. It increases motility in the stomach and intestines, and is often used to help with nausea.
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Canyonbabe711
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2006
Posts : 1451
Posted 2/25/2007 2:51 PM (GMT -7)
I switched to Cimetidine(generic for Tagamet) and am finding it is working better than the PPI's. The PPI's cut off the proton pump inhibiters and the Cimetidine  cuts down on the acid which is necessary to digest food. When I asked my gastro DR. he said he was glad that I had dropped the PPI"s because new issues were coming out about them with long tern use especially the bone loss problem. I like the Cimetidine cause I can take it right up to the time of eating. I take 200mg twice a day. I have severe acid reflux and esophageal damage. I have endoscopy at least every other year to keep check on it. I do not find that Famitodine(Pepcid)  helps as much as Cimetidine. You might try it for a few days. I was really surprised and it seems to just make my stomach feel better. It was one of the first drugs used for acid problems.

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SnowyLynne
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 1539
Posted 2/26/2007 9:54 AM (GMT -7)
I was diagnosed last week with IBS.It's the pitts,but the Dr ordered Pamine Forte 5 mg.& it's kicked in & is working.Eating small meals works better than the larger meals.there are many foods I may not be able to eat,but trial & error helps.
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brunette06
New Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 8
Posted 2/26/2007 4:01 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks Snowy!
& Thanks everybody else for all you're advice =)

I think I'm starting to get this whole IBS thing under control.

God Bless
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Canyonbabe711
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2006
Posts : 1451
Posted 2/26/2007 8:39 PM (GMT -7)
I had never heard of Pamine. It is an antispasmotic but it also mentions that it reduces acid. Anyone else ever been given this? I have had Levsin and Donnatal but never this one.
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