Irritable bowel syndrome: Simple self-help
tips by Sophie Lee
If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),
you will know how difficult it is to treat. Doctors can be dismissive of IBS
symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation and bloating, and when treatment is
offered it may only help for a short while before the distressing symptoms
return.
Sufferers often find that they have to deal with the symptoms
themselves, through self-help methods and supplements, rather than by using
conventional medicines. However, this does not mean that there is no hope of
improvement. By sharing their experiences, sufferers can learn a lot about what
really helps to ease IBS.
All the self-help tips in this article have
come from IBS sufferers who have found a way to control their irritable bowels.
Before trying any form of self-help, please make sure that you have your
doctor's approval, and do check that anything you try will not interfere with
any medication you are taking.
Calcium tablets
Linda, who suffers
from severe diarrhea, says: "What has helped me for more than two years is
calcium carbonate, an over-the-counter supplement. I take three tablets a day,
one at each meal. The most success has come from using any formula of calcium
supplement that is like Caltrate 600 Plus with vitamin D and minerals. The only
side effect is at the beginning of taking the calcium you may have some gas or
indigestion, but this usually goes away after taking a regular dose for a few
days."
If you suffer from constipation rather than diarrhea, you could
try magnesium supplements instead, as these can have a slight laxative
effect.
Digestive enzymes and probiotics
Kim, who also suffers
from bad diarrhea, says: "I tried taking digestive enzymes with acidophilus and
found significant relief within three days. I am not afraid to eat now, but find
that I still cannot eat very much refined sugar or high fibre vegetables. I have
also added a cup or two per day of peppermint and chamomile tea. When I do have
an episode it occurs late in the day and by the next morning I am feeling back
to normal."
Looking at your diet
Laura describes how a close
examination of her diet helped her IBS: "I was placed on every kind of
medication, and sometimes they worked in the short term, sometimes they didn't
work at all. The doctor finally suggested trying to alter my diet in cycles, and
we discovered that eating meat was my problem. I became a vegetarian and no
longer have constant problems. Sometimes I even go years without any pain at
all. It's worth all the effort you put into it when you finally feel
better."
Mina also found that dietary change helped control her symptoms,
alongside traditional medication: "I've made a number of changes to my diet.
I've eliminated milk and mostly any dairy, fried foods, sugar for the most part,
pop, alcohol, potato chips, spicy food, rice, pasta and bread. Most recently I'm
eliminating flour. But my best friend for the last couple of years has been
Imodium Quick Dissolve tablets. I don't ever leave home without them. I just
have to make sure I don't overdo it. If I ever become immune to the wonder drug
I am gonna be a real mess!"
Flaxseed
Watching your diet is
sometimes not enough to completely control the symptoms, and natural or herbal
supplements can help, as Marion discovered: "After about six months of a
horrendously restrictive diet (ultra low-fat vegan with no raw veggies or fruit
except banana) and a lot of Metamucil, I managed to get it sort of under
control. But if I deviated from the diet, the chronic diarrhea would come back.
Someone I met told me that she had helped her IBS by taking a tablespoon of
freshly ground flaxseed with a glass of water or juice every morning. I thought
it was another crackpot cure, but eventually I decided to try it. She had told
me that pre-ground flaxseed didn't work because flax seed starts to oxidize as
soon as you grind it and that whole flax seeds are no good either, because they
cannot be digested properly. After years of IBS, in about two weeks it just went
away. I cannot believe that I now have perfectly normal, regular bowel
movements."
Fiber, water and yoga
Pam, who struggles with
constipation, has developed a combination of things which work for her: "I drink
Metamucil (psyllium fibre) every day and try to relax, pray or meditate, even do
a little yoga. The more I make myself relax and take time to de-stress the
better I can manage my problem. I know time for yourself is very hard to come by
sometimes but I have to if I'm going to manage this. I try to drink at least
three bottles of water a day. This is also hard sometimes but I have to take
care of me the best I can. I also take a mild anti-depressant. This has helped a
bunch in my stress department and in turn has helped my IBS."
Stress and
IBS
Daniel believes that his symptoms are related to his emotions and
stress: "I thought that when I was stuck on the toilet, experiencing the most
severe cramps, thinking I was about to pass out from the pain, feeling like I
was about to throw up, I was the only one. I'm still trying to work it out but I
believe it has a lot to do with my psychological state. I say this because
although I don't get too stressed out at any one moment, I do have general
worries about money and life. I tend to find when I'm not worrying about these
things I don't get the pain as much, if at all. It's easier said than done of
course, I can't just stop worrying about money or my future, but being aware of
these things seems to help - being optimistic and knowing that everything is
only temporary. I have been taking Colpermin (peppermint capsules) as a
preventative which often helps and for a while I took painkillers which I think
helped."
Soluble versus insoluble fiber
Some nutritionists
believe that IBS sufferers' intestines react differently to soluble and
insoluble fiber, and this has been Stu's experience: "After trying all kinds of
drugs and healthy eating, my pains were still there. I found by accident that it
wasn't so much what I ate but whether I ate it on a full stomach or not. My
failsafe is pasta on an empty stomach, I get no reaction - it is soluble fibre
that settles the colon apparently. I quickly searched on the internet for
recipes high in soluble fibre and I have improved. Most significantly though I
am on no medication and this puts me in control of the IBS, not the other way
around. I think this is important as stress certainly can trigger the symptoms
off. I don't avoid insoluble fibre as it is essential for the body, but I
recommend that you eat it on a full stomach."
A final
word
Lastly, please do make sure that you have been officially diagnosed
with IBS and had your symptoms fully investigated before trying any self-help
methods. As Joe found out, bowel symptoms can be due something other than IBS:
"I was diagnosed with IBS, but I went to get a second opinion. They did an
ultrasound followed by a barium follow-through which showed major inflammation
and blockage of my small intestine. The final diagnosis is Crohn's disease. It's
a pity they didn't catch it before I was seriously ill, instead of fobbing me
off with excuses of 'It's IBS, there's no cure so live with
it!'"
About the Author
Sophie Lee has had IBS for 14 years. She runs the IBS Tales
website at http://www.ibstales.com where you can read hundreds
of stories and tips from IBS
sufferers.
