IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

[Bridg]

Widdly- I found the Immodium today settled my belly. I still have a little bit of a sore belly, but no where near as bad as this morning.

Astrid- That's strange about the low carb making it better.

Nettie- I don't drink coffee, and not very often I drink tea. I am a bit fatter than I used to be, but have also been having hot flushes, mood swings, tired, no libido, but after reading another thread, I think that may have something to do with hormones.

Would IBS have anything to do with hormones?

[Astrolady]

Hey Toni. I rarely drink tea/coffee in the summer. Winter I might have a cuppa or coffee once a day. Never really have anymore than 1 in a day though.

I know KFC will set me off, and tomatoes will also set me off (if I eat alot). I also think BBQ sauce is another trigger. We have just introduced that into our house as Kameron's friend can't have tomato sauce. I have had it twice as a marinade in chicken since we have had it and both times have spent the night on the loo.

I know I am not Lactose Intolerant, as we went through a couple of months of having a Lactose free diet, when Ashton was first diagnosed with a Lactose intolerance and it made absoloutely no difference to me.

[Astrid]

As for the coffee question - I have had times where I have drunk a fair amount of coffee, I think I stopped having it daily when I was about 21. Now it is just an occasional thing, I drink a fair bit of tea though.

[Nettie]

I know when I had my gall bladder problems that drinking coffee really helped allieviate the symptoms.

I'm now a big coffee drinker and don't suffer too many IBS symptoms. I thought I'd ask because I wonder if some coffee in your diet would help? Coffee activates your intestinal muscles which helps you digest..

Just a thought!

Peppermint tea might help some of you too. Certainly helps with wind!

[Astrid]

When I was a big coffee drinker I still had problems and caffeine triggers hunger in me (which is not a good thing). At my best, when low carbing, I would have been having less caffeine than normal. Would be nice if it did work for me.

[widdly]

yep, IBS can be linked in with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, which I have.

And, no, I have never drunk coffee, but would have thought it would upset the bowel rather than make it feel better

[Bridg]

Just an update.

I have been taking the IHP IBS support tablets for just over a month now, and I have to say, they are the best thing! I have only had 2 bad nights on the loo, and the pain was no where near as bad as when I wasn't on them. The cramping also stopped after 'everything' was finished.