irritable bowel syndrome???

Question

after every single 'mildly' spicy meal i often have to nip to the loo before i've left the restaurant because of whatever i have just eaten.
annoying thing is, chinese, curry, nando's are all my favourite foods. but i am starting to notice it more often after most dinners... mainly meat.

Answer 1

Its true that spicy things can cause irritation to the bowel but it doesn't necessarily mean you have IBS. Most of the foods you mention contain monosodium glutamate which some people may be intolerable to and hence your problems.
I have IBS (actually suffering quite badly at the moment - after not having bother in a long time!) sometimes its difficult to pinpoint exactly what triggers it but symptons include an urgency to run to the toilet (hell hath no mercy for anyone who may get in your way!) loose/mushy stools and or dioherroa, abdominal pains and cramping, lower back pain, sometimes a nausea feeling and in my case I then seem to trigger off headaches / migraine attacks. Other people can experience severe constipation. It is also possible to alternate between dioherrea and constipation. Its a complex condition but you will need a doctor to diagnose it for you. Unfortunately there is not many remedies out there or cure its a matter of learning what works best for you and living with it.

Some tips I have are reduce refined carbs and high fat foods, increase fibre content (my diet is already high in fibre but my doc recommended taking fibergel supplement to bulk up - I found this to be a bit of a contradiction to bulk up when you are already going to the loo lots but apparently it works and for both loose movements and constipation).
If you experience severe pains and cramping try buscopan tablets. Drinking flat coke is also supposed to help with stomach pains.
Drink plenty of water. Try to eat fresh and unprocessed foods.

Food intolerance testing is also something worthwhile trying - As well as IBS I have PCOS and had bad throat/gland probs (I think my hormones are well messed up!!) But after getting these tests I was told I was highly intolerant to eggs (which I ate almost daily!), dairy and pork. I have eliminated these products and over the past 8-10 weeks am noticing the difference - I have had no probs with my throat/ears, I am less sluggish, my skin has improved and Ive lost weight - all I need now is for a miracle cure for IBS cos at the mo its awful and nothing seems to be working.

De stressing is also recommended!!

Hope this helps u and perhaps anyone else reading!

D

Answer 2

It could be IBS or a more specific allergy/irritant. Common allergies are dairy products (lactose intolerance), wheat and gluten. You can go to the doctors to get a blood test to check for these.

The best thing to do is to write a food diary and note down every time you get symptoms. Then look at what's in common and try eliminating certain foods. Some people recommend a full elimination diet where you start eating only very basic food and adding food stuffs - then you'll find out what irritates your stomach.

Try eliminating spicy foods and see if it goes away. Often IBS is triggered by high levels of fat - so perhaps go for less fatty meats when you're eating out.
There are loads of great resources out there on the web:

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Irritable_bowel_syndrome.html
http://www.ibstales.com/articles.htm
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs/

Answer 3

Hiya, i have found that if i eat things that are spicy or greasy foods like fish and chips or a curry that really is a bad trigger for irritable bowel syndrome, plus alot of people say pork affects the condition as well, the other thing is fat on meat isn't good for the condition, i find that if i make sure there is no fat on the meat then it doesn't trigger it to much, but if you have a curry from an indian restaurant they tend to have allot of grease in them so sometimes you think that it is the spices trigger it but usually its just the grease, hope this helps you, at the end of the day its really trial and error

Answer 4

There are quite a few things that help with general digestion and may help with IBS. Many customers get benefits from Probiotics, Fiber, or Enzymes. If you are allergic to lactose, you should make sure that any probiotics you get are either lactose free or milk free (they are more expensive that way)... OR you could try some Lactase Enzyme (it helps digest lactose, so it may help reduce the reaction). There are a few people that get benefits from stomach soothers like Ginger, Peppermint Oil, or Aloe Vera..... but that's just to calm the stomach, not the intestines or bowels (which is where Irritable Bowel Syndrome is based). For any of those, I would recommend checking with a doctor that knows about supplements or an allergist, just to make sure you won't have a problem with any of those (standard warning for anyone with a medical condition). ....but you could try them if you don't have a very severe reaction and are willing to risk it ;-)

Answer 5

have u actually been diagnosed as having IBS ? i've suffered from IBS for 5 years now, and i've read a lot of books / articles on this problem.... having a bad reaction to meat is pretty unusual..... the normal food triggers for IBS are root vegetables, spicy food, alcohol, dried fruit, nuts, and bananas. speaking from personal experience, u just have to accept that your body cannot cope with certain foods, and try to avoid things that u know are going to make u ill. i've had to give up alcohol and coffee.... not much fun, but not as bad as the crippling pain it used to leave me in. the only way around your problem is to take an Imodium tablet before u go out for a meal containing something that u know is going to upset your IBS. it's not a long term solution to your problem, but it can be used so that u can treat yourself once in a while to something u really like to eat. i would also recommend that u try taking a tablet called Multibionta. it's a multi vitamin & pro-biotic. it's one of the best pro-biotic products on the market, and has a better reputation than those yogurt type drinks u can get. i found that it really helped to control my IBS on a day to day basis. i've noticed that someone on here reccomended that u take more fibre in your diet...... just be careful doing that.... not all IBS sufferers benefit from a high fibre diet.... i've found out that too much fibre actually makes my IBS a hell of a lot worse. there are some good IBS support groups on the internet..... just type IBS UK into your search engine, and it'll give u a whole load of websites that u can choose from. also, it might be worthwhile getting yourself checked over by a doctor if u haven't done that yet. good luck.

Answer 6

IBS is very common, and very inconvenient and miserable. It is hard to live a happy life when you have to plan every step of your life around where the nearest toilet is. And it does seem to take away your favorite foods every time.
Check with your doctor. There are dietary supplements that can help, and medications that can slow that digestive system to a more comfortable speed. By eating more fiber in your diet and/or taking a fiber supplement pill, you can also bulk up your stools so it is not diarrheal. This will go far in making your life more comfortable. I've had IBS for many years. I am still learning how to control it. But fiber is helping me. I wish you luck.

Answer 7

Could be a Gall Bladder problem I suffered from the same thing. Cured it with Royal Jelly. I also cut out pork. You might also try to stay away from fried foods. But I found that by taking royal jelly twice a day I can eat almost anything.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

HI, I myself suffer with i.b.s. My advice for you is to go and see your gp,to first have it diagonised that you do suffer with this.

If he confirms yes you do have i.b.s,there are lots of food that you can not eat. the main ones are wheat,and anything spicy. But saying that every i.b.s suffers like me are different,you will need to keep a diary of what you have eaten,then you can work it out from there.

If you have no joy with your gp,and am not satisfied,ask to re refered to the hospital,this is what i done (after endless trips to my gp,to be told nothing is wrong) they done tests and confirmed yes it was i.b.s. i was told i could not eat any wheat,spicy things or nuts.

any way good luck, and remember you are not alone.

Answer 10

Sounds like your digestion track is messed up ,do you also have acid reflux at night?
Time for a upper and lower Gastrointestinal track looksy :)
To much cancer going around to ignore a check up .
Probably just need to take antacids be for eating .
Good luck .