How I cured my IBS

[IBSnoMore 2]

Part 1
Hello all,

   Your stories sound too familiar as I have suffered with this
condition for 3 years  . However ,I have been symptom free since Jan.
'13 and am ever so thankful. My life was miserable, travel,
friends, family all bore the consequences of this in one way or
another. It is my hope that what this information will
improve your quality of life.

      I believe this was caused by over use of antibiotics due to
two case of Lymes disease , two bouts of Giardia  , some dental work
and a bad burn , all within a period of about 2-3 years. The
constant pain and rumbling began shortly after and escalated to
endless D , bloating, loss of appetite, severe abdominal pain and
horrible smelling gas . After tests for everything , (H.
Pylori , Parasites , Hep C , Pyroluria , C Diff , 2 MRI's , ultrasound etc ) ,
all came back negative , I began to lose hope . That is when I began
talking about it with friends . This is not an easy subject to
broach but , with time one can learn a dialogue that is more
comfortable to others . Two things happened when I did this . First I
learned that I was not alone . In fact, almost every time the
subject came up, someone in the group had or knew someone with a
similar condition . Secondly,  people  gave me ideas of what to try .

     The first suggestion came from my Yoga teacher when she
suggested I drink Aloe Juice ( Aloe Life, Aloe Gold to be
specific ) .  I am certain that she was as eager to clear this up as
I was - Hah ! ( The 'Plow' was notorious for well , you know ) . I
bought some that day and began sipping away( 1-3 onces/day ) . By
that evening I noticed a reduction in abdominal pain and by the
next day it was nearly gone . Aloe juice will never win any culinary
awards , so I would mix it with coconut juice ( the thick creamy
kind, not the water ) . I should mention too that I am gluten
intolerant and had eliminated it from my diet previous to the onset
of these symptoms . I also restrict dairy to Goat milk and
unpasteurized Cows milk  . It is important that you
rule out any food allergies as soon as possible. The pain was gone
but the constant D , bloating , loss of appetite were not . Then I
began taking probiotics in many forms . VSL#3 , S. Boulardi were very
helpful but did not solve the problem . After spending quite a bit
of time on the internet researching probiotics, I began brewing
Kombucha, water kefir and making saurkraut . The results were
immediate . The gas and bloating diminished and my appetite began to
return . Life was steadily improving but I still had to deal with
constant D. The bouts were less severe and didn't keep me up all
night . Then one morning, I drank a cup of coffee on an empty
stomach and it just erupted into a cacaphony of rumbling followed
by a rapid trip to the bathroom and explosive results . That was it
for coffee . On Dec. 10 ,2012 I drank my second to last cup of it (
I tested the theory a month later and had the same result ). My
health has improved steadily and by Jan. my GI tract was actually
forming  stools .

    It has now been about seven months ( four years actually ) and I can say that my
appetite has returned , GI tract functioning correctly , energy
level are up and my social life has improved. Travel is no longer
anxiety producing ( I formerly carried TP and spare clothes in the
car) and I have returned to exercising as before . My diet remains
Gluten and dairy free ( the exception being RAW cows milk and an
occational lobster roll ) . I also eat Yogurt made from raw milk (
It is heated during the process, so it may be pasteurized to some
extent ). Kombucha ( GT dave's,Reeds ) , Water Kefir and real
fermented saurkraut ( Bubbies) are all available at health food
stores if you lack the time to make it . Coconut water kefir is
excellent as is coconut oil ( NOT palm oil ) . The coconut oil is said
to repair damage to the intestine , contains no cholesterol , does
not produce free radicals when heated (cancerous) and tastes
delicious . It is loaded with medium chain fatty acids and has a low
glycemic index .

   It would be naive to think all cases are the same and that
everyone with this syndrome will react to these changes similarly .
I am relating my experiences with the hope that you will begin to
explore the working of your GI tract and how it responds to various
foods and stress . Also, I want to give you and others who may read
this a valuable tool . Hope . Without it you stand little chance of
recovery. Be patient, experiment , keep a food log , read about it ,
use your intuition ( gut feeling ? ) , talk to people and most
importantly , don't let ANYONE tell you this is incurable . Good luck .

 

PS. Most Alopathic doctors are clueless about this syndrome.
Restoring gut flora and eliminating offending foods is the
solution, not drugs. Hope this helps.Posted 29 August 2013 - 07:41 AM

Part 2
      After rereading my post, there are a few things I would like
to elaborate on . It wasn't clear  that I continue to drink Aloe
Juice . The relief came quickly but returned when I stopped drinking
it. The first time I stopped was when my Dr. asked that I stop
during testing . I did and those gnawing hunger like pains came back.
Once I had the OK to start Aloe again, the pains subsided . The
second time , I didn't actually stop drinking it , but rather
switched to another brand , Georges. It looks like water, tastes
like water and works like water , which is to say, it doesn't . The
pain returned and I went back to Aloe Life which worked once again .
The third time was on a kayak trip that I forgot to bring some with
me . The pain returned but was relieved when the trip was over and I
was able to buy some juice . That won't happen again.

      Aloe juice comes in several forms , juice , gel ,entire leaf or
just the inside filet . In it's natural state , the inside filet is
a gel , however after 48 hrs separated from the leaf, it becomes
liquid . Therefore , all 'gel' products have added thickeners to
make them appear more authentic . Not only is the deceptive but it
is absolutely disgusting to drink ! Don't waste your money . I have
tried many brands of Aloe and made my recommendations based on
experience . I have absolutely NO ties to that company or stand to
gain in any way whatsoever by advocating their products. Find one
that works for you . I still drink aloe juice but not the Medicinal
strength Aloe Life  . There is a company called Alo (with a hyphen
over the 'O' ) that is appearing in health store and even in some
convenience stores that tastes great , really .

    Probiotics . My strategy here was to get as diverse a population
as possible. The are hundreds (maybe thousands) of species in a
healthy gut . I used the RAW types that had the most species.
Additionally , the Kombucha ,Water Kefir and Sauerkraut draw
bacteria and yeast from the environment thus , I believe, increasing
diversity . Raw milk with it's live bacteria and enzymes added to
this mix. Making Kombucha can be a bit daunting, I would advise you
to start with water kefir. It is far easier to make and takes way
less time (4 days ). You can flavor it like soda pop and kids will
be begging for it. Not so with Kombucha, it's kind of an aquired
'adult' taste . Yes, there is a small amount of alcohol in it but
not enough to become impaired .

     I also neglected to mention that the coconut oil must be the
unrefined version . The refined lacks flavor and ,I'm sure , other
healing factors . My diet consists of protein,salad and some vegs.
Beans, rice, potatoes are very low on the menu . Though I never
implemented it , the FODMAPS diet seems to address this well and
many of you have experience success with it .

    Another area that needs to be addressed is nutrition . After
spending so much time on the Throne (wink) , one can expect to be
dehydrated and malnourished . Food transits your system so quickly
that there is little chance to absorb nutrient . And all that water
lost . After a bout of D lasting several days , I ask , where did all
that water come from ? I know I didn't drink that much ! I
supplement with liquid vitamins ( Buried Treasure 55 plus) for
better absorbtion. Transdermal (Magnesium Oil) is good too as it
bypasses the GI tract . In addition I make bone broth in the
tradition of the Weston Price Foundation . There is a lot of great
health info there .

     I know how much you all are suffering and it breaks my heart
to read that there are people wanting to end their lives over this .
Please don't ever give up hope . There is a solution out there , but
it will probably be up to you to find it . Having supportive people
in your life is invaluable  . Lacking that , using this forum and
others is the next best thing . Some Dr's and family members will
say 'it's all in your head ' which is frustrating and aggravating
but you may want to read about the GAPS diet . Gut and Psychology
syndrome . For some of us, it may not just be the foods we are
eating, but our thoughts and moods may be contributing as well.

     If anyone would like help with making Water Kefir , Kombucha
or Sauerkraut , please ask. If I could help just one person regain
their health , it would be worth any effort on my part. Please
don't give up . Keep an open mind and know you are not alone . Don't
be ashamed of this , it's not your fault that you have this awful,
debilitating condition . Talking about with  others is not easy
or pleasant but it can be helpful . Develop a rapport that takes
the 'Ick ' out of the conversation . Let people use their
imagination a little bit, you don't have to be too graphic. Hang in
there , be patient, stay focused, and know there is a solution out
there and people willing to help you find it .

 

[steve 0]

Did you ever try Lily of the desert Aloe juice?

[IBSnoMore 2]

Yes I have , excellent product . The only ones I don't recommend are any 'gel' product and Georges .

[steve 0]

Thank you

[IBSnoMore 2]

In fact , the aloe juice in my refrigerator is Lily of the Desert Stomach formula . Very good product .

[sherryg 0]

Thank you so very much for the advice. I will be trying them.

[IBSmom 0]

I started making and drinking raw milk kefir in June. My IBS has improved so much that it is practically none existent. I feel like I have had a gut transplant. I also drink bone broth. Traditional Medicinal Ginger Aid tea is also helpful to me at times. My kefir grains flourish, do I have been giving them to others who suffer with IBS and other health issues. Others are being helped, too. My energy level is so much higher. I am living again. My IBS doesn't "own" me anymore. I have had trouble when I attempted to reintroduce gluten and when I have reduced to just 1 pint of kefir. At this point I still seem to need 2-3 pints, but that isn't a problem for me at all.

[IBSnoMore 2]

I'm so glad to hear of your success with with making and drinking Kefir , probiotics are truly the key to good health . I love how the grains multiply so that  you can share them with others . Bread  is a tough one as there are other things in wheat flour besides gluten like Glyphosate ( roundup ) , lectins and gliadins (undigestable proteins )  that can affect your gut health . What I have had success with is sourdough bread . My theory is that because the sourdough is a live culture , there can be no Glyphosate and the lectins are predigested by the lacto fermentation process . I eat it almost every day with no problems . Good luck and keep making those Tibbis .

[IBSmom 0]

I finally tried sourdough bread for the first time this week for the same reasons you mentioned. It is also organic. I had some inflammation after, so I have decided to avoid it. I am not sure that the inflammation wasn't caused by something else. I had eaten other foods with lectins at the same time, but ones that usually don't bother me. I didn't like the sourdough enough to try again. I have been gluten free for over 10 years and have adapted. I like the foods I eat and rarely miss the ones I can't. It is only burdensome when taking my own food is inconvenient, but I am thankful that my situation is not worse. 

[scienceguy 3]

Great story and suggestions. Thanks for sharing it.

[sammyherkal 0]

I've read that Aloe juice can make IBS symptoms to get worse and heightens your chances of miscarriage - did it make a huge difference to you in regards to pain? I've tried it so many years ago and stopped because it made my IBS-D (diarrhea) worse.

[IBSnoMore 2]

Drinking aloe juice is what turned the corner in managing the pain . I don't know about miscarriage possibilities when using aloe juice , consult a health care professional.

[wantmyoldgutsback 0]

Hello.  question on probiotics, if anyone is still on this thread...  I keep trying to start probiotics.  However, right away I have issues.  The probiotic themselves give me bloating, increased abdominal pain, and D.  I am normally constipated type.  however, when I introduce any probiotic (which usually is a fermented food like saurkraut, yogurt, etc.) I right away get these symptoms.  

That leads me to discontinue the probiotic course of action.  I read a lot of reports about how people cured their IBS with probiotics.  But I hear no mention of this symptom, or stage. Does anyone else get this? 

 

Is it just me, and something I should push through by keeping the probiotic / fermented foods coming?  I tried for 3 weeks to just keep pushing forward on this course of action, and it was miserable, and then stopped.  My theory is I need to do a bone broth diet (into GAPS) to kill off whatever is down there, before introducing and establishing new probiotic / bacteria.

THANKS!  

[IBSnoMore 2]

Sorry that you are having negative results with probiotics , it seems to me that your instincts are accurate in assuming there must be an underlying cause that needs to be corrected . Aloe juice ( Aloe Life , Aloe Gold ) really helped me early on , have you tried that ?