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 fiber 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 fiber) 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 fiber that settles the
colon apparently. I quickly searched on the internet for recipes high in
soluble fiber 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 fiber as it is essential for the
body, but I recommend that you eat it on a full stomach.”