The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Probiotics
Posted by Kerina (Bergerac, France) on 05/18/2012
★★★★★
I had suffered for so long with bloating and stomach pains after meals. Nothing the doctor prescribed made any difference. I tried altering the diet, eliminating gluten, lactose and vegetables, but nothing made any difference. I was becoming very miserable, because as well as the physical side, IBS is a horribly embarrassing problem, and I was loathe to stay in friends' houses.
Then I discovered Kefir, a probiotic. Even my GP had never heard of it, but it's made so much difference. My stomach is flatter and the pains have disappeared. It couldn't be simpler to use. Just add a sachet of Kefir to a jug of milk or soya milk (keep covered and out of bright light) and up to 24 hours later it will have fermented, like yogurt (but the effects for me were far more beneficial than yogurt). I eat it every morning on cereal with a little honey to taste.
I hope this helps other people as it helped me.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Anonymous (Plymouth, Ma) on 05/10/2012
I swear by ____ ACV with the "Mother" in it. I use it for cold remedys, upset stomachs, constipation, you name it! My son has been taking it for colds and other things since he was 10 years old. He actually asks me to make it when he's not feeling well. He hates the taste. Lol but he knows it will make him feel better. I generally put 2 tbsp of ______ ACV with 1 tbsp of honey in hot water. It makes a great tea and tastes like hot apple cider! You can even breath in the vapors from the tea for nasal and chest congestion. ______ ACV is truly a great home remedy and I recommend it to anyone who has never heard of it. Glad to hear it's helping others as well!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Idow (Miami, Fl) on 04/29/2012
To Kazim from Peshawar, Pakistan: Some of the symptoms you describe "severe pain on middle and right side of ribs (stomach side), no appetite" point to gallbladder problems or gallstones. I had those same symptoms and had to have my gallbladder removed. The test is a simple ultrasound.
Unfortunately, I still have acid reflux and ibs, so getting your gallbladder removed doesn't fix all issues that you may be having. Try a plant based diet, with lots of natural juices (I purchased a juicer). The juices may relieve the pain in your back & right side of your stomach.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Had (White River Jct, Vermont) on 04/12/2012
Have you cut out Wheat/Gluten from your diet? And RAW milk would really really help you, check it out on this site and raw_milk_facts.com. RAW is not anything like commercial dairy, it actually will help getting the right bacteria in your gut again so you digest food. Read up on RAW milk so you know how it will help, and on Wheat and Gluten ( I liked the factual info in Wheat Belly--so I understand that today's wheat is not real food anymore and dangerous). Take 1 step at a time in making changes you can health yourself with more success w/o modern toxic meds. Check out info on digestion, food allergies etc.. on site and there are so many helpful hints to get you going to a healthier new life, good health to you.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Anja (Saint Augustine, Fl) on 04/11/2012
You might look into the SCD diet (Specific Carbohydrate Diet). I read a book about it called "Food and the Gut Reaction" by Elaine Gottschall. There is a website too that offers lots of info on it. Just type in SCD Diet. Its safe and although its a big dietary change it works. It shows what you can eat while your body repairs itself. Good luck. I've tried it.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ladyliza (Granada Hills, Ca/usa) on 04/11/2012 36 posts
Gavin, how long do you have to drink the lemon juice until you wiped out the parasites?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Gavin (Manganui, Northland, New Zealand) on 04/11/2012
Hi Kazim have you tried lemons? they do wonders for the digestion.. Squeeze a cupfull of lemon juice.. Dilute it five times and add honey to taste.. Then take a glass a day. It also kills off unwanted parasites in the digestive system, it does so many things that are positive its well worth a try.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kazim (Peshawar, Pakistan) on 04/11/2012
I'm suffering from food intolerance/allergy and IBS for last 12 years, I have always stomach upset, gas (brosy abdomen) , burning/swelling, when I tap on my back I feel severe pain on middle and right side of ribs (stomach side), no appetite, low mood, weak concentration, sleep disorder, unsocial life, lost weight, fatigue, blur vision, thin thick sticky paste like stool (sticked with intestines/burning while passing/not hard soft but not like watery diarrhea/dont feel urgency to toilet)(1 or 2 times a day to clear bowls. I have severe intolerance/allergy with milk, all dairy products, all kinds of sweets, milk tea, cola drinks, all fruits, fish and eggs, bakery products, everything I eat makes gastro upset. I totally avoid dairy products and sweets.
I have done all kinds of tests ( food allergy test is also normal). endoscopy (5 times)[few years back I had always severe pain in stomach, vomiting with pain but now I feel good after using stomach medicines/h.pylori course etc. ]last endoscopy was normal, barium meal follow through, ultrasounds, stool tests, all tests are normal, but nothing is diagnosed, I also went to psychiatrist but no improvement (im 200% sure these all problems r due to gastro upsetness not due to psychological disturbance. (i have used many medicines advised by GI doctors but no improvement). Do u have any solution?
IBS and Parasites
Posted by Jules (Brooklyn, Ny) on 02/25/2012
★★★★★
Hi there, I was reading your post because I found myself in a similar situation about a year ago, only I was told I didnt have chrones or ulcerative colitis, yet, still had all the symptoms. I then went to a naturopath who tested for yeast and parasites and I tested positive for both. Do you feel any better?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mm Sethi (New Delhi, Delhi) on 02/09/2012
★★★★★
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. What a wonderful natural remedy. I have been suffering from IBS for years. One evening when I was having too much of problem, I surfed the net and came across this remedy. I took a single dose of ACV and felt better. I took one dose next morning and passed the day without any problem. Now I am taking just one dose in the morning and feeling good. One precaution, n it causes constipation so you have to keep this in mind
Rutin
Posted by Chelsea (Tulsa, Oklahoma) on 02/01/2012
★☆☆☆☆
Micki from Swindon: which brand of rutin did you use because I tried this per your recommendation but am seeing no results. Thanks so much, Chelsea
General Feedback
Posted by Megan:) (Ballarat, Victoria, Australia) on 01/29/2012
Hi, I have tried the FODMAP diet, roughly :) I have cut out some fruits such as apples, as they send me straight to the loo! Also I try not to eat fruits containing polyols or excess fructose. It seems to have worked but I am know suspecting it could be the tap water. Am definatly going to supermarket to get 20L of spring water. Am also trying the apple cider vinegar with water X
Coconut Oil
Posted by Elaine (Nashville, Tennessee) on 01/25/2012
★★★★★
Coconut oil has significantly reduced my IBS symptoms. As long as I take four pills each day I don't have symptoms. I also have long nails for the first time in my life and my hair is thicker too. I suspect coconut oil helps IBS sufferers that have had their gall bladder removed.... just a personal hunch.
General Feedback
Posted by Lady From London (London, Uk) on 12/23/2011
I just heard that a diet called Low FODMAP diet is helpful in relieving the symptoms. Basically, it's keeping fermented foods out of the diet. If anyone has tried this, please do let us know. Thanks!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Hef (Mississauga, Ontario) on 12/11/2011
★★★★★
I have been using Organic Raw ACV for my IBS symptoms.... It worked really well after I added a little bit of baking soda and 1/4 tsp of Cayenne Pepper with a bit of Turmeric. Overall symptoms are significantly better now.
It keeps going and coming in cycles ... Every couple of week especially when I am not sleeping enough and work and family realted stress. I am working to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night and not to sleep late on the weekends and exercise more often at the gym.
Valerian
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Usa) on 11/22/2011 2042 posts
Mira, Valerian has a natural healing agent and is recommended for digestive diseases, but is mostly known as a nervine.
Valerian
Posted by Mira (Strathclyde, Scotland, Uk) on 11/21/2011
★★★★★
I have been taking a 450mg valerian root capsule each night before bed for the past week and it has led to a marked improvement in my IBS-C symptoms. It might be due to the fact that valerian has a slowing/calming effect on the body and has allowed my digestive system to relax somewhat. The one night I missed a dose, my crampy/gurgly symptoms started coming back during the day, so I am positive that it's the valerian that is helping.
L-Glutamine
Posted by Nancy (Mineral City, Ohio, Usa) on 11/20/2011
★★★★★
I go to Dr. Frackelton in Westlake, Ohio for cancer prevention. (I already had it once) I have suffered from spastic colon off and on for years. I was really in pain one time when I went for my routine blood work and mentioned it to him. He said, "I know what will fix you up right now. " He told me to take 1 tsp of l-glutamine 3 times a day. I had been suffering with this for 4 weeks. I had already gone to my regular doctor who prescribed a medicine that did give me some relief from the pain. I quit taking that medicine the day before I went to see Dr. Frackelton. I took the l-glutamine later after I got home. I was taking my third teaspoon of it when I realized that I was fine!!! It worked that fast. When Dr. Frackelton told me it would fix me up right now, he was right! The l-glutamine really worked. I hope this helps someone.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Lisa (S. California, Ca, Usa) on 11/18/2011
You have to take ENTERIC coated peppermint oil. Straight peppermint is way too strong to put into the stomach. Peppermint increase the gastric juices in the stomach, so it needs to bypass the stomach and get into the intestines. Peppermint relaxes muscles, ie intestinal muscles.
If I have a sudden attack and need IMMEDIATE relief, the capsules are NOT the answer. They take awhile to start working. For immediate relief, try peppermint tea ( will make you sleepy) or Altoids. With the Altoids, I usually eat around 10-15 in a 5 minutes period and it helps A LOT.
If you get stomach pain, eat some food with it or eat some DGL LICORICE chewables/lozenges from iherb. The taste is not great but it gets rid of stomach ( not intestinal) pain.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Mel (Kobe, Japan) on 11/10/2011
★☆☆☆☆
A friend had success with these but said you need to take them for a few weeks before getting results. That said, they didn't help my IBS-D.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Diane (Columbia, Missouri) on 10/24/2011
★★★★★
This is a follow-up to my original post back in April 2010. I'm still symptom free from my IBS because of the ACV. I haven't had any problems with it whatsoever since I started drinking the ACV. The good news is that now, I only drink it once in awhile for "maintenance". If you have IBS, you must give it a try.
Chromium Picolinate
Posted by Bill (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) on 10/05/2011
★★★★★
Chromium Picolinate has improved my digestion by 90%. I take 200 mcg 15-30 minutes before every meal. The results have been miraculous. And I was one of those people who tried all the typical cures, probiotics, fiber, etc with no success and I was getting frustrated. But the chromium picolinate has saved my digestion. My bowel movements are like the ones I had in high school!
I also found it helps for frequent urination but I made a different post for that. I hope this helps somebody!
IBS and Herpes Virus Connection
Posted by Yardley (Los Angeles, Ca, Usa) on 10/02/2011
★★★★★
Megyn, I had the chicken pox 2 years ago which is when my ibs symptoms started. Chicken pox is a form of herpes and I am convinced there is some correlation with this virus and bowel dysfunction. Now all we have to do is convince our doctors and maybe they will do a study!
IBS and Herpes Virus Connection
Posted by Megyn (Houston, Tx) on 09/25/2011
★★★★★
Hi I know this thread was started last year. I just wanted to share quickly my experiences with vaginal herpes and IBS-C. I have had herpes since I was 18 and IBS-C symptoms that have increasingly gotten worse. I have followed a gluten and lactose free diet for over two years now which helped greatly. Then recently my food intolerances have become so bad that I started a low FODMAP diet which has also helped to mitigate a lot of the bowl discomfort I have suffered. But I was still having a lot of problems going to the bathroom. All of this is going on while I have been having almost one herpes out break after another for the past 6 months. I have been tested for SIBO, and it was inconclusive. My bathroom habits have been difficulty accessing the muscles needed to properly eliminate (a lot of twisting, turning, pushing on my abdomen) what ends up being pretty soft, sometimes not formed at all stool. So its not classic constipation. My lower left back has also been causing me pain problems chronically. I was beginning to wonder If I had a pinched nerve that wasn't signaling properly, but I don't seem to have a pinched nerve either. I also don't have any sensation in the rectal area to have a bowel movement. It is more of a bloating and discomfort in the abdomen, so I go and try and pray something happens.
So a few days ago I got a prescription for Valtrex for suppresive therapy, after just two days of taking 1 gram a day I have noticed a huge difference in my ability to eliminate! I don't know if there is a causal relationship, but it is definitely correlated. I will continue to stay on suppressive therapy for a LONG TIME as well as continue the low FODMAP diet for at least a year to let things heal. I will probably get some stool samples tested for parasites and yeast just to make sure too. But I think I am on to something. Hope this helps someone!
Lemons
Posted by T.martin (Winslow, Nj) on 08/14/2011
★★★★★
Lemon Water works even better with distilled water. I have had great success with fresh lemon and distilled water:)
Konjac Mannan
Posted by Amy (Bc, Canada) on 07/08/2011
★★★★★
I struggled with IBS type symptoms for 6 months following a c. Diff infection. I tried almost every natural remedy on this site with no luck. Within one day of starting Konjac-mannan, I had a noticable improvement in after meal bloating and distension. My bowels returned to almost normal after alternating between diarrhea and constipation. I read that it helps normalize bacteria in the gut so maybe that's why it helped me. To me it's been a miracle cure.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Bess (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 06/24/2011
★★★★★
I found this regarding IBS in a recent newsletter from Dr. Al Sears:
For irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, you can take enteric-coated capsules of peppermint oil. It's completely safe. The coating stops the oil from getting digested too early. One study gave either the capsules or a placebo to people with IBS. Of the people who took peppermint, 75% had a significant reduction of IBS symptoms.
I hope this helps the IBS sufferers. Not quite the same thing, but when I have indigestion, I either drink peppermint/spearmint tea or chew a few fresh mint leaves. It takes just a few minutes and I feel much better. Maybe that's why people have "after-dinner mints" - it's the mint that helps digestion.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Gavin (Manganui, Northland, New Zealand) on 06/23/2011
★★★★★
Yeh regarding your IBS. Totaly knock off white bread .. And take a teaspoon of Black strap mollasas everyday. That cured me. Browner the bread the better.. but the cheap white fluffy stuff seems to make the bowels react.
Magnesium Chloride
Posted by Luana (Hollywood, Fl) on 06/23/2011
★★★★★
Magnesium Chloride cured me right away. I was given a deadly staff infection from a surgery and then tons of antibiotics over the course of a year and became very messed up. Doctors had no answers. I couldn't even digest food any longer and had terrible problems. I tried everything. Learned of the magnesium chloride from Bill from San Fernando here on Earthclinic and followed all the really valuable links he provided on the miracle of magnesium. Don't buy the magnesium in the drug store, its not the same.
Nystatin
Posted by Randy (Jersey City, Nj, Usa) on 04/18/2011
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I had a lot of success with nystatin powder as well. bloating, gas, and constipation reduced 95% over a couple months. after stopping, however, my symptoms came back. the doc said I might need to continue using periodically. also, I've found a few side effects, including fatigue and pimples
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Lisa (S. California, Ca, Usa) on 04/11/2011
★★★★★
I've been struggling with IBS and Celiac for a long time. I still get cramps even though there is no more gluten ( or hidden gluten) in my diet.
I found a softgel that has peppermint oil, fennel and ginger in it from iherb. Wow, do these things work great and really tame the tummy!!! I finally have some relief! I take 1 at night and one in the morning. If I still get painful cramps, I take another one. They don't help with diaherra though.
They are a bit hard on the stomach at first so take with a bite or two of food until you get used to them.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mikeh95 (Salem, Oh, United States) on 04/09/2011
★★★★★
Amazing how this instantly cured my IBS! I have been suffering with IBS for about a year now. I got IBS at age 14 and it really made high school a living hell. Now I'm currently 15 and I'm cured! The quality of life is so much better for me now. I recommend AVC to everyone with IBS, it works amazingly.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Butterflycari (Heber City, Ut, Usa) on 03/06/2011
★★★★★
One thing I notice is you have to get the ENTERIC COATED peppermint oil capsules. I have had really good results by using these and usually one dose is sufficient.
Nystatin
Posted by Linda M. (Newbury Park, Ca) on 02/26/2011
Thanks for the valuable info on IBS and possible link to infection. This has been very helpful to me and I believe I may have an infection that has been going on for some time.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Paula (Westhampton Beach, Ny) on 02/26/2011
★★★★★
I took your advice and have been drinking the ACV with Mother for 5 days. I feel much better and have noticed a little energy surge. Thanks so much for this great idea. What is funny is that my Dad drank ACV and honey every day way back in the 60's and my mom made us kids drink it too. I never knew why, maybe they knew about it's healing ability. :~)
Probiotics
Posted by Linda M. (Newbury Park, Ca) on 02/25/2011
★★★★★
I have suffered with ibs-d for 1 year and tried several natural remedies that have not worked for me. I was constantly getting colds and flus and I was very weak. A friend recommended a high quality probiotc (Natren healthy trinity and Life Start 2) with amazing results. My diarrhea and loose bowels stopped immediately. My first few days involved more normal bowel movements and I did experience gas as my flora in my intestines was being restored. I was told this was normal and would clear up. It is very early in my recovery, but the results so far has been very positive. I hope this is helpful to others.
