Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment

Hello, Earthclinic readers. I'm a 46 y/o woman. A few years ago as I was going through a divorce, I developed severe abdominal pain. It would be located high, or near my ribs, off to one side or very low in my abdominal area. Hardly ever in the same spot. My Dr. did a few tests and sent me to radiology for a sonogram of my gall bladder, appendix and ovaries. The sonographer told me my symptoms sounded like IBS, she had it. Coincidentally, I had run out of my multi vitamins some time ago and hadn't replaced them. Sometime after that Dr. appt I did get more and noticed a few days after taking them again that the pain went away.

I was talking to a friend of mine whose granddaughter had been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and in doing her own research discovered that B12 and Royal Jelly could be beneficial. She opted to try this rather than put her 8 y/o granddaughter through the recommended surgery. It worked! The pain was completely gone in no time. I looked at the label on my vitamin bottle to find that they did indeed contain a hefty dose of B12 and bee pollen, but not Royal Jelly. Subsequently, I ran out of vitamins again and after several weeks without them - you guessed it - the abdominal pain returned! I didn't waste any time getting to the local health food store to get my multi-vitamin and sure enough, after a few days, the pain was completely gone again. I'm convinced, B12 and bee pollen or Royal Jelly must be good for the digestive system. My vitamins are Nature's ___ ___ ___. It's a whole food and chock full of good stuff.

I was diagnosed with IBS, awful bloating, trouble breathing awful pain. The Dr had prescibed a # of meds that didn't help. I started taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. I had almost immediate results. I wish I started this 10 years ago.I take it in the Am before breakfast and before I go to bed at night.

There is no doubt in my experience that stress in conjunction with lack of natural food will create IBS. I have had several bouts of this debilitating condition and have cured it by removing stress as much as possible and drinking fennel tea. Make a tea in a small stainless pot,with one large teaspoon of whole fennel seeds and a pint of spring or filtered water.Gently simmer tea for about ten minutes and allow to cool. Drink about a quarter of a pint, two or three times a day. The first cup,I usually take on an empty stomach. Sometimes if it is really bad, I make two pots and allow the seeds to meditate for a day or so which can make it slightly more potent. Don't keep it for too long. Love to you all.

I have taken cold showers daily for a number of years. I heartily recommend them. I find that my skin is better and my resistance to colds and flu is much stronger. But, unfortunately, it had no effect on my IBS. My IBS is the same whether I take my showers cold or hot.

I have tried enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules numerous times and they had no effect on my IBS.

Black Strap Molasses cured my IBS. I have suffered with alternating constipation and diarrhea for ten years. In the last few years mostly diarrhea at least once everyday. I started taking BSM for my anemia after reading your website and was pleasantly surprised to find that it also cured my IBS. And it got rid of any PMS issues. I have no pre-menstrual symptoms at all. Mine was never terrible, but what little I had was gone. I was so excited that I shared this info. with my sister who has the same issues as me with the IBS and she has worse PMS...and she was thrilled with the results! Wow! I take 1 tbls. each night before bed. I use the sulphured molasses...tastes nasty to me, but it's worth it!

I had no success with the Peppermint Oil. Although I've tried Caprylic Acid, and alot of it, that had no effect either.

I have some kind of fungal infection, probably candida, could be a different fungus though. I've had success with two things so far:
1. Mega-Garlic (to the point that you smell offensive).
2. Coconut Oil (2 TBSP, morning and evening)(this is a bunch of calories, though). I'm sold on the coconut oil

I suspect mega-iodine (see Sporotrichosis for doseage) may help, but I can't confirm yet. Iodine is twice as strong of an antibiotic as Chlorine, less toxic, disolves starches(and yeast), and heavy metals. I've seen some success in the mouth with iodine, where success has been dificult to come by.

I know that this might sound to simple, but please try CERTIFIED ORGANIC BUTTERMILK.

I have been in such IBS intestinal pain, gas, bloating, burping, D etc., ....all this came about after I finished an IBS study for meds (4mths), incl CBT (cognitive behavior therapy.) The meds gave me nasty side effects and the CBT although nice, but also not effective. You have no idea all the natural things & meds that I have tried all these years. Nothing worked.

Our local health food store recently started to carry the NEW and ONLY one out there...Certified Organic Buttermilk. I could not find this before. The conventional buttermilk just did not help me as it did prior to the late 60's. I grabbed the last 3 liter cartons and drank 1 liter that day and started on the others first thing on an empty stomach in the mornings. By the afternoon of the 2nd day....everything started to subside drastically. After the 3rd liter (3rd day), I could not believe that all my IBS attacks symptoms had vanished. All these years of suffering with next to no remission time.

I ordered 4 more liters and drank 1 liter per day. It has now been 2 weeks and I am IBS free. My D stopped on the 2nd day, along with the intense cramping. My tummy has greatly reduced in size and I am not gassy, burpy or acid reflux, and my D is gone.

I have been eating all my trigger foods with no problem. If I feel a twinge coming on, I merely pour a very large glass of this amazing thick, rich buttermilk and drink it all in one shot. Do not sip at it. It seems to work best when you drink it all at once.

I can't seem to get enough of it. My body is craving it like nothing I have experience before. I advance ordered another 4 liters. THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CERTIFIED ORGANIC BUTTERMILK AND THE CONVENTIONAL ONE.

Research the ingredients for yourselves and you will see. This type of buttermilk is like the product my mom use to give me when was a kid to settle down my IBS. Nothing has worked like this since until now. Check out Harmony dairy in Ontario. They seem to be the only ones supplying it so far. (btw: the ACV almost killed me and although I have been using coconut oil for the past 2 yrs., it too has not settled down my IBS.) I hope this remedy helps someone as much as it has helped me.

Perioral Dermatitis - Acidophulis... I've sufferred from Irritable Bowel Syndrome for 25 years and perioral dermititis and roseacea for about 10-15. Probiotics have cured the IBS and greatly improved/nearly cured the dermatitis. I eat a high probiotic count yogurt everyday and take a high quality probiotic supplement every day. I use a yogurt mask every other day. I tried the ACV and couldn't stand the taste or the smell and it didn't seem to be doing anything. I do now occasionally drink kombucha tea (2-3 times a week) which seems to be very similar to ACV in terms of types of probiotics, but slightly more palatable and I occasionally use it on my face as well (not nearly as stinky as the ACV). This site was great for encouraging me to take matters into my own hands and see what would work for me. Thanks! And good luck to all.

Please keep in mind that aloe vera can deplete potassium from your body. Just a little fyi. I have seen it on lab values affect a patient's potassium level and she swore by aloe vera juice for everything.

Peppermint Oil can cure IBS in many people. It also kills candida.

http://www.webmd.com/ibs/news/20081113/peppermint-oil-fiber-can-treat-ibs

"Based on the combined data, the researchers estimated that one in 2.5 patients would get significant relief of symptoms if treated with peppermint oil, compared to one in five patients taking antispasmodics and one in 11 patients taking fiber. Peppermint oil is sold in capsules, and the study participants took about 200 milligrams two or three times a day.

TRUST ME, THIS IS ABOUT CANDIDA...

I didn't get over my illness until:

1) I discovered that I had been living with intestinal parasites. My physicians didn't believe that I was ill at all. They didn't want to waste their time and resources testing, don't you know. I was so happy to have them *diagnose* the animalia I presented to them in a box.

(a) the parasites, worms, protected themselves by secreting a biofilm which is both immunomodulating and immunosuppressing. Do you honestly believe my physicians knew / told me that?

2) My physicians explained, (ie., LIED), to me and explained that I had "IBS". Try googling the two words: "IBS" and "TRASHCAN DIAGNOSIS".

(a) "IBS" is a catch all *syndrome* which physicians use to substitute for real medical diagnosis, given that they do not have the time, inclination, energy or desire to solve your health problems for you. They have other things to think about.

3) Once I discovered, after nearly two decades of living in a near constant state of hopelessness, that there was an alternative, legitimate community of health care providers known as alternative, holistic, integrative and herbal medicine, I decided to take the initial plunge into the world of colon hydrotherapy.

(a) This felt great.

4) I went on a candida free diet. I went to an alternative health clinic. I paid $40 for a refrigerated, very fine grain powder, mycostatin. In 3 weeks, I was 85% better. I can now eat fruit, veggies, grains, eggs, etc.,. I had not eaten these things in over a decade. How awful is that!

5) I returned to my HMO with the good news. They were upset. Pissed off even. They couldn't believe that I would BETRAY them like that! How dare I go outside of my HMO! I had gotten off their hook!

(a) I visited a gastroenterologist at my HMO, for kicks. I asked him to take a look at the word, nystatin, which is the generic form of mycostatin. He had never heard of it before but he was willing to do what I asked. It turns out, my HMO's database stated that NYSTATIN WAS INDICATED IN THE TREATMENT OF IBS. Funny thing is, nystatin is a broad spectrum antifungal. And very, very few doctors in mainstream medicine are using it to treat IBS. I met a woman suffering from the same thing I had. She gave me the name of her gastroenterologist. Same dude. I asked her if he had given her a prescription for nystatin. She told me, "No, what is that!"

And so it goes...

I have irritable bowel with diarrhea. After my last colonoscopy, no prescription or OTC meds would help. I started taking 5,000 mcg of biotin every day and got relief. Sometimes I do get diarrhea, but it doesn't last long. This even helps the spasms and cramping.

Bentonite Clay for IBS, Ulcerative Colitis & Gastroenteritis: Bentonite Clay is a miracle!! I have suffered w/ these conditions since I was a child (I am almost 42). As no meds would help & doctor's couldn't do anything. These conditions had left me pretty much, home bound. I was desperate and would have tried just about anything.

For the past several months, I have been taking just a small amount (no more than 1 T a day, in purified water) & I have went from 10-15 loose bowel movements a day, to two normal bm's. I saw the results immediately. I do not take fiber.

I had forgotten what normal was. It was so bad that I could eat, almost nothing w/o getting extremely sick. On occasion, I still take Prilosec for acid reflux, but no other stomach meds!!

I hope this info helps others, as it has given me my life back. ;)

This is to Irene from Brisbane, Australia, regarding MSM.

Hi Irene
My mother lives in Brisbane also, and is suffering from arthritis. I would like to help her very much. Would you be amenable to her contacting you either by phone or email, or vice versa. Please let me know and we can proceed accordingly.
My email is [email protected]
Thanking you in advance
Gigi

I hope that I don't sound too stupid here but what is MSM? I have suffered from IBS since I was a little girl but then nobody knew what IBS was, can someone please give me some pointers as to how to get mine under control so I can take my life back, instead of it running my life. I suffer with diarrhea and constipation.

EC: MSM = Methyl Sulfonyl Methane, a relatively inexpensive supplement.
https://www.earthclinic.com/supplements/MSM.html

A natural doctor recommended the powdered supplement l-glutamine for my IBS. He said to take 5g(1 teaspoon) twice a day with juice or water but don't take it with protein at the same time because it will lesson the effect. It works! I have had far fewer attacks. It is inexpensive and easy to find because weightlifters also use it for muscle building benefits.

Psyllium husk (remedy) Irritable Bowel Syndrome (ailment)

After years of laxative abuse associated with an eating disorder, I ended up with sever IBS and an intolerance to a wide range of foods, including many fruits. I started taking psyllium husks recently after reading about it in a health magazine, and I have been amazed by the difference. I can eat most foods without the bloating, flatulence and chronic stomach pain that I have had to live with for years!

Although, I have found that when I have not taken the psyllium for several days, the symptoms have returned again. But to be able to live without pain, a tablespoon of psyllium on my breakfast in the mornings seems a small ask!

I tried to eat porridge with soy and rice milk for three weeks. This remedy helped me in the following ways:

Before: Go to toilet 5+ times a day.
Now: 2 times a day.

Before: Can't empty my stomach in the first time I go to toilet.
Now: I can!

Before: I always worry how I will be able to empty my stomach in public toilets.
Now: I go without thinking.

Before: I suffer from diarrhea and dehydration.
Now: Diarrhea is under control.

Before: I suffer from bloating.
Now: no pain, no bloating, can wear tight dresses.

Before: suffer from gas.
Now: no gas!

Direction:
----------
I used Heron Foods product its name 'Organic Gluten Free Porridge'
I mix 4 spoons of it with a glass of soya or rice milk and bring to the boil for 3-4 minutes.
Tip: You can add a slice of ginger while it is boiling to make it taste good.

I suffered from chronic IBS along with acne mostly in my T zone and fluctuating weight gain/loss for a number of years. after much toying with medications birth control pills and numerous skin creams which all had horrible side effects like rashes, yeast infections, bladder infections Candida, massive mood swings, depression, bad breath etc... I decided to find my own cure by following my bodies urges. I did a ton of research about digestion and the causes a poor diet has on digestion and eventually the skin after all our bodies organs are all connected to one another I then kept a food journal recording how I felt before and after everything I ate I eventually discovered that wheat was the culprit I was eating the stuff daily pasta, bread, and cereal.who'da thunk it wheat supposibly the miracle food giver of life was poisoning my body. After this discovery I eliminated wheat completely from my diet went on a regime of detox and colon cleanses all with natural products such as olive oil and lemon juice mixture for getting rid of gall stones, Dr Natura for a gentle natural non intrusive colon cleanse regime. and the master cleanse along with a juice fast for 10 days. and I eventually switched over to a vegitarian diet very high in live green foods, fruit and soy. This totally cleared up my skin, cutting out the wheat cleared up my IBS almost immediately and I have been IBS free now for almost 10 years. Another neat side effect of wheat elimination was I had suffered from a series of learning disabilities while I was a child and young adult after cutting out the wheat the brain fog cleared up and I was finally able to focus for the first time in my life. The cleansing cleared up my skin and the dietary changes dropped my weight to a my optimum weight I'm 5'8" tall and weigh 140 pounds with a very athletic build and have had no fluctuation since the change.

I am now 9 months pregnant and have never been so healthy in my life.I have put on the appropriate amount of weight needed for a health pregnancy. I have experienced no discomfort and had a totally normal exceptionally healthy pregnancy on this diet.

Follow your body's intuition and you will never go wrong. health is in your hands and diet!
best of luck Jessica xo

I have suffered intestinal problems for years finally diagnosed by a 'functional' doctor as dairy intolerance. A friend finally convinced me to try taking straight lemon juice from two smaller, greener lemons from Mexico and it has cured my problem almost immediately. Apparently I also cannot handle soy as I had a bad reaction to Chinese food. I have been treated by normal MDs and none have ever diagnosed this dairy intolerance, they only treated the symptoms and never identified the cause.

Hi Annabelle, if your IBS has been a lifelong problem, try eliminating bleached flour from your foods - go with whole grain cereals and breads & pastas - or least unbleached flour. Eliminating bleached flour got rid of my lifelong digestive complaints - but whole grains also increases fiber in your diet and eliminates the constipation problems. Also when you cook beans (dry) add l/4 tsp. of ground ginger to a pound of beans. You won't taste the ginger but you will also have less gas. If you continue to have the gas/bloating on whole grains, you might need to be checked out for gluten intolerance. Of course you can check that out for yourself by leaving all all wheat products and see if it makes a difference.