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.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Elizabeth (Ny) on 04/17/2017
★★★☆☆
I was diagnosed with IBS back in the late 90's. As the years passed I found more and more discomfort with belly bloating and pain and on occasion constipation. About one month ago I started to experience the symptoms of IBSD and I am here to tell you, I was practically living in my bathroom for three days. I then changed over my diet to no dairy, less fiber because I noticed when I ate things like spinach, broccoli, cabbage, etc. I would be running to the bathroom shortly after.
I began to drink coconut water, having coconut/almond milk in my coffee, supposedly non dairy, cut out ice cream and even had to cut out frozen yogurt and tried the lactaid products and still I am having issues. It is not as bad as it was last week, but it seems no matter what I eat, I am running a short while after or by the wee morning hours up and about with pain, discomfort, nausea. I have no clue what I should do anymore. I have plain Italian toast with jam, plain scrambled eggs, coconut water, etc. etc. and still, I wake up during the night in pain. I had tried the essence of peppermint like I used to take and still no relief.
I don't know what to do anymore..I am so tired and trying to make sure I stay hydrated at the same time. It has been one week today when this all got worse. Please help me!
Onion, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar Enema
Posted by James (TX) on 05/08/2023
Interested but how much of each ingredient?
Fennel
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 05/07/2014
Dear Amy,
There are a couple of things that I would try.
One would be charcoal. If you know you are going to eat something that will aggravate you, take a couple of charcoal tablets (not capsules) or a teaspoon of charcoal in 6 ounces of water. This will often help with gas/bloating.
Alternately, there are some herbal things to try. (Don't use charcoal within two hours of medication or herbal treatments.)
Peppermint - Have a cup of peppermint tea when you have something that may disagree with you. Or even easier, keep a bottle of peppermint essential oil with you and put a couple of drops into some water and drink it when you have something that might bother you.
Or
Comfrey - You can make a comfrey tea to take with or after eating potentially offending foods.
You could also try just drinking comfrey and peppermint tea regularly. This may give some healing in the long term. You could drink 3-4 cups a day.
Let us know what you try and if it helps you.
~Mama to Many~
Dietary Changes
Posted by Andrea C (Wales) on 10/02/2013
I eat a Paleo diet and I had terrible IBS for years before I ate Paleo, I eat certain meat and offal raw, a lot of people on Paleo eat raw eggs as well. I was bought up on raw eggs with warm raw milk with honey in. I was a happy, fit child and I swear it was the raw eggs and milk etc. Great stuff, and since I've been eating the meat raw, or nearly raw, mine has corrected itself, and a long standing bowel problem has gone, and I feel many other benefits. It's early days yet but it can only get better if it's got me here so quick? Other things need mending bodily, but it will come, thanks to this way of eating, and I eat loads, its not a diet, its just an eating plan, but it's doing me good. Love Andrea C xxxxxxxxxxx
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Grace and Mercy (ABQ NewMexico) on 03/06/2025
The reason that most people have stomach problems are many but ultimately generally speaking, the cause has to do with eating foods that have promoted the developement of micro parasites in the gut. These parasites are present in things like bad water, fast food, too much processed white cane sugar, white bleached flours, and nonorganic foods of all kinds. The system must be cleaned out before any healing can take place. You have to clean your gut out as well as your vital organs. That can be done by taking cleansing herbs and going on an organic vegetarian diet for a while or a juice fast of fresh squeezed organic vegetables. One of the best books for learning how to use herbs to heal oneself is 'Today's Herbal Health' by Louise Tenny, MH. Or, 'Back to Eden' by Jethro Kloss. You can find both of these books on Amazon.
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
Valerian
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Usa) on 11/22/2011 2041 posts
Mira, Valerian has a natural healing agent and is recommended for digestive diseases, but is mostly known as a nervine.
Magnesium Chloride
Posted by Christi (Florida) on 01/22/2024
By magnesium chloride, do you mean the magnesium oil that generally comes in spray form? I have this and find it to be very strong. How much did you take and how often?
Thank you!
Christi
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.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Sharon (Denver, Colorado) on 02/28/2010
★★★★★
I have IBS with a tendency toward diarrhea. I can't take supplemental mag. at all because it makes me worse. I try to get my magnesium from the foods I eat.
What has really helped me is a gluten-free diet. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to know whether it will help, so be patient. The other thing that has helped is powdered l-glutamine, about a heaping teaspoon mixed in water every day. It's well known as a bowel healer. Powdered vitamin-C can help too but start out slowly because too much can cause diarrhea.
I have learned to avoid what I know bothers me. At the top of this list are pain relievers (both prescription and OTC), alcohol, milk, horseradish, garlic and raw onion. I have also learned that adding fiber to the diet can make me worse, particularly commercial fiber preparations. I stick with half an apple, a little brown rice, or a very small serving of beans when I need fiber, and I don't eat them every day.
Fennel
Posted by Firminatus (Mansal Lacy, Hereford, UK) on 11/23/2009
★★★★★
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.
Buttermilk
Posted by Jeff (Portsmouth, Ohio ) on 06/03/2017
You don't really have to drink a whole liter every day do you?
Biotin
Posted by Stacy Mills (Monticello, Arkansas) on 02/25/2009
★★★★★
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.
Turmeric
Posted by Gillian (DF, Mexico) on 11/27/2007
★★★★★
have the indian spice turmeric on hand for emergencies. Usually IBS has a lot to do with our emotional well-being and suggests something is or many things are stressing us and we need to make changes in ourselves. However becoming perfect can take more than a life time so i recomend turmeric, i swallow half a teaspoonfull when I have a bad case of IBS and in half an hour I am much better. Only thing is as with lots of cures natural and pharmaceutecal, if the IBS keeps coming back eventually the effect of the turmeric or other cure is lessened. what it gives us is a chance to feel better while we try to solve the underlying problems.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Amanda (Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin) on 08/15/2007
★★★★★
I had suffered from IBS for years and years since I was about 11. It got to be so bad that my lower intestine enlarged to a point where it was pushing up against my stomach and causing severe pain. What really seemed to help me is to take a capsule of flax seed oil with a meal along with a glass of water. It made it so that I was regular. In recent years, I've been doing research on just how many illnesses are related to the consumption of animals and their byproducts such as cheese and the like. In an effort to become a healthier and more compassionate person, I became a vegan and it has done so much for me!! Not only has it completely cleared up the IBS, but numerous other things such as hypoglycemia, acne, made my skin more healthy and radient, made my nails harder, I get a more restful night's sleep, I have a TON more energy, etc. I cannot say enough about how much becoming a vegan has helped my health but the most drastic of a chsnge that I have found is the IBS. Within literally two days I was regular without the help of anything. I didn't have to watch what I ate to make sure that everything would be okay either. It was and is awesome! About an hour after I eat I have to go and it is the biggest relief! I hope those of you with IBS take my advice seriously and just think about cutting at least some of the animal products out of your diet.
Bottled Water
Posted by denise (naples fl, usa) on 06/25/2007
★★★★★
I have had severe IBS for 6 years. Before that time I could eat anything, never a stomach problem and my health was excellent. Since then I have tried every diet there is with the results that if I eliminated anything acid including citric acid which is in a lot of drinks and foods I could get by but I was still severely affected by IBS. Just one week ago I decided to try only drinking bottled water because I suspected my tap water even though we have a filtration system. I have not felt this good in 6 years. I am able to eat things (chocolate) that I haven't eaten in years. I have not been able to eat any fruits, any juices, most vegetables, in the last 6 years. I have not started to put all of them back in my diet yet as I am taking things slowly but this has been a HUGE improvement. The water I have been drinking is from a natural spring but nothing expensive (64 cents a gallon). Drinking bottled water has also improved my husbands health as he has had a skin irritation for several years that doctors could not diagnose. We both thinks it's the chlorine in the water system. By the way it isn't just the water in Florida causing the problem because we both had our health problems begin in Delaware where we also had a water filter on the tap.
Bottled Water
Posted by Msanna (New Orleans, LA) on 06/02/2014
Re: Irritabe Bowel Syndrome and Water Filters. Not all filters are created equal I have a gravity filter based on Black Berkey filters. Has done wonders for over all health along with water cure. Berkey removed flouride as well if you use the secondary PF2 filter. Most common filters do not remove flouride. There is one on TV right now being heavily advertised and it only claims to remove one thing from water. I assure you there are many many more things in water. Do your research. Google black berkey comparison. Flouride shuts down the thyroid.
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:)
Non-Alcoholic Beer
Posted by Robert (Orlando, FL) on 01/13/2007
★★★★★
The intestinal problems I'm referring to are caused by too much acid reaching the intestines. I've found that some packaged juices such as grape juice, tomato juice and apple juice, contain a lot of acid and can eventually cause intestinal pain when overdone. I attribute that to the acid eating away at the lining of the GI tract and causing irritation and ulcers. The obvious thing that's called for in those cases is to cut out these beverages. However, even though I used to suffer from such GI tract irritation to where I had to cut out my favorite beverages, I found a way to get around that problem and drink all the fruit juices I wanted without any problems at all and have been doing so for many years now. What I found is that if non-alcoholic "beer" or brew (I prefer Miller or Coors) is drunk at the same time as these juices (I mix them together for a good fizzy drink) I can, and do, drink as much juice as I want without any of the normal problems I used to get. Plus I find it to be a healthy and tasty alternative to soda drinks. I don't know what it is about beer that neutralizes the effects of acid in the GI tract, but it works every time.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Wildstormy1 (Spokane, Wa) on 02/18/2013
I have had IBS-D for more than 20 yrs. Now that I've been Gluten Free for about a year, I have alternating bowel functions. Do you think that coconut oil will help with the dual functionality? I am so willing to try anything.
EC: IBS-D stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Diarrhea Predominant
Coconut Oil
Posted by Anonymous (US) on 05/20/2018
If the coconut oil has a foul smell try a different brand. The cheap generic coconut oil has a strong odor. The expensive oil smells fresh and sweet. Coconut "butter" is delicious and amazing, too. It is basically pureed coconut, flesh and oil. I noticed the expensive brand of coconut "cream" I used to use had the odor of the cheap oil, so I swiched brands. Problem solved. I tried baking with the cheap oil and the final product had an even stronger odor, I had to throw it in the trash.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Elizabeth (Ny) on 04/21/2017
Thank you, MT. I never knew about this root but will call the health food store and see if they have it. They probably do, they seem to have just about everything I have never heard of before. Had some fennel tea last night before going to bed and it was basically an uneventful night..very little with the going and my tummy was not as bad as it has been. Would like to try this root tea though. Thank you again.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Elizabeth (Ny) on 05/13/2017
It has been over a week now since I started taking the Echinacea tincture as well as Peppermint tincture. I take the Echinacea in the am and in the pm. I take the Peppermint three times a day, morning/afternoon/and before bedtime. I started with the Vitamin D3 as well as maybe twice a day or so having a piece of candied ginger. I bought some Fennel Tea so that I did not have to put fennel seeds in things that I cooked. After several days, the pain seemed to subside but I was still waking early in the am and running to the bathroom. I swear, I don't know what is wrong. I drink spring water and coconut water as well. And, this am was the first time I even had a few dropplings of anything slightly solid in my movement. Although I only had to get to the bathroom twice this am, the pain in my gut is horrid again. I am at my wits end and am wondering if I will ever be normal or somewhat normal again. And, I am mentioning this here simply because it is the only place I feel ever so slightly comfortable with talking about it, but when I go and it is like water, it now has a slight pea green color to it. I am bloated again and so uncomfortable. How long does it take to at least have something normal go through me after beginning to take these things? I have barely eaten anything, but last night I did have a plain burger/with backed red bliss potatoes and carrots. I only have plain scrambled eggs in the am with maybe toast or a waffle with peanut butter and I have basically forgone lunches altogether. I do have some aged cheese (over 12 months) that I may have on a few crackers to munch on. I had even gotten some non-dairy ice cream made of almond from the Health Food Store and still had issues.
Can anyone please tell me how long does it take before you even have a few normal days?
Thanks
Elizabeth
Dietary Changes
Posted by Mark (Tulsa) on 04/12/2016
★☆☆☆☆
I was recently diagnosed with IBS. My symptoms include, sever constipation, black stools, upset stomach when I eat and when I have a bowel movement. I had been taking an over the counter drug and it kept me regular. However the stools each morning were initially hard followed immediately by a loose stool. I was prescribed a IBS drug which while I was on it (taken three times a day for two weeks) I was regular but still has some stomach discomfort. When I went off the drug my symptoms returned and the over the counter drum is not effective. I had a series of tests, scopes, colonoscopy and an endoscopic ultrasound. I was not tested for parasites at all. I am on a FODMAP diet and my constipation is terrible and so far I have not seen any improvement. Any advice.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 04/13/2016
Mark, are you drinking enough?
Dietary Changes
Posted by Sally (Tulsa) on 05/08/2016
Hi, Mark I was wondering which GI Doctor you see. I'm looking for a GI that is open to the idea of healing through a diet plan like SCD, LowFodmap, AIP etc.... I've seen several GI's over the years but none have brought up SCD for healing.
Juicing
Posted by Namaw (Al) on 03/21/2016
Thanks, Janet. I've been taking 10000 now d3 for several years now. I had taken l-glutamine for several months some time ago, but didn't see any difference. I also have bad insomnia, for which I take 3g glycine + 3g l-tryptophan + 4 mg melatonin. Not much of a difference for the insomnia but at least I go to sleep for an hour or so, then doze the rest of the night. So many things interact, I know if I'd find the right balance I'd be better. I've been taking the angstrom magnesium, but not holding it under my tongue b/c it gives me diarrhea. I use it like the mag oil, it seems to be a bigger dose.
Juicing
Posted by Ruralady (Illinois) on 12/26/2025 177 posts
Have you tried making your own? I wonder if it's the yeast in the bread causing the problems.
Fennel
Posted by Amy (Georgia) on 05/05/2014
I have ibs and I get bad bloating after I eat salads and some steamed vegetables. I eat fennel seeds to help. Any other suggestions?
Dietary Changes
Posted by T (Va) on 10/02/2013
I read on Natural News about a woman with ibs-d who said she ate only raw eggs and raw meat for a month and it cured the ibs-d. I'm okay with raw, but has anyone else heard of this? Some folks appear to make comments that are far-fetched on purpose, like a troll, with no care of the consequences. I'd like to do research first.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ed2010 (Canada) on 10/02/2013
For Ulcer, you have to take 1 raw egg early in the morning in empty stomach and you have to supplement with vitamin C. But this can work for IBS-D as well, you have to try and see. IBS, CROHNS, stomach ulcer, UC, lactose intollerance, IBD, sibo all are just the branch of the GI disease manifesting simple and aggressive symptoms. Never heard of taking raw meat, myself at least.
Blackberry
Posted by Happy Mom (Fort Worth, Tx, Usa) on 05/01/2013
★★★★☆
I think my last post didn't make it! If this is redundant- my apologies. I fought with e-coli, and started losing 1/2 a lb a day. I took pro-biotics, anti-biotics, nothing helping. I take D____, a blackberry liquid. I can only find it on Amazon, and a few nutrition stores in Dallas, TX. It totally helped. I suffer from IBS, as well, and I take the it about 2-3 x a week. It lets me live normally!!!
General Feedback
Posted by Heather53 (Palmdale, Ca) on 04/22/2013
Have you tried cutting all forms of Gluten out of your diet. I used to be like you and I am much better. You probably have undiagnosed Celiac Disease. It is very hard to diagnose even when you take all their tests. The only way to know for sure is to study gluten and all the names for it in food and remove it totally from your diet. If you have Celiac Disease and you don't remove Gluten from your diet you will get intestinal cancer. Celiac is an autoimmune disease that manifests with intestinal damage when you eat gluten products. If you have any problems eating dairy products that is also a big tip off that you have Celiac. I got lactose intolerant from intestinal damage due to Celiac. I have been gluten free for 9 months and I can eat some dairy now. Get the book "Wheat Belly", it will save your life.
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!
General Feedback
Posted by Thecalling13 (Florence, Ky) on 09/24/2013
What is the "Mother" they are referring to when mixing these remedies with apple cider vinegar or whatever? I have seen with the Mother and seen another with the X... I am skimming thru the articles but don't know what they are talking about. It is under Irritable Bowel Syndrome/ Treatment for IBS.
Any answers would be great :). Thanks
Valerian
Posted by Erin (Tampa, Fl) on 10/07/2012
★☆☆☆☆
I have to give this one a nay. I have in the past been able to take this herb with no problems as a sleep aid, but ever since my gastrointestinal problems got worse, I can't take Valerian without experiencing an IgE response. I can't see how this would possibly be healing to the gut given that reaction, and I would use it with extreme caution if you do have similar problems.
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
Dietary Changes
Posted by Coregon (Medford, Or) on 11/03/2010
★★★★★
I used to have terrible IBS. I found that avoiding dairy helped tremendously also. I no longer have IBS. I attribute this recovery to stopping my diet soda intake (it was hard, but what a difference! ) and taking 3,000 mg (or more) of MSM daily. I've heard that aloe vera juice can also soothe the gut and clear this up. * I also used colloidal silver first to clear up any bacterial infections that may be in the system. ** Note: If you are using ANY artificial sweeteners, this will worsen IBS symptoms, at least it did in my experience and in my mother's experience.
Fennel
Posted by Darenm (Trenton, Michigan) on 02/13/2011
I too have had great results with fennel. I have been suffering from IBS on and off for several years now. Usually it only last for about two weeks. But this time it lasted about 8 MONTHS!
My IBS is strictly pain. I don't get diareha or constipation just pain on my left and right side below my ribs.
Heres what I did:
After a colonoscopy my doctor diagnosed me with spastic colon (aka IBS)and prescribed me an anti-spasmodic drug called Bentyl or something like that. Of course I refused to take it and searched for a natural alternative.
Fennel is a natural anti-spasmodic and so is Chamomile. Fennel tea does help but I found chewing fennel seeds and sucking the juice out and swallowing then spitting the seeds out helps a lot too. But so far I think it is better to actually eat the seeds. I add about 1/2 teaspoon to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. (I acutally use sunflower seed butter)
I buy my fennel seeds at a local health food store for 50 cents per ounce. Two ounces last me a 1 week or two. You can also order them online. I like Frontier Herbs since they have great prices and a HUGE selection of raw and organic herbs.
The other thing that is GREAT is to eat a fennel bulb that you can buy at a grocery store. I buy mine at Meijer or Kroger. But some krogers don't carry them. It's a white bulb with a long green stem. The best way I've found to prepare it is by cutting it like an onion into half in strips then STEAMING it. It makes it very soft and easy to chew. Sometimes I also sautee it with butter.
Eating the fennel bulb is probably one of the best in my opinion.
I also like to combine the steamed bulb with rice as it makes a nice substantial meal. And rice helps a lot for me.
The other thing that I recently purchased that HELPS A LOT is Organic Acacia sennegal fiber. There is a seller online with a great price for a round tin that contains a good amount. The brand I bought is specifically made for IBS sufferers. I think it was like $16. You can find it online by doing a google search for "Acacia Fiber IBS".
The final thing that has helped me is STRESS reduction and watching comedy! START LAUGHING! IT HELPS I SWEAR. Go on youtube and look up Louis CK he is hilarious! Or just type in comedian and watch some of those videos.
GOOD LUCK I HOPE THIS HELPS.
-darenM
Biotin
Posted by Cindy (Mo) on 09/19/2018
Are you still taking Biotin now?
