'Keeping a food diary helped my IBS'
Living with IBS
Like a lot of people with IBS, I ended up working out myself what caused my problems and how to make them better. I'd been having problems since I was about 11, with stomach aches, constipation and diarrhoea. My doctor said it was just growing pains.
Finally, when I was 23, someone mentioned IBS to me. I found a book about it and did my own research. The book advised me to try cutting out certain foods to see whether I felt better.
The most common trigger foods for my IBS are dairy products and wheat-based food, and I discovered almost straight away that these made me feel bad. For example, I noticed that 10 minutes after having a bowl of cereal, my stomach was bloated and sore.
Over the years, the foods I can and can't eat have changed. I can't eat anything green, like broccoli. I can't eat much red meat, and I'll only have one drink at a time because alcohol makes me feel awful. Unfortunately, it's all the things I like, which is a pain. But not eating them is a small price to pay for feeling better!
Fiona McCrae, 42, Gwynedd, North Wales,
More help and advice
- Get all the facts on IBS
- How water and aloe vera can help
- Tips on keeping IBS under control
- For more information, visit the IBS Network
3 months
Kimberly Willis
Hypnotherapy is now widely used for IBS. As a Hypnotherapist I see many people each week who experience a huge reduction in their symptoms and feel more able to get on with their lives. It is a gentle therapy which can be used in conjunction with other therapies and medicines.
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