Managing IBS: Where To Start

Few things feel as overwhelming as getting diagnosed with a lifelong condition that can’t be cured. I remember the day I was told that I had IBS and that I was going to have to live with it. That there was no magic pill I could take. Nothing to help me recover from the symptoms, like for the normal illnesses I had experienced before. I felt like my life was over.

I wish that I had known then what I know today. No, there is no cure for IBS. No quick fix, either. But it can be managed if you’re willing to put in the time and effort. Over the past 10 years, I went from daily symptoms, crippling anxiety, and being unable to leave the house, to being almost symptom-free for months on end. I still have IBS, and I still get flares. But it’s nowhere near as bad as it first was.

Testing

First of all, let’s start with the basics. While some doctors seem to diagnose IBS without doing any tests, I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable with such a diagnosis. How can they know for sure that you don’t have an infection or another illness with similar symptoms? I’ve had a bacterial infection before, and if my doctor hadn’t insisted on treating me with antibiotics, I might still be having the horrible symptoms today.

Testing can vary depending on the symptoms, but I would at least ask for a blood and stool test and go from there, depending on the results.

Trigger foods

Managing IBS through diet can feel very overwhelming at first. Following a well-known diet such as the Low FODMAP diet can help with getting started. Even though the Low FODMAP diet ultimately isn’t perfect for me, I experienced some much-needed relief when I started it after my diagnosis.

Testing out common triggers can be another helpful step. These include dairy, gluten, caffeine, fatty foods, onions, garlic, and other spices. By cutting out one after the other for a week or two, you should be able to see if it bothers you or not. Just don’t test out more than one food at a time, otherwise, you’ll be left with more confusion than answers! For example, this method helped me see that I was sensitive to gluten, some forms of dairy, and caffeine, but could digest fatty foods just fine.

After testing common triggers, keeping a food diary can help figure out other culprits. Just remember that your IBS can flare several hours after eating a trigger. For example, I used to get severely bloated in the late afternoon after eating oatmeal for breakfast, which made it harder to make the connection at first.

Diet changes

While all this trial and error can be frustrating and draining, it’s still not all there is to an IBS diet. I, for example, was used to eating highly processed foods, knew nothing about nutrition, and kept bingeing on sweets and other unhealthy options. It’s no wonder, honestly, that my body started complaining at some point by developing IBS.

Over time, I had to learn the basics about nourishing my own body instead of following what was trendy at the moment. To see food as a way of fueling my body. I’ve started cooking from scratch, buying quality foods, seasonal produce, adding variety to my meals. While avoiding triggers helped me gain some control over my IBS, these major diet changes have allowed me to feel better overall and re-introduce foods I never thought I could eat again.

Lifestyle overhaul

Unfortunately, diet isn’t the only thing that might need to change to manage IBS. For me, lifestyle changes made a huge impact as well. I have anxiety, and my IBS was first triggered by starting a stressful job with a toxic work environment. No matter what I did and what I ate, going back to work every day made my stomach twist into knots, and I knew that this couldn’t continue.

In my case, lifestyle changes included quitting said job and finding a way to work from home. It sounded impossible at first, but I did it, despite everyone doubting me. I also moved to a small town with my boyfriend to allow for a calmer, less stressful life. This change, again, took years to accomplish, but it was so worth it.

Whether it’s about leaving a stressful job, letting go of friends or family members who don’t understand your struggles with IBS and make you feel bad or guilty all the time, saying no to events that don’t feel doable, setting boundaries... you probably know what changes you need to make to help with your IBS. It’s not about living a completely stress-free life, but rather creating a baseline that doesn’t make you feel sick to your stomach every single day.

Mental health

In my experience, stress and anxiety are some of my biggest IBS triggers. No matter what I eat, no matter what remedies I take, they can cause a flare within minutes. For years, I thought that my IBS was the only reason I had anxiety. And while it certainly contributes a lot, it’s probably the other way around.

There are many ways to approach mental health issues that aggravate IBS, from medication to therapy or meditation. For me, the gut-directed hypnotherapy app Nerva was very helpful. But the best technique, and the cheapest, since it’s available for free, has been EFT tapping. The 10-minute tapping videos I follow on YouTube have been truly life-changing for me. They’ve helped me work through past trauma, calm acute anxiety, and work through stressful times time and time again.

While EFT might not be the right solution for everyone, finding a technique or approach to deal with mental health issues can be incredibly beneficial for IBS management. And of course, don’t forget to do things that bring you joy! You don’t need to wait to feel better to start enjoying life again.

Not expecting a quick fix

My biggest pitfall at the beginning of my IBS journey was hoping for a quick fix. Every medication I was prescribed got my hopes up, and then they came crashing down.

Of course, you can try the medication your doctor is suggesting. Many people swear by medication, and I’ve found amazing remedies that help with my symptoms over the years. But unless you find that one miracle remedy that makes all the difference for you, you might need to start looking at your life as a whole. Managing IBS can sometimes feel like a full-time job, but doing it right can provide you with long periods without nasty flares, and that’s so worth it to me.