Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Alternative Therapies => Topic started by: Briony on December 02, 2015, 10:45:56 PM
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I've been having on going issues with bloating, gas, abdominal cramps and constipation/runs. Seen doc a few times who thinks it could be acute IBS provoked by my disastrous experiment with Marvelon. He's given me a medicated drink which tastes disgusting and hasn't helped, but said to go back for a scan if things don't improve soon.
Just wondered if anyone has had any luck with alternative IBS treatments? NICE says steer clear of reflexology, acupuncture and Aloe Vera (doesn't say why) but doesn't mention the effectiveness of other treatments. Can anyone help? I take a good multi vit and eat a healthy diet. Has anyone had any luck with pre/pro biotics? Can you recommend any ?
Am in almost daily discomfort (top button been undone for weeks) so any advice appreciated, B x
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Hi Briony - I am not sure, it's such a personal thing as to what triggers it. I have suffered in the past with the top button scenario. I used to drink warm water, when I felt bloated and cramped, sip it slowly or peppermint tea is also good. I had to lie down sometimes and consciously relax what I could of my stomach, circular motions around my belly. Posture was an issue for me I think, so anything you can do to improve that and your spine alignment will help I think, gentle stretches............everything gets tense which doesn't help.
Do you know if particular foods are also not helping? If not, you could try adding more fibre. Do you have a juicer? That's a good way to do it, but can be a bit much for the stomach - oh gosh, I really feel for you, it's horrid. I think a good yoghurt with live cultures is definately worth doing - the probiotics in that will be gentle and it's easy to buy and try. eat that before you eat a meal, a little while before.
Hope you feel better soon x
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I've had ibs since I was 14 after gastroenteritis at a time of trauma. I'm now 61. So I've tried lots of things through the years. I didn't know NICE says steer clear of reflexology. I wonder why. I loved it and though it didn't really help symptoms, I felt wonderful afterwards, which isn't a bad thing.
I did see a nutritionist, who came from a medical background and came highly recommended. I was in great distress after having to take a course of vicious antibiotics following cellulitis near my eyes. She helped to ease the symptoms and identify that I had temporally become intolerant to eggs and soya. But it was expensive. Complementary treatments may help one person and not another.
What has helped me is self awareness and being kind to myself. Accepting it is as it is and dealing with it. I used to get so angry with my digestive system, but after doing a course with a life coach, I understand my digestive system is on my side; it is doing its best and as the life coach said, doing a pretty damn good job at keeping me alive. When things aren't so good I talk to my tummy as if it were a distressed child! Sounds nuts, but it really helps!
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Have a very bland diet for a week. Grillled chicken with rice i.e.. Avoid spicy food stuffs. Drink plenty.
Once you have opened your bowels so that you are comfortable try Actimel drinks several times daily. I find that if I use these it keeps my bowel regular. Eating little and often can keep the digestive tract moving - in 1998 mine had stopped almost completely and the GP prescribed Colpermin peppermint capsules: to ease upper gut wind : as well as Motillium to 'rush' food through …. it's an anti-sickness med which helps the gut.
After 3 days I felt well again. Having had problems with the skirt zip for years, OK in the mornings but by mid-afternoon it was undone and I looked 5 months 'gone' :-\ and eating/drinking was impossible due to the bloatedness = intense nausea.
Stress causes my gut to react so that I can't eat at all :'(. Then panic sets in ……..
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Hello Briony.
According to a study conducted by University College London the best probiotics are Symprove, VSL#3 and Actimel as these products survive the stomach acid and deliver sufficient numbers of bacteria to the bowel.
You may also want to think about adding fermented foods to your diet as since eating homemade Sauerkraut my wind issues have disappeared.
I wish you well, I've had IBS and Ulcerative Colitis in the past and I know how miserable it can be.
Take care.
K.
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Drinking plenty is so important, regardless of what's wrong. I get a headache if I'm dehydrated. I avoid caffeine. Drinking enough paid off this week. I had a hysterectomy and repair done on Monday and only needed to stay one night! I drank reasonably as normally, not overdoing it and managed the required 3 wees, whethas the lady opposite, who said she felt she didn't drink enough, was unable to do that requirement in time. I have the tendency to get constipation, so I am very conscious what a difference it can make.
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The other product that I find useful when the gut is upset is LIVE (Greek) yoghurt - eaten often for 3-5 days usually eases symptoms.
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Wow! Thank you so much for these great replies. They are really helpful and I will most certainly take your advice.
I havent changed anything in my diet and already eat loads of fruit and veg daily (life long vegetarian) so cant work out why I'm so bloated and constipated. I usually go twice a day but it's only been a few times a week for the past five weeks :-\ This really, really worries me , yet GP wasnt that phased by it. I'm petrified it's something sinister (why do I always think the worst?). I wish there was a single test for IBS so I could then at least focus on remedies without googling things like ovarian cancer! (The pain is quite period-pain like, but GP thinks it's bowels).
I drink a lot every day, at least a drink an hour, but will definitely try more water rather than caffeine. I will also try the peppermint oil suggestion. CKLD - I took Motilium ages ago and it really helped my sickness at the time, but then I heard it was no longer available OTC because of links to heart issues? Anyone know if this is true?
Thanks again, all of you. Really appreciated, B :)
For info:
http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg61/chapter/1-recommendations
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Ju Ju - so pleased to hear you're back home with the op behind you. Are you feeling OK?
Absolutely! :foryou:
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Hello again Briony.
There is a stool test that your GP can organise that measures a protein called Calprotectin and this is being used to diagnose IBS as opposed to inflammatory bowel disease. I think you can arrange this privately for about twenty pounds.
Hope this helps and wishing you well.
Ju Ju Glad you hear that you are doing well.
Best wishes everyone.
K.
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I think Motillium was withdrawn.
Don't forget that fluids are taken in via food stuffs too …….
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I find camomile tea very soothing - 2 or 3 cups usually ease any flare ups. Not a good idea to drink a lot of it long term as it can then cause irriation in excess, but a mugful a day would be fine or 3 or 4 as a one-off.
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I have IBS and Crohn's and am under a gastroenterologist.
His recommendations for IBS are to eat golden linseed, take charcoal tablets, probiotics (but the jury is out on prebiotics, because nothing that is available to buy comes anywhere near the strength used in lab tests) and try the FODMAP diet. He also suggests considering cutting out gluten and dairy.
The faecal calprotectin test, done in conjunction with a CRP blood test would give a pretty accurate diagnosis of whether you actually have IBS or something else, like IBD. However, I don't think the calprotectin test is readily available at GP's surgeries.
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I had bad stomach pains and diarrhoea all the time - had a scan that found gall stones - was in so much pain I was going to have surgery - then I read up on lactose intolerance and how we lose the hormones that make the enzyme that digests the milk - I cut out all milk and anything made from milk - the pain went - I cancelled the surgery - and that was about two years ago. I still get bouts of diarrhoea but I think that's caused by hidden milk in some processed foods that get past the radar. Sometimes I cave in and have chocolate and I'm not well after.
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I've read that goats milk is as bad as cows. From what I can make out you can be fine with milk all your life then when you reach menopause you stop creating the hormones that make the enzyme that digests milk - and so the milk actually ferments inside causing wind, diarrhoea and stomach pains. I switched to soya milk and was still the same - then I read that soya can affect some people as well - now I have rice milk and my stomach is at least 80% better than it was. I tried lacto-free dairy products but I was back at square one with them. One of the things that made me check it out was yogurt - I'd have one then within about 2 hours I'd be making a mad dash to the toilet. I've also found that if I make sure to have 5 a day fruit and veg my stomach improves as well.
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Candy Floss - could you tell us where you read that info about goats' milk? It is used World Wide for people with severe allergies as well as a replacement for cow products. I don't like the taste of good products, it tastes like goats smell ;D
Sparkle - do you buy the flaxseed already 'ground' - I tried grinding my own ::) almost impossible!
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"A major source of lactose is milk, including cow's milk, goat's milk and sheep's milk. Depending on how mild or severe your lactose intolerance is, you may need to change the amount of milk in your diet."
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/lactose-intolerance/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Lactose intolerance is caused by the sugars in all milk.
I've tried to find where I read about soya milk being unsuitable for some people but I can't find that yet, I'll keep looking.
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Now I'm confused - not that it takes much to confuse me these days ::)
"I've read that goats milk is as bad as cows. … '
I know that some people do find 'soya' milk difficult to digest, can 'go through' a bit too fast apparently :o
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Apparently an allergy is not the same as an intolerance. If someone was allergic to cows milk they could have goats or sheep or buffalo and probably be OK. But with lactose intolerance you just don't have the enzyme in your gut to process the sugar in any kind of milk - so it ferments in the gut causing bloating, flatulence, pain and diarrhoea.
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I saw it for sale on the Holland & Barrett website and when I make my next shop with them I'm going to try it.
http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-super-lactase-enzyme-capsules-125mg-60004930
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:thankyou: Candy Floss: I learns something new every day I does ;D
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According to my gut book, goats milk is supposed to be nearer human milk. I tried it after I eventually found some but it was full fat which meant I couldn't have enough to damped my muesli!
I normally have the lactose free milk anyway but another friend told me to stay off dairy milk. I'd already gone back to lactose free as I'd read soya wasn't good for the gallstones. I'm now trying rice milk, again had to find a low fat one but I may as well use water! It's got no flavour and looks like coloured water!
I save my milk allowance for my daily coffee! Luckily I've been okay with dairy and the stones.
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I miss a proper cup of tea with milk - rice milk tastes better in coffee and not nice in tea.
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Hello ladies.
As you all probably know Linseed and Flaxseed are the same thing ( Americans say Flaxseed) and there are Brown and Golden types but the nutritional value is the same. The shell is so hard that they can pass straight through our digestive system so it's better to grind them first, I use a coffee grinder that has a spice attachment and any left over will keep in the fridge and stay fresh for weeks apparently.
I've been learning about the benefits of various seeds ( bet you can tell, lol) and Linseeds are one of the most beneficial plant foods on the planet! I've started adding some to cereal and yogurt and really like the taste.
Wishing you all well.
K.
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Crikey - we have eversomany threads relating to this! so don't anyone suggest that it don't exist!
I feel like my period is due - the need to dash to the loo, strange feelings as I used to get when menstruating - but I haven't had a bleed for 12+ years!
Expect that my bowel is pressing on other nerves there which feels like a bleed. This isn't the first time but my brain keeps saying 'look out' :-\