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.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Pat (Noblesville, Indiana) on 01/07/2007
★★★★★
coconut oil soft gel capsules. It has been great for my IBS. as I lived with diarrhea, taking 3 pills a day has made a huge difference.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx)
★★★★★
I have been taking coconut capsules for the digestive tract and IBS lately and they have worked wonders.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 10/02/2010
Why don't you take just a spoon full of oil? Is there any benefit by taking the capsules?
IBS and Water
Posted by Wendy (London) on 04/19/2025
★★★★★
After suffering absolutely years I suddenly stumbled across what has been making my IBS worse...........water. Again for years I've bought into this theory we must drink plenty of water daily to keep healthy and hydrated. I drank water as often as I could. Can't think why but suddenly decided to stop this constantly carrying water around with me to take through the day. I did drink of course but just to quench my thirst. This is what I discovered. My IBS D calmed right down to near normal bowel movements. My urine lost it's cloudy look and weird smell I experienced at night. My constant need to pee (which was only a trickle each time) ceased and I was now peeing normally. I am so much better now.
SIBO Connection
Posted by Nonnie (Canada) on 09/13/2019
Purified Water
Posted by Sissy (Ok) on 10/19/2017
★★★★★
Chlorinated tap water gives a relative of mine diarrhea, too.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Eleanor (Lincoln) on 04/19/2017
Dave (of Fountain Inn)--I'm curious what you think of my ibs and how I should fix it. My mother had chemo that ended when they learned she was expecting me, so I know I was exposed. Her ibs-c began during her treatments. I have had daily diarrhea all my life, she always said it was her fault. the dr's say ibs-d but who know? They don't even consider the chemo may have had an impact on me. Do you have any suggestions for me? I've always been conscious about my lifestyle. I can't eat raw as it makes things worse, but mostly I eat plant (maybe 90%) and lean fish or chicken/eggs for the rest. I grow many of my own veggies and some fruits, canning/freezing for the off season and raise my own chickens for eggs and meat. I also have access to hilly grazing land--never farmed or fertilized other than by the cows, from which I gather wild plants, berries and some nuts. I don't eat cheese or milk because it bothers me and I don't eat processed foods such as tv dinners, chips, or other snacky things. Any suggestions for me?
Dietary Changes
Posted by Elizabeth (Ny) on 04/19/2017
Dave, thank you for your input as well. I am going to the Health Food Store tomorrow. I don't have a car and can't get into town until tomorrow. I will get the collodial(?) silver and echinecea but what I really would like to get is the essence of peppermint. I know several years ago and even less than when I would just get the bloating and pain, that seemed to help a lot. Yet, I started taking the vitamin D today. Although the past week or more I have not had the bloating, today I have been bloated all day. Now I can't "go". Yet, I have a feeling by late tonight it will start all over again. In the meantime, I have been drinking coconut water (ick) to make sure I don't get dehydrated. I have been unable to eat anything other than some peanut butter on some bread and I know I should stay away from carbs but other than that I am nervous about putting anything in my tummy right now.
Thank you again for your input.
Elizabeth
Dietary Changes
Posted by Sherry (Ax.) on 04/25/2017
You need to take gluten out of your diet also sugar. No bread anything with flour, ibs is a leaky gut and possibly candida. I have been ill for eleven years or more, I was better after watching diet could eat a little fruit and vegetables but got careless ate a little sugar, and one sandwich and bam worse than ever. That is why I think it is with candida. Supplement that helped was l glutamine, I took 4 teaspoon on empty stomach in am. Going to buy again but don't think l glutamine is for long term. Also my twin brother has it, he lost 37 lbs in 1 month. My natural Dr. was no help at all. It also attracts your thyroid. Wishing you the best, I know how bad you feel.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Eleanor (Lincoln) on 05/16/2017
Janet, can you tell exactly how you took the dhea? I'm 59, postmenopausal with ibsd for most of my life. I have dhea but didnt know how to take it & the melatonin. I never sleep without ambien, so this could be a great help for me. Thanks.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Jeannette (Ca) on 12/08/2017
Your symptoms sound like mine were when I developed Celiac Disease.
I hope you have found relief by now...I know how terrible it can be!
A simple blood test can reveal If you're a match for Celiac. Heads up though, if you change your diet to gluten free to see if that's the issue you could get relief but at that point the blood test becomes more involved and the Dr's tell you to start eating gluten again....this is the point where I say they obviously don't understand the pain we're in!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Gert (Va) on 12/09/2017
Re: ibs-d. For those of you making recommendations that fix diarrhea, you really need to understand that ibs-d is not normal diarrhea. I see so many folks suggesting to take magnesium (malate doesn't cause loose stools) and I say HA, You wanna bet? EVERYTHING magnesium causes diarrhea for me. Sublingual mg that doesn't reach your stomach, check. Mag Oil or epsom salts that go thru your skin? Yep. ALL magnesium supplements, in any form, trigger an attack. The only mg I can take is via leafy greens. Charcoal does nothing, because it works by absorbing toxins and ibs-d is not caused by toxins, it's a reaction to stimulus, such as stress/lack of sleep/pain and more. Peppermint and calming herbs help but only a little and not for long.
If you don't have ibs-d, then you have no clue what we go thru. For instance, I had to go out of town this week for work. I took 3 immodium the night before my trip, ate/drank nothing after 8 pm the night before and barely made my flight due to diarrhea. I took 5 immodium just to get out the door. When I arrived at my destination I had half a bottle of water and spent an hour in the bathroom. Took 4 more immodium (long drive to my hotel) and stopped several times along the way. Still had not eaten since the night before. Finally got to the hotel, had crackers and water. Several bathroom trips later, I finally got to bed. This is normal for me when I travel. Food did not cause this, stress did. Immodium comes in bottles of 72 caplets. I use a bottle a week. I have juiced, tried all sorts of supplements, gone gluten free for 6 months and tried numerous other things and nothing works. Sorry for the rant but people really don't understand. And add to the diarrrhea, you get hemorhhoids from all the bathroom stops and muscle cramps from dehydration and lack of certain minerals. Headaches from dehydration and not eating. Pain from the cramping. Lack of sleep from the pain........You get the picture. I wouldn't wish this on anyone except the medical researchers. BTW, I've had all the tests and tried all the meds. I am actively lobbying my dr for a colostomy.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Gert (Va) on 12/12/2017
Janet, for the methelene blue--you said 1 dropperful is a dose? A bottle that has 4 doses of the concoction would contain 4 droppers full of MB? Seems like a lot. Also, the vit c is to prevent your eyes from turning blue? If they do get a bit blue, how long for them to go back to normal?
Dietary Changes
Posted by Katie (Philadelphia, Pa) on 12/13/2017
Hello, have you tried going gluten free? I noticed that you mention having toast and feeling awful. I would give up gluten for a month and see if your symptoms improve (you may feel worse the first week as your body detoxes).
Dietary Changes
Posted by Carly (Pnw Usa) on 12/19/2017
Gert, I do know about how awful IBS-D is. I finally irritated my large colon to the point of having 9" of it removed two years ago. Just wondered if you had heard of or tried sodium butyrate? It seems magical to me. I take two caps of it three times a day and so far, it's working WELL. I buy mine on Amazon....you can also google and / or watch YouTube videos on colon health and butyrate. Good luck!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Gertie (Va) on 12/22/2017
Janet, in your post to me about ibs, you gave your recipe for mixing lysine, etc, with methylene blue in water bottles. Later in the post, you said something about mixing vit C ascorbate(?).
Do you put this into each bottle or is this just a single dose? If it goes into the water bottles, is this the amount/bottle? I assume that this is a single dose, taken once per day and that you make ascorbate so it's buffered and will be better tolerated?
If I don't hear any different, that's what I'll be doing. Thanks.
Bone Broth
Posted by Jerri (Wisconsin) on 10/31/2016
I want to heal my ibs-d, so I made a nice bone broth from my neighbor's extra roosters. I've been watching the birds daily for 7 months now, since they were a chick, so I know they ran around the yard chasing/eating bugs and didn't get bad food, etc. So, now I have such bad diarrhea, so much worse than before. I've read about die off, but it's been awhile already. How long do I persist taking it (nothing else, a bone broth fast for over 2 weeks now). If gelatin is the part that fixes the gut, then why not take gelatin that I buy instead of this?
Dietary Changes
Posted by Alex (Los Angeles, CA) on 03/09/2021
Try to eat probiotics and cut off with bread, cakes, tacos if you have constipation and try to lower carbs.
Buttermilk
Posted by Trudyg (USA) on 05/17/2013
★★★★☆
The buttermilk has live probiotics, that's why it helps. I would never say I'm cured because it does come back--eat the wrong thing or stress and I've got a flare that can last a year. I've been making and drinking my own kefir which has been a fantastic help, so if you can't get good buttermilk you can try kefir. I haven't taken supplements for my insomnia the last 3 day, took ambien b/c too much going on & had to sleep. Plan tonight to take l-glutamine + 5-htp+ taurine + vit e. Any thoughts? It's morning now & I can change it if you have any ideas. Thanks.
Avoid Dairy, Drink Raw Milk
Posted by Lauramcp (Picayune, Ms Usa) on 11/26/2012
★★★★★
I suffered from IBS for many years and after 1 month of avoiding all pasteurized dairy and drinking 1 8 oz cup of RAW goats milk per day my symptoms are greatly improved.
General Feedback
Posted by Solenia (New York, Ny) on 07/04/2012
Dear I Have Had It All, You could investigate Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #2. I've been having sporadic IBS-type problems for 6 months post-food poisoning, and every time I take this it relieves the problem and I function normally for the rest of the day. I am considering doing their full 5-Day Bowel Detox, with multiple doses a day -- or maybe two 5-day detoxes back-to-back, to wipe out what I suspect is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and attempt to restore normal motility.
General Feedback
Posted by Healthminded (Alabama) on 09/24/2013
When you see "the mother" in reference to Apple Cider Vinegar (apple cider vinegar) this is referring to a natural raw pure vinegar. It should have a "muddiness" appearance to it, not perfectly clear. There will be sediment in the bottom and this is the good stuff. :) It has all kinds of beneficial healing properties in it. Organic is also best.
5-HTP
Posted by Tina Marie (Indiana) on 12/10/2023
I have mixed and it starts out with severe constipation and I usually pass out and throw up or feel like throwing up.
Iodine
Posted by Mike (Vancouver, Wa) on 02/03/2011
★★★★☆
I was recently researching the link between iodine deficiency and anxiety. I didn't find a lot of convincing information, so I decided to try it on myself.
I've had IBS for at least a year now and strangely enough, I found it to be completely anxiety related and not at all to do with the bowels themselves. I also have regular anxiety as well, but I haven't seen any doctors about either condition because I refuse to get on the meds wagon.
Two nights ago, I painted two squares of 2.5% iodine tincture onto my wrists. I could feel the effects of that by the next day, I went the whole day without any symptoms. One important thing I did find in my research, was that selenium deficiency apparently aggravates iodine deficiency, so naturally, I took 200mcg of selenium the next night in addition to painting iodine on my biceps this time. Still no symptoms of anxiety or IBS on the third day now and I'm hoping this is the real deal. Another interesting bit, I used to take selenium regularly as part of my supplement routine and then stopped for a long time without any obvious reason (ran out and forgot to replenish.. ). For informational purposes, I'm 23, smoke regularly, drink on weekends, eat relatively healthy (always home cooked) but not a ton of fruit and vegetables in my diet.
Interesting Fact: The iodine painting deficiency test is not an indication of anything. Most of it evaporates and becomes colorless, and the rate of that is dependent on the environment that you are in. It does absorb into your system, however, in small amounts. To back that up: When you do this so-called test, wait until it disappears, then get some hydrogen peroxide and apply it to the area; you will see that the whole thing is actually still there.
Best of luck!
IBS and Parasites
Posted by Jules (Brooklyn, Ny) on 02/25/2012
★★★★★
Hi there, I was reading your post because I found myself in a similar situation about a year ago, only I was told I didnt have chrones or ulcerative colitis, yet, still had all the symptoms. I then went to a naturopath who tested for yeast and parasites and I tested positive for both. Do you feel any better?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Pocketmonkey (Colmesneil, Texas) on 01/09/2013
What is ACV? I have chronic IBS, severe constipation and have had blockage 3 times this year. I have suffered for 6 weeks and could use some good suggestion.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ed2010 (Oakville, Canada) on 07/21/2013
This is to Pocketmonkey from Colmesneil, Texas:
Constipation due to IBS is caused by severe acid in the intestines released by the pathogens(bacteria, candida). This acid should not be confused with HCL secreted by stomach(simply acid in the stomach ).
To get immediate relief from constipation and to start curing IBS take Ted's Alkalizing formula 3 times a day. One time after lunch, one time after dinner and 3 time is immediately after your bowel movement, the reason is your intestine is empty and you have more space for the alkalizing formula to reach all the regions of the intestine to start the healing process.
Do, this for 3 months once your bowel movement is improving you can explore the possible cause of IBS.
Taking Ted's Alkalizing formula is the first step towards the healing process of any chronic disease.
Good Health.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 07/22/2013
Ed2010, if Ted's formula is to be taken on an EMPTY stomach/intestines, then why do you recommend taking it AFTER lunch and dinner?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Marcig (In) on 07/14/2018
Seems like a healthy swig first thing in the morning would be beneficial too since stomach and everything else 'downstream' is empty and open!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 07/23/2013
Thanks Ed2010, it's clearer now.
Fennel
Posted by Tommy (North York, On, Canada) on 02/13/2011
Hi,
I'm happy that Fennel has saponins that could explain why it relieves your IBS. Saponins have some activity against protozoa and bacteria. Your testimonials are another prouve that IBS is an infection.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Rich (Boca Raton, Fl) on 03/31/2009
★★★★★
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.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Moises (New York, Ny) on 11/02/2009
★☆☆☆☆
I have tried enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules numerous times and they had no effect on my IBS.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Mel (Kobe, Japan) on 11/10/2011
★☆☆☆☆
A friend had success with these but said you need to take them for a few weeks before getting results. That said, they didn't help my IBS-D.
Nystatin
Posted by Randy (Jersey City, Nj, Usa) on 04/18/2011
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I had a lot of success with nystatin powder as well. bloating, gas, and constipation reduced 95% over a couple months. after stopping, however, my symptoms came back. the doc said I might need to continue using periodically. also, I've found a few side effects, including fatigue and pimples
Cold Showers
Posted by Moises (New York, Ny) on 11/02/2009
★☆☆☆☆
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.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Nihal (Sydney, Australia) on 06/03/2010
★★★★☆
a vegan diet definitely helps manage condition. for me this is 100% crucial in management of condition. it won't cure it, but it'll give you some breathing space and energy. a lot of animal products cause IBs and bloating/Diarrhea.
Gelatin
Posted by C (United States) on 06/07/2020
★★★★★
This helped me out so much. Thank you.
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!
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
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 2042 posts
Mira, Valerian has a natural healing agent and is recommended for digestive diseases, but is mostly known as a nervine.
L-Glutamine
Posted by Nancy (Mineral City, Ohio, Usa) on 11/20/2011
★★★★★
I go to Dr. Frackelton in Westlake, Ohio for cancer prevention. (I already had it once) I have suffered from spastic colon off and on for years. I was really in pain one time when I went for my routine blood work and mentioned it to him. He said, "I know what will fix you up right now. " He told me to take 1 tsp of l-glutamine 3 times a day. I had been suffering with this for 4 weeks. I had already gone to my regular doctor who prescribed a medicine that did give me some relief from the pain. I quit taking that medicine the day before I went to see Dr. Frackelton. I took the l-glutamine later after I got home. I was taking my third teaspoon of it when I realized that I was fine!!! It worked that fast. When Dr. Frackelton told me it would fix me up right now, he was right! The l-glutamine really worked. I hope this helps someone.
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.
IBS and Herpes Virus Connection
Posted by Christi (Fl) on 11/26/2022
★★★★★
I have to agree with Megyn and all of the above comments. I have HSV2 and got this after already having IBS symptoms. However, I also wonder if the herpes virus isn't making it worse as well. :( This sucks! I take a monolaurin supplement which is shown to help herpes. If I 'ever' run out of it, I am entirely constipated and impacted. I found it also treats h pylori and I have symptoms which indicate, to me, that I have this as well. So, I began 2 T 3 x per day of 10 ppm silver hydrosol and this has helped when out of the monolaurin, so has oregano oil. However, the monolaurin, is a night and day difference. I know that going with the protocol of low FODMAP, allicin, neem oil, berberine, and oreganol helped me in the past but I ran out and 'cheated' before finishing the treatment effects. So, I'm on the fence as to what is the root cause. At the same time, it's freaky to me how using monolaurin alone will regulate my bathroom habits (petrified to run out). I only take pellet form. I will look into lysine again but found little effect on my hsv2. Found out about monolaurin through Dr. Neil. Also, I believe if I cut out so many nuts (I tend to eat a lot of these) that this would really help my hsv2 symptoms, thereby decreasing the need for monolaurin. I wish I had a fm doctor to wade through all of this. I will look at Ted's protocol above for hsv.
Catnip, Chamomile, Basil and Yogurt
Posted by Anonymous (Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Usa) on 04/05/2010
★★★★☆
Chamomile, Catnip, Basil and Yogurt help IBS
I have always had stomach/intestinal issues. Pain, gas, bloating. Probably celiac or somthing like it. For a while I drank too much coffee and at times took asprin with it. This gave me a lot of energy, but aterward my lower legs would swell a little and ache when I lay down to sleep. Aspirin always helped the pain. But it was probably eroding my stomach and such. After doing Slimfast for a year or two (which I really liked) I quit when whatever I ate seemed to just sit there. It was the kind that was supposed to curb hunger. After that quitting the Slimfast and artificial sweetner Splenda, depending on what I ate I would feel very depressed (was on Zoloft and Risperidone for two years about 2 years prior), lethargic, be absentminded, have no appetite (I'd have happily eaten nothing ever again), and at times feel absolutely great. I couldn't tell what was going on, but I figured it had to be food related. And that my digestive system was having problems. After a lot of experimentation I've come up with the following:
Make a tea of 1 tablespoon each of Catnip, Chamomile, and Basil. Cover it and let it steep about 10 minutes. While it's steeping or cooling eat a cup or so of plain (not low fat or anything) yogurt. When the tea is cool enough, drink it.
Horse Chestnut is supposed to be good for leg veins. No doubt it's good for the veins all over. I took some finally and within maybe 5 or 10 minutes my normally cold feet and legs felt nice and warm. I was amazed. After a few days I concluded that eating yogurt with/after the supplement is what caused the warm feeling. One day I took the supplement and had no yogurt. The warm feeling didn't happen. After eating the yogurt some time later, I was surprised to feel my feet and legs get warm. If the IBS is from an issue with the structural integrity of the intestine, the Horse Chestnut with yogurt and tea may be helpful.
I can't drink coffee or tea, or eat chocolate anymore, as this caused the pain in my legs to return. Also a burning sensation when urinating. Bicarbinates help the burning. Probably the leg pain too. Haven't tested that. For a while I was drinking vegetable juice of bok choy, parsley, and fennel. So the oxolates may be a contributing factor...
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.
buttermilk
Posted by Zita (Chicago, Illinois) on 02/04/2010
★★★★★
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice and Buttermilk Cure.
I've been in agony trying to find a cure for this new malady called IBS. I've been reading what the subcribers here have tried and I was willing to try anything. I have IBS-D. I read about Molasses, Buttermilk, Royal Jelly and I went to the store to purchase these items to try and see if something would work. That day I was only able to find buttermilk, the Organic kind. I was skeptical but I tried it with ____ [600 mg calcium tablet] at bedtime. The next day I woke up prepared to battle the many washroom runs I'd have and try not to look too conspicuous during my marathon leaps to get there. Funny thing, it didn't happen; I was OK however, I did have irritation and sometimes urges that were nothing but still I couldn't be too sure and I'd wind up sprinting for the washroom just in case. After a month of Buttermilk in the evening with the calcium and still feeling irritations, one evening I was so thirsty; water wasn't something I wanted. I spotted a lemon, squeezed it, added a little sugar and bottled water and drank like a camel. The next day there was no irritation but I did not make the connection right away; I thought it was most likely a food item, a trigger, that I had NOT ingested. That evening and several evenings after that, I continued drinking fresh Lemon Water and I think it's the cure. I've been fine ever since...no irritation, no D or C....I'm fine!
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.
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.
