more2me #1

[more2me]

Hi I'm new to this forum.I am seriously considering this surgery but I suffer from IBS.Anyone out there have this done who has IBS and is willing to share.

[SageTracey]

I have medically diagnosed IBS and the lab band. I still avoid my known trigger foods but that seems to be easier as I am working harder at making healthier food choices. I cannot eat as much as before so I am making sure that I am enjoying and benefiting from what I can eat. The more difficult part is the effect of stress on my IBS and I just have to avoid stress as much as possible or suffer the usual pre-band effects. Good luck.

[readytolosemomof5]

I too have IBS. My IBS was to the point that 90% of the foods that I ate gave me problems. The only foods that did not bother me were junk food and sweets, which is part of the reason why I am so overweight. I got my band 5 weeks ago, and it has done WONDERS for my IBS. I have had only 1 flare-up with my IBS since then, and that was with bananas - which ironically didn't give me problems before.

[curlz74]

I have IBS and I did have some issues the few days following surgery, but no more than the 'normal' flare-ups for IBS I'm used to. I'm now 13 days post-op and back to normal in that department, even on a full liquid diet.

[CheckYes]

I have IBS and a band. My IBS is amazingly better after having had a band placed. I no longer have to take Benefiber. I also eat way healthier which I think has helped a lot. I haven't had those wild swings from diarrhea to constipation and back again in many months.

[Jachut]

I now have surgically induced IBS and a band and I find my band helps me enormously to manage my triggers.

I had rectal cancer, diagnosed last year, a bowel resection in which my rectum was removed and a new pouch created from my colon to function as a rectum. For nine months I had an ileostomy and the most irritible gut you can image, I literally poured my lifeblood into that damn bag day after day, so much so that at the reversal surgey, I gained about 5lb overnight simply from rehydration. Since my reversal eight weeks ago, my colon has had to learn to work again and it is not liking it. To start off with, I had to live off a low residue diet meaning I ate white bread, white rice, white pasta, cheese, apple sauce and little else. No fruit and veg, little protein and fat. If I didnt have my band to keep portion size down, I would ahve ballooned on that horrible diet. I have been gradually introducing regular foods and I will be OK in the long run but for now, I have an ongoing battle with foul, eyewatering gas and accompanying pain and bloating. Every single freaking day after lunch. It is revolting, I am so stinky. I have the urge to have a bowel motion about twenty times most days and only pass skinny little nuggets that give no satisfaction at all.

What makes all of this worse is eating big quantities. On days I work, I cannnot afford to eat lunch - I'm a teacher and once int he classoom, I cant go to the bathroom, so eating is really problematic for me during working days. With my band, I can eat a bite and a cup of coffee at lunchtime and make it thorugh the day without passing out from hunger. I thank the powers that be for my band every day. It got me through the stodge diet without major gain and it makes working possible for me at this very early stage.

Eventually my bowel will settle, but that's what I find - eating very small helps and avoiding eating all togehter in situations where you wont be able to handle the result is vital - and a band makes that much easier.