Hi Everyone,

Today I went to an Alternative Therapist, mainly because I have IBS and lots of other illnesses that the doctors can do nothing about.

I am intolerant of wheat and gluten, sugar and yeast. So no more cheese for me, :-(

The Paleo is now more than ever the way to go for me. I can't have bread, cereals, cheese or nuts, so I will still be eating salads, lots of veggies and lots of fruit and that is it....there isnt much else that I can eat.

Of course I have candida as well, which we all really knew but which I had never really done anything about. This time I will be taking notice, I paid ?100 for this appointment, so I will be following this to the letter, LOL

She was very clever and even picked up on the nerve damage and possible MS, also shingles that I had forgotten that I had 2 years ago, so I think that I might be on the right track now.

My daughter has been going to her for 3 months now and there is such an improvement in her. So I am going to have to go through all my cupboards tomorrow and get rid of nearly everything.

I was told not to worry about low carb or low fat, high protein or anything else. My weight is supposed to balance out once I am eating right.

Watch this space, we will see, LOL. I would love to hear from anyone else who has considered alternative treatments or who have been on them.

Take care,
Love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

Hi again,

Well it is almost a week sinse I started this elimination diet and it is working wonderfully. The first two days were awful and I felt like I did when I was on Atkins phase 1, but day 3 I noticed that I wasn't craving anything. When I weighed in on Friday I had lost 2 pounds, that was less than a week mind you, I have also lost more inches but I didn't have time to measure myself.

I no loner eat any cheese and I am not craving it, the same for nuts I do not have them now and at last I am free of this craving for them.

Really I need to go back over some of the posts on Candida, I really think this is a major contributor to my IBS and I have been much better since I started last Tuesday.

Take care and I hope everyone else is doing ok.

love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

I have a friend who was always kinda pudgy. Not really fat, but not too chubby. I didn't see her for a few weeks, and when I did: WOW!! What a difference! She had gone to a nutritionist. Not a fly-by-night-let-me-sell-you-some-vitamins person, but someone like you are seeing, who really knows their stuff. She did some tests and had her fill out a food survey, took a blood test, and did an extensive interview with her. Then they cut certain things out of her diet. Dairy, wheat produts, etc. I can't remember all the things that she was sensitive or allergic to, and it wasn't alot, but cutting those items out entirely DEFLATED her. It was like she just shrunk. She lost 60 pounds in a few months, alot of it within the first few weeks. The nutritionist told her that when you ingest foods you are sensitive to, your body gets inflamed internally and the swelling of the tissues is a reaction to this inflamation, and this is why SOME people don't lose weight even when they follow a calorie/fat/carb restricted diet.

Now that I am reading about your situation, I wonder if I have food sensitivities other than dairy. I thought I had IBS, but I don't. I am lactose intolerant and have very little amylase production. (I don't digest carbs well.) So, I am now taking a digestive enzyme with amylase, protease, and lipase in it. This helps me digest carbs, proteins, and fats. I have been free of the IBS-like symptoms since January. The only things that bothers the tummy now is sugar alcohols and milk products if I don't take a lactase tablet to help with that.

Keep us "posted". I will follow your journedy with interest. Have you ever had an enzyme panel run on you? Just curious.

__________________

Hi Maxibee,

Thank you for your post, I was really interested in what you had to say. I think that there are a lot of us with food intolerances that we know nothing about.

I was like your friend, not really fat, just bloated and uncomfortable. I have full faith in this lady and I am following her advice to the letter. I have not cheated or wanted to and the weight is coming off. I still had the pain in my stomach yesterday but nowhere near as bad as normal. I don't take any vitimins or extras, she didn't try to sell me anyhting either, so I think she is genuine......even if my doctor thinks it is witchcraft, LOL

I have not had the enzyme test but I am going to show my doctor my print out from Body Balance this week and she what she honestly thinks. She really only has to look at me to see the difference.

The thing that makes me cross is the price of the organic foods, wheat and glueton free, dairy and yeast free. I bought a small packet of gravy today and it cost ?2.12 while a normal jar would cost only 98 pence..........the same with the allery free fish and chicken nuggets, it is a disgrace that you have to pay to leave out something that really shouldn't be in the food in the first place.

I am sticking to oatmeal for breakfast, banana mid morning and a large salad with hard boiled eggs for lunch, then I have to peel an apple for afternoon break if I am hungry and meat and any veg with........'HORROR'....potatoes, but only a few. I have managed without the potatoes for now, but I might get a few if I need a change.

I will keep you informed and I would be interested to hear if you decide to do an elimination diet of the main culprits......let me know.

The horrible thing is she said that I did have the parasites, but we are trying to clear it with diet alone for now.....I will probably have to do something else when I see her after a month.....for now I am again reading up on Candida from this site.

Take care,
love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

Hi All,

Just an update on today's doctors visit..........not good. She totally diregarded everything that I had been told, said that I was doing a lot more damage to my body and that if I had Candida and the parasites I would be losing weight so fast I would know straight away that I had problems.

I am disappointed but not really surprised. They just will not except the alternative methods.

Trouble is now I don't know where to go from here....do I stay with it or go back to normal?

Any help or advice gratefully received, as always,
love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

Hey, Louloo...I'm just checking back in. Most M.D.s aren't really thrilled with alternative "medicine" in any form. Heck, most insurance companies won't even pay for visits to the chiropractor. Medical doctors believe in drugs to heal everything. I'm not sure about Candida...you may try posting to another area of the board, or doing a search here on Candida and see what you turn up. Seems like I have read about it. I watched a TV special Saturday called "Eaten Alive". It was so disgusting. It was about people becoming infested with parasites. All different kinds. Yuck. You should know, however that the narrator said that is it very unusual for people to get parasites like that. Someone on this board was talking about doing a Colon Cleanse and there was alot of talk about people having parasites and worms and such. One person assured us that it is not common to have worms or parasites. We all are supposed to have microscopic little "biotic" creatures living in our lower gut to finish off the digestive process. These little guys can be killed by birth control pills and antibiotics. Anti (against) biotics (gut creatures). So, I have been taking a ProBiotic. It is a capsule that has millions of little biotic things in there along with their favorite food. The special coating lets the capsule remain intact in your stomach, then "bloom", finally opening in your lower intestine, so the creatures can go about living and multiplying.

I also take that digestive enzyme I was telling you about. Since then, I have had no digestive problems unless I: 1.eat dairy without taking a lactase tablet
2.eat some sugar alcohols like malitol and sorbitol
3.eat something sugary/sweet
Any of these could send me to the bathroom, in pain, very quickly.
I doubt you have any horrible intestinal worms or anything like that. I was convinced I had SOMETHING wrong with me. Went to the E.R., had an enzyme panel run and I was WAY short on Amylase. Those brilliant physicians sent me home, telling me to eat toast and potatoes "since they are the easiest to digest". They told me I had gastroenteritis and a stomach flu. DUH!!! I was not digesting my food, namely the carbohydratres, which Amylase breaks down. Since I am short (way short) on Amylase, why would those docs send me home to eat the one thing I could not digest? I'm telling you, Louloo....the doctors here want to give you a prescription and send you on your way. Most of them know nothing about nutrition and/or alternative medicine. "Doctoring" has become a business. Alot of them are so worried about insurance companies and getting sued, all you do is fill out alot of paperwork to cover their behind, pay alot to see them for 3 minutes and most of the time, there's nothing they can do about it. Last time I went to the doctor, I paid a $15 copay, the insurance paid $55, and I still had to pay $78 more dollars later because she charged me $148 to hear me out and tell me to buy Dramamine at the drugstore because my dizziness was due to an inner ear infection caused by a virus and could not be treated with antibiotics. Fine. If you can sleep at night charging about $1700 per hour for your medical expertise, that's okay by me.
I do ALOT of research on the internet about vitamins, minerals, supplements, symptoms, whatever. If you read the same thing on several different sites, you can bet it is true. The only reason I was able to self-treat my "IBS" is because I took the lab report home from my enzyme panel and researched everything on there on the internet. I have no amylase, so I went out and bought some. It works. End of story. I think I would get a second opinion, if that is possible. Sorry to ramble on so...the whole stomach issue is so near to my heart!!

__________________

Hi Maxibee,

First, I am sorry to the Cavemen Clan for posting this here, it should have gone somewhere else, but I don't know how to move it so it has to stay.

Secondly, thank you so much for your post and all the info it contained. I too search the internet regularly for info on health issues.

I do have to agree with my doctor in that I think if I did have parasites then I would be losing weight quite fast. Also with all the blood tests that I have to have, I think, as the doc said, that something would have shown up by now if I was gluten or yeast and sugar intolerant.

I have emailed the lady, Helen, from body Balance, and I am waiting for her to get back to me.

Today I have felt so ill..no kidding, really unwell. I am not getting enough protein, I know this because I won't eat meat. I have been eating horrendous amounts of carbs.......only just realised this as I was told not to look at that sort of thing. Apart from loads of fruit and veggies and salads that is it............I am fed up with my diet and don't want to eat, not even hungry enough to try. I still have the pain but now I am sleepy and feel awful as well.

I don't agree with a lot of these suppliments that the health shops sell. I don't think they are regulated enough and you don't really know what you are buying.

I also agree that doctors will not recognise alternative treatments. I asked to be referred for allergy testing on the NHS, but was told that there was no need. When this doc leaves at the end of the month I will try again with the new one.

I have suffered with IBS for 20 years now and it has never been easy to deal with the pain, bloating, chronic constipation or diarrhoea, but now the constipation is awful and with all the fruit and veg I eat you would think it would be simple.

This is it for me, my husband, Colin, is fed up with me changing my WOE all the time. I really wanted to believe in this and follow it to the letter, I wasn't worried about what it would cost or anything like that, but to feel so unwell into the 2nd week is worrying and I think that I aught to come off of this and start to eat normally for a while to see if I improve. It is all well and fine going cold turkey if you only feel, unwell for a few days.

Thank you again for your input and support. Let me know what you think, and anyone else who might be reading this please.

Take care,
love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

Louloo-I understand the frustration your husband must feel, seeing you in pain and trying to find the answers. I have never really had the whole constipation issue. I have had 3-4 bouts in my entire adult life that I can recall. My "IBS", as I said, is actually lactose intolerance. It produced ALOT of gas, an extremely painful, tender abdomen, bloating and heaviness, and almost always, diarreah. Horrible. I am not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, but I think the label: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a catch-all phrase for "I can't figure out what's wrong with your gut." I figured out what was wrong with mine! I think most doctors just won't take the time.

Have you kept a journal of what you are eating and are you seeing any connection between certain foods and your IBS? I know you are trying to eat organic foods, that's good...and I know you know the connection between adequate fiber and constipation, so what direction do you think you'll go in now? By the way, bananas have alot of sugar in them and are also part of the BRAT diet for diarrhea sufferers:
B-bananas
R-rice
A-applesauce
T-toast
This bland diet is said to calm the unhappy tummy and help stop the diarrhea naturally. These are also high carb foods. They would have the opposite effect on me without my supplement. Since you have the constipation issue, maybe you should leave the bananas alone and see if that helps. I add fiber powder to my chocolate protein shakes to thicken them and provide me extra fiber.
I hope I can help you in some way. I am so relieved to have found out how to keep my tummy happy, I would like to help others do the same. Take care and drink your water!

__________________

Hi again Maxibee,

Thanks for trying to help me. I have had all the tests years ago for the IBS......enemas, xrays, cameras shoved up and down both ends, but I agree that the term IBS is just an umbrella term because they do not know how to treat the symptoms.

At first I had Chronic diarrhoea and lost a lot of weight and went down to 8 stone...I am 5 foot 5 so this was really bad news, hence all the barium meal x-rays.

Over the last few years it has turned mostly to the constipation, I still get days when I need to stay by a loo all day, but mostly I now have the other problem.

I know for certain that bread and fibre cause me huge problems. So my doctor put me on senna, 4 a night I now take and I will be lucky to have to a movement once a week. I too get the pain and bloating and the gas.

This is why I jumped at the Body Balance program, she was positive that she could help me. I also knew about the bananas and rice etc and was really worried about using them, perhaps I aught to leave them alone.

I am still following the program as best I can but I am eating sooooo many carbs again that it is frightening. It is why I went low carb to start with, trouble is that didn't help my main problem either.

I think that I will just eat normal for a while.......just low fat eating and see how I go, I don't get this problem with that, I get terrible craving's for sweet things though....I think I am in a catch can situation and I cannot see an end to it.

Sorry Cave People, I have failed yet again.....I love the low carb WOE but it doesn't like me.

Thanks to every one who has supported me over the last few years...I am positive that I will be back, but I need an entirely different type of diet. I am looking into the Glycemic Index and will follow the lowest carbs that I can manage.

Take care everyone,

love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

When I read your posts, I read them (in my head) with an accent! I guess it is the way you word them!
Your health (and sanity!) are so important. I'm sure if you can find things to eat that do not further complicate your symptoms, you should do that. All things in moderation, of course.
I do hope you are able to find some answers with either the new doctor or the Body Balance lady. Please check in every now and then and let us know how it's going. Take care, dear, and know we care!

__________________

Hi Maxibee,

Thanks so much for your support. I do not have an accent, at least only a moderate West Country one, I must just write funny, LOL

I have decided to give this elimination diet a month, two weeks is hardly enough to get going and for me to notice the changes, if any......I think a month is fair and I should see either results or something at the end of it........fingers crossed.

I will be popping in now and then and after all, this is only eliminating food, they will gradually be re-introduced in moderation until we find the culprits that are causing me such problems. If I find anything out from this experiment then I will let you all know, the ones that are interested of course, ha-ha.

It just remains for me to wish you all the greatest success with your chosen WOE and I will be back, have no fear, LOL

Take care,
love and all the best,
Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

Thank you, Louloo. I'm glad you will update us....I do hope you find the culprits! If I don't see you post, feel free to private message me. Until then, all my best!

__________________

{{{Louloo}}}

Dryad, delurking for a brief moment

The elimination diet has not done anything for me except make me feel really poorly so I have come off of it and gone back to Paleo.....apart from 1 slice of bread and a few small potatoes. My weight has stayed steady on this so hopefully I will be able to cut out the potatoes again and start to lose more weight soon.

I have borrowed some of Dryad's Belly dancing tapes and soon I hope to start to use them and maybe then I can tone up a few of the jingly bits that I don't like, ha-ha.

How is everyone else doing lately, there is not much 'talking' going on here at the moment, where are you all gone to.......is there anyone still following Paleo?

Hope to hear from someone soon, take care,
love Louloo. x

__________________
luv Lynn x x

Hi, Louloo,

I'm finally back on lce. So sorry to read about all your troubles. You've certainly done your homework, read and researched, consulted with conventional and alternative professionals - and all with no definite conclusions. No wonder you're frustrated.

Hugs to you, and I hope you'll be checking back here soon.

Alice

__________________
lc since 12/18/01