IBS During Pregnancy ...

A.,

I'm a researcher at Baylor. One of our lab's focus is using therapeutic probiotics to treat IBD and Chrone's. Therapeutic probiotics are helpful bacteria that normally colonize healthy people's GI tract. Having said that, my suggestion to you is to go to your local grocer and buy some DanActive - providing you aren't lactose intolerant. This yogurt drink contains sufficient quantities of healthy bacteria than may actually help relieve your symptoms. I have recommended this to several people who have issues like you've described - but aren't pregnant. They live by it - take it every morning and if they miss one or two days, they notice symptoms creeping back up on them.

Some other things to consider. DanActive is a good source of probiotics. Stoney Field Farms also make a great product - and they make the exceptional baby yogurt. Keep this in mind when you start feeding your infant baby food. A good healthy GI tract full of good bacteria help all of us to stay in good health. Dannon has great products. If you get the opposite effect during your pregnancy (or any other time) - constipation - Dannon has a product called Activia... this product contains the culture, Bifodobacterium, which helps people stay regular. I would not recommend this for you at this time, however if your small one ever becomes constipated, it's a great health, natural remedy.

If you happen to be lactose intolerant, there are other options. Probiotics are sold at Whole Foods in capsule form. Contact me and we can discuss options.

Best of luck!
J.

Dear A.:
You should check with your doctor. If you have blood in your stool (you did not say), you should ALWAYS go to the doctor. Otherwise you could try Culturelle. Only Walgreen's has it. You get pills with 'good bacteria' that help normalize your bowels. Take 2 pills at first, then one a day. 30 pills are $20. I have started those a month ago, because my job requires a lot of sitting. It is natural, so no side effects for pregnant women as far as I know (double-check with pharmacist).

If that does not help, you may need to look into anti-inflammatory medication from your doctor.

Good luck,
W.

I think Jennifer had an excellent suggestion and to add to Kristi's fiber info...yes, bran and other "insoluable" fibers are not digested whereas "soluable" fiber like in oatmeal is broken down and create a softness. So be sure to get fiber or there won't be anything to push out!
I think I would see a doctor first and see if he/she agreed with whatever avenue you are going to try.

hey,
you and i both are in the same boat!!! i'm 21 wks and have lived w/ IBS for most of my life. i had major problems during my first pregnancy but mine always alternated w/ constipation and diarrea....this pregnancy is the same but w/ lots of uncomfortable cramps and gas. i have found that cutting out the lactose foods like ice cream, milk, certain breads, and cheeses has helped w/ the gas and constipation. Jennifer is right w/ the whole fiber food stuff. that is aweful when you are already having problems w/ constipation. pushing lots of water is really helpful. tums are good but mainly for heartburn. i think that you can take some over the counter anti-gas stuff, but check w/ the doc first. also w/ the whole mucous thing, i've battled that i think its because when there is nothing else left in the bowel that the pressure of the gas forces whatever is left behind to come out. and what is left behind is the mucousal lining of the intestines. you can also try the B.R.A.T. diet....i had a pediatrician at the hospital i used to work at tell me to try that on my baby when she was about a year old and she was diagnosed w/ IBS too. its bananas, rice, apples, tea....or things in that category. be careful w/ the carbohydrates and fatty foods cause they can aggrevate the bowels and cause problems, along w/ spicy foods. i hope that this helps. i've had IBS since childhood and it is a miserable disease to have. and even worse during pregnancy when certain medications are available but a no-no. check w/ you doctor to cause there might be some all-natural stuff that you can take to help you out. when i'm not w/ child i take some herbal stuff and certain minerals that are lost during IBS episodes. i have also found that a diet that is either low in perservatives or no preservatives at all is amazing and i hardly have trouble at all. cut back on the salt too....but we should already do that since we are pregnant. i know organic and preservative free diets are expensive but sure are better when you body gets used to it and makes life alot more pleasent. let me know if you need anything else.....after this book you might be like "gees, does she ever shut up?" good luck

M.

I have IBS and have had it for a long time as do 3 of my girls. I never had it as chronic as you seem to have it. What helped me is adding more fiber to my diet. I even take metamucil. Also when we get the first symptoms we take phayzme which seems to lessen symptoms. But again, your symptoms are little different from mine. Good luck!! I know that is a miserable feeling.

I have IBS and also had trouble during my pregnancy... but I had nothing but constipation. Take citrucel caplets and drink lots of water. The fiber supplement will help with both constipation and diarrhea (I have researched). I also had to take stool softeners at the end of the pregnancy. You are also supposed to eat rice, white bread too.
This helps to calm your bowel. Eating bran and wheat does not help (I was under the impression that high fiber grains were good for you). BUT for someone with IBS, especially going through what I call an episode or attack, stick with bland starchy foods. Hope this helps!! I am trying for my second one (baby) now.
K.

Ask your doctor if you can take Peri-Colace. It is an over-the-counter natural stool softener with an immotive (makes you go). It may give you a little bit of gas at first, but gas is better than the discomfort of constipation. They gave it to me at the hospital while I was breast feeding so it should be ok. Walmart has a brand that is the cheapest with the most pills. Another option is Glycerin Supposotories. They work in about 15 minutes or less. The only drawback is that if you have hard stool you might strain a lot with no reward. So a stool softener is key no matter what you do. As far as supposotory brands, go with Fleet, generic or "own brand" products are not as good.

Keep in mind that a few prunes a day work wonders! Buy any kind of pitted prunes and when you open them, add a little bit of water and refridgerate. It keeps them moist and they taste better cold. If they gross you out at first, just keep with it and they will grow on you.

As a person whom has suffered with IBS my entire life my biggest peice of advice is drink lots of water and DON'T EVER TAKE IMMODIUM. Try to let the diarreah work it's way out of you because the cause and effect of that medication is not worth it (not to mention the taste). I always look at it like this - whatever is causing the diarreah is trying to get out of your system, so let it.

Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy!

Try eating 1 banana every other day; add oatmeal or some other sort of fiber cereal; more than likely your lacking fiber; I had this condition for several years and couldn't find anything to help until recently; I feel much better and hope that you will too.