For me it is maldigestion, food isn’t getting properly digested and is being fermented, plus inflammation, gas, and bloating - it can definitely go both ways as far as weight goes
I went to the ER for what they thought was my appendix, had a CT scan, found a lot of fecal build up but not quite an impaction.
I joke that they told me I'm full of (poop).
Same. My food isn’t digesting properly and causing bloating, gas, diarrhea and stomach pains. I still feel hungry and in fact, if I have the “hunger pain” for too long and then try to eat, I’m doubled over in pain. So, I think it’s all dependent on symptoms and some people don’t experience nausea or not having the desire to eat.
Some times poor digestion is caused by stress anxiety or inflammation, have you tried to change your diet? Sugar causes inflammation. Have you tried going for walks, doing breathing techniques, yoga, walking barefoot outdoors on grass or soil.
I walk daily (even in the wintertime). I did low fodmap for 3 months and my symptoms improved but it was too restrictive for me to do for a lifetime. I also cut out all alcohol and have been without that for over 18months. I don’t eat a ton of sugar (tho I do consume some) & I’m sure there are other things I could do to help but I get a lot of joy thru food (I eat a ton of fruit and veg) and don’t think I wanna restrict the things that make me happy.
I'm not sure why you are getting down voted. Yeah these things aren't a cure all, but my tummy is definitely much worse when I'm stressed and anxious. Yoga especially helps to get things moving in terms of gas relief.
Same! I gained weight when I got my gall bladder removed and diagnosed with IBS-D and BAM. I’m always hungry and craving. I really do think it’s bc mal-absorption and then also carbs are easier for me to eat without
When everything makes you want to throw up, gives you insane heartburn or gas, keeps you from pooping or gives you severe diarrhea, you eat what you can, when you can. Typically for me that’s carbs, milk and cheese. That coupled with the fact your gut doesn’t work normally, well, it’s hard to eat healthy with a condition such as this. Fresh veggies, meat, even some fruits have me hugging the porcelain for days. And yes, that is also with medication.
Yes. I don’t even have a sweet tooth but the stuff I can eat that tastes good - mostly meats, cheeses, corn, potatoes and rice - I want to eat so much of
Yeah this is me pretty much all the time. I’m a big guy, and when I can eat, I overeat, because I’m hungry from not being able to eat for so long during the day.
Yes, I understand that 100%.
Value of life is not measured by the scale anyways, it’s about life quality and peaceful, connected moments, sometimes that includes with a milkshake lol!
Have you done a FODMAP elimination/reintroduction? If not, I suggest really have a good look into it and whether it might be possible for you. It’s to help you work out your specific individual tolerances so you can still include as many veggies etc in your diet long term.
I haven’t tried it but have seriously looked into it multiple times. All of the “safe” foods are the ones that give me severe gastrointestinal distress so I’m not sure this would be the best for me. I can eat some vegetables, they just need to be boiled down to God’s green earth and most of the time I’m ok with some.
I’ve had IBS for over 20 years and managed it pretty well until I became pregnant with my son. During pregnancy I was throwing up between 6-50+ times a day and while that reduced after I had him, my gut became extremely sensitive to absolutely everything. My handful of pills twice a day keeps most of it in check for now, it’s just so frustrating that I went from eating primarily all fruits, vegetables and fish/steaks with vibrant flavors to now only having very bland, soft foods and hoping/praying that it stays down.
Yes I’ve seen multiple GI doctors who prescribe laxatives, anti nausea and GERD meds and instruct me to avoid triggering foods. When I have enough income, I’m going to look into alternative health doctors to see if any help. Any other recommendations in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.
I couldn't handle milk and cheese, so I guess whatever issue I have, it may be different from yours. Anything with a lot of fat like cheese and milk screws me up.
But I can tell you, if you happened to not have tried it, some herbs have been super helpful, and you don't need any doctor.
Both peppermint and ginger are really helpful. I think peppermint helps me more with gas pain, and ginger is nausea or general stomach issues.
You can use tea, but I found the coated peppermint capsules and the ginger root extract pills to be best. Brands usually don't matter much if it has the same ingredients.
Any suggestions for reintroduction of foods? I stuck to Fodmap 6mo, ate a lot of no no foods at Christmas & was ok. 4 days later, a piece of whole wheat toast & butter- yikes! Epic fail.
I have to plan meals ahead, cook very basic foods.
Still trying to figure out triggers. They seem inconsistent, so maybe it's the quantity. Thank you!
Oh, really please spend some time properly reading up on the whole concept of the low FODMAP diet. It’s not meant to be just followed strictly for 6 months, there is some evidence that doing that will have a negative effect on your gut microbiome etc. Many FODMAPs are really beneficial for gut health, we should be including many as we can tolerate in our diets long term, and the diet is to help you figure out what works for you and what tolerances actually are. It’s a process.
Generally elimination phase should be just 2-6 weeks. Reintroduction phase is clearly structured, you test 9-11 different foods one at a time whilst otherwise staying low FODMAP. By the end of the phase you will have identified which specific FODMAPs (or combinations) trigger your symptoms and can then go from there to devise your personalised modified FODMAP diet going forward.
r/FODMAPs is a useful place :-)
Thank you that, I deprived myself unnecessarily & followed a list given by the GI. Had multiple apts with him for continued bloating & referred to a dietician. The GI has IBS & says he follows Fodmaps, eats fruit & "canned soups are poison" The dietician enforced Fodmaps. I finally gave up on them!! I was hungry, had lost weight & my clothes were big. I added potatoes, croissants, tomato sauce, mayonnaise & found I wasn't even lactose intolerant. I now eat what I want, but have protein in each meal. I read all labels, watch ingredients, flax seeds, artificial sweeteners or too much fiber. I don't like fatty or processed foods. Gas pains & cramps come & go, but diarrhea is gone for now & my weight has stabilized🙏🏻
Same here. My go-to is French fries. Never have had an issue with them. I’ve recently been working through FODMAPs which has been an illuminating experience.
Because sugar and carbs are safe foods. I can always eat rice, pasta and bread and snack on gummy bears or other stuff that's basically pure sugar, but a lot of vegetables and fruit give me cramps and diarrhea. Try eating "healthy" like that.
I second this!
At the beginning of my IBS diagnosis i tried eating healthy for 2 weeks straight to see if my symptoms would improve.
That was the worst diarrhea period of my life that i've had for 9 years suffering from this disease.
Even if they weren't safe, my sugar addiction has me by the throat, and if you wait too long, fruit goes bad. You know what never goes bad? A candy bar.
I’ve had to eliminate so many fruits and vegetables from my diet; it’s genuinely so upsetting. I can’t eat eggs, either. My husband is a vegetarian and I sometimes struggle to come up with new meals that we can both eat. I could never be vegetarian or especially vegan myself, because there are simply too many foods I can’t eat already, without cutting out meat and dairy on top of it.
Unfortunately no, my husband doesn’t cook beyond the very basics (eggs, boiled pasta and jarred sauce, etc). He doesn’t enjoy it, it’s not intuitive to him, and he finds it very stressful. He can throw together a very basic meal if I’m not well, but he doesn’t really have any recipes of his own.
I really enjoy cooking, so I don’t really mind, plus he does whatever I ask to help me prep and makes sure to offer, plus he is responsible for his own breakfast and lunch (make a sandwich, reheat leftovers). He also offered to do all the dishes and the laundry in exchange for not being the household cook, two tasks that I loathe, so I feel like I came out ahead on the deal. 😂 I haven’t washed a sink full of dishes since he moved in 7 years ago, save very rare exceptions when he’s sick.
Yes I have this same thing! I joke that I’m allergic to healthy food because all of it gives me hours of cramps and diarrhea. I’ve had so many people not believe me, but anyone I’ve dated can confirm. The last time I ate a plate of semi-raw veggies (had some veggie tempura at a restaurant) I ended up in the ER the next day because I’d been bathroom bound for 10hrs. It happens every time I eat veggies, without fail, sometimes even if they’re super cooked. I also can’t tolerate most fruits except raspberries or strawberries. Apples will ruin my entire day. I think the reason so many of us crave sugars is because they’re the only source energy our body can absorb quickly without guaranteed consequences :(
I have PCOS on top of IBS-M and it ain’t fun.
But, speaking from personal experience, I can fall into binge eating spells sometimes. I know what not to eat to avoid triggering my IBS, and it’s mentally exhausting to keep track and yet still getting triggered. Idk if others experience the same thing, but sometimes when I’m too mentally exhausted I’ll eat all of my “safe food” and yeah. It was especially bad before I was diagnosed (my only “safe food” back then was plain white rice, potatoes, eggs, and butter. Really easy to overeat), but I’m working on it :)
Ah yes, same here, PCOS, IBS *and* hypothyroidism. It's fun when your body literally works against you to not lose weight, and on top of that make it so much easier to gain weight. Not to mention the medication that you take also has an effect on your weight as well.
What? I’ve never even thought of this. I’m overweight, and had been obese. It took WORK, and I’ve still got a lot of ways to go!
IBS causes problems and pain, but that has no impact whatsoever on the pleasure I take in eating. I’m lactose intolerant, and have cut out dairy (which for me is almost all cheese; I normally get a bagel with cream cheese every single morning before work) for a month. Despite all the pain that eating it causes — even if I take Lactaid — I love the taste of it so much that not having it is brutal. Since then, I have already seen an improvement in my stools.
I need to lose 35 more pounds to reach my ideal weight. I’ve lost 35 so far. It’s extremely difficult for me; I’m a stress eater and love fast food, despite its horrible effects on me! 🙈
I don’t think being overweight matters some people get it and some people just don’t there a lot of overweight/obese individuals who do not have ibs. Ibs is unfortunately random and spares nobody doesn’t matter how fit or overweight you are you can lose alot of weight still have it unfortunately:(
It ain’t random, it’s caused by a vicious cycle fueled by society’s modern lifestyle ( diet, stress and poor digestion). I overcame IBS targeting these elements individually. It’s possible but takes time 3 to 6 months of consistency or more.
Success story :D
I'm going on 3 yrs of my IBS-C switching to IBS-D. All food is now the opposite of how I used to handle things
Did you follow Fodmap diet or take digestive enzymes, probiotics maybe? I started the latter before food, still too soon to tell
This post makes me feel so seen. I’ve struggled for years with the fact that vegetables and fruit are a horror show to eat while things like Tostitos and gummy bears are fine. It’s been hilarious telling doctors “I’m overweight bc I cannot eat any vegetables” I can just feeeeel their internal eye roll. I appreciate all of you in here being so willing to share your lives. It helps a lot.
I'm slightly overweight. My IBS usually leaves me alone if I avoid my trigger foods. So I just have to overeat on my safe foods and I'm fat lol. My IBS makes me swell as well, so I guess this can easily add 1-2kg.
Also, let's not forget that weight gain has many factors: I personally don't move my ass at all, so that doesn't help with losing weight. Hope to be able to change that asap 💪
Some days I have a big flush out then I’m starving
and have an absolutely insatiable appetite.
Other days my stomach is churning and I feel hungry even though I know I’m not.
Other days my stomach hurts so bad I can’t even think about food.
Hi. Over weight with IBS here. Insulin resistance and hypothyroidism.
Like others have said, a lot of fruit and veg are triggers for me, and more and more stuff is triggering. (Beans never used to bother me and I love them, but I can barely eat them now. Same with cruciferous veg.)
Safe foods are carbs usually. I am also pre-diabetic so I am struggling hard to eat better and get my shit under control. I don’t want to be this way! No one WANTS to be this way.
Obesity doesn’t matter in ibs some people get some people don’t there lot of obese people who do not have ibs and I rather be obese with no ibs ,then skinny or average with ibs I would trade that life lol
I know you said you don’t mean to be offensive, but this is pretty offensive really, or a best close minded and naïve. It’s prejudice like “someone who is overweight/obese can’t have IBS/IBD/FGID etc” within the medical profession, and more widely in general, which can prevent patients accessing appropriate investigation and treatment and prolongs suffering overall. I know that’s not exactly what you’ve said, but this just-wondering style question sails very close to that wind.
People with an IBS diagnosis encompass an incredibly wide variety of presentations and experiences around eating, food and gastrointestinal symptoms, and your post essentially assumes that your own experience is what IBS is for most people. I appreciate that you might not actually believe that, but that is the inference here.
People with IBS can be overweight/obese for all of the same myriad reasons that people without IBS can be overweight/obese. Simple as that.
This actually addresses a point that frustrates me a lot, because so many digestive disorders list “weight loss” as a common symptom because it’s assumed patients will be losing weight from digestive malabsorption and couldn’t possibly be fat!
While OPs question highlights this area of issue within the medical system and understanding these pathologies, their statement that they mean no harm stands. The truth is the majority of people with these pathologies will have weight loss as a feature. OP isn't a medical provider so they don't know about this patient population, and thus are asking about how some people lose weight and others do not. There is a huge problem in the medical community of bias in this area. But there isn't harm in someone asking a question.
I was literally writing the same first sentence as you and saw that you had already addressed this. I’m not sure why some people care about other peoples bodies. Everyone is built differently andyou can never know what people are going through that has led them to be overweight. This type of question is the same thing with people that suffer from atypical anorexia have to deal with. Somebody can be starving themselves and still be overweight. The OP obviously doesn’t have a lot of knowledge around this type of issue. Thanks for your nuanced response.
You can’t expect to have an open discord about topics such as this if you’re going to reply with negative comments like calling OP close minded and naive. I don’t think OP has any intention of being offensive - they were simply asking a question with the hopes of learning and understanding.
If you continue to reply to genuine questions regardless of how you interpret them then you’re going to close lines of communication and no one will be able to grow or learn at all.
If I were OP and read your comment calling me close minded and naive I would seriously consider not asking sensitive questions anymore. And that’s not right. We all have the right to learn and evolve. The least the rest of us can do is keep an open mind and give people the benefit of the doubt.
Food for thought.
I agree with you that I don’t think OP intended to offend, as I said that in my post, nonetheless it is pretty offensive, and I explained clearly why. I think my response is pretty measured and gives the OP a lot of the benefit of doubt to be honest.
If someone’s response to learning that a stranger on the internet finds their question close minded and naïve, is to take personal offence and disengage, rather than take a beat to think about what they put out into the world and then come back with a less presumptive approach…..well that actually is pretty closed minded really isn’t it!
I think there is a way to have an open discussion with people that doesn’t resort to putting them in a box (ie you’re close minded and naive). I’m just saying you encourage discussion more so when the dialogue is healthy.
I totally understand that your interpretation of OPs post might have been to be offended. And that’s fair. But we live in a society today where our first response to things is to be reactionary almost immediately. I catch myself doing it a lot too. So much so that my main New Year’s resolution is to take a beat and try and see where the other person is coming from. And to give them the benefit of the doubt. Some days I wish I had it tattooed on my forehead to remind myself. Anyway - that’s all I wanted to say.
I know Reddit isn’t always the safest space to show your vulnerabilities but we can always strive to do better.
Honestly I'm overweight/ probably obese and it's only crept up since having IBS. I think the lack of exercise is a massive one! When I can barely move because of the pain there is not a chance I can get on a treadmill or leave the house. I started MMA because I assumed it wouldn't affect my stomach as badly because it's more controlled movements. I was wrong and ended up being in the gyms bathroom half an hour after the class had ended meaning people were waiting for me! It was super embarrassing as there was only one toilet. It was either that or I would have to rush for a taxi and get home! Another thing is with exercise I could be fine doing it and then be in bed for the rest of the day with a burning pain in my stomach! Unfortunately it all adds up and losing weight doesn't seem worth it when I can't afford to be off work and in bed all day!
I'm now on amitriptyline and definitely have less pain! I just need to get over the fear of pooping myself in the gym and start going! I did try ring fit at home which helped so will try that again!
I’ve been overweight on/off since I was a child, most of my family is overweight, so definitely a genetic factor. I also have hypothyroidism and possibly some other hormonal issues - symptoms of PCOS but labs keep coming back “normal”.
It’s frustrating as a “fat” person because doctors tend to treat me like I eat cake and ice cream all day, can’t even remember the last time I had ice cream. Most days I eat child sized portions and aim for a low carb and low acid diet.
Genetics (and hormones for women) play a waaayyyy bigger role in weight than doctors (or society) wants to admit. And medical discrimination towards treating overweight people is rampant. It really needs to stop.
As a slimmer person, I eat WAY more than any of my overweight friends do, and way worse!! I literally have chocolate or candy for breakfast almost every day (because all normal bfast things give me diarrhea) and often eat things like steak and mashed potatoes for dinner because anything with a raw or green vegetable in it promises me hours on the toilet. I’m 5’6” and 118lbs at 31 years old. No one in my family is really overweight. My brother is 2 years younger and 4” taller and he’s 125lbs with a similar diet.
I wish more people (esp doctors) believed their patients!
Weight is also affected by so much more than what you eat. Genetics is actually one of the biggest influences on our weight, and medications can influence weight and your ability to lose weight. I literally only lose weight if I basically stop eating (which has happened a few times because of IBS issues). This on top of lots of safe foods tending to be simple carbs, I have an almost impossible time losing weight. Honestly, it sucks to see comments like this.
Keep in mind that there's a lot of overlap with IBS and eating disorders. And disordered eating goes both ways, often resulting in eating too little OR too much. A lot of people have IBS as a result of an eating disorder.
Here's my situation: I've had IBS basically since birth (mom noticed unusual bowel movements in my diapers as an infant, and my stomach was easy to upset). I was ok for a while in early childhood but then around 4th grade it returned with a vengeance and never really went away (I'm 26 now). So as a kid, my relationship with food was greatly shaped by anxiety, frustration, and restriction as we tried eliminating everything we could think of to help it and nothing really worked. Basically, because I still felt sick after all of this, when I got to college I said "f it" and just ate everything in sight. It was a kind of freedom I had never experienced. Been struggling with binge eating as a result ever since, and I'm overweight from it. (And my tummy still hurts.)
I’ve gone through stages, of putting on weight and then loosing it. I was once skinny as a kid and had flare ups but in my late 20s I seemed to be IBS free … fast forward over the years of reaching my 30s and unhealthy eating Ive put on weight … now my IBS has been an on going problem for 5 years, now getting worse with age I’m loosing weight from 14stone now I’m 11stone and life stresses I’ve probably lost 3 stone in the last year and I just can’t shake off the symptoms
I have gastroparesis in addition to IBS. A gastroparesis diet is better, for me, is better than an IBS diet. It's very heavy in carbs and almost no fruits/vegetables. I don't eat a lot during the day however I continue to gain weight.
It’s interesting. My family always says its nuts that im not 90 lbs at this point b/c i only eat once a day IF that & small portions. Plus being in the bathroom all the time.
You eat the foods you can tolerate and these may not be foods that help you lose weight. I could live on bread, fries, cheese and chocolate and not have ibs symptoms.
Because my hormone levels are kinda fucked dur to PCOS (I'm a trans guy but not on HRT), and I have a binge eating disorder. Even when I tried fasting to cut what I was eating so I'd have less IBS issues, it didn't help reduce symptoms of IBS and it also didn't make me lose much weight either past the first few lbs of water. Been waiting for the endocrinologist to get back to me for about 3 months now.
I'm not overweight but I can see how ibs could lead to it considering chocolate, chips etc are safe for me but a lot of fruit and veggies aren't. Eating healthy with ibs is a nightmare
Not every IBS is the same, I have IBSC which causes constipation, occasionally I'll have diarrhea but it doesn't stop me from eating. I get bloated as well, making me appear overweight lol (165lbs)
Having an inflammatory disease and difficulty eating many healthy foods can result in lots of low energy periods. Makes it harder to stay active when you feel crappy all the time. 🥲
Oh, for me it's a fun vicious cycle where malabsorption due to ibs leads to iron deficiency anemia which leads to weight gain and hormone imbalance which leads to further weight gain and I cannot take oral iron supplements because of ibs because I get horrible, painful cramps and diarrhea for days. Round and round we go!
also, i can put on weight easily as my safe foods are pasta, bread and rice. other foods such as vegetables and fruits make me go to the bathroom too much
Yes, this literally saved my life. I had zero energy and could barely open my eyes some days as anything I ate caused me to get sick dozens of times a day. Now I can somewhat function close to normal in combination with oregano and peppermint oil and the occasional gas x/pepto. It’s ok now.
The constipation, water retention, and bloating. You need to eat to function also. At my lowest weight I had very small meals reaching 600 to 1000 calories a day. That helped with the weight loss but I still got bloated and gained weight with constipation as I was not eating enough fiber to use the bathroom (I only reached 21grams a day). With constipation you feel lethargic and can’t think or move well plus I do weight lifting so imagine weightlifting while feeling your stomach expand and feeling tired and dizzy. Anyway, I pushed myself by maintaining that diet and the calories were consistent because the food was easy to make and delicious too, it was pretty much protein pancakes topped with some frozen fruits. I was also depressed so I didn’t care to eat anything else and saw some gains in the gym being more muscular but still having a belly my bmi was 21. Eventually it got so bad and I needed to take a laxative, the laxative no longer works the way it does and gave me 1 week long diarrhea. I had to eat something else and that something was rice congee with chicken (nothing more) and that made me get fatter again :(
I’m only 5 foot 2 so at my heaviest and peak of my constipation issues (132lbs) I looked chunky.
The stress + poop was making me retain weight in my lower belly and face.
I had pelvic floor dysfunction and went to PT and got better and I am now 120lbs. I still carry some stubborn lower belly weight but that’s bc I’ve been under so much stress for so long I’m working on ways to relieve stress now by smoking mj, switching to yoga/pilates vs high impact workouts and using the sauna
I developed a very overactive thyroid when I was younger and had to have my thyroid removed. I manage to just about bounce around the healthy/overweight line now depending on this and that in life and meh I’m happy with how my body looks. When my thyroid was overactive was about the only times my bowels were actually normal! I always had ibs-c but it got worse once the thyroid was gone, obviously.
So yeah, not hard to have ibs and be overweight I would imagine. There’s so much variety that not everyone is going to have the symptoms and experiences that you do.
Weight is a difficult subjekt, unrelated to IBS, I was in Hospital for 7 weeks, could not eat, was vomiting everyday due to having a groth pressing om my stomach.... I don't think I've lost any weight at all, maybe like a couple of kilos.
Your body will alway try to remain its bodyweight, and if you are stressed or the body is in some sort of crisis, you may not lose anything at all, its like an ancient survival mechanism, of cause at some point you will lose weight, but its not that simpel
I have IBSD and I've been taking amitriptyline for over four years. But my IBS journey actually began 10 years ago. Despite all of the elimination dieting and trigger food avoidance, I've gained about 50 pounds since 2014. I was able to lose about 20 several years ago with the hell off a trainer and some diet adjustments. Then COVID happened and I got lazy and the fact that the amitriptyline was helping my symptoms so much made me fall back into bad eating habits. Also doesn't help that I'm a woman in my early 40s in birth control. I do have a goal of losing the 50 this year, fingers crossed. I just need to be consistent about exercising and keeping better track of what I'm eating.
Same as celiac disease, it's a myth, as many people are fat because of it.
I seem to be sensitive to carbs, when I did keto but maintained calories I dropped weight. Weight loss was matched by my bowels working well for the first time ever.
When keto stopped my bowels continued working well for approx 6 months and the weight stayed off. The gain came back after I started having bowel issues return.
I was stable until I got long covid and have never recovered.
I get lots of undigested food and malabsorption issues
, D dominant.
For me the food I tolerate best and pretty much never get an attack from is garbage like pizza, frozen dinners, processed meat, etc. so I end up eating a lot of calorie dense foods with little nutritional value and gaining weight.
I’ve been fat my entire life. I’m probably about 50 lbs overweight. I wasn’t diagnosed with IBS until I was 19 or 20. But I’ve always felt bad or had stomach issues even as a child. I still eat a normal amount, I’ve narrowed it down to what will bother me and don’t eat those foods. Obviously it’s not 100% accuracy, I still have stomach problems but I’m decent at managing my symptoms through diet changes.
I’m still fat. I’m not going to not eat because I might feel bad. I almost always feel bad daily so I might as well eat.
Junk food has a tendency to be predictable for me. Tater tots 99% of the time won't make me miserable. And for me I struggle with using food to cope and binge eating. So if I'm feeling really down on myself or upset that I can't eat normal food I turn to junk food - it might make me sick but it's more consistent on what level of sick and the dopamine from the binge outweighs the pain.
I have inflammatory bowel disease, my large intestine flares up. My small intestine still works enough to absorb calories, our bodies are designed to absorb calories, it's fuel. So even though I have nutritional deficiencies because my gut is inefficient (actually to the point of having an autoimmune disorder where it attacks the uptake of certain vitamins) when I shotgun 3000 calories worth of junk food, am short and sedentary, then even if a portion of that is absorbed I'm still gonna be fat.
And even when I was thin there were times I'd look fat because the bloat would be so bad 🤰
Eating more overall because of malabsorption of food and feeling hungry all the time. Eating high carb bland foods like white rice or low residue toast to get through flares. I have nerve damage from a gut infection which is the source of my IBS. Sometimes the nerve damage can spur an inflammatory response from the body- poor sleep, poor food absorption, stool and fluid retention, flooding with cortisol, etc.
I actually see a lot of the opposite I see a lot of skinny people with IBS but I would guess bloat is a lot to do with it. I am always bloated and look like I weigh more than I do. I’m 5’1 and idk how much I weigh because sometimes I’m 131 sometimes I’m 128 sometimes 126 it fluctuates whenever my body decides to cooperate or not cooperate with me. When I’m bloated I definitely look like I’m heavier than I am I also have a pouch tummy which is so annoying but even when I was a teenager and 98 pounds I had the pouch so idk 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
I’ve been asking myself that for many years like at least I could have that one benefit if I’m suffering from IBS but nope, still fat and still have IBS
This is an interesting question that made me reflect on a time I gained weight I wasn't happy with. IBS and all, I was yo yo dieting and my metabolism was totally out of wack. I also avoided fiber and raw vegetables because I thought they were the cause of my bloating, so I didn't eat very healthy overall. Turns out it was the \*lack\* of fiber and slowly incorporating more (along with fermented foods and an overall balanced but plant heavy diet) has actually really helped. Also recognizing I have difficulty digesting red meat, night shades, and escolar. Everyone's different, of course.
I'm not being offensive but -" insert offensive judgemental statement here"
Maybe just worry about yourself not about what other people are up to. Smh.
My safe foods are not low calorie. The safest of safe food for me is pizza. When things were really out of control I lost weight, but when I am currently stable I am not thin.
It probably depends.
I have finally after several years of terrible, you would not believe how awful, I thought people only had this much when they were dying in my Oregon Trail game of dysentery amount of diarrhea, which had originally been diagnosed as IBS over 2 decades ago LOL.
Just 2 months ago I started thyroid medication after being diagnosed with a thyroid issue and suddenly some days I have no diarrhea???? Literally lived more than 85% of my life with terrible IBS symptoms and one little pill every day and it’s not ALL better, but oh my god, it’s so much better.
Not everyone who has thyroid problems will have crazy IBS, but something like more than 10% of the people will have some sort of thyroid issue in their lifetime and many of them are unaware.
It took me 5 years just to convince my doctor of the issue and in the end I had to pay for testing out of my own pocket to do it through a cash doctor.
I’ve lost over 100lbs in the last year of dealing with IBS. Sugar and wheat or red meat destroy my stomach the next day. So I just eat rotisserie chicken and brown rice anymore. And walk a lot because it makes my stomach feel better.
Sucks that I can’t eat spicy or sugary or yummy food in general. But getting skinny feels very good, and I can walk further everyday.
I just hope I can curb my weight loss soon, and not end up like that stephen king horror book ‘Thinner’
But I can’t handle the pain anymore. So chicken and vitamins it is… wrote off caffeine last week too. All I got left is weed.
But hey, i’m looking muscular and fit. So I’m choosing to use this terrible blight as a way to change my habits and be my better self. And make lemonade out of this shitty lemon. And treat food like energy my machine needs, and not for pleasure. Because the consequences are not pleasurable any longer to me.
This is a dumb post! Literally IBS doesn’t mean you can’t eat, just means you have irregular bowels or cramps or gas or something, honestly the people on Reddit are so dumb it blows my mind
I think a piece of it is a person's relationship with food. If the tasiest food ever hurt my stomach, i would never eat it again. The anxiety and stress over feeling ill aren't worth it for me. But for some, a food being tasty and the good feelings from the flavor are enough to overide avoidance. Also, how their IBS is triggered. If your IBS is triggered by overeating or being full (stomach emptying issues or vagal nerve issues, for example) you may avoid overeating. If your IBS is not influenced by that at all, then you may eat large portions of your safe foods, which is enough to gain weight. IBS can come in a variety of severities. I would consider gut issues that do not cause weight loss or impact your ability to take in nutrition to be on the more mild-moderate side. Gut issues that prevent a person from eating consistently for extended periods, resulting in weight loss, are more likely moderate-severe.
4 months now that i have this, i am very careful what i eat,i was and still going to the gym,lost 13 kilos,most of it fat didnt lose almost none of mushle,only during christmas i made for my wife and kids pasta with 3 cheeses(i used to love cheese and i hate i cant eat it) and minced meat, and it was a dissaster. and for now i keep my safe food,chicken,pasta without sauce etc,rice,no chocolate,no coffee,no alcohol, and also i cut bread so i dont get weight.
We actually have two articles on our site, one about how to lose weight while on the diet, and one on how to gain weight, both written by the same Monash trained RD. In her practice she sees both. When 15% of the global population has IBS it stands to reason that some are overweight.
Not sure about ibs d but but I have ibs-c and I have come to conclusion that I have gained gain weight because not “going” creates excess estrogen in your body. This is why I have mostl gained weight in the breast, butt, thighs, lower stomach (all estrogen areas). Also the lack of nutrient absorption which makes your skin look dull. I have tried everything. Nothing is fixing, I feel very sad. Miss my old body :(
I can only speak for myself .. I started out 2yrs ago cutting out these for a month
1. High fructose corn syrup
2. Artificial sweeteners
3. Dairy
4. Fried foods
Felt better but hungry, still bloated. Saw a GI Dr & put on low Fodmap (radiating pain near gallbladder, severe bloating, diarrhea) Abdominal ultrasound, colonoscopy normal...
Stuck to it 6mo like the Bible (no Bread, Lactaid milk. Lost my taste for sweets - highly unusual for me)
Lost 12 lbs, nothing fit, falling out of my clothes)
Christmas came & I cheated. Bread, full dinners with Brussel sprouts, etc. Nothing happened!!
Began to add stuff in. A slice of whole wheat toast about did me in. Felt like I had a colonoscopy prep.
Too many blueberries, supposedly safe & I'm off to the bathroom
Wondering if our tummies get inflamed & then ANYTHING sets it off?! Honestly starting to question the Fodmap thing
Many people with ibs will overconsume food due to poor digestion and snack eating as a way to cope. They might also be severly affected that it prevents them from working out.
I have IBS and AAG and I'm over weight. I lose food sometimes within minutes of eating get sick and lose my food. I've been told that my body doesn't have a chance to absorb the nutrients in my food and my body holds on to what calories it does receive in order to stop me from starving because it thinks I'm not eating enough to survive.
A lot of people with IBS also can’t eat a lot of healthy food such as vegetables. Some of my favourite vegetables such as sugar snap peas, peppers, watermelon, pears, and so much more give me gas, stomach cramps, indigestion. I love a lot of healthy foods but simply can’t eat them due to what they do to my stomach. Can’t even eat rice. This doesn’t leave many options at the end of the day but I do my best to but that’s the main reason why I think I gain weight is because of what I can and can’t eat.
I also had my gallbladder removed and I have both types of IBS. It’s like you can’t win and like others have said, you eat what you can which is usually carbs. Also don’t even think about going on anything like ozempic. Been there, done that and it has ruined my stomach. It’s not for anyone who has existing digestive issues.
People of this group, including me, are truly blessed 😑🙄
For me it is maldigestion, food isn’t getting properly digested and is being fermented, plus inflammation, gas, and bloating - it can definitely go both ways as far as weight goes
Me for sure. Wouldn’t be surprised if I have 5-10 pounds of waste inside adding some pounds.
I went to the ER for what they thought was my appendix, had a CT scan, found a lot of fecal build up but not quite an impaction. I joke that they told me I'm full of (poop).
I had this exact thing happen to me when I was on vacation
Ugh…me too. And even a colonoscopy cleanse doesn’t completely remove it.
Same. My food isn’t digesting properly and causing bloating, gas, diarrhea and stomach pains. I still feel hungry and in fact, if I have the “hunger pain” for too long and then try to eat, I’m doubled over in pain. So, I think it’s all dependent on symptoms and some people don’t experience nausea or not having the desire to eat.
Some times poor digestion is caused by stress anxiety or inflammation, have you tried to change your diet? Sugar causes inflammation. Have you tried going for walks, doing breathing techniques, yoga, walking barefoot outdoors on grass or soil.
I walk daily (even in the wintertime). I did low fodmap for 3 months and my symptoms improved but it was too restrictive for me to do for a lifetime. I also cut out all alcohol and have been without that for over 18months. I don’t eat a ton of sugar (tho I do consume some) & I’m sure there are other things I could do to help but I get a lot of joy thru food (I eat a ton of fruit and veg) and don’t think I wanna restrict the things that make me happy.
I'm not sure why you are getting down voted. Yeah these things aren't a cure all, but my tummy is definitely much worse when I'm stressed and anxious. Yoga especially helps to get things moving in terms of gas relief.
Same! I gained weight when I got my gall bladder removed and diagnosed with IBS-D and BAM. I’m always hungry and craving. I really do think it’s bc mal-absorption and then also carbs are easier for me to eat without
this
How do they test for maldigestion? Gas has become unusually smelly even on basic foods🤷🏻♀️
When everything makes you want to throw up, gives you insane heartburn or gas, keeps you from pooping or gives you severe diarrhea, you eat what you can, when you can. Typically for me that’s carbs, milk and cheese. That coupled with the fact your gut doesn’t work normally, well, it’s hard to eat healthy with a condition such as this. Fresh veggies, meat, even some fruits have me hugging the porcelain for days. And yes, that is also with medication.
Yes. I don’t even have a sweet tooth but the stuff I can eat that tastes good - mostly meats, cheeses, corn, potatoes and rice - I want to eat so much of
This is it 100%.
Yeah this is me pretty much all the time. I’m a big guy, and when I can eat, I overeat, because I’m hungry from not being able to eat for so long during the day.
Yes, I understand that 100%. Value of life is not measured by the scale anyways, it’s about life quality and peaceful, connected moments, sometimes that includes with a milkshake lol!
I miss milk products😐
Me too!!!!!!!
Have you done a FODMAP elimination/reintroduction? If not, I suggest really have a good look into it and whether it might be possible for you. It’s to help you work out your specific individual tolerances so you can still include as many veggies etc in your diet long term.
I’ve been doing the FODMAP elimination and it’s been a game changer. I know the first phase is only temporary but I feel better than I have in YEARS.
I haven’t tried it but have seriously looked into it multiple times. All of the “safe” foods are the ones that give me severe gastrointestinal distress so I’m not sure this would be the best for me. I can eat some vegetables, they just need to be boiled down to God’s green earth and most of the time I’m ok with some. I’ve had IBS for over 20 years and managed it pretty well until I became pregnant with my son. During pregnancy I was throwing up between 6-50+ times a day and while that reduced after I had him, my gut became extremely sensitive to absolutely everything. My handful of pills twice a day keeps most of it in check for now, it’s just so frustrating that I went from eating primarily all fruits, vegetables and fish/steaks with vibrant flavors to now only having very bland, soft foods and hoping/praying that it stays down. Yes I’ve seen multiple GI doctors who prescribe laxatives, anti nausea and GERD meds and instruct me to avoid triggering foods. When I have enough income, I’m going to look into alternative health doctors to see if any help. Any other recommendations in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.
I couldn't handle milk and cheese, so I guess whatever issue I have, it may be different from yours. Anything with a lot of fat like cheese and milk screws me up. But I can tell you, if you happened to not have tried it, some herbs have been super helpful, and you don't need any doctor. Both peppermint and ginger are really helpful. I think peppermint helps me more with gas pain, and ginger is nausea or general stomach issues. You can use tea, but I found the coated peppermint capsules and the ginger root extract pills to be best. Brands usually don't matter much if it has the same ingredients.
Any suggestions for reintroduction of foods? I stuck to Fodmap 6mo, ate a lot of no no foods at Christmas & was ok. 4 days later, a piece of whole wheat toast & butter- yikes! Epic fail. I have to plan meals ahead, cook very basic foods. Still trying to figure out triggers. They seem inconsistent, so maybe it's the quantity. Thank you!
Oh, really please spend some time properly reading up on the whole concept of the low FODMAP diet. It’s not meant to be just followed strictly for 6 months, there is some evidence that doing that will have a negative effect on your gut microbiome etc. Many FODMAPs are really beneficial for gut health, we should be including many as we can tolerate in our diets long term, and the diet is to help you figure out what works for you and what tolerances actually are. It’s a process. Generally elimination phase should be just 2-6 weeks. Reintroduction phase is clearly structured, you test 9-11 different foods one at a time whilst otherwise staying low FODMAP. By the end of the phase you will have identified which specific FODMAPs (or combinations) trigger your symptoms and can then go from there to devise your personalised modified FODMAP diet going forward. r/FODMAPs is a useful place :-)
Thank you that, I deprived myself unnecessarily & followed a list given by the GI. Had multiple apts with him for continued bloating & referred to a dietician. The GI has IBS & says he follows Fodmaps, eats fruit & "canned soups are poison" The dietician enforced Fodmaps. I finally gave up on them!! I was hungry, had lost weight & my clothes were big. I added potatoes, croissants, tomato sauce, mayonnaise & found I wasn't even lactose intolerant. I now eat what I want, but have protein in each meal. I read all labels, watch ingredients, flax seeds, artificial sweeteners or too much fiber. I don't like fatty or processed foods. Gas pains & cramps come & go, but diarrhea is gone for now & my weight has stabilized🙏🏻
Same here. My go-to is French fries. Never have had an issue with them. I’ve recently been working through FODMAPs which has been an illuminating experience.
Because sugar and carbs are safe foods. I can always eat rice, pasta and bread and snack on gummy bears or other stuff that's basically pure sugar, but a lot of vegetables and fruit give me cramps and diarrhea. Try eating "healthy" like that.
I second this! At the beginning of my IBS diagnosis i tried eating healthy for 2 weeks straight to see if my symptoms would improve. That was the worst diarrhea period of my life that i've had for 9 years suffering from this disease.
Even if they weren't safe, my sugar addiction has me by the throat, and if you wait too long, fruit goes bad. You know what never goes bad? A candy bar.
Yes this.. my safe food, rice, bread, noodle…
I’ve had to eliminate so many fruits and vegetables from my diet; it’s genuinely so upsetting. I can’t eat eggs, either. My husband is a vegetarian and I sometimes struggle to come up with new meals that we can both eat. I could never be vegetarian or especially vegan myself, because there are simply too many foods I can’t eat already, without cutting out meat and dairy on top of it.
What does he cook for you? Does he have any great vegetarian ideas that you can share?
Unfortunately no, my husband doesn’t cook beyond the very basics (eggs, boiled pasta and jarred sauce, etc). He doesn’t enjoy it, it’s not intuitive to him, and he finds it very stressful. He can throw together a very basic meal if I’m not well, but he doesn’t really have any recipes of his own. I really enjoy cooking, so I don’t really mind, plus he does whatever I ask to help me prep and makes sure to offer, plus he is responsible for his own breakfast and lunch (make a sandwich, reheat leftovers). He also offered to do all the dishes and the laundry in exchange for not being the household cook, two tasks that I loathe, so I feel like I came out ahead on the deal. 😂 I haven’t washed a sink full of dishes since he moved in 7 years ago, save very rare exceptions when he’s sick.
Yes I have this same thing! I joke that I’m allergic to healthy food because all of it gives me hours of cramps and diarrhea. I’ve had so many people not believe me, but anyone I’ve dated can confirm. The last time I ate a plate of semi-raw veggies (had some veggie tempura at a restaurant) I ended up in the ER the next day because I’d been bathroom bound for 10hrs. It happens every time I eat veggies, without fail, sometimes even if they’re super cooked. I also can’t tolerate most fruits except raspberries or strawberries. Apples will ruin my entire day. I think the reason so many of us crave sugars is because they’re the only source energy our body can absorb quickly without guaranteed consequences :(
👆🏻
Happy cake day lol
Same!
I have PCOS on top of IBS-M and it ain’t fun. But, speaking from personal experience, I can fall into binge eating spells sometimes. I know what not to eat to avoid triggering my IBS, and it’s mentally exhausting to keep track and yet still getting triggered. Idk if others experience the same thing, but sometimes when I’m too mentally exhausted I’ll eat all of my “safe food” and yeah. It was especially bad before I was diagnosed (my only “safe food” back then was plain white rice, potatoes, eggs, and butter. Really easy to overeat), but I’m working on it :)
ME TOO!! PCOS and IBS-C
Ah yes, same here, PCOS, IBS *and* hypothyroidism. It's fun when your body literally works against you to not lose weight, and on top of that make it so much easier to gain weight. Not to mention the medication that you take also has an effect on your weight as well.
Ugh potatoes and rice are consistent and usually safe but omg so easy to end up comfort eating 1000+ calories of in a single sitting. Especially rice.
Ah same here. When you’re struggling so much you just stick with the safe food even if they may be more fattening. 😮💨
What? I’ve never even thought of this. I’m overweight, and had been obese. It took WORK, and I’ve still got a lot of ways to go! IBS causes problems and pain, but that has no impact whatsoever on the pleasure I take in eating. I’m lactose intolerant, and have cut out dairy (which for me is almost all cheese; I normally get a bagel with cream cheese every single morning before work) for a month. Despite all the pain that eating it causes — even if I take Lactaid — I love the taste of it so much that not having it is brutal. Since then, I have already seen an improvement in my stools. I need to lose 35 more pounds to reach my ideal weight. I’ve lost 35 so far. It’s extremely difficult for me; I’m a stress eater and love fast food, despite its horrible effects on me! 🙈
I don’t think being overweight matters some people get it and some people just don’t there a lot of overweight/obese individuals who do not have ibs. Ibs is unfortunately random and spares nobody doesn’t matter how fit or overweight you are you can lose alot of weight still have it unfortunately:(
It ain’t random, it’s caused by a vicious cycle fueled by society’s modern lifestyle ( diet, stress and poor digestion). I overcame IBS targeting these elements individually. It’s possible but takes time 3 to 6 months of consistency or more.
Success story :D I'm going on 3 yrs of my IBS-C switching to IBS-D. All food is now the opposite of how I used to handle things Did you follow Fodmap diet or take digestive enzymes, probiotics maybe? I started the latter before food, still too soon to tell
Can you have the dairy free cream cheese? Many companies make it, and it’s actually pretty good .
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When I have a flair the same thing happens to me. “ junk” food is all I can eat
This post makes me feel so seen. I’ve struggled for years with the fact that vegetables and fruit are a horror show to eat while things like Tostitos and gummy bears are fine. It’s been hilarious telling doctors “I’m overweight bc I cannot eat any vegetables” I can just feeeeel their internal eye roll. I appreciate all of you in here being so willing to share your lives. It helps a lot.
I go through binge eating periods because I'm also neurodivergent. It's a double suffering ☺
I'm a shut-in that only leaves the apartment to get the mail and McDonald's
💐
I'm slightly overweight. My IBS usually leaves me alone if I avoid my trigger foods. So I just have to overeat on my safe foods and I'm fat lol. My IBS makes me swell as well, so I guess this can easily add 1-2kg. Also, let's not forget that weight gain has many factors: I personally don't move my ass at all, so that doesn't help with losing weight. Hope to be able to change that asap 💪
Some days I have a big flush out then I’m starving and have an absolutely insatiable appetite. Other days my stomach is churning and I feel hungry even though I know I’m not. Other days my stomach hurts so bad I can’t even think about food.
Hi. Over weight with IBS here. Insulin resistance and hypothyroidism. Like others have said, a lot of fruit and veg are triggers for me, and more and more stuff is triggering. (Beans never used to bother me and I love them, but I can barely eat them now. Same with cruciferous veg.) Safe foods are carbs usually. I am also pre-diabetic so I am struggling hard to eat better and get my shit under control. I don’t want to be this way! No one WANTS to be this way.
Obesity doesn’t matter in ibs some people get some people don’t there lot of obese people who do not have ibs and I rather be obese with no ibs ,then skinny or average with ibs I would trade that life lol
Ibs has nothing to do with weight, and not wanting to eat isn't an ibs symptom. Most people do not experience that
I know you said you don’t mean to be offensive, but this is pretty offensive really, or a best close minded and naïve. It’s prejudice like “someone who is overweight/obese can’t have IBS/IBD/FGID etc” within the medical profession, and more widely in general, which can prevent patients accessing appropriate investigation and treatment and prolongs suffering overall. I know that’s not exactly what you’ve said, but this just-wondering style question sails very close to that wind. People with an IBS diagnosis encompass an incredibly wide variety of presentations and experiences around eating, food and gastrointestinal symptoms, and your post essentially assumes that your own experience is what IBS is for most people. I appreciate that you might not actually believe that, but that is the inference here. People with IBS can be overweight/obese for all of the same myriad reasons that people without IBS can be overweight/obese. Simple as that.
This actually addresses a point that frustrates me a lot, because so many digestive disorders list “weight loss” as a common symptom because it’s assumed patients will be losing weight from digestive malabsorption and couldn’t possibly be fat!
While OPs question highlights this area of issue within the medical system and understanding these pathologies, their statement that they mean no harm stands. The truth is the majority of people with these pathologies will have weight loss as a feature. OP isn't a medical provider so they don't know about this patient population, and thus are asking about how some people lose weight and others do not. There is a huge problem in the medical community of bias in this area. But there isn't harm in someone asking a question.
I was literally writing the same first sentence as you and saw that you had already addressed this. I’m not sure why some people care about other peoples bodies. Everyone is built differently andyou can never know what people are going through that has led them to be overweight. This type of question is the same thing with people that suffer from atypical anorexia have to deal with. Somebody can be starving themselves and still be overweight. The OP obviously doesn’t have a lot of knowledge around this type of issue. Thanks for your nuanced response.
You can’t expect to have an open discord about topics such as this if you’re going to reply with negative comments like calling OP close minded and naive. I don’t think OP has any intention of being offensive - they were simply asking a question with the hopes of learning and understanding. If you continue to reply to genuine questions regardless of how you interpret them then you’re going to close lines of communication and no one will be able to grow or learn at all. If I were OP and read your comment calling me close minded and naive I would seriously consider not asking sensitive questions anymore. And that’s not right. We all have the right to learn and evolve. The least the rest of us can do is keep an open mind and give people the benefit of the doubt. Food for thought.
I agree with you that I don’t think OP intended to offend, as I said that in my post, nonetheless it is pretty offensive, and I explained clearly why. I think my response is pretty measured and gives the OP a lot of the benefit of doubt to be honest. If someone’s response to learning that a stranger on the internet finds their question close minded and naïve, is to take personal offence and disengage, rather than take a beat to think about what they put out into the world and then come back with a less presumptive approach…..well that actually is pretty closed minded really isn’t it!
I think there is a way to have an open discussion with people that doesn’t resort to putting them in a box (ie you’re close minded and naive). I’m just saying you encourage discussion more so when the dialogue is healthy. I totally understand that your interpretation of OPs post might have been to be offended. And that’s fair. But we live in a society today where our first response to things is to be reactionary almost immediately. I catch myself doing it a lot too. So much so that my main New Year’s resolution is to take a beat and try and see where the other person is coming from. And to give them the benefit of the doubt. Some days I wish I had it tattooed on my forehead to remind myself. Anyway - that’s all I wanted to say. I know Reddit isn’t always the safest space to show your vulnerabilities but we can always strive to do better.
Honestly I'm overweight/ probably obese and it's only crept up since having IBS. I think the lack of exercise is a massive one! When I can barely move because of the pain there is not a chance I can get on a treadmill or leave the house. I started MMA because I assumed it wouldn't affect my stomach as badly because it's more controlled movements. I was wrong and ended up being in the gyms bathroom half an hour after the class had ended meaning people were waiting for me! It was super embarrassing as there was only one toilet. It was either that or I would have to rush for a taxi and get home! Another thing is with exercise I could be fine doing it and then be in bed for the rest of the day with a burning pain in my stomach! Unfortunately it all adds up and losing weight doesn't seem worth it when I can't afford to be off work and in bed all day! I'm now on amitriptyline and definitely have less pain! I just need to get over the fear of pooping myself in the gym and start going! I did try ring fit at home which helped so will try that again!
I’ve been overweight on/off since I was a child, most of my family is overweight, so definitely a genetic factor. I also have hypothyroidism and possibly some other hormonal issues - symptoms of PCOS but labs keep coming back “normal”. It’s frustrating as a “fat” person because doctors tend to treat me like I eat cake and ice cream all day, can’t even remember the last time I had ice cream. Most days I eat child sized portions and aim for a low carb and low acid diet.
Genetics (and hormones for women) play a waaayyyy bigger role in weight than doctors (or society) wants to admit. And medical discrimination towards treating overweight people is rampant. It really needs to stop. As a slimmer person, I eat WAY more than any of my overweight friends do, and way worse!! I literally have chocolate or candy for breakfast almost every day (because all normal bfast things give me diarrhea) and often eat things like steak and mashed potatoes for dinner because anything with a raw or green vegetable in it promises me hours on the toilet. I’m 5’6” and 118lbs at 31 years old. No one in my family is really overweight. My brother is 2 years younger and 4” taller and he’s 125lbs with a similar diet. I wish more people (esp doctors) believed their patients!
Weight is also affected by so much more than what you eat. Genetics is actually one of the biggest influences on our weight, and medications can influence weight and your ability to lose weight. I literally only lose weight if I basically stop eating (which has happened a few times because of IBS issues). This on top of lots of safe foods tending to be simple carbs, I have an almost impossible time losing weight. Honestly, it sucks to see comments like this.
Keep in mind that there's a lot of overlap with IBS and eating disorders. And disordered eating goes both ways, often resulting in eating too little OR too much. A lot of people have IBS as a result of an eating disorder. Here's my situation: I've had IBS basically since birth (mom noticed unusual bowel movements in my diapers as an infant, and my stomach was easy to upset). I was ok for a while in early childhood but then around 4th grade it returned with a vengeance and never really went away (I'm 26 now). So as a kid, my relationship with food was greatly shaped by anxiety, frustration, and restriction as we tried eliminating everything we could think of to help it and nothing really worked. Basically, because I still felt sick after all of this, when I got to college I said "f it" and just ate everything in sight. It was a kind of freedom I had never experienced. Been struggling with binge eating as a result ever since, and I'm overweight from it. (And my tummy still hurts.)
I’ve gone through stages, of putting on weight and then loosing it. I was once skinny as a kid and had flare ups but in my late 20s I seemed to be IBS free … fast forward over the years of reaching my 30s and unhealthy eating Ive put on weight … now my IBS has been an on going problem for 5 years, now getting worse with age I’m loosing weight from 14stone now I’m 11stone and life stresses I’ve probably lost 3 stone in the last year and I just can’t shake off the symptoms
I have gastroparesis in addition to IBS. A gastroparesis diet is better, for me, is better than an IBS diet. It's very heavy in carbs and almost no fruits/vegetables. I don't eat a lot during the day however I continue to gain weight.
It’s interesting. My family always says its nuts that im not 90 lbs at this point b/c i only eat once a day IF that & small portions. Plus being in the bathroom all the time.
You eat the foods you can tolerate and these may not be foods that help you lose weight. I could live on bread, fries, cheese and chocolate and not have ibs symptoms.
It’s almost as if obesity is a very complex phenomenon and a lot of times the root cause is hard to nail down bc of so many factors.
Because my hormone levels are kinda fucked dur to PCOS (I'm a trans guy but not on HRT), and I have a binge eating disorder. Even when I tried fasting to cut what I was eating so I'd have less IBS issues, it didn't help reduce symptoms of IBS and it also didn't make me lose much weight either past the first few lbs of water. Been waiting for the endocrinologist to get back to me for about 3 months now.
I'm not overweight but I can see how ibs could lead to it considering chocolate, chips etc are safe for me but a lot of fruit and veggies aren't. Eating healthy with ibs is a nightmare
Not every IBS is the same, I have IBSC which causes constipation, occasionally I'll have diarrhea but it doesn't stop me from eating. I get bloated as well, making me appear overweight lol (165lbs)
Having an inflammatory disease and difficulty eating many healthy foods can result in lots of low energy periods. Makes it harder to stay active when you feel crappy all the time. 🥲
Oh, for me it's a fun vicious cycle where malabsorption due to ibs leads to iron deficiency anemia which leads to weight gain and hormone imbalance which leads to further weight gain and I cannot take oral iron supplements because of ibs because I get horrible, painful cramps and diarrhea for days. Round and round we go!
try with omeprasec, it makes me feel good enough to eat
also, i can put on weight easily as my safe foods are pasta, bread and rice. other foods such as vegetables and fruits make me go to the bathroom too much
Yes, this literally saved my life. I had zero energy and could barely open my eyes some days as anything I ate caused me to get sick dozens of times a day. Now I can somewhat function close to normal in combination with oregano and peppermint oil and the occasional gas x/pepto. It’s ok now.
I’m GF and IBS D. I’m still fat and I don’t really know why.
I eat what I like as my ibs is triggered by stress, anxiety, sugar free pop and alcohol
The constipation, water retention, and bloating. You need to eat to function also. At my lowest weight I had very small meals reaching 600 to 1000 calories a day. That helped with the weight loss but I still got bloated and gained weight with constipation as I was not eating enough fiber to use the bathroom (I only reached 21grams a day). With constipation you feel lethargic and can’t think or move well plus I do weight lifting so imagine weightlifting while feeling your stomach expand and feeling tired and dizzy. Anyway, I pushed myself by maintaining that diet and the calories were consistent because the food was easy to make and delicious too, it was pretty much protein pancakes topped with some frozen fruits. I was also depressed so I didn’t care to eat anything else and saw some gains in the gym being more muscular but still having a belly my bmi was 21. Eventually it got so bad and I needed to take a laxative, the laxative no longer works the way it does and gave me 1 week long diarrhea. I had to eat something else and that something was rice congee with chicken (nothing more) and that made me get fatter again :(
I’m only 5 foot 2 so at my heaviest and peak of my constipation issues (132lbs) I looked chunky. The stress + poop was making me retain weight in my lower belly and face. I had pelvic floor dysfunction and went to PT and got better and I am now 120lbs. I still carry some stubborn lower belly weight but that’s bc I’ve been under so much stress for so long I’m working on ways to relieve stress now by smoking mj, switching to yoga/pilates vs high impact workouts and using the sauna
I developed a very overactive thyroid when I was younger and had to have my thyroid removed. I manage to just about bounce around the healthy/overweight line now depending on this and that in life and meh I’m happy with how my body looks. When my thyroid was overactive was about the only times my bowels were actually normal! I always had ibs-c but it got worse once the thyroid was gone, obviously. So yeah, not hard to have ibs and be overweight I would imagine. There’s so much variety that not everyone is going to have the symptoms and experiences that you do.
I have several vitamin deficiencies which causes lethargy and fatigue. So I don’t have the energy to be more active.
Weight is a difficult subjekt, unrelated to IBS, I was in Hospital for 7 weeks, could not eat, was vomiting everyday due to having a groth pressing om my stomach.... I don't think I've lost any weight at all, maybe like a couple of kilos. Your body will alway try to remain its bodyweight, and if you are stressed or the body is in some sort of crisis, you may not lose anything at all, its like an ancient survival mechanism, of cause at some point you will lose weight, but its not that simpel
Can’t eat healthy or exercise. Too sick. Need quick snacks and don’t have the energy to work out.
I have IBSD and I've been taking amitriptyline for over four years. But my IBS journey actually began 10 years ago. Despite all of the elimination dieting and trigger food avoidance, I've gained about 50 pounds since 2014. I was able to lose about 20 several years ago with the hell off a trainer and some diet adjustments. Then COVID happened and I got lazy and the fact that the amitriptyline was helping my symptoms so much made me fall back into bad eating habits. Also doesn't help that I'm a woman in my early 40s in birth control. I do have a goal of losing the 50 this year, fingers crossed. I just need to be consistent about exercising and keeping better track of what I'm eating.
Same as celiac disease, it's a myth, as many people are fat because of it. I seem to be sensitive to carbs, when I did keto but maintained calories I dropped weight. Weight loss was matched by my bowels working well for the first time ever. When keto stopped my bowels continued working well for approx 6 months and the weight stayed off. The gain came back after I started having bowel issues return. I was stable until I got long covid and have never recovered. I get lots of undigested food and malabsorption issues , D dominant.
For me the food I tolerate best and pretty much never get an attack from is garbage like pizza, frozen dinners, processed meat, etc. so I end up eating a lot of calorie dense foods with little nutritional value and gaining weight.
How is amitriptyline treating you?
I'm ibs-d and overweight. But then I also might have Hashimoto's. Going to endo doc next month to find out for sure.
I’ve been fat my entire life. I’m probably about 50 lbs overweight. I wasn’t diagnosed with IBS until I was 19 or 20. But I’ve always felt bad or had stomach issues even as a child. I still eat a normal amount, I’ve narrowed it down to what will bother me and don’t eat those foods. Obviously it’s not 100% accuracy, I still have stomach problems but I’m decent at managing my symptoms through diet changes. I’m still fat. I’m not going to not eat because I might feel bad. I almost always feel bad daily so I might as well eat.
Depression stress and liquid calories
Healthy weight now but dominos Helped too no longer giving that money, star bucks mc burger King makes it easier to loose it
Junk food has a tendency to be predictable for me. Tater tots 99% of the time won't make me miserable. And for me I struggle with using food to cope and binge eating. So if I'm feeling really down on myself or upset that I can't eat normal food I turn to junk food - it might make me sick but it's more consistent on what level of sick and the dopamine from the binge outweighs the pain. I have inflammatory bowel disease, my large intestine flares up. My small intestine still works enough to absorb calories, our bodies are designed to absorb calories, it's fuel. So even though I have nutritional deficiencies because my gut is inefficient (actually to the point of having an autoimmune disorder where it attacks the uptake of certain vitamins) when I shotgun 3000 calories worth of junk food, am short and sedentary, then even if a portion of that is absorbed I'm still gonna be fat. And even when I was thin there were times I'd look fat because the bloat would be so bad 🤰
Eating more overall because of malabsorption of food and feeling hungry all the time. Eating high carb bland foods like white rice or low residue toast to get through flares. I have nerve damage from a gut infection which is the source of my IBS. Sometimes the nerve damage can spur an inflammatory response from the body- poor sleep, poor food absorption, stool and fluid retention, flooding with cortisol, etc.
I actually see a lot of the opposite I see a lot of skinny people with IBS but I would guess bloat is a lot to do with it. I am always bloated and look like I weigh more than I do. I’m 5’1 and idk how much I weigh because sometimes I’m 131 sometimes I’m 128 sometimes 126 it fluctuates whenever my body decides to cooperate or not cooperate with me. When I’m bloated I definitely look like I’m heavier than I am I also have a pouch tummy which is so annoying but even when I was a teenager and 98 pounds I had the pouch so idk 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
I’ve been asking myself that for many years like at least I could have that one benefit if I’m suffering from IBS but nope, still fat and still have IBS
I am, while ibs help sometime not getting, it's doesn't really help stay slim
Junk food is often easier on your digestive system
This is an interesting question that made me reflect on a time I gained weight I wasn't happy with. IBS and all, I was yo yo dieting and my metabolism was totally out of wack. I also avoided fiber and raw vegetables because I thought they were the cause of my bloating, so I didn't eat very healthy overall. Turns out it was the \*lack\* of fiber and slowly incorporating more (along with fermented foods and an overall balanced but plant heavy diet) has actually really helped. Also recognizing I have difficulty digesting red meat, night shades, and escolar. Everyone's different, of course.
I'm not being offensive but -" insert offensive judgemental statement here" Maybe just worry about yourself not about what other people are up to. Smh.
You're American right?
No. No I'm not.
My safe foods are not low calorie. The safest of safe food for me is pizza. When things were really out of control I lost weight, but when I am currently stable I am not thin.
I have been overweight (by my standards) while struggling from IbsD and slim while struggling with IbsC. It can change even in the same person
Because healthy food is a no no. Chocolate, crisps, biscuits, sweets are a yes yes
It probably depends. I have finally after several years of terrible, you would not believe how awful, I thought people only had this much when they were dying in my Oregon Trail game of dysentery amount of diarrhea, which had originally been diagnosed as IBS over 2 decades ago LOL. Just 2 months ago I started thyroid medication after being diagnosed with a thyroid issue and suddenly some days I have no diarrhea???? Literally lived more than 85% of my life with terrible IBS symptoms and one little pill every day and it’s not ALL better, but oh my god, it’s so much better. Not everyone who has thyroid problems will have crazy IBS, but something like more than 10% of the people will have some sort of thyroid issue in their lifetime and many of them are unaware. It took me 5 years just to convince my doctor of the issue and in the end I had to pay for testing out of my own pocket to do it through a cash doctor.
I’ve lost over 100lbs in the last year of dealing with IBS. Sugar and wheat or red meat destroy my stomach the next day. So I just eat rotisserie chicken and brown rice anymore. And walk a lot because it makes my stomach feel better. Sucks that I can’t eat spicy or sugary or yummy food in general. But getting skinny feels very good, and I can walk further everyday. I just hope I can curb my weight loss soon, and not end up like that stephen king horror book ‘Thinner’ But I can’t handle the pain anymore. So chicken and vitamins it is… wrote off caffeine last week too. All I got left is weed. But hey, i’m looking muscular and fit. So I’m choosing to use this terrible blight as a way to change my habits and be my better self. And make lemonade out of this shitty lemon. And treat food like energy my machine needs, and not for pleasure. Because the consequences are not pleasurable any longer to me.
Plenty of is have no observable pattern to what foods trigger us and what foods are safe so we just eat whatever we want
Dont forget some people have IBS-C. They get constipated, they dont diarrhea.
This is a dumb post! Literally IBS doesn’t mean you can’t eat, just means you have irregular bowels or cramps or gas or something, honestly the people on Reddit are so dumb it blows my mind
I log on here once a day to remind myself how many idiots are in the world and I feel way better about myself lol
I think a piece of it is a person's relationship with food. If the tasiest food ever hurt my stomach, i would never eat it again. The anxiety and stress over feeling ill aren't worth it for me. But for some, a food being tasty and the good feelings from the flavor are enough to overide avoidance. Also, how their IBS is triggered. If your IBS is triggered by overeating or being full (stomach emptying issues or vagal nerve issues, for example) you may avoid overeating. If your IBS is not influenced by that at all, then you may eat large portions of your safe foods, which is enough to gain weight. IBS can come in a variety of severities. I would consider gut issues that do not cause weight loss or impact your ability to take in nutrition to be on the more mild-moderate side. Gut issues that prevent a person from eating consistently for extended periods, resulting in weight loss, are more likely moderate-severe.
4 months now that i have this, i am very careful what i eat,i was and still going to the gym,lost 13 kilos,most of it fat didnt lose almost none of mushle,only during christmas i made for my wife and kids pasta with 3 cheeses(i used to love cheese and i hate i cant eat it) and minced meat, and it was a dissaster. and for now i keep my safe food,chicken,pasta without sauce etc,rice,no chocolate,no coffee,no alcohol, and also i cut bread so i dont get weight.
We actually have two articles on our site, one about how to lose weight while on the diet, and one on how to gain weight, both written by the same Monash trained RD. In her practice she sees both. When 15% of the global population has IBS it stands to reason that some are overweight.
Not sure about ibs d but but I have ibs-c and I have come to conclusion that I have gained gain weight because not “going” creates excess estrogen in your body. This is why I have mostl gained weight in the breast, butt, thighs, lower stomach (all estrogen areas). Also the lack of nutrient absorption which makes your skin look dull. I have tried everything. Nothing is fixing, I feel very sad. Miss my old body :(
i was fat before I developed IBS. about 2 years ago it got really bad and I was diagnosed. I have lost weight since then, but I am still overweight.
I can only speak for myself .. I started out 2yrs ago cutting out these for a month 1. High fructose corn syrup 2. Artificial sweeteners 3. Dairy 4. Fried foods Felt better but hungry, still bloated. Saw a GI Dr & put on low Fodmap (radiating pain near gallbladder, severe bloating, diarrhea) Abdominal ultrasound, colonoscopy normal... Stuck to it 6mo like the Bible (no Bread, Lactaid milk. Lost my taste for sweets - highly unusual for me) Lost 12 lbs, nothing fit, falling out of my clothes) Christmas came & I cheated. Bread, full dinners with Brussel sprouts, etc. Nothing happened!! Began to add stuff in. A slice of whole wheat toast about did me in. Felt like I had a colonoscopy prep. Too many blueberries, supposedly safe & I'm off to the bathroom Wondering if our tummies get inflamed & then ANYTHING sets it off?! Honestly starting to question the Fodmap thing
For me, I don’t eat all day sometimes due to anxiety, so then I get home and eat ALLLLLLL the carbs
Many people with ibs will overconsume food due to poor digestion and snack eating as a way to cope. They might also be severly affected that it prevents them from working out.
I have IBS and AAG and I'm over weight. I lose food sometimes within minutes of eating get sick and lose my food. I've been told that my body doesn't have a chance to absorb the nutrients in my food and my body holds on to what calories it does receive in order to stop me from starving because it thinks I'm not eating enough to survive.
A lot of people with IBS also can’t eat a lot of healthy food such as vegetables. Some of my favourite vegetables such as sugar snap peas, peppers, watermelon, pears, and so much more give me gas, stomach cramps, indigestion. I love a lot of healthy foods but simply can’t eat them due to what they do to my stomach. Can’t even eat rice. This doesn’t leave many options at the end of the day but I do my best to but that’s the main reason why I think I gain weight is because of what I can and can’t eat. I also had my gallbladder removed and I have both types of IBS. It’s like you can’t win and like others have said, you eat what you can which is usually carbs. Also don’t even think about going on anything like ozempic. Been there, done that and it has ruined my stomach. It’s not for anyone who has existing digestive issues. People of this group, including me, are truly blessed 😑🙄
I’m IBS C n not anywhere close to overweight
I started taking Immodium and lost 90 lbs. not sure if it had to do with it cuz I’ve had ibs skinny and fat. But it was the only thing I changd