Advice on ibs and food?

Hi,
So in my quest to control ibs I've tried limiting my food based on advice from different websites. I feel like I've got a lot of fear surrounding food because of what I've read could trigger ibs and personal experience. I had about 4 years of being able to eat a wider range of foods without pain. But in the last 6 months I've become more sensitive again so my diet is quite restrictive at the moment. The diet advice for ibs is confusing as it's so personal and one time I can eat a food without problem, the next it gives me pain after.
This leads me to believe it's very much connected to my emotions rather than food.
I am getting better at widening my foods but today i had a small piece of chocolate cake and 2 hours later I had diarrhoea and pain.
So I feel like maybe I should just accept the fact that I need to stay on a low fat diet? Maybe the cake was too much?
The other thing to consider is i had my driving theory test this morn so was anxious about that, even though the chocolate cake was eaten after i passed so theoretically after the stress should have ended maybe my system was still sensitive and in the future I should try again.
I'm summary I'm questioning whether I should accept a restricted diet or work on my confidence that food isn't the problem.
Thanks for reading and I appreciate any thoughts on my situation
X

 

Hi @Milly23. Welcome! My principal TMS symptoms are IBS and anxiety - the symptoms of the former started c. 2011 but I've had pretty severe anxiety since childhood - so I know where you are coming from. I also need to add that I am a work in progress and am not yet on the other side of this, but I have learned a few things.

I'm letting go of the need to micro-manage the food, and if I had any advice it would be that for now you explore the possibility of doing the same and simply work on the anxiety and tension that the OCD and the stress of the IBS and life in general generates in you. Try not to analyse things like the chocolate cake incident too much and look for ways to incorporate joy and pleasure and soothing experiences into your everyday life. Yes, it makes good general sense to eat healthily but within these parameters I'm aiming to eat what I am comfortable with and enjoy and I continue to work on what's going on in my head and how I can assist and soothe myself. Later on I may find I can incorporate different foods into my diet, but in its own time. There's no rush. Do you do any kind of exercise? Things like walking, swimming and yoga are really helpful for us anxious types and walking in nature is my chief therapy.

If you haven't read it, I'd recommend Dr Claire Weekes' wonderful book, "Self Help for your Nerves".

While my IBS symptoms started relatively recently, food and disordered eating has been a part of my life for decades (I'm in my late 60s) so gradually letting go of the obsession with IBS itself and food and what I "can" and "can't" eat is a whole new experience for me in spite of the IBS flares which I'm slowly learning not to panic over when they strike. I'm not there yet but I can now see the path I need to follow. It can be the same for you. All the very best to you, you are young and can come though this.

 

thank you so much for your welcome and kind reply.
I have read Claire Weekes but I think I might reread it because it's been a while.

 

Congratulations by the way on passing your driving test theory! That's huge and I'm not surprised you were anxious.

 

Thank you! I was so relieved