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Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Type 2 Diabetes

Jemz

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I am really struggling with both managing my diabetes and my IBS.
I feel rubbish a lot of the time.
Tried to focus on figuring out what triggers my IBS. I mostly struggle with bloating, abdominal pains and diarrhoea. Metformin definitely hasn't helped with that one. Although slow release is better. But am still no the wiser really.
Usual culprits are apparently gluten, dairy, onions, garlic, cauliflower, leeks, fruit, fat
Although I haven't found any patterns or obvious culprits.

It's meant I haven't really focused totally on managing a better diet for my diabetes. And am still using food for comfort. Especially caffeine (which probably needs to be eliminated for my IBS
)

Anyone have any advice as to what to eat. Or which to focus on first? I feel completely fed up with it. I am 6 stone overweight and on 2000mg metformin. I would like both gone.

Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks.
 
I'm a type 2 with mild(ish) IBS D, and I've found that my reduced carb diet (which I started for the diabetes) has actually reduced my IBS flare ups, which generally now only seem to be hormone related
 
Thanks. I found that at first, but not so now.
Maybe the metformin has knocked me sideways?!
 

Hi there - Sorry to hear the IBS is being tricky at the moment.

You talk about likely dietary triggers; have you actually tried elimination diets? The only reason I ask is I was advised by an Endo to adopt a GF way of living for various reasons I'll spare you. I was pretty certain I had no issues with gluten, until I started to feel different in a good way. It took several weeks of pushing through my cynicism to make myself actually go properly GF, but I believe it has been worth it.
 
I have had type 1 diabetes for 68 years. For a long time I struggled with constipation. However, it is now widely accepted in the research literature that long term treatment for diabetes destroys cells called Golgi interstitial cells in the gut wall. The Golgi interstitial cells are intermediate in form between smooth muscle and neurones. The Golgi interstitial cells, about which even my diabetic consultant was ignorant, control the rhythmic motility of the gut wall called peristalsis. Peristalsis moves the gut contents toward the anus. So loss of Golgi interstitial cells disrupts peristalsis and results in constipation. I have found 2 Senna tablets before bed each night and 5ml of lactulose solution after each meal helpful to return to a normal gut routine.
 
Thanks @willmax. Useful information.
I have never had constipation.
Sadly diarrhoea almost every day for last 3 months ☹
 
Not for long enough probably.
Cut out wheat and dairy in the past for 2 weeks. Re-introduced without problem. Was eating rye bread, rice, fruit & root veg which I feel I shouldn't be eating now because of diabetes.

Maybe I need to try elimination diet.

Feel so confused
 

For gluten certainly, two weeks isn't nearly long enough. I can't recall exactly how many weeks before I felt any changes, but I read a lot on the Coeliac pages on Health Unlocked for information, around going GF. Whilst the NHS says 2-6 weeks, for an elimination challenge, the Coeliac folks reckon 2-3 months, minimum.

It's also worth stating the obvious and say it has really got to be totally gluten free. Gluten gets into some sneaky places!
 
You have my sympathy - both my daughter (31) and mom (90) have IBS, neither has diabetes which would make it harder. (My daughter's is like yours, my mom's is constipation - she was like my daughter, it changed to the other form as she got older.)

Both avoid cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, dried beans, corn in any form, alcohol and broccoli and most sugar alcohols which make their symptoms worse. (Broccoli can be tolerated in small amounts). Both also find deep fried food aggravates their symptoms. Probotics help a bit but avoiding trigger foods helps more. Stress also aggravates their symptoms.

BTW, they are both lactose intolerant although other family members have lactose intolreance without IBS.

My daughter has told me that she worries about developing diabetes since she knows I eat a lot of cabbage and cauliflower especially as a Type 2.
 
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I’ve been taking Metformin as a pre-diabetic for about 5 years. What I didn’t know was that Metformin and IBS was the magic combination that has made life miserable for me for so long.
Now I’ve been diagnosed T2 and am trying to change my diet, lose weight and take control of my sugar levels. I stopped the Metformin last week and my BG levels seem to be fairly steady and under control with the low carb diet.
I did discover a few years ago that I’m lactose intolerant, but that’s fairly easily managed now with the right milk etc, and lactase tablets for the odd time it’s not available.
What has really helped me was having a blood test done a few years ago to identify food intolerances. The main culprits for me were real vanilla (which I really do like) and pineapple, (which I can take or leave, but is sometimes hidden in restaurant food (Chinese for example). When I ate a muffin in a ‘health’ restaurant last summer, for example, I spent the next hour mostly in the loo. I hadn’t registered that a wholefood cafe would probably use real vanilla instead of the cheaper imitation, which I can eat and which most cafes would use.
The point is Jemz that it might be worth trying to do some testing to find out what is causing your IBS. I do sympathise with you- it’s very tough.
 
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