The FastDay Forum

Hi

I have been using 5.2 for three weeks and have lost 4 pounds so far.

I have found it fairly easy on the fast days but I am concerned as an irritable bowel syndrome problem seems to be coming back.

Week one was fine, fast days are Monday and Thursday, but the following week on the Sunday I came down with a very bad stomach bug, did not eat for twenty four hours, counted it as an early fast, and took a couple of days to get back to normal, and on the Thursday fasted as normal, no problems.

Fasted this week on the Monday, fine but after the fast on Thursday, I had IBS symptoms badly yesterday, bloated, stomach cramps etc, I have not changed anything I do or eat on fast days, so it is a mystery.

I only had the odd problem, sometimes not for a year or two, with IBS before starting the 5.2 plan, but now it seems to be coming back.

Just wondering if anybody else is using 5.2 but has IBS and if they have any tips, as other than that, I am enjoying the 5.2 plan.


Thanks


Martin

Yes, my bowel function has definitely altered since fasting. I have been on the 5:2 since last September, and have suffered from constipation and bloating, mainly on my non fast days. I think it is due to the simple fact that there is less food in the system, and so bowel motility slows down, allowing the food that is there to 'ferment' and stick more, that is my opinion. Also because a lot of fluid is in the food we normally eat, dehydration probably plays a part too. I am doing much better with the constipation now (added prunes, and drink lots more liquid), I also take flax and linseed, and try and have more salads and raw veg (always calorie counted on fast days of course!) I still have some bloating and am very 'windy'!! I am sticking with it though, as all the other positives are worth it. Its strange, but the IBS etc has worsened with time, didn't notice it at the beginning.

[carorees]

Some people think the digestive discomfort after a fast day may be revealing a previously unsymptomatic food intolerance. Can you detect any link with say eating too much bread or something? I have found less bloating since 5:2!

Hi

I have not any food in intolerances that I know of but sometimes bread leaves me bloated.

I certainly have found since starting this eating plan, I cannot eat as much as I could on non fasting day, I am pleased with that. I also drink much more water than before.

I normally have a small amount of porridge on non fasting days for breakfast, I am now thinking maybe that is to much straight after a fast day and I need to think of something to start a normal eating day off with after my fast day.

I do want to stick with it though and in a way, my problem is a sign something is changing, I hope for the best.


Martin

I've found my IBS symptoms have improved drastically since starting 5:2, probably because my system gets a day off! Drinking more water and trying to fit in some long walks helps with cramping and bloating too. Hope your symptoms improve

I agree with this helping my IBS symptoms allot.

However I have had two "episodes" both at lunch after a period of fasting.

It was beans once and I think chillis the second time! I think a good breakfast of something like porridge on the day after a fast to "line" the stomach may well be a good idea.

I am lucky not getting cramps of bloating, just evacuation at the speed of light! (sorry TMI!)

Lol boboffs-way tmi!

Have decided to have a rest from fasting for a couple of weeks, and then go on to 6:1 for a while and spread my cals across my fast day. I think my body (or rather my bowels)is becoming more intolerant of long periods without food. I won't go into my other (down below) problems which happen as a consequence of the constipation - TMI!!! but I think that my bowel motility is worsening over time. Of course there may be lots of other reasons, and this didn't happen until the last 6-8 weeks, so I can't blame the 5:2 completely. I don't regret it for a moment, and still believe in it, but I know my body and need to get it back on track. I am a stone and a half lighter than when I started and do not intend to put it back on, I will eat sensibly and lighter on 'fast days'. Will let you know how I am going on - my hubby is continuing, so I will support him fully.

No such thing as TMI if it's funny!!!

I found that my sewer system (nice, huh?) work better after starting 5:2.

I have two friends with IBS and I see that it comes and goes when it fancies, even if they change nothing in their eating. Martin, has anything else changed in your lifestyle?

I can empathise. Have fasted today and I am worried about getting cramps and bloating tomorrow. Gonna have a more gentle protein breakfast and see how I go.

I have IBS but it is always so random that I can't blame the 5:2. I was eating bean soup a protein filled low cal lunch on fast day, and I should know better than to eat that. I keep hoping if I lose weight the IBS will improve.

Some people think the digestive discomfort after a fast day may be revealing a previously unsymptomatic food intolerance. Can you detect any link with say eating too much bread or something? I have found less bloating since 5:2!

Carorees, this is interesting. As an IBS sufferer it can be hard for me to know what will trigger an attack. Fast days never seem to be a problem IBS -wise, however my normal eating habits on feed days seems to be causing more problems than ever! It's like my body has way less tolerance for the 'trigger' foods... which is certainly making them easier to identify!

Like others my IBS is very unpredictable - i can go for weeks without symptoms then have a bad spell lasting a couple of weeks. I've been doing 5 2 for nearly 8 weeks and have a few 'grumpy gut' days but no serious flare ups but it's too early to say whether the diet helps or makes it worse. Like others I have to be careful not to eat too much the morning after a fast or I feel like I've swallowed a boulder! Also too much veg on a fast day isn't good for me - i get very bloated. I did (under supervision) cut wheat, dairy caffeine and alchohol from my diet for 4 months. I lost some weight but it didn't help my IBS so I eat most things now.

I think you should give it a little more time and see if a pattern of IBS symptoms shows up. One episode doesn't tell you much as it could be coincidence or related to the stomach bug you had. I used to have IBS-like symptoms (never diagnosed with IBS) due to anxiety. Treating the anxiety did away with the symptoms for the most part but it seems like my digestive system isn't as resilient as it was before. If anything triggers the symptoms, it takes longer for them to taper off and for me to get back to normal. When I started 5:2 about 5 weeks ago (I think) I was nursing an elderly terminally ill cat. I started to go down that path which for me starts with a stomach ache and progresses. Once the cat was gone (RIP Rosie!) my tummy took a few days to get back to normal.

IF might seem like the big thing going on in your life now and it's tempting to put any physical symptoms down to that, but I think there are too many variables going on in our lives to pinpoint it so exactly so quickly. Just my opinion though.

Similar to a few others here, after about 10 weeks on 5:2, a previously dormant IBS has come back. I was diagnosed with IBS a few years ago, but after I took early retirement from a fairly stressful job everything went quiet (literally), and I began to suspect that the IBS was primarily caused by stress. There have been a few flare-ups since then, but 5:2 has been the worst of these. I wonder if it's because my system feels under stress because of the fasting? At the moment it's quite manageable with the odd loperamide capsule, but im seriously thinking of taking a couple of weeks off the diet. Quite honestly, the IBS has made such a mess of my eating patterns that I haven't lost any weight for the last 3 or 4 weeks anyway.

Anyone else feel like this?

Mike