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Anyone out there with IBS on whole 30? I’m on day 12. I have had IBS for over 20 years so that’s part of why I’m doing Whole 30. First week I felt pretty good and some of my GI symptoms were better right away. This week, for the last 4-5 days, I’ve felt not so great. Bloating has returned and having some diarrhea but inconsistently. This of course saps my energy. Since I’ve had IBS so long I get very discouraged when I have symptoms out of no where. That’s what it feels like right now. I am struggling to have an appetite for compliant foods. Is this normal? I wasn’t a majorly bad eater before, I couldn’t be because of the IBS. I was already gluten and dairy free. Also hard because there’s no consensus on foods that aggregate IBS. I can eat a food 25 times and be fine and the 26th time it’s like I have a stomach virus. I’ve had GI tests to rule out other pathology. I don’t know if I can tolerate another 2 weeks of GI symptoms.

I am on Day 4 of whole30 and I noticed right away some positive perks to the diet. My bloat is all but gone and my gas has sufficiently decreased. With that said I've suffer from ibs c and d uncomfortably for 2.5 years after a stressful year with work and personal factors and probably too much wine. Most of my symptoms are either incomplete bowel movements with bloat and late night gurgling and gas. Thankfully no crippling pain. I've read many of the forum posts and feel excited and positive about the results from fellow ibs sufferers. Although today has been a tough day. Tmi noting forward. I started my period and I've had diarrhea and very upset intestinal rumbling. I follow a strict low fodmap diet and am incorporating that into my whole30. Sample meals. Breakfast is eggs with veggies like yams, squash, some ground beef/turkey. Lunch is baked chicken with more squash or zucchini and dinner is chicken or beef with carrots, squash and maybe steamed spinach. Today I did have coffee and a kiwi for breakfast. Any fellow ibs suffers who can relate and have had some success, please advise. Another side note I have in the past has SIBO and my symptoms seem similar as before. Any suggestions? Positive comments?

Hi everyone. Was hoping to find some chronological teammates for my Whole30 adventure. I have a few unique obstacles to maneuver, mostly a radically changing time table for my meal times, and 3-4 day bulk meal preps. I work 13 hour overnight shifts in an ICU and sticking to only meals without snacking will prove difficult. Anybody else taking something similar on? My body also already struggles with the stress of changing from night owl to early bird on a weekly basis, this combined with a gluten/grain sensitivity, lactose intolerance and general IBS make my GI tract action packed with issues! Also on a side note, my 04/02 start is not offset due to Easter but by a difficult weekend work schedule. Starting the new lifestyle would be very hard in the midst of my stretch of work nights. But as I see on here, many are pushing 04/01 to 04/02 for Easter dinner, so I hope I can find some teammates. Lets struggle through this together and give us a place to rant/rave! Good luck to all, “This too shall pass.” -Bradlee Me and my Tot

Good morning I'm going to start my first Whole30 on February 15. I’ve decided to make this into part of my Lent. I like to give something up but also add something to my life during Lent so Whole30 will cover both bases. My doctor suggested that I use Whole30. I have Diabetes (type 2) and do take oral medications but not insulin. I do morning workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays so have been wrapping my head around the Pre & Post workout meals. Since I have ibs, I have difficulty digesting raw veggies...especially lettuce so I’m a little worried about incorporating all the veggies into my Whole30. I’ve been lurking through the forums and on Facebook and do have a question about what books people feel are the “must haves” to succeed with Whole30? Thanks Fern

My spouse and I are beginning the Whole30 on January 17th, so we're in the process of planning what our kitchen is going to look like and how our staple foods will change. One of the main issues we've always had is that she has some specific dietary needs. She deals with IBS regularly, and too many raw vegetables and fruit can be really unpleasant for her. She also had her gallbladder out about a year ago, although she has been able to reintroduce fattier meals at this point with very few issues, occasionally taking an ox bile supplement if she's worried. We're already prepared to cook vegetables to ease her digestion, and there should be no problem with the meat quantity as she's never had issues with that except for when her gallbladder started being an issue (again, that's no longer a problem). However! She has always relied on a heavy serving of carbs to help her feel full and keep her stomach from getting uncomfortable with extra veggies. Normally these carbs come in the form of rice, pasta, or breads. Well obviously that's not going to work! The next obvious choice? Potatoes. Potatoes look like they will be the easiest thing to add to our diet regularly for quick lunches and a compliant carb for dinners. And they are cheap, which is important as well if we are looking at getting better quality meats. But I wasn't sure if there was an issue with having too many potatoes, especially since many of the recipes have much less in the way of starchy carbs and focus more on the veggies and meats. If we eat, say, two potatoes a day (mixture of regular and sweet), would we still see the same benefits at the end of our Whole30? Or would we be adding too much carby sugar to our diets? Do you have any other suggestions?

hello: I am on my day 20 of the program and things are going well. at the start of the program i used more fruits and raw veggies that exacerbated my IBS. however i was able to address it with consuming less fruit, well cooked veggies and some supplements that i would like to get feedback on. for years i have been using supplements for bowel movement, past couple of years - Cleanse More. I have been suffering with the chronic constipation(more than 25 years) and this supplement helped. thought some mornings i notice i have very loose stool. i also started taking taking Ultimate Flora probiotics by Renew Life to help elevate IBS and address loose stool. i was wondering if taking these are acceptable on the program, as well as what others on the program use, if any at all and what general guideline is for people on the program with chronic constipation. thanks!

Hello all I'm at the end of day 5 and am struggling so bad. I'm so tired and achy. My tummy is extremely upset with IBS and I've had constant diarrhoea and nausea. I just can't face food at all and am giving half my meals away. I have Autoimmune problems so not sure if also flaring which is exacerbating things. I realised at first it was probably that I had upped my fruit, especially to quell sugar cravings so I've cut it out. I thought I was winning then tonight it's been so bad again. I have a sneaky suspicion I have an intolerance of eggs. I really don't want to give up and most of the time am ok. Help me please with things to try and protein sources. vicki

I am a 34 year old woman, 5'4" and I have fluctuated between 95 and 100 lbs during my adult life. I suffer from IBS and have started Whole30 to try and heal my gut and gain weight. Its a constant cycle of IBS - malabsorption - no weight gain. I have a very slender build already so the most I'm likely to ever weigh is 110-115 - but that would be awesome! Celiac, Crohns, SIBO, pernicious anemia along with some other common other issues have all been ruled out. The diet has not been that difficult to follow but I am hungry all of the time. I am trying to incorporate a potato or avocado into every meal but it's not really addressing the hunger. I'm about 2 weeks in and I want to stick it out for the potential gut healing outcomes but I'm feeling like I need more food. I eat about every 2 hours for snacks (almonds, almond butter, fruit) and 3 full meals a day. To really heal my gut this will likely be at least a 45-60 day process for me but I'm going to need to address the hunger to make it that far. There is no way I'm going to gain any weight with the way this is going. On the upside, I already am starting to get a glimpse of less bloat and more energy. Any advice? Any high calorie recipes to try? Thanks!

So I'm on day 22 and I've been having really bad IBS flare ups. The only thing that I know helps me is toast and butter. Are there any other possible foods that I can take to help my stomach or do I just need to deal with it?

So mom is doing w30 with me and she has IBS. I do all the meal planning but I have no damn idea what people with IBS can or can't eat since I don't have that. I just want this to go as smoothly for her as possible. I need some recipe links and some advice Thanks!

Dear Whole30 world, I have started my Whole30 journey in Sept 2015, and since then have completed 2 & 1/2 Whole30's and a Whole100 having massive success on every level!! But each time I try and reintroduce anything, I find I am sensitive to it and have a problem with it. So, this brings me to figuring out what the best long-term food freedom plan looks like for me. I am confused thinking I should be able to bring back small amounts of things, but each time I do I'll either set off my sugar dragon, or have a physical reaction. Does anyone else have this? Is this perhaps because of all of my other medical needs? Operating with no thyroid after a thyroidectomy after Graves'. Also, concluded after my first whole30 that I do not tolerate any of the FODMAPs well due to IBS perhaps. So now I'm feeling off rails again, but feeling a bit hopeless about having to be super strict about things long term. Help! Also, I'm going on tour for a year living in hotel rooms (without a fridge or kitchenette) any tips on how to create a light portable kitchen I could put in maybe one of my suitcases? Feeling like even that will be tricky for the seasoned whole30er. Many thanks with any advice! JSCELLIST

Hi! I have posted before but I have not had success yet in finding the problem. I am a 19 year old male (this Whole30 has been very hard in college but I've kept to it!) and I did whole30 in the first place to try to find relief for my prolonged stomach issues (i.e. abdominal pain, aches, bloating/gas, not so fun BM's). Doctor's have not 100% confirmed but believe I may have IBS. Here are the last 3 days of all the foods I've eaten in order: Day 18: Breakfast: 2 egg omelette with tomatoes and chives cooked in olive oil and then black pepper Lunch: Zucchini noodles with Bolognese sauce (organic crushed tomatoes, ground chicken, bell peppers, chives, spices like oregano, basil, cayenne, salt and pepper) Dinner: Shrimp and zucchini noodles with bell peppers and spices (listed in lunch above) Day 19: Breakfast: pan sauteed potatoes with rosemary and salt, 1 egg omelette with tomatoes/chives cooked in olive oil Lunch: leftover pasta from day 18 dinner Dinner: ground chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, kale, bacon bits (whole30 approved of course), bell peppers and spices like mentioned Day 20 (today): Breakfast: 1 fried egg with ½ cup of bok choy and leftovers from day 19 dinner Lunch: last of the leftovers from day 18 dinner Dinner: is going to be: baked salmon (lemon, rosemary, salt and pepper) with kale and spinach Snacks include: 1 banana, 1 orange, carrots, almond butter (trying to cut this out), kale chips (I never have more than 2 servings a fruit a day and never had dried fruit. only nuts I consume are from almond butter) I also try to make sure all my vegetables are cooked before eating them, although I usually have my carrots raw. I have completely eliminated garlic, onion, broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower Please critique my diet and tell me if there's something I should add or take out to help eliminate my pain! I am also on the probiotic Align that I take once every night before going to bed. Thank you!

Hi! I am on Day 13 of my Whole30 and going strong! However, I am having some daily problems that aren't going away. I suffered from extreme abdominal pain and loose bowels before the program for a long time and that is why I started doing this (doctor's recently say they think it may be IBS). I was hoping that I would at least see a little improvement in my abdominal pain and my poo but unfortunately the only change I've seen with my bowels is that it alternated between constipation (which I never had before) and loose bowels. On a typical day I eat: Breakfast: 1-2 eggs with tomatoes, bok choy and avocado Snack: banana with almond butter Lunch: a salad with chicken or salmon Dinner: steak/chicken/fish with kale and or potatoes or some vegetable I don't snack otherwise with the exception of the banana and almond butter. I weigh around ~145 (at least I did the day before Whole30 I don't know where I am now) and drink about 2 liters or so of water a day. I am on a probiotic I take daily called Align. I also take IBgard as needed for when I am in a lot of pain. Please send me your thoughts on anything I should change or add/take out or if I should just wait it out. I am also doing Low-FODMAPS already!! (I miss onion, garlic, brussel sprouts, broccoli and apples so much but u gotta do what u gotta do)

Background: March 2016 I traveled to Ecuador and came back with a nasty stomach bug (nausea with diarrhea for ~1 week). The diarrhea led to an anal fissure. Ever since, I've had digestive problems that I didn't have prior to the stomach bug, including a dairy intolerance, and cramping, bloating, and constipation. I started a W30 on the same day as a round of cipro (3x/day for 5 days) + flagyl (2x/day for 10 days) in January. I know antibiotics while on W30 isn't ideal, but it was the course I chose in an attempt to find relief. The idea was that the bug was still living in my gut, and I wanted to decrease the amount of inflammatory foods I was eating while my stomach recovered. I ate a loosely paleo-based prior to starting W30 due to digestive problems, but had treats a few times a week and was less strict if eating out at restaurants. No bloating or abdominal discomfort since starting W30/antibiotics. I have been taking high quality probiotics for the last 2 months or so. Had diarrhea/loose stools for ~2 weeks during/after the antibiotics, then in the last week the stools became hard to pass and the fissure opened back up. I follow the meal template as closely as possible and drink a lot of water. I was hoping to start re-intro tomorrow but now I'm not so sure. I did pick up some miralax yesterday, as that is what the doctor recommended for the first fissure. Any guidance here?? I don't know what to do food-wise to stop having hard stools or if miralax is my best bet. Also not sure if I should start re-introduction or not. I would just go the slow-roll route, but I would like to finish before an event in a couple of weekends. Any advice would be appreciated at this point as I'm feeling a little discouraged.

Whole30 has officially taught me that it's possible to feel slimmer and bloated at the same time. I'm on Day 9 and I've been very..... irregular. Well, if we define irregular as me not having a healthy movement for the past 9 days. So I have some bloating from that. Meanwhile, my pants feel looser everywhere except across the lower abdomen that is feeling all puffy. So, I guess that's good? I drink a lot of water (upwards of 80 ounces a day, not counting the two or so cups of tea or cup of coffee--all compliant, promise!--I also have many days) and eat a lot of veggies. I've had issues with this my whole life and am IBS-C, and found that I need lots of soluble fiber to keep things comfortable. I'm still eating plenty of insoluble fiber, but the lack of beans and other starches I've relied on for soluble fiber in the past seem to be causing some serious disruption. I once had a doctor tell me I was his most severe case of IBS, and over the past 10 years I have had to do a lot of dietary adjustments as a result. I've tried most plans, like low-FODMAP and many other things, but found that just keeping a good mix of insoluble and soluble fiber and drinking lots of water has been the best solution for me. For a while I was taking linzess, but it is no longer covered by my health insurance so I stopped. That was the only time in my life that I had more than say 2 movements per week. FYI: My primary motivation for doing W30 is an elimination diet to determine sensitivities or allergens. I've had weird symptoms such as swollen eyelids in the morning that have me convinced I'm ingesting an allergen. I have ruled out environmental factors. I want to see an allergist for testing, and have a request in for an appointment, but don't know when that will be just yet. I have not had any of the weird allergic reaction type symptoms since I've started W30, so I think I'm on the right track. Anybody have any good tips on getting the trains back on schedule? Or recommendations for good soluble fiber foods that aren't super starchy? I don't want to overdo it on sweet potatoes, as I feel that could sabotage other positive results I'd be able to achieve on this plan. While I have maintained a fairly healthy diet pre-W30, or at least better than the SAD diet, I am victim to my share of emotional eating and sugar cravings.

Hello, I know coffee is not allowed for people with IBS. Is black tea (caffeinated) or green tea allowed if i have IBS and if i am eating LOW-FODMAP foods? Are the following teas allowed? Tetley - Black Orange Pekoe Tea Tetley - Pure Green Tea Tetley - Rooibos Red Tea Thanks,

I am currently on R1D10. I am doing the whole30 ina n attempt to diagnose some terrible digestive issues I've had for about 5 years, plus tame a sugar dragon. I have had diarrhea everyday for 5 years. I've had testing done for intolerances and bacterial overgrowth in my intestines and it all comes back negative. I do have an appt with a gastroenterologist in 3 weeks to help figure it out. I was diagnosed with IBS a few years ago. I have fermented smelling gas (great for my marriage! Ugh!) and lots of it. My hope with doing the whole30 was to eliminate any problematic foods for a time and learn a lot through the reintro. However, I'm on day 10 and I swear it's getting worse. I've been woken up at 3am the past three days with oily and watery diarrhea every 20 minutes throughout the morning. I'm exhausted, probably dehydrated now, and frustrated that all my hard work at sticking to the program perfectly has actually done more harm to my gut. I haven't tried eliminating FODMAP fruits and veggies and avocados yet, but I realize that can make a huge difference for IBS sufferers. I will admit, I eat A LOT of onion, avocado, and other high FODMAP foods. So, my question is: on day 10, is it unrealistic for me to be expecting to see positive results from the whole30 already in my gut? Would it be a good idea to, at day 10, now eliminate FODMAP foods as well? Or should I just accept that this increase in diarrhea is actually normal and my body healing or detoxing? Any input would be appreciated!

My first Whole30 went well until all the vegetables caused major IBS issues. Through an elimination diet I have found many vegetables and fruits that I can't tolerate. Also, through this elimination diet I began making my own whole-milk plain yogurt that I ferment for 24 hours. The amount of probiotics in this yogurt has really helped stabilize the IBS. I would like to do another Whole30 now that I know which vegetables to avoid because I have been eating a lot of junk but I am worried about cutting out the yogurt. Does anyone have suggestions?

Hi, I have chronic IBS with constipation (no diarrhea unless I get a stomach virus) and I have read through much of the forum but have not found a whole lot on the topic as far as utilizing supliments. Doctors told me there really isn't anything to do but use miralax once a month or live with it as changes in my diet won't help his chronic condition because my digestive system is slow. I've been told this by doctors all over the US since I was younger. I am 26 now. Naturally that didn't sit well which is why I'm here now. I'm tired of ending up in the ER for abdominal pain and syncope episodes. I read in a post somewhere that someone takes Now Foods Digestive Enzyme and Now Foods Probiotic. Do these do different things? Would it be helpful to take both? Or do I only need one or there other? Are these both still whole30 compliant? I am also going to start taking SFH fish oil and D3. Any other reccomendations as far as supplements go? Doctors have not been helpful my entire life just slapping me with a label. I already eat pretty clean. I'm taking supplements as a last resort. I have a wide variety of veggies and proteins in my diet and usually steer clear of high fodmap foods. I feel great already on day 4, which I think is because I ate pretty good already. I feel like supplements will be my savior. Please advise. Thanks in advance!

hi there Whole30 community! just wanted to share how i feel on my Day 23. I started the program mostly for the health reasons ( my sugar cravings were uncontrollable!!!!!) . I know that this is not a weight loss diet and benefits of the program are so much greater that just shedding the pounds. however i was 172 lbs on 8/17, my first day of the program and and i am [edited by moderator to remove weight] for last couple of day i have noticed that my sugar cravings are less and it seems i am able to do the right plate composition as i am now holding about 5 hour intervals between meals. however what was surprising to me, that this morning my usual portion sizes for greens and protein seemed too much food to handle. weeks ago looking at the same amounts on my plate i would say it was too little. overall i am very happy how things are going thus fur. i do not lie , i still have cravings for junk food and sugary treats, but i am managing it so much better ! Soon I will be traveling for few weeks covering different countries across different time zones, this will probably be a test to how i do in this circumstances, i would like to be prepared and keep the program going till finish 30 days and beyond. so i would like to get as much feedback from the community as possible on "survival" during travel, adjusting the eating habits to new environment and time zone too. thanks in advance,

I have been on low fodmap for a couple years. I take various meds, have had all the tests, exams and work-ups you can imagine. End result of that was, "Congratulations, you have IBS." This basically means they don't know. Last night into today, my IBS has been a 9 out of 10, and it's killing me. I haven't felt this bad in months. I have a friend who did Whole30, and she tells me it really helped her situation. So, what the heck, let's start Whole30 today and see what happens. /Fuzzhead

I have had GI problems for a couple years, and after many tests, probiotics etc. a specialist told me he thinks it's IBS from spending time in developing countries and there's not much more he can do. It is tolerable but frustrating because I always feel like my diet is affecting it but I don't know how. So I was really excited to start the Whole30, hoping I would have the improvement that so many people talk about. I followed the rules exactly from the beginning, plus no caffeine and pain killers. Then around Day 17, I was frustrated that I hadn't noticed any GI improvements and read more about Whole30 for IBS. I realized there were so many things I had been eating that could also be causing problems for me so I cut them all out - raw vegetables, fruit peels, citrus, dried fruit, fruit juice, fruit with seeds like berries etc., nuts, seeds, eggs, nightshades and anything on the high FODMAP list. Now I am a few days away from finishing my Whole30 and I really haven't noticed a difference in terms of GI symptoms. This long list of things that could be causing me problems has kind of taken the fun out of what was previously a fairly positive experience (I haven't had the physical effects I had hoped for but I do think that the WHole30 improved my relationship with food and cooking). I remained optimistic throughout the regular Whole30 because there were such clear rules and an end date but now I don't know what to do. Should I keep going and do a Whole45 or longer? Is it worth continuing no nightshades, low FODMAP, etc. in the hopes that the results will come later? I feel like there is very little I can eat right now and am starting to wonder if any of this will help so why should I continue?

I guess this should be good news, but I am a little surprised by my reaction to dairy when I reintroduced it yesterday. I had yogurt with breakfast (egg and fruit were also included) and then gorgonzola cheese with my lunch (chicken burger with tomatoes and swiss chard) and after dinner I had some ice cream - something I've always wondered if I'm sensitive to. I was lactose intolerant as a child so I have a repulsion towards milk - no way I was going to introduce that, I am totally fine with the alternatives. I did however, expect immediate bloating and gas yesterday, and I felt none! I did feel some slight inflammation in my joints and did not sleep that great. When I introduced alcohol I felt the same kind of inflammation including weird calf pain! Same thing happened last night - like a charlie horse in my calf. I also had a slight headache yesterday but it was very minor and went away. After my first Whole 30 I figured out that I can't do beans, but I never figured out dairy or gluten. I most likely have mild IBS so I am wondering if my pre-Whole 30 symptoms (frequent bloating and gas) are triggered by a combination of things, like having both dairy and gluten, etc? I am so confused! I've looked into FODMAPs and got completely overwhelmed. Any words of wisdom about what I've noticed? I'll reintro gluten in a couple of days and see what happens, so that may open up some answers.

Hi everyone! My name is Caitlin, and this is my first time posting on the forum, though I have been reading some of it throughout my Whole30. I started my first Whole30 on March 1st, and am now on day 27. I have been following the plan as closely as possible, and the only place where I may have slipped is with my spices (I don't use spice blends, but I also don't have any of the original bottles for my spices, and don't have the ability to replace them all). I started the program with high hopes to help my stress induced IBS, chronic adult acne, and overall energy levels. I am currently on 3 anti-depressant medications that I hope to one day stop taking, and I hoped Whole30 could help with that as well. Also, I'm Jewish so I don't eat any pork or shellfish, which further limits my food choices. During week 2 I saw a dramatic improvement in my IBS, but since then my stomach has returned to 'normal', meaning that (TMI alert!) I only have bowel movements every 3 days or so and they are often very painful. My skin has cleared up a lot, thankfully. But my energy levels...well let's just say that they went from bad to worse. I generally sleep about 9 hours a night, and for the past month I'm sleeping 12 hours whenever I'm able. This means weekends, and the past week that I've been off work. I'm so lethargic during the day that it makes me legitimately angry that I have to come home from work and cook. My boyfriend has commented that during this past month I have been much quicker to anger, cry, or be altogether unpleasant. I am also extremely bored with food choices, and trying to go out to eat has brought me to tears more than once. I'm really just waiting for this whole thing to be over at this point. Does anyone have any ideas on how to turn my experience around? I don't want to end the program with this bad taste in my mouth, but as of right now that's where I'm headed. Thanks for any help you're able to give!

Hi Everyone, A year ago I was diagnosed with "IBS." I also found out that I had become lactose intolerant - so I began seeing a holistic doctor since it seemed that no other doctor could help me. After doing testing, we found out that my body is producing a great deal more of bad bacteria than good bacteria and that I have a difficult time digesting fats. My test results also showed inflammation, symptoms of IBS, and I fit all criteria for having a "leaky gut." I decided to try the Whole 30 with the hopes of healing my gut, but I am on Day 15 and just don't see anything good happening. My bathroom routine is a mess - only going once every 3 to 4 days which is not normal for me, my acne is worse than it has been in years (I have little red bumps everywhere), and I am ending almost every night bloated and gassy. I know that I need to give it the full 30 days, which I plan to, but was wondering if anyone had any of the same symptoms. Does it get worse before it gets better? Thank you for anything!!!