I don't have IBS, but I suffer of Crohn's disease, which, as you may be aware, is inflammatory conditions of digestive tract, particularly intestines. Ten years after diagnosis I was still taking corticosteroids, immunosupressive drugs, I had all the lovely side effects of both and my Crohn's was spread all over my large intestine. I had horrible pains, diarrhea, joint pains, back pains, I couldn't eat much and I felt right down yuck. Just before it got so bad I would have to have my bowel removed, I stumbled across something called "Specific Carbohydrate Diet". Thinking I have nothing to lose (and quite doubtful as I had been told by my doctors than no diet can really help and I just have to stay away from things that make me sick - which was pretty much everything, I felt) I tried the diet: 6 months later I was 15 pounds slimmer and SUPER healthy, off all the medication and felt amazing.

It's been 6 years, I don't follow SCD anymore (it's designed as a cure, not a permanent diet as it's rather strict) but every time I get worse (spring, autumn, stress) I go back to the diet for two or three weeks and I get better again.

Now please don't get me wrong: I know that IBS and IBD is NOT a same thing. I also don't think that SCD or any other diet can really cure the conditions, also everyone is different and what helped me doesn't necessarily have to help others. I'm however a firm believer that diet and lifestyle can make a HUGE difference in this type of conditions, so I just wanted to encourage you to try and search for what's best for you. The help is out there somewhere, you just need to find it...

Ronja, that is exactly what I am doing for whatever GI issues I have (IBS is the only diagnosis I have been given). VERY encouraging to hear your story! I am about 4 weeks into it and having some good results. Thanks for sharing!!!!!

Oh are you really following SCD? AWESOME! It is really strict but I have to say once you get used to it it's doable. After 4 weeks you're probably past the most difficult stage when I felt very hungry and deprived of sugar :) The plus side was I could eat as much as I wanted (well of the SCD-friendly food anyway) and my weight was just disappearing... granted I got it all back when I went off the diet but that's because I'm an idiot, arrrghhhhhhhhh

That sucks about the weight coming back! Yes, the diet is "hard" but being that sick was harder :) So far I can eat beef, chicken and pork, acorn and butternut squash, green beans and a probiotic. I did not tolerate the homemade yogurt, dry curd cottage cheese, or honey, so I will wait a while before trying them again. I miss different spices and stuff, but so far I feel so much better, it is totally worth it! I would love to hear more about your journey with it, if you want to share, what kinds of foods did you add first, how long till you felt a lot better, etc. The weight loss is a super bonus I wasn't planning for, but much needed :)