Monday, April 11, 2011

Irritable Bowel syndromes

Since I moved back to Kota Bharu, in 1998, I was constantly having problems with my digestive systems. I was always visiting the toilet, not once or twice a day but sometime up to 4 or 5 times,especially after food. As a result of that, I was loosing weight although I was eating normally.

When I consulted the doctors, they diagnosed me as suffering from IBS or Irritable bowel Syndromes. When I told them that I am loosing weight they told me cynically that, I am lucky, because so many others wanted to loose weight.They also suggested that I probably had a very active metabolic rate and hence I am burning calories faster than others.I was never happy with their diagnoses.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) means that I am sensitive to certain kind of food, namely fatty food like French fries; milk products like cheese or ice cream;Chocolates;Alcohol; caffeinated drinks,like coffee and some sodas and carbonated drinks like colas. All these foods happen to be my favorites. But I have avoided cows milk for sometimes , but occasionally take yogurt especially with strawberry flavors. Occasionally I would also take goats milk. I feel I have to take milk for my calcium as bones will diminishes its calcium, as one gets old.

I have been taking mebeverine hydrochloride (Duspatalin) for many years now , to cure my IBS problem. I am not a doctor, but I was told if you take medication for too long I will become dependent on it. I will have to constantly go back to the hospital to collect my prescriptions. After sometimes I got bored.

So for the last one year I have gradually ween it out of my systems. I did it without the doctor's knowledge.I just got bored of pill popping 3 times a day. I did it gradually by reducing it from 3 to 2 and later I only took one tablet per day. Now I do not take it anymore. But now another problems just cropped up.

Ever since I was young my weight was constantly about 50kgs. I will put on a little weight when I am pregnant but will loose it as soon my baby is born. I will look so slim and thin immediately after deliveries. I will also loose weight during the fasting month of Ramadhan. So even after 6 babies I was able o maintain my figure and was very happy and never control my diet. I ate anything and will never have to worry about getting fat, unlike some of my friends who were worried about getting fat.

This situation gave me a lot of advantage over others. Unlike some of my friends who had to constantly changed their wardrobes, I was able to get back into my old clothes without the slightest care in the world.

Lately, I am loosing weight very fast and I was told this was due to my age.The calcium in my bones is declining and so the weight lost.My digestive systems cannot digest some of the food that I have consumed. I was advised not to take dairy products, corn, nuts and flour. What am I left with. I grow old on these. How do I change my eating habits and patterns.

I have to stop eating my favorite pan cakes, roti jala, roti canai, mee bandung, mee goreng ,cakes and curry puffs which are all either wheat or corn based.Chicken will also disappear from my menu, so will also my favorite munching kacang and kuah rojak, and my Hari Raya specials, kuah sate.What about butter, margarine, and cheese ? They too will be scrapped off except Mozarella cheese.

I was told to consume Goats milk which is good for my digestive systems and my calcium supply. So now I guest wlll have to find good reliable pistuerized