Am I alone in finding this diet irksome, expensive and hard work? I have only just started it but am struggling. I have never 'been on a diet' of any kind before and I can now understand why people don't keep to them.
Hello Jenny, I can understand your feelings as most of us from this forum have been/ had been there. It is indeed difficult.
Especially, Initially it is frustrating as it is blend, difficult to keep up with, expensive and not fun at all.
One thing want to say is, despite of all these if you can continue it for few weeks, You can realize the change in your energy and overall physical health. And that will be a reward for keeping up with your FODMAP diet. And believe me, then you will want that reward more.
It is especially difficult when people around us can eat without any restriction and we have to think each and every time, what we can eat and what can’t.
But It is what we all have got and in order to lead normal, I would say better life FODMAP is one of the most important key.
SO I encourage you to continue it, You know, Initially every change is difficult, But once we realize this change helps us with our health and energy, You would love to keep it for years.
And you don’t need to follow each and everything what has given to you. You yourself will know, That after eating what things, You feel okay or worse, And then avoid those who gave you bad feeling.. That way you can increase your scope to eat varieties with avoiding those which trigger your symptoms… You can always keep a food diary. for example, I have difficulty with wheat but I am okay with dairy products, That I knew with my experience.
It will take time to figure out the things but you will be okay eventually. All the best.
Try and get your doctor to refer you to a dietician who has experience with The Fodmap Diet. People often need guidance with this eating plan because it can be complicated.
If you are finding the diet stressful, this is also not good for your IBS and another option may be to discontinue it. IBS treatments work differently for everyone. Some people don’t get along with Fodmap. A food diary may be a better option for you because with that you note down what you have eaten and any reactions. If you have any, avoid that food. Some things on Fodmap which are considered safe foods may not be good for you and so called trigger foods on the diet may be ok for you. Try a dietician first and if that doesn’t help, try the food diary. I find I am better off avoiding things I find bothersome because it becomes a trigger for my IBS.
i found it very difficult, especially ad i am vegetarian and it basically isnt possible for me to do it properly. when i saw a dirticien she said it was ok to only do 80%. most people didn’t even manage that. i adapted a bit and didnt est obvious problem food for me. the main gain for me was expanding the differant type i
0f fruit i could eat without having a disaster. you only do it for a few weeks. i suggest you get the book by the original guy who did it. think hes called shephard and it wax the monash university. best of luck
i found it very difficult, especially ad i am vegetarian and it basically isnt possible for me to do it properly. when i saw a dirticien she said it was ok to only do 80%. most people didn’t even manage that. i adapted a bit and didnt est obvious problem food for me. the main gain for me was expanding the differant type i
0f fruit i could eat without having a disaster. you only do it for a few weeks. i suggest you get the book by the original guy who did it. think hes called shephard and it wax the monash university. best of luck
Hi Jenny/I do understand where you are coming from as i am 65 and also i was diagnosed after tests by my gp that i had ibs.So i start to research and also joined the ibs Network,which i found quite useful.At the time i was coming off my citrolopram /which is an anti depressant and as my IBS is also partly being anxious ,i went and spoke too a local Pharmacist who suggested that if i went back onto Citrolopram ,but at a lesser dose which i had been on ,then i maybe will not have such a problem with IBS as he did explain that the medication may help my IBS,so i thought i might try this as i had nothing too loose ,and more to gain ,so i saw my gp and went back onto citrolopram ,but only 20 mgs instead of 40 mgs,.After 5/6 weeks my IBS slowed down and even though ,i still have it IT is not as bad as it used to be.I am not saying this will work with other people as i am not qualified in this field.
Hi Jenny/I do understand where you are coming from as i am 65 and also i was diagnosed after tests by my gp that i had ibs.So i start to research and also joined the ibs Network,which i found quite useful.At the time i was coming off my citrolopram /which is an anti depressant and as my IBS is also partly being anxious ,i went and spoke too a local Pharmacist who suggested that if i went back onto Citrolopram ,but at a lesser dose which i had been on ,then i maybe will not have such a problem with IBS as he did explain that the medication may help my IBS,so i thought i might try this as i had nothing too loose ,and more to gain ,so i saw my gp and went back onto citrolopram ,but only 20 mgs instead of 40 mgs,.After 5/6 weeks my IBS slowed down and even though ,i still have it IT is not as bad as it used to be.I am not saying this will work with other people as i am not qualified in this field.
Thank you to everyone who has replied to my original post. It’s reassuring to know that I am not the only one to struggle with this diet.I have experienced IBS symptoms on and off for most of my life - since I was in my teens - and I am now over 70! But it is now so much worse that, despite other health problems which mean, among other things, that I am unable to exercise. So my symptoms are now so bad that such social life as I have is severely limited. I did see a dietician who reccommended this diet, gave me the information and told but then I had som further investigations so had to stop. I have now finished those tests and have now started it and have another appointment with another dietician in 2 or 3 weeks time. I would like to have made some progress with it by then but as I said I am struggling. My local shops don’t stock much that is useful and anything they do stock is a lot of money for a small amount.
Thank you all for your suggestions and advice, but, most of all for the knowledge that I am not alone in struggling. with this.
To be honest no. Depends on what you are cutting out. I can eat dairy so that helps me. My big no no’s are garlic, onion stoned fruits apples pears. Also wheat but strangely I can eat cake and biscuits…hurrah! but not normal bread. What I can eat in it’s place is sourdough bread. Although made with wheat, the proving process does something to it. This has changed my life basically as I suffered with IBS D for many many years. Keep it up but experiment and you might find you can eat certain foods.
You don’t have to buy expensive food or difficult to find things. Eat simple meals of meat or fish with a carbohydrate and some FODMAP friendly veg. For example, roast chicken with baked potato and green beans, home made cottage pie ( no onions), pasta bolognaise (with wheat free pasta and home made sauce- no onion or garlic)The elimination stage is 6 weeks and after that it gets easier. The 3 months it takes to do the diet are well worth it in my opinion.