Im in a state of confusion!
IBS sufferer for 15 years now. Feels comforting reading about you all knowing we are all in similiar circumstances... as nobody in my life really KNOWS what IBS sufferers go through!
IBS sufferers- i heard white bread is bad and to switch to wholemeal bread is good.
But then i read that the fibre in wholemeal can overwork an already sensitive bowel of IBS sufferers.
Most cereal have fibre and i always get a tummy ache.
FODMAP- Just thinking and reading about it makes me depressed. How can anyone live content on a fodmap diet?
I know initially FODMAPs only to be used temp to highlight the food we are intolerant to and i really want to try it to see but it seems so difficult to follow... so it would be great to hear from realistic ppl who have exp this.. what alt foods do you substitute with etc..
So i am at a loss and it would mean alot if anyone can shed light xx
Hi Swtz
A strict no/low fodmap diet isn't nutritionally sufficient long term. If you want good advice on food options etc see any books by Dr Sue Shepherd. She created the diet and also has a cook book. Also the Monash University app (from the Uni Dr Shepherd worked for) is super helpful to have in the supermarket to quickly check foods.
I eat low fodmap most of the time but can't do it always. Eating out is a nightmare as I find it hard to find options that satisfy the diet. Also it gets boring! If you want to truly eliminate all potential irritants you will need to do a strict version of the diet for about a month (include no gluten, though trace amounts ok, and no lactose). Then do a phased reintroduction of the various irritants (fructan, lactose, polyol etc) one at a time. So say for milk have a small amount one day, note symptoms, increase the next day, note symptoms, increase for a third day, note symptoms. If you get no reaction you know you're good with that. Not an expert but just speaking from experience.
Ready meals will generally be a no go. For pasta switch to brown rice pasta (I find this much nicer than the standard gluten free stuff). There are lots of lactose free options for milk, cheese and yoghurt. Then raid the free from aisle for gluten free. Also you might want to go decaf for the duration of your strict period. Caffeine can be a major irritant, and this is from a coffee lover. I found that hard, but there are some actually decent decaf teas and coffees out there.
You also have the option to ask for a dietician referral. GPs need to be more prepared to do this for IBS so push if you need to. Good luck.
Michelle
regarding white and brown bread
my experience I eat white bread cos it's really basic and it hasen't many content and easily digestable if you chew it well
but brown bread has grains and you're right the bowel happend to be sensitive to it now this is my experience and we are not all the same
Hi Swtz,
I have suffered IBS now for some 16 years this year. I am of the same thought in that too much bran/fibre can cause an over sensitive bowl to be more sensitive, for this reason I avoid weetabix and bran flakes but porridge is fine. I am dairy intollerent, this was found after doing a food diary for a month, my IBS is worse now than ever before, pain can be so bad and unbearable I reach for the phone to ring an ambulance! The only factor that stops me is knowing the contractional pain will subside within 10-15 minutes, so a lot of heavy breathing and sweating gets me through. But, this can come on at anytime I could be in a shopping centre, at the school, anywhere, this is when it becomes troublesome as I cannot sit so i'm stranded and cannot drive my car. The only thing I can say is to forget doctors as they are all not sympathetic at all but come on forums to find help like this one. Buscopan I live on 4 times a day and this can help to stop the attacks but I have to be strict with my diet or I will suffer.
I bave to say I find the Low FODMAP is great. It is easy to follow, and the only foods I have really had to cut out are gluten, broccoli, cauliflour, onions, mushrooms and garlic. You can have garlic infused oil and the green part of leeks and spring onions, or chives, which are more than adequate replacements. I avoid ready meals, but that is no bad thing. The sacrifice, which is minimal, is more than compensated for by the results. Eating out can be a bit tricky, but most places do steak or fish, and everywhere I have been the chef has been really helpful by not adding sauces, or frying things with garlic. Many restaurants also do gluten free (even fish and chip shops) fortunately I am okay with most dairy products, although I try to stick to Low Fodmap cheeses such as Brie, Camembert or hard cheeses such as cheddar. You can get onion free quarter pounders, gluten free pizzas, and the home made gluten free pasta and rice dishes are delicious. I can honestly say that in the 4 months I've been doing Low FODMAP I haven't felt in the least bit deprived or restricted.
Give it a try, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Jan
Jan, I need to come and live at your house. You are clearly more imaginitive with food prep than me! 😂 I think that's a good point to make actually. I think I find it restrictive because I am a bit lazy with meal planning and don't actually like cooking at all. I then find it quite stressful and don't know what to have.
Me too I get lazy with cooking because I have to cook different for my Husband who can eat anything and I dont want to cook 2 different meals so I end up eating cereal or egg whites or somthing easy like that but gets old quick
You're welcome Michelle. For dinner I had home made cottage pie, flavoured with the green part of leeks rather than onion, green beens, carrots and a few Parsnips with gluten free gravy, followed by a slice of gluten free chocolate cake with some single cream, all washed down with a glass of Rioja - delicious, and no bloating, pain, gas or urgent need to dash to the loo. Pre FODMAP days I'd have bought a ready made cottage pie and after 30 mins would have felt awful and been dashing to the loo. Actually I now find it really good fun to try all the different Low FODMAP recipies- the potato and parsnip soup with feta cheese is fantastic. Be adventurous!!
jan
My husband had exactly the same as me for dinner, and he wouldn't have guessed it was a Low FODMAP meal, so there really isn't any need to cook separate meals.
Jan
Hi Swtz. firstly there is no black & white rules for ibs sufferers! I have seen a specialist gastro dietician as I suffer with colitis, ibs-d, fructose malabsorption & bile acid malabsorption - all relatively well controlled with meds, diet adjustment & avoiding becoming overtired with accepting when i need more rest. i take a liquid probiotic which has helped stabalise & minimise ibs symptoms over the last 6mths. the only other thing i have done for ibs improvement is: avoid all fruit (double whammy for me as i also have fructose malabsorption). i can eat small amounts (handful or about 80g at a time) of sauteed mushrooms, parsnips, butternut squash, pumpkin, mashed swede, asda cheese coleslaw!(not others). i cut out fibre as i was told my dietician most people with ibs cant break it down & so it causes symptoms. so i eat white bread no cereal - much better for it. no over spicy rich sauces, not too much chocolate in one go, & limit myself to 2 cups of caffatiere coffee in morning, then decaf tetley tea rest of day or water. all this helped me. it is trial & error. i found the fodmap food lists useless as most things it said i could eat, i couldnt tolerate & vice versa! also if you suffer from nausea with it, & dont feel like eating i found 1% fat milk (the orange cap one) a life saver as i often feel sickly in the morning so my brekkie is often half a pint of milk! but it is a food albeit in liquid form, & naturally soothes the stomach & helps neutralise acid too. hope this helps. xx
Hi looloo43
Just read your latest message and like me you have a few things going on. I was hospitalised 5 times in 2014 (3 times by my GP and twice) by a gatroenterologist) and during this time was in excruciating pain and couldnt eat anything. After numerous tests, had my gall bladder removed. I continued to have excruciating pain etc and was given an MRI, colonoscopy, gastroscope, barium flow through and it was decided my problem was functional. I was referred to a neurogastroenterologist who prescribed "kill the brain, kill the pain meds". I just couldnt function. I too bought the liquid probiotics which was quite expensive but if it worked I didnt care. I took this for 10 weeks but started again with excruciating pain and not being able to eat as I felt full all the time. Eating any solids made things worse. Was put on morphine and fortisips and stopped the probiotic. Anyway I went for a 2nd opinion in December and had an EUS, CT scan, bloods and stool tests. I am still waiting for the final results but up to date I have been told I have gastritis, non ulcer dyspepsia and probably IBS c/d. I have been prescribed nortriptyline at night and meberevine 3 x daily but was wondering if I should re start the probiotics. I have been advised to stop drinking coffee and wondered if decafinated coffee would be ok. Also what is the best milk substitute. I have looked at the Fodmap food suggestions but as I have only had fortisips for over 2 months and have continued with my symptoms I am not sure what to elimate as I have not been eating.
I have bought gluton free 3-seeded bread to try but now wonder whether I shouldnt have the seeds. I see my GP on Friday who will probably say keep on the meds.
Can anyone help with my queries. Looks like we are on our own to find the best way to live with this horrendous condition.
My Husband is really picky also Im a DIabetic which makes it harder
Hi Swtz. I did find after 3mths on the liquid probiotic that begins with "s" that the moderator wont let me repeat the name of on here gradually helped settle symptoms more as time went on. after the initial 12wk offer, I decided the benefits of it warranted me continuing with it. i found it helped reduce bloating & stomach cramping significantly as time went on when i look back how i was. so i have been on it for 6mths now. you need to make sure you take it about 15mins before any food/drink except water to let it "live" on the way to intestines. i tried mebeverine-made no difference. many people on here swear by buscopan-have you tried that? my dietician wanted me to give up coffee completely but i love my 2 mugs of caffetiere coffee in the morning so i cut out proper tea just have decaf rest of day, but still my coffee in morning. the only difference it made was getting off to sleep easier at night!!(due to decaf tea!!) but i stick with it as good to reduce caffeine intake & i sleep better. i dont really know about milk subs as i can tolerate dairy so i use the 1% fat orange cap one. i did try lactofree i think it was called at one point as my dietician wanted me to try it for a week in case of lactose prob, but no difference. i think there are a few different lactose free milks available another one called alpro. i avoid any seeds as they irritate my stomach/colon. personally, i would restart the probiotic for at least 12wks on the recommended max dose of 60ml per day. ( i still take 50ml per day after the initial 12wks were up) & perhaps try buscopan instead of mebeverine. one other bad thing to eat for me is salad leafs like rocket, watercress, all types of lettuce except iceberg - they come out completely undigested & cause bad stomach pain & diarrea, as do other veg except for what i mentioned in my 1st post. hope this helps xx
Where do you get liqiud Probiotics never heard of them
Thanx michellelvj its such a telief to hear you have and are surviving the boring options!
Your roght about the GP.. I did ask but she said under the new law theyve restricted dietitiob access dor only those who are obese! And that i can thank david cameron for that! Really! But i will go back and push for it!
Hey marieelle199 your right about that! We ARE all different. I assumed everyone would have same ourcome whenI first discovered all the methods but im glad after teading everyones different experiences that isnt so.
I was told by a friend as an IBS sufferer to stay away from white bread cos it is an enemy for IBS and inswapped to wholemeal qithout Q for a year now. I hate wholemeal hahaha!! It may sound silly but i was depressed giving up white bread and now that you guys have mentioned the differences... i really have not seen a change.
Wow beth after reading your symptoms i feel for you!!!
That sounds so excrutiating. Its really comforting to know that enduring these episodes and carrying on with life isnt just me but you aswell.
I can now say that after exp child birth guys which for mw by the way are like 3-4 days long contractions .. the IBS has come on as a definite rival!
I didnt no that buscopan can be taken and used more permanently as my GP advised me its only a temp fix and should be taken temp..but you know what its the only thing that stops my paon so i may just follow your footsteps.
I also suffer in public like that which stresses me out more which affects my IBS more..
Tell me anyone...how does one overcome this catch 22 conundrum!
Jan!
I think you need to get ready and prepared for a couple of us gratecrashers at your place!!!
You make it sound so manageable ad your advice is great!and i agree with michelle and shelly its defi cos im thinking lazy before i have even begun!
The alternative lists you haverntioned seem catered to me cos i have onions in everything i eat as a base for sauce as well as garlic.
Id love it if you have any more impressive alternative lists fr ingredients you can provide as i may need alot more. Any recipes will be greatly appreciated!
Shelly im the same i have to cook diff for my partner too!
Hi Shelly i have sent you a private message telling you about the probiotic i use, as the moderators on here dont let you keep repeating the name of a particular product - even if it can help people!!!???