I've been put on the Low FODMAP Diet and I'm lost
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi, I am 21 years old and have been experiencing a. lot of stomach pain. I have had diarrhea and constipation with blood in my stool. I have been nauseous and I have been experiencing a lot of heartburn as well.
I have had a colonoscopy that was pointing towards Crohn's disease because of the erosions in my large bowel. I went to have a endoscopy test done next the reveled more erosions in my esophagus. I was put on a persciption strength Nexium which I still am on.
I still have not been feeling better so recently my doctor had me swallow the PillCam to see into my small bowel to deterime if my Crohn's was there. After the results came back my doctor said everyting looked normal and even though Crohn's might still be a possibility there is nothing further that he can do to make that decision.
He has not said that I have IBS, however, he gave me papers saying to follow a Low FODMAP diet which I have been doing since the 8th of December.
I have a few questions:
Everything I am Googling suggests that only people with IBS are placed on the diet. Does that mean I have IBS?
My doctor told me to eliminate foods from my diet, however, my next appointment is the end of March. According to what I have Googled I shouldn't be eliminating food for that long, however, he never gave me instructions on how to reintroduce foods or when to. What is going on here?
Finally, the list I was given on foods to avoid differs from what people are saying online. Which should I stick to?
Thank you so much!!
0 likes, 3 replies
craig84609 katieekardum
Posted
First off I would like to say that I know what you are going through and I feel for you. Doctors don't want to diagnose Inflammatory bowel disease unless they find evidence to support it. They should have taken biopsies of the colon and that should reveal what is going on. It sounds like IBD to me. I have IBD and I can tell you not a day goes by that I don't suffer. It is a terrible disease that doctors tend to minimize and few research the disease so that they can better treat their patients. If you have IBD, do yourself a favor and find a doctor that specializes in IBD. They are out there. Don't expect your run of the mill polyp removing gastroenterologist to be an expert in IBD. Lack of knowledge on the part of the doctor can cause more pain and suffering that doesn't need to happen. Also, you need to make a list of foods that make you sick. I wish you well and if I can answer any questions about IBD please ask. I have had it for 30 years.
fran54405 katieekardum
Posted
Hey,
I'm sorry to hear you are suffering and struggling to find information that's helpful.
I was diagnosed with Crohn's in September and had horrific stomach pains for months before I was diagnosed. 5 doctors told me I had gastritis and an acid reflux and to only eat low acid foods such a raspberries and almonds and brown grains etc. Then after my diagnosis - we read that all the foods I'd previously been eating were the worst possible kind despite all the advice I was given.
I changed to a low fibre diet straight away and avoided anything that is hard to digest such as red meat, seeds, bits, dried fruit, raw veg. I have since found out I have a gluten and dairy intolerance. If you buy a book called IBD it will give you advice about diets.
I personally think trial and error can be quite difficult as I didn't want to try stuff and worry it would make me ill. Plain foods that are easy to digest will help whether it's crohn's or Ibs. Sweet potatoes, avocados and porridge oats are all really good foods to eat and easy on the stomach.
I'm not sure if that's any help but hopefully it is
good luck x
UKMattG katieekardum
Posted
Your journey sounds like many people and I can liken it to the long journey it took for me to get a clear diagnosis of Crohns. Sorry to hear you're not at a point of a clear diagnosis yet but do fight for it and make sure you're confident in your doctors approach and the eventual diagnosis! Persistence is key.
I was first prescribed the low fodmap diet around 3 years ago which was against a diagnoses of IBS. I've been on it since and was diagnosed with Crohns at the beginning of this year. The diet can be helpful for both IBS and IBD symptoms as it removes foods that can ferment in your intestines causing a worsening of symptoms. I've found it extremely helpful throughout the duration and before starting the diet I was a mess! Although other diets exist that may be equally or more beneficial. I have an appointment with a dietitian to discuss now I've got a clear Crohns diagnosis.
Don't trust information on the Internet as its not accurate! The definitive information is from the Monash University who pioneered the diet with research. The official phone app can be downloaded for something like £8 and this tells you about the diet, contains a helpful guide of good and bad foods (easily searched) and recipes. Or there's a book from the same people available from Amazon - it's by Dr Sue Shepherd.
The big items to remove first is lactose and gluten. Onion also bad for most. The guides talk you through RE-introduction but it wouldn't do you any harm sticking to it for 8 weeks. It's been 3 years for me! It's tough to get used to initially but if you're anything like me you'll feel big improvements within 2-3 days!
Good luck and reply if there's anything you want to know.
Matt