IBS and LOW FODMAP DIET

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I have had IBS c also diverticulosis and mild gastritis. I have recently tried the low fodmap diet and have just finished 4 weeks of elimination stage with much improved symptoms bloating and constipation mainly which have nearly disappeared. I am now beginning reintroduction. I have tried eating wholemeal bread in the quantities suggested over 3 days and have found that I reacted to larger quantities which those who are familiar with this diet with know is not that much 2 small thin slices of a small loaf. The bloating was back and constipation. I intend to try it again at a later date. I have also tried pasta but stopped after the first day as my stomach seemed to be a bit upset and as I have to go to the hospital with my husband on Friday I did not want to be in pain. So once again that will be for the future. Next reintroduction is lactose but I don't expect any problems as I have been having small quantities as allowed. Any of you who have tried this diet can you tell me which foods you found were permanently off the menu for the future. I do belong to a forum on facebook which does offer a lot of advice and help from fellow members. I just thought I would try and get a fresh view on this forum.

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15 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi libralady, welcome to here, this website is great! Firstly this damn silly diet that is given out by smarties to those with IBS as one size fits all??? The fodmap diet did nothing for me. It just stripped lots of useful things out of my diet and left me fearful of adding lots of things back in to my diet now, i am only now doing this because i get really persistent constipation because i have next to no fruit or fibre. In terms of wheat a lot of people on here have gluten free from what i can gather. I too may well have to go down that path yet given that the hospital now think i have coeliac disease. If you cut out bread then you may have found your main trigger. Lactose is easier for me to digest whether it is for you, you can only really try it. Good luck keep us updated. It takes such a while.

    • Posted

      Thank you sam18386Yes I know what you mean about the diet it is so complicated and off putting. I admit I did try it last year but not properly which left me like you frightened to add some foods back in. This time trying to do it properly but being realistic. Yes I think you are right I have heard in terms of IBS a lot do better with out wheat and go gluten free although of course it is not the gluten but the fodmaps in wheat. I had a blood test for coeliac which was negative nether the less some people are still wheat sensitive without being coeliac. I think they call it non coeliac gluten intolerance. Certainly for me it really helped with constipation using gluten free but low fodmap bread. As I said I might try ordinary bread a gain but if not gluten free will do. I sometimes wonder about tinned tomatoes I did make a casserole low fod map using them but not sure if was that that made me bloated. I actually used small carton 200ml pasatta maybe it is too concentrated. Fresh ones in salads etc seem fine.What have you tried for your constipation. I have ground flaxseed on oat flakes or porridge.I used to take fybogel but no longer do I dont think it made any difference might have even made it worse. Fruits I eat are strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, and grapes I usually have 2 portions safe fodmap size per day.Constipation is awful and I know how you feel. I used to read that some said eating fibre made it worse and never could see that would be possible but obviously fibre from flaxseed and fruit must suit me better although gluten free bread is high fibre so it must be what they add. Hope you can find something that helps. Yes you are right it all takes so long and you seem to think about food all the time what you can and can't have never mind eating out or at relatives houses. I only hope by September when we will have out 50th wedding anniversary I can have a glass of wine or two.

  • Posted

    Firstly, well done for doing the FODMAP diet properly- so many people don't!

    For me permenent no-go are: onion, garlic, nuts, seeds, yoghurt, wholemeal bread (white is ok), large quantities of fruit and veg (I find 3 veg and 1 fruit per day is fine), coffee is also terrible for me, as is fruit juice. Good luck with the rest of your re-introductions!

    • Posted

      Thank you leeniepieYes I tried last year but not properly but this time trying to get it right. Some say if you are not gluten intolerant then include small portions of bread and and if not lactose intolerant use small quantities of milk. Well the booklet and apps seem to have conflicting view. I did cut out gluten and had gluten free bread for the first 2 weeks noticed a difference straight away. Then tried small quantities of ordinary bread for a few days noticed symptoms coming back so went back to gf for the remaining time. Will try in to introduce bread again at some point but if I find problems then gluten free will be a permanent part of my diet. Likewise pasta.

      Thank you for listing the foods which cause you problems.Interesting you say white bread is ok that is something to think about although I always thought in the past white bunged me up. I am very nervous about trying onion again not had them since last year. Do you know is it supposed to be raw onion or cooked. Garlic my husband does like very much so happy with garlic infused oil. Veg at the moment is root veg like carrots small quantities of green beans and broccoli. I dont like sweet potatoes or aubergine but do like peppers and small quantities of courgettes. Fruit at the moment is strawberries,pineapple,blueberriesand grapes. The jury is still out on whether raspberries even at a safe serving affect me. As I say dreading doing onions and apple and pears. Was supposed to be doing another group now but have to go to hospital with husband tomorrow and did not want to risk being in pain. Life still has to go on. Roll on the warm weather. Thanks again.

  • Posted

    My avoid "at all cost" foods are onions, mushrooms and garlic. I follow a largely gluten free diet, although I can tolerate small amounts of gluten - maybe one or two reduced fat digestive biscuits a day. I also discovered that foods with a high fat content adversely effect me (I have IBS -D) so I tend to stick to low fat options . I'm fine with lactose and dairy

    I have been following my Low Fodmap eating plan for over 3 years, and although I still get the occasional flare up, my IBS is pretty well controlled. I hope is as successful for you.

    Jan

    • Posted

      Thank you Jan48389 I did think that onions, garlic and wheat might be what ibs sufferers had most trouble with. I will try small safe fodmap portion of bread again at some time but if I find I can't tolerate it will stick with gluten free bread. Not looking forward to introducing onions and apples and pears as I mentioned to leeniepie. It will take time but will get there. Thank you for taking the trouble to list what foods upset you. It is very helpful.

  • Posted

    Please do keep us posted as you reintroduce foods and let us know the effects. Can you share information on that Facebook forum you mentioned? I would like to check that out.

    I was on the low FODMAP diet for several years, followed it very strictly, but gastro didn't tell me I could try out forbidden foods in a systematic way and check their effects. He just left me on it. I couldn't tell any positive effect from being on it, but that was when I had lymphocytic colitis, not IBS-C. When I switched gastros, new doc was horrified I had been on it so long and took me off.

    Now I have IBS-C and am considering going back onto low FODMAP to see if it helps, but several key foods that seem to keep me from getting constipated are not allowed--prunes and avocados. Whenever I try to reduce prunes, constipation requires I increase medication. Anyone else have this experience? Any advice?

    • Posted

      FODMAP will not help constipation. prunes are very good for ibs-c, if it helps you then carry on with it!

  • Posted

    Thank you for your reply jeannecatlover (so am I). Before I started the low fodmap I was plagued with constipation sometimes things like prunes would work but would leave me so bloated and windy. Of course now I know prunes are high fodmap. It is not a one size fits all diet. I could not belief that low fodmap because it reduces fibre would actually work and was worried that I would end up worse than before. To my surprise the constipation has got much better almost gone. I think even the hemmeroids that went with it are going. Seems like you have had a bad time with the diet not being informed properly it is complicated enough if you do know what to do. Not sure what you mean about having to increase medication if you reduce prunes etc do you mean laxative of some type.

    The Facebook group I belong to is Low Fodmap UK the logo for the site has a phone and photo of fruits and veg. There are several fodmap sites. I like this one. You have to join and you may have to answer some questions I can't remember. There is always someone on the site who will help and know the answer to you question. There are recipes as well. Look forward to seeing you on the site. Good luck to you.

    • Posted

      Thanks so much for that information, libralady. I will go join the Facebook group.

      Yes, I mean that if I reduce prunes, I have to increase Miralax or Linzess to remain regular. So I don't know if it's better to be on a diet without prunes (such as low FODMAP or just regular food without prunes) and take more Linzess, or be on a diet with prunes and take a lower dose of Linzess. (I'm off the Miralax for now.)

      Either way, more prunes or less prunes, I have abdominal distension and pain, so it's not clear that eliminating them would help me. I've been opting for less medication and more prunes, since I hate taking so many meds. But if going entirely low FODMAP would eliminate the distension (and not cause me to constipated), I would gladly do that. The distension just drives me crazy.

  • Posted

    I have IBS D and have omitted onions, garlic and mushrooms completely from my diet. I also struggle finding the right amount of veg and fruit that I can tolerate. I'm still working on that.

    I think it just trial and error until you find the best things for you. Everyone seems to have different intolerances.

    • Posted

      Thank you lynn128 for your reply. Yes it is hard and takes along time. It does get you down and you feel like giving up but we plod on. It must be difficult with ibsd the opposite to me with ibs c but I have found that just doing the low fodmap has helped a lot constipation and I hope it will improve.You are right we are all different.Good luck don't give up.

  • Posted

    hi, i too struggle with constipation ibs. what was the diet that you followed? low fodmap and what foods did you eliminate that helped?

    thanks

  • Posted

    Hello dylan08443 I t it the low fodmap diet that I am in the middle of at the moment. You need to have been diagnosed with IBS and it would be a good idea to ask your gp if you could be referred to a Fodmap Trained Dietitian. You don't mention if you have other symptoms apart from constipation the diet helps with these as well. It is not a short term thing. The diet in all its stages takes a few months to complete and then you may find you there are certain foods you have to avoid. However the idea is that you eat a variety of foods long term as your symptoms allow.There is plenty on line however I don't think I can mention names on here you would also need to download a couple of apps one of which tells what foods are high fodmap and what are low and portion size. There are also good fodmap groups on social media.It does not work for absolutely everyone but it does for a good number of people as it has for me. Anymore information please do ask.

  • Posted

    Hello dylan08443 I t it the low fodmap diet that I am in the middle of at the moment. You need to have been diagnosed with IBS and it would be a good idea to ask your gp if you could be referred to a Fodmap Trained Dietitian. You don't mention if you have other symptoms apart from constipation the diet helps with these as well. It is not a short term thing. The diet in all its stages takes a few months to complete and then you may find you there are certain foods you have to avoid. However the idea is that you eat a variety of foods long term as your symptoms allow.There is plenty on line however I don't think I can mention names on here you would also need to download a couple of apps one of which tells what foods are high fodmap and what are low and portion size. There are also good fodmap groups on social media.It does not work for absolutely everyone but it does for a good number of people as it has for me. Anymore information please do ask.

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