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Low fodmap diet

Posted , 7 users are following.

libralady13
libralady13

Hello I have both IBS and Diverticulosis with some symptoms but never had diverticulitis to date touch wood. My gp has suggested I try the low fodmap diet together with an increase in fybrogel/mebeverine from once a day to twice a day for a couple of weeks and to try low fodmap for 4 weeks to see if this . Improves the wind and bloating. I suffer from a tendency to constipation and despite high fibre diet and the fybogel although I go every day still have problems. I also suffer from anxiety which does not help. Any one tried low fodmap. Would love to hear how you got on.

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 libralady13

    Posted

    Mebeverine is not the best if you have constipation; it can make it worse. I found my contipation got significantly worse on it and it gave me very bad indigestion.
  • oliver92
    oliver92 libralady13

    Posted

    I tried FODMAP and think it helped. Its difficult to be sure when you try various things and I think my AIP Paleo diet plus other things in a holistic approach is responsible for most improvements. But it's definitely worth a try. My cousin was diagnosed with Crohns a few years ago and she's found significant improvements with FODMAP.

  • jan48389
    jan48389 libralady13

    Posted

    My GP also suggested the Low FODMAP diet when I was diagnosed with IBS a couple of years ago. My symptoms have improved significantly since eliminating foods high in FODMAPs from my diet. I would definitely recommend it. My best advice is to scrutinise ingredients lists in absolutely everything you eat. I have discovered my main triggers are onions, mushrooms and garlic,but many products contain these ingredients. For example some supermarket own brands of tomato ketchup contain onion. The major brands don’t. 

    Hope the diet works as well for you as it has for me. 

    Jan

    • libralady13
      libralady13 jan48389

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply.  It does seem a bit daunting as it is not the only health problem I have to contend with.  I don;t eat mushrooms and I try to limit onions but I don't garlic affects me although I don't use it much as my husband is not keen.  Can I ask which type of bread do you eat and have you substituted anything for dairy.  Thanks a lot.

    • jan48389
      jan48389 libralady13

      Posted

      I am generally  with fine with lactose so don’t have to restrict many dairy products, other than cream cheese, or crumbly cheeses such as Lancashire. Eggs are no problem, but I don’t tolerate anything with a high fat content, so tend to use creme fraiche rather than single or double cream. I can only tolerate small amounts of gluten, so eat gluten free bread. High fibre products - wholemeal bread, for example, and high fibre cereals are an absolute no go. 

      I love garlic, but have substituted it with garlic infused oil, and I use chives or the green part of spring onions or leeks instead of onions. 

      To be honest, with the exception of mushrooms I can find a substitute for pretty much everything I want to eat. I probably have a healthier, more nutritous diet now than I did in my pre IBS days, because I make virtually all my meals from scratch so I can be cofident of the ingredients. 

      Everyone is different, what suits me wouldn’t necessarily suit others, but that’s the benefit of the elimination phase of the diet. It really does help to identify what food triggers, if any, that you might have. 

      Jan

    • libralady13
      libralady13 jan48389

      Posted

      Thanks for your informative reply. I thought how much better I felt today but I spoke too soon. After taking my ranitidine (which I take each day before eve meals (as an endoscopy last month showed mild gastritis) I started feeling bloated again. The only thing I can think of is the small amount of salad cream I had on my salad for lunch. Do you know what ingredients I should be looking to avoid when buying a thing from supermarket. Thanks.
    • libralady13
      libralady13 oliver92

      Posted

      It is funny you should say that.  I was only looking more closely at the leaflet that came with the Ranitidine and I noticed stomach pain was one of the side effects mentioned.  I am having to stay on them for some time if not indefinitely as I was diagnosed with mild gastritis after a gastroscopy last month.  I have been on them 8 weeks and was hoping I could wean off them but my gp said to carry on as I do still get some symptoms although I don't know if it is to do with the Ranitidine,IBS or anxiety.  Unfortunately I cannot take PPI's as they cause havoc with my IBS.  In any case you should not be on them long term.  Really hard to know what to do for the best.  The link was not blocked by the way.

    • libralady13
      libralady13 jan48389

      Posted

      Hello Sorry to bother you again.  As I mentioned I have not yet properly started the low fod map diet.  Because of the snow her I have been able to get out and although I the shopping delivered was not sure what to buy.  All the free from products look really expensive and as we are pensioners I do need to keep to a budget.  I have sorted out fruit and veg so that's ok.  I did get some lactose free milk for porridge but ready on the fodmap app that tea with ordinary skimmed milk is ok and I have down on tea anyway.  I notice I should not drink apple juice or orange juice as well.  What I am not sure about is Bread.  At the moment I have cut down from 4 slices a day to 2 and I do seem to feel less bloated.  I eat wholebread which of course is a no no on Fodmap diet.  I also read that gluten free is not necessarily fodmap free, very confusing.  I have been tested for gluten intolerance and it came back negative.  I want to make sure I buy the right thing for me I will still have to buy ordinary bread for my husband so what do I buy.  The other thing is cooking ingredients I know I should be looking for garlic,celery and onions and can you buy a suitable stock for casseroles etc.  I have also read that you should be under the care of a dietician whilst on this diet but my gp just said to try it for a month.  You mentioned mushrooms I really like them no only buy them for my husband.  I am finding it quite daunting probably because I have other health problems causing me pain and discomfort as well.   Thanks for reading this.  Really fed up with it all.  Just received a wedding invitation to our nephews wedding and have to choose from the menu so not sure about that as its not until August.

    • libralady13
      libralady13

      Posted

      Just read my post back and missed out words etc.  Sorry about that.
  • sam18386
    sam18386 libralady13

    Posted

    I thought you were talking about me when I read your post libralady. I have exactly the same, the fodmap diet doesn't really touch diverticulosis or IBS, I am battling dietitians to find what I now do as my diagnosis is brand new. Good luck getting anywhere, your diet must be intermittent high and low fibre. I still don't know what I am doing please let me know how you get on.xxx

    • libralady13
      libralady13 sam18386

      Posted

      Like you I am not sure what to do.  As I understand you need high fibre for diverticulosis and FODMAP for IBS.  I am hoping that I won't get worse constipation but I am taking fybogel twice a day.  I have not started properly yet.  Yesterday I just cut my bread intake by half and ditched the branflakes and ate salad veg and fruit on the low fodmap list.  I do feel less bloated today will let you know how it goes.  The trouble is I have other health problems and anxiety which does not help as I never seem to feel really well and always have some sort of pain.

    • sam18386
      sam18386 libralady13

      Posted

      Hi libralady, I am yet to discover what I can have with this new diagnosis of diverticulosis.  I am quite annoyed by my new diagnosis because I warned my doctors when I was diagnosed with irritable bowel that I had a grandfather with bowel cancer who died in 1990 and my dad had diverticulosis too.  They appear to have ignored this fact, so I am battling to find out why this was ignored.  I currently am having really intense counselling so am struggling with that, poor diet (with lots of allergies) and struggling with the stress of losing my dad at the moment too!  As a result I have now ended up physically ill, with a urinary infection and as a result have bitten off my dieticians head!  I now feel terrible for doing this but had no idea about the infection until I started to wee burn!  Flamin' bowel just take it out and start again!

  • FA54321
    FA54321 libralady13

    Posted

    Hi, I’m on the FODMAP diet at the moment, I have Coeliac disease and over the years since being diagnosed with it, have found I’ve ended up with a lot of food intolerances. I suffer badly with stomach cramps and nausea and diarrhoea, but have found the FODMAP has made a big improvement. You are meant to stay on it for 2 months however, not 4 weeks, then you gradually reintroduce foods that you’ve eliminated from your diet back into it, one at a time. If you have a reaction to a food, take it back out of your diet and try a different one. There’s lots of information the web on FODMAP to help you. Did your Dr say why he wanted you to try it for 4 weeks instead of the usual 2 months? 
    • libralady13
      libralady13 FA54321

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply.  Not sure why my gp said only 4 weeks maybe as I am often at the surgery with other health problems she thought I would be able to let her know if it was working.  She has given me an apt to try which I have downloaded.  I have not really started the diet as yet  as I needed to do a shop. Yesterday I just cut back on wholemeal bread ditched the branflakes and ate fruit veg and salad which are low fodmap.  I must admit to do feel less bloated today.  I love mango and have some in the fridge but I see it is a no go.  Can you tell what you might eat in a typical day.  I am not gluten intolerance so not sure whether to keep the bread to one slice a day or maybe try sough dough.  Thanks.
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