Thinking to go back on ensure?

[Ladycx]

Have been on fodmap diet for 3 weeks although have stopped gluten free bread and just having two rice cakes a day. Pain is unbearable now and are now period pain like, have hardly eaten anything for 2 days as everything seems to be affecting me. Going to my gp tomorrow to ask to go back on ensure as this will give me nutrients as I can't seem to tolerate any food. Has anyone else had to do this? Am seeing my consultant next Tuesday .

[Hidden]

Although the FODMAP diet works for me, it wasn't a complete success until I latched on to the fact that some foods listed as 'safe' were anything but that for me. Rice - no matter what type - and all its derivatives, e.g. flour and starch give me chronic pain and bloating, and I can say the same for oats. Since giving up all grains except for corn (maize) and sticking closely with FODMAPs, I've had no problems. Perhaps you could try corn crackers instead of rice and see if that works.

[Ladycx]

Thanks pagenmoon will try those and see. Can't eat any salad stuff or fruit or veg at the moment either. Think I will be living on mashed potato and chicken for the rest of my life.

[Hidden in reply to Ladycx]

I thought I was doomed to chicken, fish and potatoes too, but you'll find a solution eventually although it may not feel like it at the moment. Give the corn cakes a go though and make sure you don't get rice flour (or oats) in anything processed that you buy.

Have you had tests for SIBO and candida?

[Ladycx]

No you mentioned candida to me befor am going to ask about that tomorrow with gp or consultant in Tuesday. What is SIBO?

[Hidden in reply to Ladycx]

It's a test for small intestinal bacteria overgrowth and can be done on the NHS. I had one done about a month ago and, although my result was negative, there are plenty of people for whom it's a positive and the treatment is quite different to that for IBS. Most GPs have never heard of the test but gastros have.

[Ladycx]

Maybe I've had one, the consultant has done loads of different stuff including loads of different breath tests. What does this one entail? Thank you so much for being so helpful

[Hidden in reply to Ladycx]

Yes, it is a breath test, so you may well have had it done although some malabsorption tests are done by breath as well, but it's worth asking. I'll be interested to read what response you get about a candida test - it's usually a patronising smile...

[Ladycx]

Ha ha will see what gp says in the morning otherwise will have to wait till tues and ask gastro consultant although may have more luck with gp. Will let you know.

[coppertop]

How did you get a test for Candida? I've asked my gp & hosp gastro and both just dismiss it but I have all the symptoms

[Hidden in reply to coppertop]

I had to pay for a private lab to do the test (about £60) as candida just isn't recognized as a valid condition by medics in this country. I had the first test which confirmed its presence, went on an anti-candida diet for 4 months until my symptoms finished decreasing (which was by about 30%) once they'd levelled out I had a second test done which came back clear. The lab that I used is in Germany and it's at: candidatest.co.uk. There are a lot of rip-offs out there, but this one is for real.

[Ladycx]

Hi Pagenmoon I asked gp for candida test and he said he doesn't do it although he said cutting out all yeast can help. He's put me back on ensure for a few days to try and calm the tummy. I see consultant on tuesday so will see what she says then.

[Hidden in reply to Ladycx]

Oh shame, but why am I not surprised? Medics are never going to recognize candida and yet getting rid of it works for a lot of people. It cleared my symptoms by about 30% and the rest were dealt with by fodmapping, but if I hadn't got rid of the candida first, I'd still be thinking that FODMAPs didn't work for me.

[sickandsore]

Hi there, so sorry you are still in so much pain..for the record it took me weeks and weeks before i started to see even the slightest improvement in symptoms following the low fodmap diet. We are all different some people see improvement quite quickly others it takes several weeks. The diet hasnt been a cure for me but it did highlight which foods were troubling me most. One thing that has helped me aside from the diet is using milled flaxseed every day and drinking at least 1.5-2 litres of fluid a day, this helps keep my bowel moving at least once a day as I suffered with IBS C still after giving up wheat and certain fruits.the wheat and fruit caused my diaohrea so finding a balance was very difficult and at times I still struggle but usually when ive eaten somthing I shouldnt!

I rarely take buscopan and paracetamol (which I lived on) now as just regularly having a good bowel movement helps along with a fairly simple diet.

[Ladycx]

Thanks sickandsore I go back to the consultant today. I saw gp last week and he put mr back on ensure drink. I have stopped all caffeine and have mashed potatoe only once a day, a small portion and although it has helped a bit the pain nausea and bloating are still there. I am at the end of my tether as am hungry but too scared to eat. It's not even as if any weight is dropping off either. I know I will have to go back on fodmap and just persevere

[Ladycx]

Hi Pagenmoon I got back from seeing my consultant at royal free and feel ashamed to say I broke down in tears with her and once I got home.

Because I'm still bloated and still in pain after ensure and mash potato only since last Thursday she has advised no potato at all for a bit as it would seem potato causing gas too.

I came away with movoprep to try and clear the back log which may help a bit and which she gave me as an emergency thing only. She doesn't really agree with laxatives if possible.

Stay of yeast products and mushrooms and try to eat some sort of vegetable every day but not those on high fodmap list. She sent me for bloods and I see her again end of August.

Am to carry on with food diary.

She seems to be doing all she can and reading some of the posts on here I think I'm quite lucky really.

Hope you are ok at the moment.

Clayre

[Hidden in reply to Ladycx]

Hi Clayre,

Well, I think we've all had some tears at various times over the lack of treatment available for our symptoms so don't be ashamed. I feel for you though if you can't eat potatoes as I know they're pretty much a mainstay for many of us. Can you eat corn (maize) products, i.e. pasta made purely with that (not a corn and rice mix)? Did you try eating corn crackers instead of rice as I suggested previously?

It may well be worth getting a candida test done as FODMAPs didn't work properly for me until I'd got rid of that. You say your consultant told you to stay off yeast, well, that could help as it's part of the anti-candida regime. I can let you know the full diet for it if you like.

On the strength of a blog posted on here yesterday, I'm just about to try a course of pure aloe vera juice plus probiotics and will let you know how that goes.

If you want to come back to me, can you hit the 'Reply to this' link otherwise I don't get an email notification that you've responded and I'd hate you to think I'd ignored you?!

Pagan

[Boogie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Paganmoon,

Could you please post the anti candida regime? I suspect I have a candida problem and would be interested to know how to help control it. I'm waiting to see a Dietician, I know I'm on the waiting list, but no date to see one yet. Anything I can do to help myself get and feel better would be great. Thanks.

[Hidden in reply to Boogie]

Hi Boogie,

Unfortunately, the medical profession in the UK doesn't recognise candida as an illness and, as far as I know, won't do tests for it. I had mine done privately at a German lab at this address: candidatest.co.uk. After you get your results (2 - 3weeks later), you can ring to discuss them if you're not clear about them.

It's a stool test and costs about £60.

I started to get an improvement in symptoms within about 3 weeks of starting the diet and continued with it until results levelled out after about 4 months. Had another test done at that point which showed all clear. I still had IBS, of course, but getting rid of candida reduced symptoms by about 30% overall. I then found out about the FODMAP diet which I've been on for almost 7 months now (with quite a few tweaks!) and which has almost completely cleared the rest of my symptoms.

The anti-candida diet is quite straightforward, just miss out the following, taking care to check all food labels:

Prescription and OTC medication (unless essential for another condition.

Sugar.

All dairy (not just lactose-free).

Yeast.

All fruit for 1 month, then low-sugar fruits only.

Caffeine.

Fermented and fermentable foodstuffs e.g. vinegars.

Alcohol.

I hope it works for you too.

Pagan

[Boogie in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Pagan, I'll give it a go

[Buddyu]

I have been told that Ensure, the food supplement is not Fodmap friendly because of the high fructose content. So it is possible that is the thing that is upsetting you