Extreme sensitivity to excluded foods after FODMAP Elimination Diet

[Ophelia_pain]

I've been using this diet for just under a year now (on direction from my dietician) and have seen improvements, however now, when I am exposed to culprit foods, even in tiny amounts, I have a huge flare up. Has anyone else experienced similar? Have had coeliac disease and IBD tests and they have been negative. Thanks

[Hidden]

I, too, started on FODMAPs about a year ago, but as I got a very rapid improvement, I was able to start reintroducing suspect foods after about 6 weeks. I didn't have too many problems doing this as I don't think I'd been off them long enough to make the kind of dramatic impact you've been having. However, there were quite a few 'safe' FODMAP foods that gave me some trouble and it took me a while to identify those, could this be the same for you?

Also, it may help you to read my recent post 'To everyone who has diarrhoea-predominant IBS...'. The treatment I now have from my GP has solved all my problems at a stroke.

Best wishes, Roz

[Ophelia_pain in reply to Hidden]

Hi Roz

Thanks for your reply. I went through the reintroduction phase carefully and found I reacted to every group in the advance challange phase (IBS Free at Last - Change your Carbs, Change Your Life) the worst being fructans where I failed the cautious challenge on three separate occassions. It is this group that I am finding I'm having such a bad reaction to now... who knows maybe because I am much better most of the time now that when I do flare, it seems a lot worse?

[Hidden in reply to Ophelia_pain]

Yes, you could well be right about symptoms seeming worse because you don't have so many of them these days - it's natural to 'forget' about the bad bits! However, please do read my post about colestyramine, I don't have to eliminate any foods since I've been taking it. Absolutely life changing.

[Ibsr]

Have you been tested for fructose malabsorption? Maybe you just cannot digest those food groups and have to stay clear.

In my opinion if you have had IBS symptoms for a while than it can probably take the same amount of time to heal too. So you may need to avoid the foods for a bit longer.

What other symptoms do you have other than the typical gastro related one?

[Ophelia_pain in reply to Ibsr]

Hi ibsr

Thanks for your post. I've not been tested for fructose malabsorbtion, that might be an idea. I get terrible acid reflux wherever I eat apple and pear so tend to stay away - both are fructose rich so there might be a connection?

I have ibs a but the main thing is the gut pain when I flare - to the point of being investigated for kidney stones as it was so acute. I've had symptoms since early childhood and was told it was a rumbling appendicitis. My appendix did eventually burst 12 years ago but the symptoms and sensitivity to foods and frequency of flares increased upwards from there.

I'm just so grumpy and fed up not being able to eat normally as I love food and it is really getting to me that I can't even enjoy simple things like a slice of bread without 2 days of chronic pain!

I will definitely go back to the docs to see about fructose malabsorbtion testing, thanks foe the advice

[Ibsr in reply to Ophelia_pain]

It's worth getting checked out as it may mean you need to avoid a few more things too. I know what you mean re pain. I get chronic pain to the point I am unable to walk let alone move and have to lay down. I have been on FODMAPS since feb, also had testing for candida which I think has helped loads ESP as I was getting brain fog and was unable to eat ANY type of sugar or sweet food too! Now I just get flare ups just before my period...which is better than everyday of the month. But I think I have noticed that ANY starch eaten during that time inc my usual safe foods of potatoes and rice are a no go during that time. But its just pain and nothing else at the moment. So you see it can be a bit more complicated than just following the FODMAPS...you need to make your own tweaks and listen to your body everyday of the month to see if you have flares at certain times and not others depending on what else is happening to your body on the inside.

The other thing to remember is that even though you are tempted to eat bread for example and have a flare up for two days, the inflammation will stay on the inside longer than two days and will never settle if you are not strict with yourself. Your body needs time to heal and it can only do that if you stop putting the inflammatory foods in

[Ksheridan]

I have experienced this to a degree, I'm just I the reintroducing stage, and have had a couple of flare-ups, when only eating very small amounts of foods I am trying to introduce. I now have a good number of 'safe foods' though which I can revert back too, which is more than I've ever had before- I lived on plain rice for weeks at one point, when I was really ill and before I tried the FODMAP diet- you can read my experience at mylifewithibs.com. Good luck with your diet.

[Ophelia_pain in reply to Ksheridan]

Thanks for your reply Ksheridan. I'll definitely check out your blog, thanks for the link

[whiteladder42]

Does anyone know anywhere the fructose intolerance test is done? I am under the care of a specialist at a specialist GI hospital (St Marks in London) and even there only the lactose one is available. I have an appointment for this in a few weeks after being referred for it in February! Since I have no life at all and can't even drink water sometimes (my IBS is not food related) any answers would be helpful.

[Weezie99]

Lettuce. Bummer, because I love salads.

[HowNowWhatNow]

Has been similar for me with wheat. My stomach does seem more sensitive too, now that you mention it.

I felt much better on FodMap but couldn’t sustain long term.